Gunna Back! Gunna is back and Lil Thug is headed to trial. There is no way these dudes are going to be cool after this! Next week Thugger goes on trial after being hit with the RICO by Fanni! That DA ain’t playing with nobody. She’s even going after Donald Trump! Anyway, she has also caused the likely break up of the dynamic duo of Gunna and Young Thug. They ain’t the only ones.
But, there was a time when Gunna and Lil Baby were cool. Word on the block, Gunna taught Lil Baby how to write dope songs. He even paid his boy. Well, it appears that Lil Baby has made a statement about Gunna. He has unfollowed him as he has made his “come back.”
People are saying he is making the ultimate statement about Gunna. What is that? Well, some say he’s snitching. Some say “helping” get Thug convicted. And others like Jim Jones say: We don’t do plea deals.
Kanye West is still a missing man—kind of. Lawyers for the elusive rapper/entrepreneur are still on a quest to serve him some court docs but have been unsuccessful. According to paperwork obtained by AllHipHop, the Greenberg Traurig Law Firm now wants to take out ads in two Los Angeles newspapers to finally rid themselves of Ye as a client. They refer to the move as “multi-prong approach.”
“Publication of the Withdrawal Order’s contents in two Los Angeles-area newspapers, where Ye appears to reside, will also apprise him of the Withdrawal Order,” the docs read. “Given Ye’s public status, publication of the Withdrawal Order will likely garner significant media attention, resulting in broader publication and provide an even greater likelihood of apprising Ye of the Order.”
NEW: Kanye West STILL hasn't hired new lawyers since his old ones dumped him a couple of months ago, and he's ghosted his old ones.
The lawsuits against him, however, are moving forward whether he shows up to court or not.https://t.co/xeiFioBx1M
Greenberg Traurig was representing Kanye West in his legal battle against Ultra International Music Publishing. But in December 2022, the New York City-based law firm asked for an extension to serve West after dropping him as a client. The attorneys needed to serve Ye before moving on from a copyright infringement lawsuit against him. Judge Analisa Torres granted Greenberg Traurig’s motion to withdraw as West’s counsel on November 30, 2022. Torres also instructed the law firm to personally serve their ex-client with a court order by December 14, 2022, which is when the trouble began.
Meanwhile, Kanye West was allegedly ducking his ex-business manager, too. After Thomas St. John claimed he couldn’t locate him, the rumors ran rampant on West’s whereabouts. Turns out, he was canoodling with Yeezy employee Bianca Censori who he reportedly married in recent weeks. The couple neglected to get a marriage license from the State of California, therefore the union isn’t legal. But nonetheless, they had a private ceremony to confirm their commitment to each other. The “marriage” comes roughly two months after his divorce from Kim Kardashian became final.
Boldy James, prolific Griselda Records rapper, was reportedly involved in a car accident that required a trip to a hospital. The incident took place on Monday (January 9) in Detroit, Michigan. According to a statement obtained by Rolling Stone, James arrived in critical condition following the two-car collision.
“Boldy James arrived at the hospital in critical condition, suffering from broken vertebrae in his neck and orthopedic injuries,” a rep said. “After undergoing extensive surgery on his neck, Boldy has been removed from the intensive care unit and is now in stable condition.
“Boldy and his family would like to express their gratitude to the incredible doctors and nurses that are taking care of him, and also to the communities’ emergency medical personnel and first responders.”
Boldy James seems to be in good spirits since the accident. On Friday (January 13), he shared an Instagram post that found him looking forward to the future.
“Griselda 2023 is our year gang,” the caption read. “#227ConCreatures @westsidegunn @romestreetz @godcooks #rapradarpodcast #miaminight.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CnX7UKZjv4n/?hl=en
Boldy James released his first album, My 1st Chemistry Set, via Mass Appeal Records in 2013. With production from The Alchemist, the album quickly put him on the map. He officially signed with Mass Appeal a year later. In 2020, Boldy James dropped his first project under the Griselda Records umbrella, The Versace Tape. It marked his third release that year, following The Price of Tea in China and Manger on McNichols. Last year, he popped on multiple singles including Curren$y’s “No Yeast.”
