Gunna is seemingly in good spirits following his release from Fulton County Jail on Wednesday (Dec. 14) after entering an Alford plea in the YSL RICO case.
Footage of the “Pushin P” rapper leaving the prison shows him walking into the warm embrace of an unidentified woman. Other photographs show him smiling with friends and face timing celeb jeweler Eliott Eliantte.
As part of his plea deal, Gunna admitted YSL is a gang and expressed “personal knowledge” of their criminal activity. During the hearing, he attested that: “YSL is a music label and a gang, and you have personal knowledge that members or associates have committed crimes in furtherance of the gang.” Check out the clip below
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) December 15, 2022
Wack 100 Accuses Gunna Of Snitching
Despite his insistence that he would not testify against fellow YSL members in their upcoming trial, accusations of snitching have surfaced.
Among them is Wack 100, who claimed during a Clubhouse chat: “You’re not pleading guilty to a RICO, and they freeing you.” According to the music manager, Gunna taking a plea and admitting that YSL is a gang is snitching. “There go the telling right there,” Wack 100 added. “He told.”
He later elaborated during a conversation with DJ Akademiks, saying that Young Thug is “solid” but Gunna’s “not like that.”
Wack also stated Gunna should have “shut the f### up” when asked about being pulled over with Young Thug.
“You were present with [Young Thug] when hydrocodone, methamphetamines and a firearm were recovered. These items did not belong to you,” the judge explained to Gunna during the hearing, to which the rapper agreed.
“Get pulled over and you know there’s some guns in the car, I say they aint mine and it’s me and you in the car they gone put them on you,” Wack 100 claimed. “You know the rule is you shut the f### up and we fighting. That’s just the rules of it.”
He also stated despite Gunna vowing not to testify against fellow YSL members in their upcoming trial, he will not be able to plead the fifth.
“If they ain’t give him no immunity he can’t claim the fifth,” he stated. “And if they call him to testify and he go against the grain, they gone re-file on him.” Listen to the conversation below.
Hours after his release, a clip from inside the courtroom was shared on social media showing the Georgia native confessing his knowledge of certain crimes committed by YSL. The video shows the judge reading out the stipulations of the plea agreement during the hearing. She asks Gunna to “agree or acknowledge” that each statement is true.
“YSL is a music label and a gang, and you have personal knowledge that members or associates have committed crimes in furtherance of the gang,” the judge states.
“Yes, m’am,” Gunna replies.
“You were present with [Young Thug] when hydrocodone, methamphetamines and a firearm were recovered. These items did not belong to you,” she explains.
“Yes, ma’am,” Gunna replies.
“I recognize, accept and deeply regret that my talent and music indirectly furthered YSL the gang to the detriment of my community,” the judge concludes.
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) December 15, 2022
Gunna Renounces YSL As A Gang In Plea Deal
As reported by AllHipHop.com, Gunna was released from Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail on Wednesday after making an Alford plea to one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act. He was given a five-year prison sentence. Click here to read his statement.
Gunna received credit for one year served while the rest of his sentence was suspended. He must fulfill 500 hours of community service and is forbidden to carry a gun during the term of his sentence. His suspended sentence could be revoked if he violates the terms of the plea agreement.
He maintained his innocence and vowed not to testify against the other YSL members still on trial.
However, according to WSB-TV Atlanta, “it is a condition of Gunna’s trial that he testifies if he is called, though he can claim the Fifth Amendment.”
“Avatar: The Way of Water” is the follow up to 2009’s blockbuster film “Avatar”, the global phenomenon and highest grossing film of all time that made $2.9 billion overall. Thirteen years later after the success of the original, Director James Cameron brings us the much-delayed follow up and proves that the long wait was certainly worth it for the wonderful story and visual brilliance on display!
Although the start of this sequel provides brief narration which gives a light overview of the first film and subsequent events, I would still advise watching the 2009 film to have all of the characters and story points fresh in your memory before watching this sequel.
