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Info is a common shortening of information.

It may also refer to:

• .info, a generic top-level domain
• info:, a URI scheme for information assets with identifiers in public namespaces
• .info (magazine), a computer magazine
• .info, the filename extension for metadata files used by the Amiga Workbench
• Info.com, a search engine aggregator
• info (Unix), a command used to view documentation produced by GNU Texinfo
• Info (band), an industrial metal band from Colombia

INFO may refer to:

• International Fortean Organisation, publishers of the INFO Journal

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth^[1] (born June 17, 1987), simply known as Kendrick Lamar, is an American rapper and songwriter from Compton, California currently signed to Top Dawg, Aftermath and Interscope. He first gained major attention after the release of his 2010 mixtape Overly Dedicated. In 2011, his album Section.80, released exclusively through iTunes, instantly ranked as one of the top digital hip hop releases of the year.^[2] Lamar has amassed a large internet following, is a member of hip hop collective Black Hippy, along with Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, and has worked with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Wiz Khalifa, Game, Drake, Busta Rhymes and Tech N9ne among other popular artists.^[3]

Biography[link]

1987-2009: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Kendrick Lamar was born in Compton, California, a community southeast of Los Angeles city limits, to parents from Chicago, Illinois.^[4] At the age of eight, in 1995, Lamar witnessed his idols, Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre film the music video for their hit single "California Love," a very significant moment in Lamar's life.^[5] In 2003 at the young age of sixteen, Lamar released his first mixtape, Youngest Head Nigga In Charge under the name K. Dot.^[6] The mixtape was able to garner enough attention for Lamar to get a record deal with Top Dawg Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based independent record label.^[6] He then released a twenty-six track mixtape two years later titled Training Day.^[7] More recognition came Lamar's way after a video of a Charles Hamilton show surfaced, where Hamilton goes in the crowd and battles rappers at attendance. Lamar didn't hesitate and began rapping a verse over Milkbone's "Keep It Real", that would later appear on a track titled "West Coast Wu-Tang".^[5] In 2008 Lamar made a cameo appearance on Jay Rock's "All My Life (In the Ghetto)" music video. After receiving a co-sign from Lil Wayne, he released his third mixtape in 2009 titled C4, heavily themed around Tha Carter III LP.^[8] Soon after, he decided to drop his stage name K. Dot and go by his real name. This resulted in him releasing a self-titled EP; the Kendrick Lamar EP in late 2009.^[9]

[edit] 2010–2011: Overly Dedicated and Section.80

Kendrick performing at a concert in Toronto, Canada

In 2010 he toured with Tech N9ne and Jay Rock on The Independent Grind tour.^[6] On September 23, 2010 he released O(verly) D(edicated) a highly acclaimed mixtape that included a song titled "Ignorance is Bliss" in which he glorifies gangsta rap and street crime but ends each verse with "ignorance is bliss" giving the message "we know not what we do".^[10][11] It was that song specifically that made hip hop producer Dr. Dre want to work with Lamar.^[12] This led to him working with Dre and Snoop Dogg on Dre's Detox album and him considering signing to Aftermath Entertainment.^[6][13] In January 2011 Lamar said his debut album was 90% finished.^[6]

In early 2011 Lamar was featured on XXL Magazine's 2011 Freshman cover along with CyHi the Prynce, Meek Mill, Mac Miller, Yelawolf, Lil B, Big K.R.I.T. and Diggy Simmons among others.^[14] On July 2, 2011, Lamar released his third solo project Section.80 to critical acclaim. It features guest appearances from GLC, Colin Munroe, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and includes production from longtime collaborator Sounwave, Wyldfyer, Terrace Martin, J. Cole and more. On the topic of whether Section.80 would be an album or a mixtape Lamar said "I treat every project like it’s an album anyway. It’s not gonna be nothing leftover. I never do nothing like that. These are my leftover songs y’all can have ‘em, nah. I’m gonna put my best out. My best effort. I’m tryna look for an album in 2012". The first single for Section.80 was the J. Cole produced track "HiiiPower", of which the concept was to further explain the HiiiPower movement. Section.80 went on to sell over 10,000 copies in its first week^[15] without any television or radio coverage and received many very positive reviews. In the second half of 2011, Lamar appeared on Game's The R.E.D. Album, Tech N9ne's All 6's and 7's, 9th Wonder's The Wonder Years and Drake's Take Care.