Ray J is coming to the defense of Eddie Murphy. The legendary comedian became a trending Twitter topic on Tuesday (January 10) after his appearance at the 80th Golden Globes. As Murphy was accepting the Cecil B. Demille Award, he made a joke about the infamous Will Smith Oscar slap.
“I want to let you know there’s a definitive blueprint that you can follow to achieve success, prosperity and peace of mind,” he said. It’s very simple. There’s three things: pay your taxes, mind your business and keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out your f###### mouth!”
🎉 The biggest round of applause for Eddie Murphy, this year's Cecil B. DeMille Award recipient! Your decades of unbeatable comedy and incredible performances deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated! 🎉 #GoldenGlobespic.twitter.com/IWiU6LEmmf
Tyrese evidently had a problem with Eddie Murphy’s joke and condemned him for continuing to bring up the March 2022 incident. As he explained on Instagram: “I’m still team WILL SMITH there’s nobody on this earth that will ever influence me to ever have a change of heart towards the BIGGEST INFLUENCE in my life…….I’m just saying man…. Move on already.”
Ray J angrily fired back: “Tyrese better mind his own biz! You not on Eddie level!!! To think you can tell Axel Foley or Hakeem the Prince of Zamunda to ‘move on already??’ He’s #1 in his acting campaign still to this day! REAL LEGEND! You BETTER show some respect Tyrese! Before Will slap you back into your reality! Yeah i said it! You know how I feel about you and your antics! Don’t play with my mentors!! It wont end well!!”
The Oscar ceremony became one of the most talked about topics in 2022 after Will Smith smacked Chris Rock in the middle of his monologue. Rock had just made a G.I. Jane joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett. Although he initially laughed along with the crowd, Pinkett wasn’t amused. Smith took it upon himself to march onstage and hit Rock. After returning to his seat, he shouted: “Keep my wife’s name out your f###### mouth!” Consequently, Smith was banned from an Academy-related events for 10 years.
Gangsta Boo’s life partner says living without her these last few weeks have been hard.
In an interview with ABC 24 News, he talked about some of the things they used to do as a couple. One thing he said they did together was pray underneath the moon.
Emmet Flores said, “We would pray together under the moon … a lot of stuff surrounding love and light … and just pray for the well-being of one another. You know figure, if you’re praying with love, then you know what could be wrong? Right?”
Flores shared that Boo, whose real name was Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, was extremely funny.
“Man, she was just really [funny]. She was so funny, dude,” he said. “She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. We used to have like dances. It’s crazy, man. I just can’t believe I’m here man.”
He shared how he was supposed to pick her up on Tuesday, Jan 3. However, her death on New Year’s Day interrupted those plans.
“I was just talking to her the night before. She performed with eight ball MJG and I told her I loved her,” Flores recalled. “I told her be safe. She sent me a picture of us on New Year’s from 2017 and I sent a picture back.”
One of the most shocking revelations was how he found out about her death.
“I was watching football the next day and someone hit me up on Instagram [to tell him of her passing].” He said.
Gangsta Boo will be laid to rest on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven at 12 p.m.
Southern rap legend and historian Bun B says JAY-Z was the first Hip-Hop artist to break the seven-figure bankroll to make a video.
While interviewing on The Residency Podcast, the UGK rapper said Hove was the first rapper to have a visual for a single, which back then really drove the hit record, which was over $1 million. It was for the song, “Big Pimpin.”
He said while rap videos had maxed over $1 million before— The 1996 Fugees’ $1.3 million “Ready or Not” comes to mind— he said the 1999 single that he and Pimp C hopped on and made an instant classic was the very first to get the big check from the gate.