As this sequel begins, we find Jake Skully (Sam Worthington) enjoying life as a Half Human/Half Na’vi in Pandora and the leader of his Tribe. Since the events of the last film, Jake now has his own family which consist of his partner Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and their four children. Suddenly, the peaceful life they have established for themselves is disrupted and threatened when “The Sky People” (Humans) from the first film return to Pandora. As Earth is becoming inhabitable for them, The Sky People have returned to Pandora with new technology and weapons for the sole purpose of colonizing Pandora, taking its resources, eradicating the Na’vi and making it a new earth that can be inhabited by humans.
This attempted takeover is initiated again by the RDA (Resources Development Administration) and their Marine forces who are led by an Avatar version of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) that contains his memories. The Avatar version of Colonel Quaritch holds Jake Scully responsible for his death in human form, and vengeance against Scully becomes his first priority, stopping at nothing punish him. This intense manhunt for Jake Scully not only puts the former human in danger, but also his family, his tribe, and the very existence of Pandora itself.
“Avatar: The Way of Water” is a massive film that acts as an emotional family drama, an adventure full of spectacle, wonder, but also a pulse-pounding action thriller. The scope and scale of this film is much larger than the original and the visual presentation is simply stunning. With “The Way of Water”, James Cameron goes to great lengths to place emphasis on the theme of family, relationships, and takes his time fleshing out the characters in this imaginative tale. This guided focus truly allows the viewers to become invested in these characters and genuinely care about the outcome of the dangerous plight they face.
The film’s story itself isn’t overly complex and follows a simple premise that we’ve seen in several movies before. Additionally, as you watch the film, there are some moments that will feel very familiar to the first Avatar as certain story beats are repeated in this sequel. Despite some familiarity that is present, the film’s tighter focus on family is a theme that will resonates strongly and capture viewers on a more emotional level than the first film.
In terms of the visual presentation here, words can’t properly express how beautiful this film is to look at. With “The Way of Water”, Cameron takes full advantage of the advances in technology over the last 13 years and seemingly utilized them all to create a visual canvas of the likes we haven’t seen on the big screen before. The CGI and photorealism on display in this film is simply immaculate to witness and the pristine use of Mo-Cap for the actors, advanced 3D technology and HFR (High Frame Rate) in certain sequences will leave you in awe! As great as the first film looked back in 2009, the visual display & cinematography of this film feels much more polished, grandiose, and immersive on an even larger scale. James Cameron and WETA have effectively used every trick in their respective toolboxes to make “The Way of Water” look as perfect as it can.
For all the wonderful elements of the story, characters, and visuals, the film tends to suffer a bit when it comes to its pacing, especially in the second act of the film. “Avatar: The Way of Water” is 3 hours and 12 minutes in total and unfortunately, viewers will likely feel the heaviness of its runtime as the film goes on. While the 2nd act in particular features several aquatic sequences that are absolutely amazing to witness, there were many scenes in this act that could have been trimmed or scaled down to make the storytelling on display feel much smoother and more efficient.
However, once the third act hits, James Cameron delivers a dazzling finale that is full of amazing action sequences, high stakes, thrills, and pulse-pounding tension. The action throughout the film is extremely well done, but for the third act in particular, the heightened emotional stakes are perfectly accentuated by the visceral and explosive nature of the final battle and pursuit of survival! One unique thing about the action during this act is that Cameron cleverly borrows from his own previous films and utilizes stylized sequences, fight choreography, pyrotechnics, and even claustrophobic moments that you will certainly identify if you’re familiar with his stellar film resume. As the Director of such classics as “Terminator”, “Terminator 2”, “Aliens”, “The Abyss”, “True Lies”, etc., Cameron has never had an issue crafting masterful action sequences and he puts on another masterclass here in the final hour of this film.
Ultimately, I thought “Avatar: The Way of Water” was a visual masterpiece and a sequel that greatly improves upon the groundwork of the first film. In terms of directing and technical achievements, I doubt you will see a finer looking film all year and I certainly expect that Awards nominations will be in order for the team behind this film. As far as the performances, I thought all of the returning and new actors did a excellent job with the material at hand and truly brought the characters to life.
My one criticism of note would be the fact that my aforementioned issues regarding the pacing/runtime slightly affected the overall presentation of the film for me. It could be just me, but I feel that if the prolonged second act of the film was trimmed down a bit, the film would feel much more streamlined and not as exhaustive for audiences.