In August 2011, while onstage with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Game, at the West Los Angeles concert, the three of them crowned him the "New King of the West Coast"^[16]

[edit] 2012–present: Good Kid in a Mad City

On February 15, 2012, a song titled "Cartoons & Cereal" featuring Gunplay of Triple C's was leaked.^[17] Lamar revealed later that the track was for his upcoming album and he was planning to shoot a video for it.^[18]

In March 2012, MTV announced that Top Dawg Entertainment, the independent record label Lamar is signed to, have closed a joint venture deal with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, marking the end of his career as an independent artist. Under the new deal, Kendrick Lamar’s projects, including his upcoming debut studio album Good Kid in a Mad City will be jointly released via Top Dawg, Aftermath and Interscope, while releases from the rest of Black Hippy will be distributed via Top Dawg and Interscope.^[19]

Lamar premiered "The Recipe", his debut single and the lead single from Good Kid in a Mad City, at Power 106 on April 2, 2012. The track was released for digital download the following day. The song was produced by Scoop DeVille and features Dr. Dre.^{[citation needed]}

It was announced on May 14, 2012, that Lamar is working on a collaborative album with J. Cole. In an interview with Bootleg Kev, Cole stated that "I just started working with Kendrick the other day. We got it in, finally, again. We got maybe four or five [songs] together."

Personal life[link]

In high school, Centennial in Compton, Lamar was a good student.^[4] Lamar said that he has seen relatives who have died in his dreams for years. Tupac Shakur is also his favorite rapper, and influences not only his music, but his day-to-day lifestyle as well. In terms of subject matter, Kendrick Lamar has often been compared to Tupac Shakur. ^[6][20][21] He revealed that his favorite and most influential rappers are Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z and his label-mate Eminem.

Discography[link]

• Section.80 (2011)
• Good Kid in a Mad City (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kendrick Lamar on Twitter
• kedricklamar.com Official Site

Minya Oh, known by the stage name Miss Info, is a radio presenter.

Formerly a writer and reporter for BET, Miss Info is currently an on-air radio personality at the New York hip hop and R&B station Hot 97. She is also a journalist who has worked for the notable hip hop industry publication The Source. Oh was a Music Lifestyles editor at Vibe Magazine (where she presently pens the monthly advice column "Ask Miss Info"), Rolling Stone, and a former Managing Editor for XXL. She has appeared as a popular culture pundit on the weekly VH1 program, Best Week Ever.

Miss Info first did her Hot 97 "Celebrity Gossip" reports back in 2003 after becoming an on-air member of the morning crew. She joined MTV host and anchor, Sway Calloway, who temporarily took over spot vacated by the recently departed Star & Buc Wild. In addition to giving her reports, Oh opines on current issues and events in the hip hop community.

A native of the south side of Chicago,^[1] Miss Info currently resides in East Harlem. She is a daughter of Korean immigrants. Oh is also a graduate of Columbia University.^[2]

The Tsunami Song Controversy[link]

In January 2005, following the suspensions after the public backlash to the airings of the controversial tsunami parody song, “USA for Indonesia”, on the Hot 97's morning show, Miss Info was among those absent from the air. The station's management later acknowledged she was not suspended or reprimanded like the rest of the crew.

Miss Info's prospects with Hot 97 were uncertain when she was conspicuously absent at the morning crew’s return from their two-week “hiatus” (suspension) on February 11. By her own words and through her attorney, Kenneth Thompson, she had expressed her unease with resuming work with Miss Jones, since the two had tense on-air verbal exchanges at the on-set of the first broadcast of the “tsunami song” on January 18. Oh’s distancing of herself from the song made her the object of on-air attacks, with Miss Jones leading the offense.

According to reports, an obstacle to Oh’s return was her desire to discuss the controversy with her listeners, while Emmis Communications(WQHT's owners) wanted no mention of the events. Similar reports cited Oh as saying the station threatened to fire her if she didn't return to work. Other accounts suggested that she was actually terminated from the station and she threatened to file a lawsuit in response.

As a result of the ensuing of public backlash against HOT97, Miss Info became the defacto symbol of many Asian American groups concerned about the negative depiction of Asians in the American media.^[3]

Miss Info's return[link]

Miss Info eventually returned to the airwaves on April 30, 2005. Meanwhile, from Monday to Thursday nights between 7 and 9 pm, she does three segments of her "Celebrity Gossip" reports during Funkmaster Flex's show. In all cases, she characteristically includes her opinions and wit during these entertainment reports.^[4]

In August 2005, Miss Info's book centering on hip-hop fashion was published. The title Bling Bling: Hip Hop's Crown Jewels (ISBN 1-932958-02-9), featured interviews with artists who gave their take on the importance of "bling" (diamonds/jewelry) to their craft.