“This was the first million-dollar budgeted rap video ever,” The Trill Burger founder said. “Now, rap videos had budgets that went over that [and] ended up costing a million dollars but blocked one million dollars just for this music video.”
Adding, “I had never seen anything like it. It was the first rap video I think on ‘Making a Video’ on MTV. It accelerated so quickly, and then within I wanna say three months it was the number one record on the planet.”
“Big Pimpin” was a huge marketing bill but was not before and definitely did not cost more than Diddy’s “Victory” single. That video cost approximately $2,500,000, which with the factor in the inflation rate of 2.39% per year for the 26 years between 1997 and today, would be about $4.6 million.
Westside Gunn canceled his European tour just hours before it was to begin in Amsterdam. According to an Instagram post from the Griselda rapper, fans won’t be getting a refund either.
“It was nothing more I wanted to do than to start seeing my supporters around the world,” he wrote via Instagram on Friday (January 13). “It’s def still a dream and I’m gonna work on it […] but unfortunately this time things weren’t handled right and that’s too far for me to be gone.”
He continued: “Something isn’t right and I’m somewhere I’ve never been and s### already not right now. I haven’t even been giving deposits so don’t even think I took y’all money. People out of $40 I’m out $50,000 I spent just on plane tickets!!!”
Westside Gunn promised to “make it up” to anyone who did purchase a ticket but didn’t specify when. He then deleted the post.
Brooklyn Vegan reached out to The Sugar Club in Dublin and asked how ticket holders could get their money back. Their spokesperson replied: “We’re currently awaiting an official update from Westside Gunn’s agent on the status of the tour, but we will of course process refunds for all tickets purchased as soon as we have more information. We hope to resolve this by the end of the day.”
Westside Gunn was ecstatic last month when he initially announced the tour. The 12-date run was expected to make stops in Paris, Vienna, Milan before wrapping up in Lisbon on February 10. He wrote on Instagram at the time: “10 yrs in the making. It’s time for me to see my supporters from all over the world. Y’all supported me for so long, it’s time I come give y’all FLYGOD LIVE!!!! We’ll all be family that night. I promise u you don’t wanna miss this.”
Westside Gunn’s most recent album, 10, arrived last year. It serves as the final installment of the Hitler Wears Hermes series. Check out the “Mac Don’t Stop & Nigos Louis” video below.
The family feud involving Percy “Master P” Miller and his son Romeo Miller played out in front of the world. Part of that bad blood stemmed from Romeo claiming his father misled him about a deal with the Rap Snacks brand.
“This year I will get my first Rap Snacks check and finally start receiving my earnings from my bags,” wrote Romeo Miller in December. “I was told as a kid that we owned Rap Snacks, and that my payday would come after [I] put in work and sold [the] company, silly me!”
The 33-year-old entertainer continued, “I promoted a company for free for 15+ years based on the word of my pops, without being allowed to see any contracts or even meet with the team, and I stayed loyal… but I’m entitled and ungrateful now?”
Master P & Romeo Miller Called A Truce
The Millers were able to publicly reconcile. However, there were still questions about the feuding family members. Romeo Miller recently attended the Rap Snacks Disrupt 2023 Conference, and he addressed rumors that the entire ordeal with Master P was a publicity stunt for the Growing Up Hip Hop reality series.
“Funny thing is, I shot that before all of that. So people were saying this is for publicity. Nah, my thing is this is just about life. If you’re gonna be a celebrity, if you’re gonna be a public figure, you’re gonna have to have some things bleed out, deal with it, and try to use it as an example for others to learn from you,” Romeo Miller toldBaller Alert.
He added, “It’s all about communication. That’s all. No family is perfect… but if you are in the public eye, if you are a celebrity, the things you wanna show are gonna come out, and the things you don’t wanna show. You gotta be strong enough to know who you are, what you stand for, to deal with the ridicule and misunderstanding that’s gonna come with it.”
