So here I am, in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilization (and McDonald’s), surrounded by nothing but tall trees and ravines as far as the eye can see. This place kind of reminds me of what I imagine a rehab center to be like. But to be honest, all this quiet, early rises and an abundance of nature only makes me want a drink even more. I guess I’m just not that country.

I’ve been in rural Georgia for the last couple of days on a hostile-territory training course, but don’t worry, it’s not as hostile as it sounds. It’s basically a seven-day course that teaches you how to survive when working in a hostile territory, namely Iraq or Afghanistan. I think it’s MTV’s polite way of telling me I’m going to a war zone real soon. Read more…

A few weeks back, you might remember we were invited to film inside Jam Master Jay’s former studios in Jamaica, Queens, in New York. It was the first time cameras had ever been allowed into the Run-DMC DJ’s onetime headquarters — the place where ultimately, Jam Master Jay was tragically shot dead on a cold and rainy night on October 30th, 2002.

When I agreed to do the shoot back in November, I did so with a vision to celebrate the life and legacy of JMJ, but also to bring this as-of-yet unsolved murder case back to the fore and to everyone’s attention. At the time, I never knew how much of an impact this small three-minute piece, simply titled ‘Jam Master Jay’s Studio: An Exclusive Tour,’ would have on not only the hip-hop community but on JMJ’s family and friends as well.

On the five-year anniversary of the death of Jam Master Jay, the still unsolved murder case was in danger of becoming a cold case (much like the murder cases of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G) with authorities blaming a lack of co-operation from the Queens community, but more importantly the actual witnesses who were present in the studio when JMJ was shot. Read more…