She now also plays a role on the Tim Westwood hip hop show in the UK doing her celebrity gossip every day on the drivetime show on the digital-only station BBC Radio 1Xtra, and twice on the 3 hour show on Saturdays, on the national radio station, BBC Radio 1.

She now has a short radio program on Hot 97 called Celebrtiy Gossip at the beginning of every hour.

Establishing herself as a needed voice for Asian-Americans, Miss Info also hosts many Asian centered events and concerts. She has also made a notable appearance in Asian American rapper Snacky Chan's music video 'Lonely Road.' Miss Info has also made a cameo on hip hop group Tanya Morgan's 2009 album "Brooklynati" on the interlude at the end of the song "Just Arrived (Now What?)".

References[link]

1. ^ Item: Sisters Think Parents Did O.K. New York Times.
2. ^ Radio Week: Miss Info of Hot 97. NY PIX Morning News Blog.
3. ^ IM Diversity
4. ^ Hot97 bio

External links[link]

• [1]
• Miss Info's own Website/Blog
• hot97.com Miss Info's profile on Hot 97's web site.
• Miss Info on Facebook
• [2] Miss Info's: Public Displays of Affection
• [3]

Ian Warwick Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton, QPM (born 19 March 1953) is a retired British police policeman who held the position of commissioner of police of the metropolis from 2005 to 2008 and was the highest ranking officer within the Metropolitan Police Service.

On 2 October 2008 Blair announced that he would officially step down from the post on 1 December after disagreements with Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London. He was succeeded by Sir Paul Stephenson on 28 January 2009.^[2]

Early life[link]

Blair was born in Chester to Jim and Sheila in 1953. His father spent most of his career working for Lever Brothers, eventually rising to manage the dock at Port Sunlight in Merseyside. His mother was from Sheffield and her father had made a living as a steel merchant until he suffered major losses in the Great Depression in the 1930s. Both Blair and his brother, six years his senior, were sent to independent school at the expense of one of their father's brothers, who was a successful doctor. Blair's brother, Sandy, left school early to work for a solicitors' firm.^[3]

Blair was sent to Wrekin College in Wellington, Shropshire. Jim had been determined that his son would become a doctor—as his father (Ian's grandfather) had been. However, Blair rebelled against his father and refused to take O-Level biology, knowing it would disqualify him from a potential medical career. He initially had no aspiration to go to university, as neither of his parents nor his brother had had a university education. However, he was inspired by a teacher at Wrekin to apply to Christ Church, Oxford.^[3]

Early police career[link]

Blair joined the Metropolitan Police in 1974, under the High Potential Developer Scheme for Graduates. He joined as the rank of Constable, based in Soho, London. Eventually over the next 10 years serving as a sergeant and inspector in both uniform and CID in central London.^[4]

In 1985 Blair was promoted to detective chief inspector in Kentish Town, North London. He was responsible for identifying the victims of the 1987 King's Cross fire. In 1988 he reached the rank of superintendent, heading a project designed to reorganise criminal investigations. He obtained the rank of chief superintendent in 1991, as staff officer in HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.^[4]

In 1994, he transferred to Thames Valley Police as assistant Chief Constable, later becoming deputy chief constable in 1997, and during the same year took charge of policing the protests over the construction of the Newbury bypass. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 1999 and received a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 2003, for his service.^[4]

Blair was formerly deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police under the then commissioner Sir John Stevens, and before that chief constable of Surrey Police.^[4]

While serving as deputy commissioner, he gained a reputation for being a "thinking man's policeman". He called for more female, ethnic minority and gay recruits. In 2002 he publicly stated that "Society cannot duck the fact that most muggers are black", and in response the National Black Police Association stated that black recruits could be deterred by such comments.^[5]

Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes[link]

Several months into his tenure, Jean Charles de Menezes was shot and killed by armed police who mistakenly believed he was a suicide bomber.