IsraelBeats, a leading website that is dedicated to providing top-notch beats for sale, just announced the release of a new collection of drill beats.
Founded by music enthusiasts, the website has quickly become a go-to destination for rappers and singers of all levels, providing them with the tools they need to take their music to the next level.
These new beats are inspired by the drill sound that originated in Chicago and has been popularized by American and Uk drill rappers such as Pop Smoke, Central Cee, and others.
Drill beats have become increasingly popular in the music industry, and the team at IsraelBeats has taken notice. They have spent months researching and developing a collection of beats that capture the essence of the drill sound, and are now excited to share them with their audience.
The new collection of drill beats is diverse and includes a variety of tempos and styles, making it easy for artists to find the perfect beat for their music. The beats are produced by professional music producers who have extensive experience in creating drill beats and have worked hard to ensure that the collection is of the highest quality.
The release of these new drill beats is in response to the increasing demand for the genre and IsraelBeats is confident that they will be a hit with their customers. Artists can use these beats to create new music, monetize their tracks, and also to gain more exposure, and grow their fan base.
Furthermore, IsraelBeats offers unlimited rights licenses for all the beats, which means that artists can use the beats for commercial purposes without worrying about any limitations. This makes it easy for artists to monetize their music and generate revenue from streaming platforms and live shows.
“At IsraelBeats, our goal is to empower independent artists worldwide to succeed in the music industry. We understand the challenges that come with being an independent artist, and that’s why we’ve made it our mission to provide affordable, high-quality beats to our customers. We want to break down the barriers that have traditionally stood in the way of independent artists and help them take their music to the next level,” said Shlomo, the founder of IsraelBeats.
This new release from IsraelBeats is an exciting development for the music industry, and the team at IsraelBeats is certain that the new collection of beats will be well received by their customers. Artists looking to create music that captures the essence of the drill sound should definitely check out the new collection of drill beats for sale available on israelbeats.com.
Lil Reese has had a long, hard life. I hope that it gets better as he goes a lot. But, there is good news to report. Lil big homie is our of jail. How crazy is it that Lil Reese is getting older. I hope that he is learning from his mistakes.
One thing that is cool, he seems he is healthy. The consensus is that he’s got a full face and got a nice skin tone to him. That basically means that he’s drug free and lucid af. Shout out to jail. Sadly, Reese cannot really rap anymore so I am hoping that he does not get in more trouble.
Lil Reese is a pioneer of the Chicago drill scene in the early 2010s and he has worked with other legends like Chief Keef, Fredo Santana and Lil Durk. Where now? That is anybody’s guess.
Los Angeles rapper 03 Greedo was released from a Texas prison on Thursday (January 12).
03 Greedo, whose real name is Jason Jamal Jackson, was paroled after being sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2018. He was charged with possession of more than 400 grams of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in 2016.
According to the Washington Post, the circumstances of 03 Greedo’s arrest were suspicious. He refuted the reasoning for the traffic stop, which occurred because his car allegedly lingered in a left-hand lane.
Officers claimed they smelled marijuana, prompting a search of the vehicle. They found no weed but discovered drugs in the trunk.
03 Greedo’s first two lawyers allegedly didn’t put up much of a fight to help their client. The Alamo Records artist was led to believe he needed to accept a 20-year plea bargain to avoid harsher punishment.
“It’s unconscionable that any lawyer wouldn’t pursue all avenues prior to agreeing to a deal,” his third attorney Morris Overstreet told the Washington Post in 2020. “Even if he had been convicted of the crime, you have to give your client a chance to win on appeal by filing a motion saying that the stop wasn’t lawful in the first place. We’re arguing that the other counsel’s performance fell below an objective standard and that the results would have been different had those standards been met.”
03 Greedo got out of prison a few days after dropping his Free 03project with Mike Free. The 14-track release features OhGeesy, KenTheMan, BlueBucksClan and the late Drakeo the Ruler.