Overall, “Avatar: Way of The Water” is another outstanding effort by Director James Cameron that will be a huge hit with several demographics. On the surface, this is the type of elaborate blockbuster that must be seen in a theatre with the biggest tub of popcorn you can purchase. However, beneath the surface, there is also a wonderful story here about family and relationships that is both emotional and very moving. Whether you watch for the technical direction, the story and characters or the spectacular visuals throughout, I truly think there is something in this film that everyone can enjoy! “Avatar: Way of The Water” is in the theatres everywhere on December 16th – Enjoy!
Lil Wayne scored the first diamond-selling single of his career on Wednesday (December 14).
The Young Money rapper’s song “Lollipop” received a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Songs or albums must sell 10 million copies to attain diamond certification.
Lil Wayne celebrated his achievement by thanking fans on Instagram. He also acknowledged the late Static Major, who was featured on “Lollipop.”
“My first joint to go diamond wowwww!!!” Weezy wrote. “Thank you to all my fans and supporters. I Ain’t Sh*t Without Y’all!!! #LongLiveStaticMajor.”
A few hours later, Lil Wayne posted a video of himself with his diamond plaque on Instagram. He expressed his gratitude once again while reflecting on the accomplishment.
“10 million singles sold,” he said in the video. “That’s a lot of people. I appreciate every single one of you. I swear to God.”
Lil Wayne released his “Lollipop” single in 2008. The Static Major-assisted track appeared on Tha Carter III album.
“Lollipop” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008. It was his first song to reach the top of the chart. The single spent five weeks at No. 1.
Watch Lil Wayne’s video with his diamond plaque below.
Gunna will host his fifth annual Great Giveaway event in College Park, Georgia on Sunday (December 18).
The 300 Entertainment rapper joined forces with Goodr to provide $100 gift cards to 1,000 families in College Park. Reps for Gunna will pass out the gift cards to pre-registered families at a local Walmart from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“Much respect to Gunna who, no matter what, still finds a way to contribute to the community that raised him,” Goodr’s founder and CEO Jasmine Crowe-Houston said in a press release. “We know that people will struggle unlike any other year this holiday season and it is our honor to maintain Gunna’s legacy of giving back.”
Gunna previously worked with Goodr to launch several pop-up grocery markets. The two also teamed up for coat giveaways, back-to-school events and more.
The Great Giveaway is scheduled to take place days after Gunna took a plea deal in the YSL RICO case. The 29-year-old artist was released from jail after entering an Alford plea for conspiracy to violate the RICO Act on Wednesday (December 14). The Alford plea allowed him to maintain his innocence.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” he said in a statement. “I have chosen to end my own RICO case with an Alford plea and end my personal ordeal by publicly acknowledging my association with YSL.”
Gunna had been in jail since his May arrest. His sentence was commuted to time served.
Megan Thee Stallion’s former friend Kelsey Harris testified in the Tory Lanez shooting trial on Wednesday (December 14).
According to multiplereporters, Harris was reluctant to testify and considered invoking her Fifth Amendment right before prosecutors granted her immunity.
Law & Crime’s Meghann Cuniff tweeted, “[Harris’] denials were also mixed with admissions that corroborated key details Deputy DA Kathy Ta was trying to get in, such as Tory offering $1 million.”
Wednesday’s hearing confirmed a critical fact of the case when Tory Lanez’s lawyer admitted Megan Thee Stallion was shot. But the Canadian rapper’s defense claimed Harris was the shooter.
At one point, Kathy Ta asked about the defense accusing Harris of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. Harris considered the allegation to be absurd.
Megan Thee Stallion testified at the trial on Tuesday (December 13). She reaffirmed her allegations against Tory Lanez and explained how the case impacted her life.
“I can’t even be happy,” she said. “I wish he would have shot and killed me if I knew I had to go through this torture.”
Prosecutors accuse Tory Lanez of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in July 2020. He was charged with assault with a semi-automatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. A week before his trial began, prosecutors added a third charge for discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he faces up to 22 years in prison.
Gunna was released from jail after pleading guilty in the YSL RICO case.
According to multiplereports, Gunna entered an Alford plea to one count of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act. He maintained his innocence and vowed to not testify against fellow YSL members in their upcoming trial.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” Gunna said in a statement. “I have chosen to end my own RICO case with an Alford plea and end my personal ordeal by publicly acknowledging my association with YSL.”