After the shooting Blair telephoned the Chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and wrote a letter to the Home Office stating that "the shooting that has just occurred at Stockwell is not to be referred to the IPCC and that they will be given no access to the scene at the present time".^[6]

Blair also claimed that a warning had been issued prior to the shooting. The IPCC held an investigation into what later turned out to be a false statement, and into allegations of attempts to delay an inquiry. On 2 August 2007 the IPCC announced its findings that the allegations against Blair couldn't be substantiated, instead placing the blame for misleading the public on Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman, who had failed to report his suspicions that an innocent man had been killed, and had released contradictory statements to the press.^[7]

After Blair learned that the shooting of de Menezes had been a case of mistaken identity, he briefly considered resigning.^[8]

During the investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the wrongful shooting, one of his Deputy Assistant Commissioners Brian Paddick stated that a member of Blair's private office team had believed the wrong man had been targeted just six hours after the shooting.^[9] This allegation was contradicted by New Scotland Yard, and Paddick said that this amounted to accusing him of lying.^[9] On 28 March 2006, Paddick accepted a statement from the Metropolitan Police that it "did not intend to imply" a senior officer had misled the probe into the shooting and that "any misunderstanding is regretted".^[10]

In June 2006, a leaked copy of the Independent Police Complaints Commission report sparked further criticism and calls to quit.^[11]

On 1 November 2007, a jury convicted the Metropolitan Police of violating health and safety laws, highlighting 19 "catastrophic errors" but said it was an "isolated breach under quite extraordinary circumstances".^[12] Blair rejected a vote of no confidence by the London Assembly a week later.^[13] Blair continued to receive the support of the Metropolitan Police Authority, the head of which said that he would not have accepted any resignation offered by Blair.^[13]

Operation Finnean[link]

In 2005 and 2006 Blair was involved in Operation Finnean, a £280,000 investigation into supermodel Kate Moss's alleged possession and distribution of a Class A drug. It has been alleged that the operation was systematically sabotaged by officers eager to undermine Blair and Ghaffur's high profile stance on celebrity drug taking, and thereby erode their authority.^[14]

Bonus pay[link]

In 2007 Blair was criticised by senior colleagues at New Scotland Yard after he sought a £25,000 performance bonus during criminal proceedings over the shooting of de Menezes,^[15] while on a salary of £228,000 and with rank-and-file officers facing the prospect of pay cuts.^[15][16]

Terrorism[link]

In November 2005, a controversy about detention without charge proposals led to Blair becoming involved in allegations of the police being "politicised", when he and other senior police officers were known to have lobbied MPs to support Government proposals to hold terrorist suspects for 90 days.^[17]

After the failure of the Forest Gate Raid, 2006, several sources once again called on Blair to resign. Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed his support for the Commissioner.^[18]

In a BBC Radio 4 interview Blair stated that Islamic terrorism "is a far graver threat in terms of civilians than either the Cold War or the Second World War".^[19] Civilians killed in World War II totaled around 47 million.

IT contract[link]

The Metropolitan Police Authority requested on 28 July 2008 that Blair face an inquiry over a series of IT contracts with the Metropolitan Police worth £3 million won by Impact Plus, a consultancy owned by Andy Miller, who is a long-time friend of Blair.^[20] The commissioner denied any wrongdoing and said that he was "open and straightforward in informing both the Metropolitan Police Service and the MPA about [his] relationship [with Miller]". He said that he had set out in writing his connection with Miller and had no part in the evaluation process. It has however been reported in the press that on one occasion another company was turned down for a contract won by Impact Plus, despite its bid being a third of the winning offer.^[20]

Race relations[link]

In January 2006 he described the media as institutionally racist^[21] for its allegedly unbalanced coverage of crimes against white people, such as in the murder of Tom ap Rhys Pryce as compared to that given to crimes against those from ethnic minorities.^[22] As an example, he had referred to the murder of two young girls in Soham in 2002. He said "almost nobody" understood why it became such a big story. However, he was forced to issue a hurried apology to the parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.^[23]

During a passing-out ceremony of the Metropolitan Police held in December 2006, an unnamed female Muslim police officer refused to shake hands with Blair on religious grounds. She also refused to have a picture taken with him, for fear of its being used for "propaganda purposes". According to Scotland Yard, Blair questioned the validity of her refusal.^[24][25]