Jazz legend Bob James’ 1974 single “Nautilus” has been sampled numerous times over the years by a small army of Hip-Hop artists. From Slick Rick and Eric B. & Rakim to Run-DMC and EPMD, MCs loved flowing over his smooth jazz. But James hasn’t always been impressed. In 2015, James sued Madlib and Stones Throw Records over copyright claims. He claimed they illegally took samples from “Nautilus” for “Sparkdala.”
“From my standpoint, I had to take a stand about it,” James said at the time. “The copyright and the maintaining of the ownership of copyright, are the most valuable and important things that we have in this business. And the control over the usage of it. To have someone attempt to take that out from under you is a very big deal. And it’s a bigger deal from the standpoint of the record companies than the artist.”
On January 11, longtime music exec Dante Ross said it was about time James did some graveling, especially to Hieroglyphics, who sampled “Nautilus” in the song “Cab Fare.” As he explained in a tweet: “Bob James owes Hiero an apology. He ain’t fooling nobody, he was anti-sampling , anti-hip hop, anti-culture for a long time. Now that its proven to be profitable he’s acting like he been down. FOH.”
Is Ross right? Did Hip-Hop only become “cool” when it became a multi-billion dollar business? James seemed to have a problem with Hip-Hop artists sampling his music since day one. He even got into it with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince over his song “Westchester Lady” for their Grammy-winning album, He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper. But in an August 2022 interview, James explained he and Jazzy Jeff had made peace. They even worked on a project together.
“I contacted Jazzy Jeff after many years, and we were not enemies anyway,” he said. “We had a kind of a reunion having resolved our conflict with the original ‘Westchester Lady’ sample. And now he and I have collaborated on something new and looks like it’s going to come out on my new album.”
To people like Ross, it’s too little, too late—even if Bob James is working with Ghostface Killah.
Judge Ural Glanville, who’s presiding over Young Thug’s RICO case, announced an investigation into a YSL defendant obtaining contraband while awaiting trial.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jozsef Papp, Judge Glanville said one of the YSL defendants received clothing with marijuana in the shoes. Jury selection is currently underway for the RICO trial against Young Thug and 13 co-defendants.
Jury selection will head into its third week after 20 hardships were granted on Friday (January 13). Potential jurors are expected to return on Tuesday (January 17) since the court is closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 16).
Prosecutors claim YSL is a criminal street gang responsible for murders, robberies, gun violence, drug trafficking and more. Authorities have painted Young Thug as the mastermind behind the gang.
Young Thug was one of 28 people named in the YSL RICO indictment. Eight men accepted plea deals instead of facing trial.
Gunna, Lil Duke, Slimelife Shawty and Young Thug’s brother Unfoonk were among the notable names to take plea deals. Several defendants had their cases severed from Young Thug’s because they don’t have lawyers or still haven’t been apprehended.
Young Thug’s trial is expected to last six to nine months. He has remained in jail since his arrest in May 2022.
Kanye West is married? Again? And not to Kim Kardashian but to a Yeezy employee? Well, guess he never got the HR memo about inner office romances. Not that it matters. And not that I even care. But everybody is talking about it, so here we are. On Friday (January 13), it was revealed the blonde “mystery woman” Kanye West has been canoodling around Los Angeles with is Bianca Censori, an Aussie who worked as an architectural designer at Yeezy for several years. Just days earlier, West was photographed wearing a wedding ring as he pulled up to The Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills. Apparently, he and Censori got hitched—but failed to file a marriage license with State of the California, so it’s definitely not legal.
Kanye West has reportedly married Yeezy architect Bianca Censori. This comes only 2 months after his divorce with Kim Kardashian‼️👀 pic.twitter.com/shsevTFwBf
But even so, this seems like another cry for help. Or, at the very least, an indication that dude is lonely and having a really hard time moving on. Kanye West appears to be incapable of being single, and maybe he should be. Before the ink was dry on his divorce papers, he linked up with that weird lady with bad eye makeup, Julia Fox, for whatever the f### that was, then he started kicking it with that Instagram model Chaney Jones—or wait, was that before Fox? Who cares. Point is, Kanye West doesn’t seem to do well on his own. Is this another rebound romance or the real deal? We’re betting on the former.
