James Gandolfini 'Sopranos' Star Suffers Massive Heart Attack in Italy, Passes-Away at Age 51

Actor James Gandolfini is dead at 51. A source tells the Daily News he
suffered a massive heart attack in Italy.

James Gandolfini dead at 51: 'Sopranos' star suffers massive heart attack in Italy

by Don Kaplan & Daniel Bleekman

'Everyone is in tears,' a source close to the Emmy Award-winning actor tells the Daily News.

James Gandolfini, the New Jersey-bred actor who delighted audiences as mob boss Tony Soprano in “The Sopranos” has died following a massive heart attack in Italy, a source told the Daily News.

“Everyone is in tears,” the source close to the 51-year-old TV tough guy said.

James Gandolfini (center) is best known for his role as Tony in HBO's 'The Sopranos,' acting alongside Tony Sirico (from left), Steven Van Zandt, Michael Imperioli and Vicent Pastore.

A press-shy celeb who got his sart as a character actor and became famous relatively late in his career — thanks to his breakout role on “The Sopranos,” Gandolfini has largely avoided the spotlight since the last season of the beloved show aired in 2007.

James Gandolfini (right) with 'The Sopranos' creator David Chase.

The burly Westwood, N.J. native has appeared in several supporting roles since then, playing the director of the CIA in “Zero Dark Thirty” and the gruff blue-collar father of a wannabe rock star in “Not Fade Away” last year.

Gandolfini hit Broadway in 2009 with the Tony Award-winning comedy “God of Carnage.”

James Gandolfini and his wife Deborah Lin, who gave birth to a
baby girl in October. The couple married in Hawaii in 2008.

“I seek out good stories, basically — that’s it,” he told The Star-Ledger last December.

James Gandolfini (from left) played a tough-guy mob boss on 'The Sopranos'
with costars Steven Van Zandt and Tony Sirico.

“The older I get, the funnier-looking I get, the more comedies I’m offered. I’m starting to look like a toad, so I’ll probably be getting even more soon.”

Gandolfini’s wife, former model Deborah Lin, gave birth to a baby girl last October. The couple married in Hawaii in 2008.

The Sopranos family from the wildly popular HBO drama series

'The Sopranos.' The series ran from 1999 through 2007 and
starred Edie Falco (from left), James Gandolfini,
Robert Iler and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

Gandolfini — who spent part of his early career supporting himself as a bartender and nightclub manager — also has a son with his ex-wife, Marcy Wudarski.

Actress Edie Falco (left) and actor James Gandolfini attend the premiere of
'Boardwalk Empire' at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 2010. Falco and Gandolfini
played opposites in Broadway's 'God of Carnage' in 2009.

His first break came in 1992 when he landed a role in a Broadway version of “A Streetcar Named Desire” that starred Alec Baldwin and Jessica Lange.

Smallish parts in major films followed — Gandolfini played a submarine crew member in “Crimson Tide” in 1995 and a gangland bodyguard in “Get Shorty” the same year.

James Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his role as Tony Soprano.

Fame came for the Italian-American actor after 1999, as “The Sopranos” garnered critical acclaim and cult popularity on its way to becoming a TV classic.

Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for his sparkling depiction of protagonist Tony Soprano, a mobster trying to balance the mundane stresses of family life and his unusual occupation: organized crime. — Daily News

Not Everyone Is A Saint by Amasing

Not Everyone Is A Saint
by Amasing

Who has seen the 2000 movie “Erin Brockovich” starring Julia Roberts about an unemployed single mother who becomes a legal assistant that brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city's water supply?

It’s an amazing story (hence why they made it) but an ok movie. Still, nothing is better than a movie starring the actual character.

Unfortunately, not all movies end up with a Cinderella type ending. The district attorney in Las Vegas says environmental activist Erin Brockovich will face a misdemeanor charge of operating a boat while intoxicated following her arrest at Lake Mead.

She was arrested Friday at a marina on the Colorado River reservoir and posted $1,000 bail at the Clark County jail. This is “not” a blog to disrespect the woman who has fought (and continues to fight) for communities everywhere. It is a blog to show us that everyone isn’t perfect and we all make mistakes.

Brockovich is facing a $1,000 fine, community service and court-ordered alcohol counseling if she's convicted of driving under the influence. Brockovich issued a statement Sunday calling the incident "clearly a big mistake." I have personally made the same “mistake” as she has but I have learned my lesson (I think). Either way, not everyone is a saint!

Saint Dominic

But wait, was he or was he not part of the Medieval Inquisitions?

Oh well, no one is perfect!

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Eminem Exploring 'Further Territories' on New Album, says his DJ: The Alchemist

  
Eminem Exploring 'Further Territories' on New Album, says his DJ: The Alchemist

by NME

The rapper's affiliate Alchemist shares secrets from inside the studio
Eminem's new album will see the rapper going to "further territories" his DJ, Alchemist, has revealed. 


A long-term collaborator with the rapper, Alchemist says that is Eminem "getting back on his feet" with his last two albums and that his next release will see the rapper return to form.

When asked by MTV News what to expect from the album, Alchemist replied: "Clearly going to further territories. I think what you would expect, especially after the last go-round. He was just getting his feet back on 'Relapse' and then 'Recovery' just came with the smash hits and everything and I think now - he's Eminem."

He added: "It's just a blessing to even be even in that type of circle because I got my foot in the underground, then I go on tour with him. It's just staying humble and remembering I don't deserve these jet planes on my next trip to DJ."