He added, “An Alford plea in my case is the entry of a guilty plea to the one charge against me, which is in my best interest, while at the same time maintaining my innocence toward the same charge. I love and cherish my association with YSL music, and always will. I look at this as an opportunity to give back to my community and educate young men and women that ‘gangs’ and violence only lead to destruction. “
Gunna admitted YSL is a gang as part of his plea deal. He claimed he didn’t consider YSL to be a gang when he joined it in 2016.
“I recognize, accept and deeply regret that my talent and music indirectly furthered YSL the gang to the detriment of my community,” he said. “YSL as a gang must end.”
Gunna, who was in jail since May, was sentenced to five years in prison with one year commuted to time served. The other four years of Gunna’s sentence were suspended. Instead, he was ordered to complete 500 hours of community service. His entire sentence will be dismissed once he completes his community service.
Young Thug and other YSL members remain in jail. Their trial is scheduled to begin in January.
She started laughing and said, “Beyonce watches your show? I f*cking doubt it. Not to be rude. I know Oprah watches.”
Part of the game, since she didn’t answer the question, the singer/rapper/flutist was required to take a drink.
She also refused to answer another question that could have been just as controversial. The comedian-turned-talk show host asked her who did she think was the most “overrated artist” out on the scene.
The plus-sized bombshell said she was not trying to break the internet with a response that would have surely gone viral. Instead, she opted to take another drink adding, “The internet’s already in shambles.”
Try as she did to keep the internet intact, the exhibitionist hopped on social media and posted a video of herself twerking in a green costume modeled after the Dr. Seuss Christmas staple that everyone loves with the caption: “100% That Grinch.”
Harlem rapper Azealia Banks said she will not be coming back to the Land Down Under, saying the capital Brisbane is “racist.”
According to SBS, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, the artist canceled her show in Brisbane right before she was scheduled to rock the mic.
She took to social media to tell fans why.
“I’m so sorry you guys – actually I’m not sorry – but listen: last time I was in Brisbane and y’all threw s### on the stage and damn near almost f*cking hit me in the face with a f*cking bottle of soda or whatever that sh*t was,” she said.
Continued to say, “That was the most racist, most demoralizing experience of my f###### life and right now I’m on a really good track.”
“Sydney and Melbourne are the only cities I really want to play,” she admitted, before revealing one of the reasons why she is not going to perform.
“I am a beautiful Black woman and I am not going to get in front of some audience of white people for them to be throwing s### at me.
“I am so not sorry. I am not sorry at all. Brisbane, y’all are just going to have to take the L and smoke it.”
She later posted another video and shared she would actually go ahead and perform, but that attendees had to check “everything that could be considered a [projectile].”
“No keys, no coins, no hair brushes, no vape pens, no lighters. No drinks on the dancefloor. The minute something stupid happens I’m leaving.”
Still, things could not work out and despite her going back and forth, the show was canceled.
Point Productions released a statement confirming the show would not go ahead “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
“After this run, this will be my very last time touring Australia,” Banks said. “This place makes me utterly miserable and I’m too black and beautiful to have a bunch of white people in my face playing with me over their weak ass currency.”
Ellen DJ/dancer Stephen “Twitch” Boss was reportedly found dead at a Los Angeles hotel on Tuesday (December 13) after an apparent suicide. TMZ reports Boss’s wife, Allison Holker, ran into a Los Angeles Police Department precinct that morning after he left home without his car. Around 11:15 a.m. local time, paramedics received a call about a “medical emergency” at the hotel where they found Boss suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was declared dead at the scene moments later.
Only four days ago, the father of three shared an Instagram post celebrating his ninth wedding anniversary. Holker said in a statement, “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him.
“He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans. To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt. I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory.”
The news has started traveling quickly on social media, and several members of the Hip Hop community are mourning the loss. However, the overarching theme of nearly every post is about mental health and the importance of speaking up. As Questlove wrote: “I have no words man. May his family find resolution in this dark time. May we all find peace of mind in our everyday lives. Everyday is a winding road & you just may never know who is on the edge. A lot of us can’t process emotions & how to deal with it.