“New Year New Me” sets the tone for the New Year, which is 2023. This song is a reference to the popular quote that we see a lot on social media on January 1st. After the way 2022 turned out for a lot of people, JEDA wrote this song with the intent to cheer up his crowd and bring light to his fans.
His goal is to celebrate his evolution and the person he’s becoming after overcoming a difficult and challenging year. As the artist states multiple times in the chorus, “it’s a new year, new [him]”. This single’s hyped rhythm and club vibe make it the perfect New Year’s celebration song.
AllHipHop: What first got you into music?
JEDA: Covid and boredom. I was hanging out with my friends during covid, then I played a beat, started drunk free styling, and all my friends were like, wtf man, you gotta hop in the studio right now, and that’s how I started making music.
AllHipHop: Who inspired you to make music?
JEDA: I listen to a lot of Drake, Lil Wayne, Eminem, and a lot of other artists, but I really got inspired by Polo G, YB, and Rod Wave. Young men my age just trying to prove a point to the world.
AllHipHop: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
JEDA: I would say I create a lot of emotional rap, but sometimes I try to lean into the club vibe to turn my fans up.
AllHipHop: What is your creative process like?
JEDA: A vibe for real. I just throw on a beat or ask my engineer to play me any beat and from there, everything just comes naturally. I enjoy writing music alone.
AllHipHop: Who would you most like to collaborate with?
JEDA: A song with Rod Wave and SZA is all I need.
AllHipHop: If you could go open a show for any artist, who would it be?
JEDA: Has to be DRAKE.
AllHipHop: What is one message you would give to your fans?
JEDA: Keep striving for greatness, and remember it takes time to get to whatever destination you aim for. Be patient, pray and work as hard as you can to get what you desire.
AllHipHop: What is the most useless talent you have?
JEDA: I’m a very talented soccer player.
AllHipHop: Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
JEDA: Strictly my songs, that’s where I get inspired a lot, so I try to freestyle with things around me.
AllHipHop: What would you be doing right now if it wasn’t for your music career?
JEDA: Music career was really a second option, I’d give everything to be a football player.
AllHipHop: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
JEDA: I performed alongside big artists like P-Square, Kranium, Focalistic. I enjoy every single show because seeing people get introduced and fascinated by a new artist’s stage presence and quality music is the best feeling.
AllHipHop: How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
JEDA: It is the easiest way to go if you need your music heard. Half of the world uses the internet every day. All you have to do is find your audience and stick to it.
AllHipHop: What is your favorite song to perform?
JEDA: I would say my favorite song to perform right now is MY THING.
AllHipHop: Which famous musicians do you admire?
JEDA: Drake has to be on the top of my list.
AllHipHop: What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
JEDA: Driving with a suspended license.
AllHipHop: What is the best advice you’ve been given?
JEDA: Be true to who you are.
AllHipHop: If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
JEDA: How complex it is for a good artist to break out.
Vedo is living proof that R&B will live on forever. The Platinum-selling singer-songwriter is best known for his standout vocals and falsetto, with a vocal range that can move mountains. The Michigan native has even been deemed the new generation’s Usher.
Now, Vedo returns to unveil his highly-anticipated sixth studio album titled Mood Swings, released via EMPIRE. The 13-track project chronicles the many moods an individual goes through while navigating the highs and lows of a relationship, in hopes of ultimately finding love. The project is spearheaded by lead single “Do You Mind,” featuring the one and only Chris Brown. The two previously collaborated on Brown’s “Warm Embrace,” which yielded Vedo his first Grammy nomination.