In June 2008, Commander Shabir Hussain alleged being repeatedly rejected for promotion owing to racial discrimination, explicitly suggesting that Ian Blair was using his influence to favour a "golden circle" of white officers and to turn down applications made by black and Asian candidates, who were better qualified for the promotion.^[26] In another case, the country's senior Asian police officer Tarique Ghaffur was considering commencing an employment tribunal over being sidelined by Sir Ian Blair in Olympics security planning, and being asked to keep quiet about his concerns about the new 42 days detention laws for terror suspects.^[27] In a subsequent press conference, Ghaffur claimed to have been victimised in a face-to-face meeting with Blair, who threatened to remove him from his post if he went ahead with his legal action.^[28]

Secretly taped telephone conversations[link]

In March 2006, it was revealed that in late 2005 he had secretly taped several telephone conversations, most notably with the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith. Blair received an unprecedented written warning from his bosses,^[29] but the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, while describing his actions as "totally unacceptable", said it was not a resigning matter.^[30][31] The recording was not illegal and it was said to be simply to enable an accurate record to be taken for him in the absence of a note taker.^[32]

Single police force[link]

Blair has stated that he would prefer to see a single police force for the whole of London, an opinion shared by Ken Livingstone, with the functions of both the City of London Police and the British Transport Police absorbed by the Metropolitan Police.^[33] Already, the duties and functions of one police force (the Royal Parks Constabulary) have been taken by the Met. However, both the City of London Police^[34] and BTP^[35] have expressed their strong objections to this proposal, while the Home Office has stated that reorganisation of policing in London is not on their agenda. The publication of reviews into the operation of the British Transport Police,^[36] and the national review of fraud by the Attorney General,^[37] combined with the ending of the police merger proposals for England and Wales, appear to rule out any possibility of police mergers in London for the foreseeable future.

Haringey comments[link]

In 2006 in comments to the Times newspaper, Blair claimed that the London Borough of Haringey is a safe enough place to leave doors unlocked. Metropolitan Police Authority member Damian Hockney described Sir Ian's remarks as "truly extraordinary".^[38]

Resignation and peerage[link]

In May 2008, it was reported in the press that Blair's contract as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service would not be renewed when it expired in 2010.^[39] On 2 October 2008, Blair announced he would resign as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, with effect from 1 December 2008. He blamed a lack of support from London mayor Boris Johnson, saying that "without the mayor's backing I do not think I can continue". Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Blair's service. Sir Paul Stephenson took over on 28 November 2008.^[40][41] Blair is entitled to a full police pension, estimated to be worth about £160,000 per year, based on his £240,000 commissioner’s salary.^[42] Blair was eligible to continue to receive his £234,000-a-year salary until his contract expired in February 2010.^[43] However, he lost his chauffeur-driven car and use of a £1 million flat in south-west London.^[43]

In May 2010, Blair was appointed as a crossbench life peer, and became Baron Blair of Boughton in the County of Cheshire.^[44]

Commissions and enquiries[link]

In 2010, Blair served on the Commission on Assisted Dying run by Demos, subsequently speaking in favour of changing the law.^[45]

In the same year, Blair, along with Roma Hooper, Paul McDowell, Dame Anne Owers, Javed Khan, John Thornhill and Peter Oborne, formed an investigative panel which led the year-long Community or Custody National Enquiry^[46] investigating the effectiveness of community sentencing over short-term prison sentences for low-level offences.^[47]

Ranks & honours[link]

• PC Ian Blair (various ranks) (1974–1985)^[4]
• DCI Ian Blair (1985–1988)^[4]
• Supt. Ian Blair (1988–1991)^[4]
• Ch. Supt. Ian Blair (1991–1994)^[4]
• Asst. Ch. Const. Ian Blair (1994–1997)^[4]
• Dep. Ch. Const. Ian Blair (1997–1998)^[4]
• Chief Constable Ian Blair (1998–1999)^[4]
• Chief Constable Ian Blair QPM (1999–2000)^[4]
• Dep. Comm. Ian Blair QPM (2000–2003)^[4]
• Dep. Comm. Sir Ian Blair QPM (2003–2005)^[4]
• Commissioner Sir Ian Blair QPM (2005–2008)^[4]
• Lord Blair

The various ranks that Blair would have held between 1974 and 1985 are Police Constable, Police Sergeant and Inspector. Although briefly mentioned in his autobiography, Policing Controversy, there is no authoritative document in the public domain at the time of writing that shows when he was appointed to these ranks. A single photograph in the book shows him as a uniformed Sergeant in 1977.^[4]

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• – Investigating Rape: A New Approach for Police (1985) – via – Google books

External links[link]

• Sir Ian Blair profile at BBC News