“I’ll admit yesterday was rotten & every minuscule occurrence of a Murphy’s Law nature sent me spiraling. Take time out for yourselves if you feel like you’re on the edge (I know most of us are confused when it comes to darker emotions like sadness and anger—-both healthy to express but becomes problematic when your solution is to figure out how to get rid of the feelings that don’t feel good to you. Take time out for yourselves & sit in silence people. Time literally heals wounds.”
The Roots drummer was one of many expressing their shock, sadness and grief on social media. Rapsody shared a photo of Boss and left a simple heartbreak emoji in the caption alongside the name “Twitch.” Famed b-boy Poppin’ Pete also posted a picture of Boss and wrote: “Ohh wow!!! Rest in Peace Twitch.”
Boss landed at The Ellen Show in 2014 and eventually became one of the show’s executive producers. The gig ended in May when the long-running talk show was canceled. Prior to that, he found notoriety in 2008 as the runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance. He later appeared in the Step Up film franchise and Magic Mike XXL. Boss was 40 at the time of his death. Find some of the reactions from artists and celebrities below.
“I will always save the last dance for you.” 💔 RIP Twitch. Thinking of @Allisonholker, their kids, and all who loved him. Please, please, please get the help you need by calling or texting 988. pic.twitter.com/zZM7l3CcDL
A kind soul and a sweet person.. that is how I will remember Twitch… This was his 40th birthday party .. my heart goes out to his family especially Allison and their beautiful kids.. this is devastating… I love you brother and will miss you dearly. pic.twitter.com/qkmsM3aodT
The President of the World Jewish Congress is calling for streaming services to pull down music made by Kanye West.
According to the New York Post, Ronald Lauder, the heir to the Estée Lauder estate and fortune, sent a letter to the CEO of Apple Music, Tim Cook and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek saying it was “unacceptable that neither Apple Music, nor Spotify have removed Mr. West’s music” after his continued spewing of anti-Jewish hate speech.
“Kanye West’s antisemitic tirades go beyond trafficking in conspiracy theories. He is espousing Nazism in its purest, most hateful form, and is perhaps the singular embodiment of the alarming rise of Jew-hatred in America,” Lauder, a billionaire philanthropist, wrote.
“As long as his hateful voice is carried on Apple and Spotify’s music streaming platforms, they are in league with those who wish harm to Jews the world over,” he said.
By keeping it up, Lauder believes the companies are “profiting off of Jewish hate.”
Lauder applauded German apparel company Adidas; a company actually founded by Nazis for severing their ties with Kanye— long before he publicly said he likes “Hitler.”
After saying he was “relieved” of the three-striped company’s move to stop working with Ye’s Yeezy Brand, he noted “their delay in making what should have been a clear-cut decision to rid their halls of such a dangerous voice is unacceptable.”
No word on the streaming platform’s response to the demand.
Apple Music, which broke records when it debuted the artist’s “Donda” album live, did remove a Kanye West Essentials playlist from the platform after he first made his anti-Jewish rant on Twitter in October.
It appears DJ Akademiks is still upset that Lil Baby may have thrown a few jabs at him on the It’s Only Me album. So much so, that Ak told his Twitch audience that he wants to brawl with Lil Baby.
“Really straight to war, n#### can’t beat me. Akademiks know he ain’t as rich as me. Brodie’s ready to eat for a twenty-piece. I ain’t got nothing to say to you mini-mes,” rapped Baby on “From Now On” off It’s Only Me.
DJ Akademiks took his combative commentary about the 4PF crew leader even further while on a recent Twitch live stream. The Off The Record podcast host called out Lil Baby for a physical confrontation.
“I will fight Lil Baby for free or for money. I just want to get in the ring with him. You don’t got no 4PF, n####, I will choke you to death. I will punch you in your face. You’re not doing s###,” said Akademiks in a clip circulating online.
The controversial YouTuber added, “You’re a f###### retarded rapper. You can’t do s###. Stop it! Who gonna stand on that? By the way, I’m putting this out on a public medium. If Lil baby really thought it was some s###, he’d be like, ‘Ak, let’s really get into it.'”