Vedo explains, “‘Do You Mind’ was actually written a while ago and is just now being released. The collaboration happened because I stayed persistent. I had asked CB on separate occasions to do a verse on a song and his reply would be ‘I don’t think it’s time’. His reasoning was that he didn’t want to overshadow me on the song, he wanted me to keep building a presence so that the song wouldn’t become a ‘Chris Brown’ feat VEDO record. I had to respect that.”
The only other feature on the album is Chicago R&B songstress Tink.
When asked what the rest of 2023 is looking like for Vedo, he responds with “more plaques, more certifications, Grammy nominations, Grammy wins, more life and more love.”
N.O.R.E. wants to do a Drink Champs episode with Keith Murray, but an incident at the Rock the Bells Festival may prevent it from happening.
Keith Murray said N.O.R.E. ignored him at the festival in an interview with the Art of Dialogue. The Def Squad rapper also claimed he was slighted by someone in N.O.R.E.’s crew at the event.
N.O.R.E.’s crew member allegedly made a big deal to point out Keith Murray wasn’t part of their entourage while they obtained credentials. The festival snub made Keith Murray hesitant to accept an offer to appear on Drink Champs.
“People get money and they change,” he said. “I never asked to be on Drink Champs. I never wanted to go there, but I know [N.O.R.E.] and I have a rapport. And when I see him face-to-face, he shunned me! Like I didn’t even matter.”
N.O.R.E. responded to Keith Murray’s story via Twitter. A fan asked the Drink Champs host if he sideswiped Keith Murray at the Rock the Bells Festival, which N.O.R.E. denied.
“Not quite!!!” he wrote. “I had too many people wit me!!!”
Keith Murray recently went viral for comments about his alleged sexual history with Foxy Brown and Shawnna. His remarks caught the attention of N.O.R.E., who started plotting a Drink Champs episode.
“Yes we getting Keith Murry [sic] on drinkchamps in Jan when we come off the break!!!” N.O.R.E. wrote on Twitter in December.
A few days later, he noted, “Imma be real out Keith Murry [sic] interview must gonna be legendary already 3 people called me to stop it!!! Lol I’m my own boss !!! U CANT STOP S###!!!”
Drink Champs is scheduled to return on January 27. The podcast announced a licensing deal with Warner Music Group’s in-house network Interval Presents on Thursday (January 12).
Recently surging Memphis rapper AR the Mermaid spoke about her run of successful releases and the label bidding war that culminated with her signing to 300 Ent.
Concluding 2022 with her futuristic visual for “Get it Straight,” and a follow on Instagram from none other than Drake himself, AR has set the bar high for 2023.
Hailing from East Memphis AR the Mermaid got her start in music singing in the church and spending her time in and out of singing groups until she eventually started rapping solo in 2018.
From there AR the Mermaid started gaining momentum with her smoked-out gun-toting music video for “Let A Hoe Play.” In an interview with Jake Crates, AR the Mermaid explained her rise to success.
“It’s smooth when it comes to the rap sh*t now, I just got their attention with the rap sh*t. I don’t even know how the Youtube videos went viral other than the marketing we did on Let a Hoe Play, it’s all just my fans and supporters.”
AR the Mermaid
Interweaving her bars with R&B vocals, AR the Mermaid has struck a chord with the underground Memphis rap scene and freestyle rap fans alike.
“My music is so f**king crazy right now, I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s a mixture of a whole lot of sh*t, it’s versatile as f**k. I got a joint from Sada Baby, I got some s### in the works with Rico Nasty. I really just got a whole lot of songs with a bunch of artists coming for fans real soon.
Culminating 2022 with a highly regarded Instagram follow from none other than international superstar and OVO ringleader, Drake, one could make an argument that this 25-year-old talent is next up when it comes to female rappers.
East Memphis artist AR the Mermaid reveals how Drake followed her….
Completely surprised by the unexpected follow, AR the Mermaid said Drake liked her story or an image, so she checked her DMs to see if he reached out.