Both Kendrick Lamar and Big Sean are rumoured to appear on Eminem's next album while comedian Chris Rock also suggested that he will make an appearance on the album. According to Dr Dre, Slim Shady is close to completing his eighth solo album.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Eminem will play an outdoor gig in Glasgow this August, with the rapper the first act announced for a brand new concert series called the Glasgow Summer Sessions, which will also see a gig by Kings Of Leon. He will take to the stage in the city's Bellahouston Park on August 20. He will also headline this year's Reading and Leeds Festivals, which take place between 23 and 25 August.

To check the availability of Eminem tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094

Living Micro-Apartments Growing Trend – ABC News

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Prodigy x Alchemist - Albert Einstein

Prodigy x Alchemist - Albert Einstein

Northeastern street veteran Prodigy (a member of acclaimed crew Mobb Deep) has once again linked up with heavyweight producer The Alchemist to craft collaborative album, Albert Einstein. A follow-up to their critically-acclaimed debut, Return of The Mac, the 16-track project includes reader-approved singles "Dough Pildin," "Give 'Em Hell," and "YNT." Throughout the set, Prodigy is joined on the mic by such collaborators as Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, Havoc, Raekwon and Roc Marciano. Alchemist handles all production on the album.

Albert Einstein is now available in record stores and online retailers, via Infamous Records.

1.	"Intro"	0.25
2.	"LMDKV"	2:35
3.	"Give Em Hell"	2:56
4.	"Stay Dope"	3:18
5.	"Curb Ya Dog"	3:13
6.	"Death Sentence" (featuring Roc Marciano)	3:15
7.	"Bear Meat"	2:52
8.	"Y.N.T." (featuring Domo Genesis)	2:36
9.	"R.I.P." (featuring Havoc & Raekwon)	3:22
10.	"Dough Pildin"	2:26
11.	"Confessions"	3:37
12.	"Bible Paper" (featuring The Alchemist)	3:44
13.	"The One" (featuring Action Bronson)	3:35
14.	"Breeze"	3:02
15.	"Raw Forever"	4:27
16.	"Say My Name"	2:22

Prodigy And Alchemist – ‘Albert Einstein’ Album Review
by XXL

Amid the drama that’s surrounded him in recent years, Prodigy’s music took a turn for the worse, digressing into something that sounded uninspired, and at times bored. After last year’s scattershot—and downright cringe-worthy at times—H.N.I.C. 3, Prodigy looked to rebound by linking up with longtime associate Alchemist for the duo’s second full length body of work. Fans of P will be delighted to learn he does so impressively on Albert Einstein, and Al’s intricately heavy beats help make this Prodigy’s best record in years.

Not that he covers much new ground here; he still spends the majority of the album boasting of his ability to kill—both figuratively on the mic and literally on the streets. But he does so emphatically, whether it’s via witty street slang on “IMDKV,” blunt honesty on “YNT” or brutal storytelling on “Confessions” (he states coldly that he’d pistol whip a little girl after killing his father). At time it’s hard to stomach, but this chilling attitude is what made the first Mobb Deep records so fascinating. It goes beyond the lyrics; you can hear it in his gritty gruff of a voice.

Alchemist has always been a model of consistency, but he’s at the top of his game. Chopped samples and thick bass leans create lurking slabs of funk, reminiscent of the menacing soundscapes of vintage Mobb Deep. Often his beats transform midway through song, becoming muddled in crackling vocal samples before reemerging as electronic-infused thumpers like “Bible Paper.” He balances these with smoother affairs, like the floating piano melody on “YNT” and ventures in experimentalism and acid jazz on “Curb Ya Dog,” which is built on warped flute riffs and barking dog sound effects.

The album never reaches jaw-dropping levels because the envelope’s never pushed, but that’s not the point. Albert Einstein is about two artists doing what they do best, and for one of them, it’s a return to form. It’s the type of rough and witty realism people loved from P in the ’90s, and hopefully it’s here to stay for projects to come. — Reed Jackson

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Jay-Z Announces New ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ Album via Samsung Commerical

JAY Z's new album "Magna Carta Holy Grail" comes to Samsung Galaxy fans first. Be among the first million to download the app on June 24th and get the album free July 4th, three days before the rest of the world.

Jay-Z a.k.a. Sean Carter

Jay-Z Announces New Album ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’
by New York Post

Move over “Yeezus.” Jay-Z is readying his twelfth studio album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail," for a July 4 release.

The announcement was made in a Samsung commercial that aired during yesterday’s NBA Finals Game 5. The three-minute spot (below) shows Hov in the studio with Rick Rubin, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.

Jay-Z hinted at the announcement on Friday by posting a photo on his Life + Times website of a Samsung phone with the words, “NBA Finals Game Five: Tune In – Turn Up the Volume.”

As the album’s Web site writes, “Magna Carta Holy Grail” will be free to a million Samsung Galaxy owners 72 hours before the release to the general public. Samsung got the early-bird special by paying $5 apiece for the albums, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Page Six exclusively reported in June that the mogul inked a hugely lucrative deal with the mobile phone company. The contract is said to be worth as much as $20 million.

One source said in June, “The eight-figure deal will be inked in the next few weeks, and is the biggest of its kind. You can speculate that he’ll want to develop some kind of new music-streaming service to promote his acts and music on mobile devices.”

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