It has been a busy week for DJ Akademiks. Not only has he continued his bad blood with Lil Baby, but Ak also found himself feuding with Yung Miami of the City Girls. That online confrontation led to Saucy Santana and Sean “Diddy” Combs jumping into the conflict.
Jeffery “Young Thug” Williams faces a felony RICO indictment in his home state of Georgia. While the rap star deals with serious legal troubles, his “We Ball” collaborator Meek Mill celebrated him on social media.
“It was a kid that was keeping his lights on at a detention center and kept getting in trouble,” tweeted Meek. “We found out he was being raped by his uncle at night so he wanted the lights on. I called Thug. He stayed on the phone with him til sun up on [Facetime]!”
The Philadelphia-raised rapper added, “[Young Thug helping] that kid boost his confidence back up and get his head right was hero s### to me! All [of] this bad media, I just thought I’d say that!!!!”
Meek Mill later posted, “I was tryna say ‘thug’ stayed up to fix that kid’s broken soul when he heard about his situation from us helping the kid. He immediately used his platform to save a child and help him get confidence to rebuild [himself] for [hours]. That shouldn’t go in the dark!”
Both Young Thug & Meek Mill Have Had Run-Ins With The Law
Gunna and Young Thug are among two dozen defendants in Fulton County’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act case. Thug also faces drug and firearm charges. Both Slime Language album contributors maintain their innocence.
Meek Mill (born Robert Williams) has lived behind bars as well. In 2017, he famously served time in a Pennsylvania prison for violating his probation. The state’s Superior Court eventually overturned Meek’s 2008 firearm/drug conviction which led to that eight-year probation sentence.
Hip Hop has been one of the most prominent musical genres on the global stage for years. Rap songs often top both domestic and international charts. Millions of the style’s lovers cannot picture their lives without a soundtrack of their favorite tunes.
An individual’s personality, day-to-day experiences, and productivity would be affected by such a fervent devotion to a particular musical genre. For example, college students seem to be the greatest rap enthusiasts in society.
However, does their enthusiasm for Hip Hop hinder their capacity to learn in any way? Is it a constructive force? How does music impact their brains and the likelihood of academic success? This article examines the positive and negative effects of Hip-Hop music on the brain.
The Positive Effects of Hip-Hop Music
Hip-hop is connected with self-expression and rags-to-riches stories, and, for this, has been the subject of criticism. The genre has served as the background for several cultural revolutions and contains themes of both unity and conflict. It is hardly surprising that it frequently evokes profoundly emotional reactions from listeners.
Perhaps as a result of its emotional power, the style has begun to appear in unexpected locations, including therapy. In recent years, the medical sector has embraced “hip-hop therapy” as a valid method for treating mental illnesses, among them depression and anxiety.
To get an understanding of how music impacts emotion, it is worthwhile to examine its effects on the human brain. Several researchers have identified a connection between music and dopamine. However, the majority of experts agree that although there are similarities between musical genres and physiological reactions, each individual responds uniquely to varied musical stimuli.
When it comes to hip-hop, in particular, scientific evidence indicates the presence of significant connections to both emotional and creative reserves. Consequently, rap music can help relieve stress as its soundtracks create positive energy in humans.
Historically, the genre has not had a tight association with therapy, but the situation may soon change. As the medical establishment and the hip-hop community come to accept the encouraging discoveries, even more obstacles may be removed.
The Negative Effects of Hip-Hop Music
Despite the positive effects of rap music on your brain, there are negative aspects of hip-hop. Many rappers use objectification, murder, and drugs as their trade tools. It should not come as a surprise when, after listening to rap music, men feel more materialistic while women become more self-conscious, and everyone becomes more prone to violence.
We are justified in our skepticism about broad critiques of rap. As has occurred in the past, they might be founded on racism or eurocentrism. However, the concerns extend beyond a single musical genre. You will be affected by any violent music or one that depicts consumerism or misogyny, which are common in Hip-hop.
Does Music Facilitate Study?
Music may stimulate both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. What does this imply for us? The stimulation of both spheres enhances its capacity. Consequently, students might experience increased brain activity and enhanced memory. All without even trying! Brain activity already increases concentration and attention retention. As a consequence, you can learn, memorize, and comprehend material more effectively. However, that’s not all.