“The first thing he said is he f#### with Memphis,” AR the Mermaid said. “I don’t know, I just saw he liked some sh*t or something. I was like, ‘ain’t no way it’s Drake.’ Then I went to his page and I followed him back, I checked my DMs to see if he messaged me and he said he couldn’t sleep and s###. Said he was checking out my flow and said keep going on the s###.”
Highlighted by her unique Gengar Pokemon-inspired eyebrows, AR the Mermaid has a style that’s all her own.
“I love the color black, but my style is a mixture of how I may feel on any given day. I may do a 70’s look with my hair or whatever, I just do what’s me and how I feel. I would say it’s really weird but it’s just a mixture of a lot of s###. Like my eyebrows are from the Gengar character in Pokemon.”
With a strong independent mindset and an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s obvious why the major labels are in a bidding war for her unique personality and music.
“I’m from East Memphis, I grew up in Mississippi too, but I grew up in the church. I started off doing R&B singing, then I joined a lil group at like 15, I left them at like 17 and then took a break, then started rapping at 21 – I’m 25 now, so I’m ready to get to it.”
Iggy Azalea joined OnlyFans to release a mixed-media project titled Hotter Than Hell.
The Australian rapper unveiled plans to drop photos, videos and “all kinds of aesthetically pleasing, hot as hell things” on OnlyFans throughout 2023. Iggy Azalea said her mixed-media project was inspired by Pamela Anderson, Madonna’s Sex book, ‘90s supermodels and more.
“I’ve been working on Hotter Than Hell for over six months already, and I’m full of excitement and nervous anticipation to begin revealing it to the world, layer by layer,” Iggy Azalea stated. “Admittedly, I never knew OnlyFans was a place where I could be creative, so I didn’t expect to be collaborating with them on my biggest project to date!”
She added, “Once I looked beyond the surface-level chatter about what it means to have an OnlyFans, I realized it was the perfect platform to launch a multimedia concept on. I feel excited about not having to worry about the overwhelming and creatively limiting censorship artists have to navigate when sharing work on other digital platforms. The project is bold and fun— so is this collaboration — I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people.”
A subscription to Iggy Azalea’s OnlyFans costs $25 per month. Her Hotter Than Hell project culminates with a coffee-table book due out in December 2023.
If you think battle rappers are only good in competition, you must not be watching what those boys over in New Jersey do.
From Tsu Surf to Shotgun Suge (the AllHipHop.com #1 Male Battler of the Year) to Nu Jerzey Twork to Real Sikh, the battle emcees from the Garden State have been putting it down on stages and on beats for years— making significant waves. #FreeTheWave
One of the most prolific and successful of the collective is Mr. Disrespect himself, Arsonal Da Rebel. Ars has worked with everyone from Fetty Wap to Wyclef Jean and is about to go on tour with Montana 300.
Now, the artist, who can boast that he is the most viewed English-Speaking and one of the most popular battle rappers in the world, claiming almost 20 years in the profession, is gearing up to drop new music. The first offering is “Dumb Sh#t” featuring Icewear Vezzo. On Thursday, Jan. 12, the artist dropped a visual for the song.
Fans will note that rapper Shotgun Suge, who also has new music on the way, is in the back chilling.
“U never disappoint!!! Beats always on point!!!” one person said in the comments.
Another person added, “Damn this s### dope af!!. I never knew Arsonal made music.”
Vice Versa hopped in the comments and said, “Arsonal is the beast straight street heat.”
“This caught me off guard, this s### smoking,” a fan said in amazement.
Arsonal originally presented the project at his birthday party in December 2022.
LISTEN WE BRINGING THE WHOLE CITY OUT FRIDAY FOR MY BIRTHDAY MY N#### @icewear_vezzo pullin up ITS MOVIE TIME TAP IN WIT @scrilla_marley103 @pbm_louie @bladesandbars FOR YA TIX DEY GOIN FAST https://t.co/uZCr17hAWd