Second, music may boost one’s motivation and productivity. It may enhance mood and reduce tension. Besides, it calms individuals and improves their mental condition, therefore filtering out external worries.
Frequently, studying is accompanied by stressful events, including examinations and the like. During stressful times or shortly before an exam, listening to music might help students relax and concentrate on the subject at hand rather than their fears. However, they may also choose to find help from academic writing services. Professional writers are particularly important when you don’t have enough time.
Custom Writings is one of the most affordable essay writing services that can help you with your papers, allowing you to pay less for high-quality assignments. The website has one of the best ratings on review sites, indicating that most of its users are satisfied with the services they get. Most of the customers claim they felt satisfied with the quality of work, customer support, and money-back guarantees. The site offers assignment assistance, written research papers, cheap essays, proofreading, editing, and other professional services.
What Music Genres May Be Useful When Studying?
Can we discuss musical genres now that we are aware of the good influence music has on the learning process? Does it matter what genre of music one listens to in order to have such great effects? The answer to both is yes and no.
Certainly, various types of melodies will have varied effects on your mind. Each genre has its own particulars. Some may energize and thrill you while others may serve to calm you. Depending on your needs, each type of music may play a crucial role in your academic achievement.
However, each individual’s musical choices have the most impact on the ultimate outcome. Therefore, as long as you listen to music that pleases and calms you, it is beneficial in every manner. Certainly, it should not distract you from your studies. However, as long as you appreciate what you’re listening to, all of the mood-enhancing effects of music will hold true.
Hip Hop is a Stress Reliever
Currently, Hip Hop is the most popular musical genre in the United States. It is the second most popular genre in the world. In addition, most rap enthusiasts are under 30 years of age. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that the majority of its listeners are young people, particularly students. How then does their musical taste affect their academic progress?
Inquests have shown that Hip Hop has positive effects on mental health and focus. Unfortunately, studying is often accompanied by anxiousness. Each week, several adolescents suffer from depression, anxiety, and worrisome thoughts related to school. Fortunately, Hip Hop music may lessen the stressful states of mind and bring more tranquility into the lives of students.
It has been shown that the genre may stimulate specific brain regions. Consequently, it is related to our emotions, language, motor and nerve functioning, and even motivation. The combination of the cognitive tasks may result in an increase in productivity and an improvement in mood.
There is something about the distinctive Hip Hop lyrics, peppy tunes, and rhythms that talk directly to our brains. Rap listeners have fewer mental health difficulties than other music lovers of the same age. It makes hip-hop one of the most remarkable music genres despite its notable negative influence.
Therefore, when it comes to studying, a pair of headphones with cheerful rap music may greatly minimize study anxiety and stress. Typically, students’ academic performance suffers from stress and poor self-esteem. They engage in excessive self-doubt and spend more time worrying than learning.
Conclusion
In conclusion, available data shows both positive and negative effects of hip-hop music on youth. Hip-hop lovers can treat their depression and anxiety by listening to rap music. They can avoid the emotional roller coaster that may affect their studies and day-to-day functioning. The genre facilitates studying by stimulating both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, enhancing its overall capacity.
However, the genre also has negative effects, including excessive use of objectification, murder, and drug rhetoric, making men feel more materialistic and women more self-conscious. It then leads to a general aura of violence. However, with a cool head, Hip-Hop has multiple studying benefits to any student.
Last week, many people on the internet were shocked to discover a new R. Kelly album titled I Admit It popped up on streaming services. The imprisoned R&B singer’s reps are claiming someone stole his music.
According to TMZ, representatives for R. Kelly contacted authorities about 300 to 500 missing master recordings. The masters apparently disappeared from an Illinois storage facility in February.
An individual named Keith Calbert supposedly reported the alleged crime to the police. Calbert told investigators that two roadies took the master recordings to California and demanded $160,000 to get them back.
The I Admit It album showed up on Spotify and Apple Music on December 9. R. Kelly’s legal team insisted that their client did not authorize the release of the 13-track project. The streaming services quickly removed I Admit It from their respective platforms.
R. Kelly’s Lawyer Says People Are Trying To Profit From Her Client’s Intellectual Property
“A police report was filed some time ago because his masters were stolen, but there’s not much of an appetite to investigate these things,” Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Bonjean continued, “People have had access to his intellectual property rights that they are attempting to profit off of, but unfortunately that does not include Mr. Kelly.” The lawyer also said the situation is upsetting for the 55-year-old felon.
United States District Judge Ann M. Donnell sentenced R. Kelly to 30 years in federal prison for his 2021 convictions in New York. Sentencing for the 2022 child pornography trial will take place on February 23, 2023.
Will A Boogie wit da Hoodie score another Top 5 entry on the Billboard 200 chart with Me vs. Myself? According to the latest sales projections, Me vs. Myself will likely miss that goal.
HitsDailyDouble reports A Boogie wit da Hoodie’s most recent studio LP will likely land at #7 on next week’s Billboard 200. The set is on pace to rack up around 50,000 first-week units.
If that projection holds up, Me vs. Myself will open with a significant decrease in first-week sales from 2020’s Artist 2.0. A Boogie’s third studio album became his first release to cross the 100,000-unit mark.
Artist 2.0 debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart by earning 111,000 album-equivalent units. Back in 2018, Hoodie SZN also came out of the gate at #2 with 90,000 units.
However, Hoodie SZN eventually rose to #1 and remained in the top spot for three weeks. 2017’s The Bigger Artist peaked at #4. A Boogie wit da Hoodie’s debut studio LP collected 67,000 first-week units.
Even though it appears Me vs. Myself will experience a sales decline from The Bigger Artist, Hoodie SZN, and Artist 2.0, A Boogie expressed pride in the album. The New Yorker recently explained why he believes it is his best work to date.
“This feels like my best project in that way where I can really listen to something in the car, something in the crib at the same time I was going out, still hearing it in the club. This is my favorite vibe right now,” stated A Boogie wit da Hoodie.
Over the last several years, SZA has risen to mainstream status. The R&B singer-songwriter’s latest album, SOS, is on pace to pull in huge first-week numbers. Fans across the continent will get to see her live on stage in 2023.
SZA plans to head out on the road next year in support of her new body of work. The S.O.S. Tour will be the first arena tour of the Top Dawg Entertainment artist’s career.
The trek kicks off in Columbus, Ohio on February 21. SZA will also travel to other cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Vancouver, and Los Angeles.
Omar Apollo will serve as the opening act for The S.O.S. Tour. The Mexican-American performer scored a Grammy nomination this year for Best New Artist. Apollo released his Ivory album in April.
SZA won her first Grammy Award earlier this year. Her contribution to Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” helped secure a victory in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.
For the SOS album, SZA recruited Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard as features. The LP is now projected to debut with close to 300,000 first-week units.
SOS follows 2017’s critically-acclaimed Ctrl. That Top Dawg/RCA release debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart with 60,000 album-equivalent units. The RIAA certified Ctrl as 3x-Platinum.
Tickets for SZA’s The S.O.S. Tour go on sale starting Friday, December 16 at 12 pm local time on szasos.com
GloRilla left social media fans stunned after revealing what she gets up to with her man behind closed doors.
The CMG rapper shared the saucy tidbit during a recent appearance on the Lip Service Podcast. As usual, the hosts delved into the rapper’s personal life, asking about the “nastiest” thing she has done in the bedroom.
“I do some s### that I never heard of,” GloRilla explained before the hosts asked for specific examples.
“It’s some weird s### but okay,’ she continued. “Say, for instance we just got done eating, right? Say we’ve got done eating, we have sex right after, and it’s on my food. Imma still eat it… if there’s nut on my food imma eat it.”
After GloRilla and the hosts exploded with laughter, she added. “Just nut it on my fries real quick and imma eat it.”
Once clips of the podcast went viral online, the rapper quickly became a trending topic on Twitter. Social media users responded in droves, with some horrified by the admission.
“That why her voice be sounding like that,’ was one response. Another suggested Glorilla needs media training before giving any more interviews. “This is why Motown used to make their artist go through media training back in the 60’s.”
“Sis, you coulda left that in the group chat,” one user replied to the viral clip. “Deep in the group chat. So far back you gotta scroll for like an hour to find it lol.”
GloRilla seemingly caught wind of the internet chatter, taking to Twitter for some damage control.
“I was just playing 😂😂😂😂😂,” she wrote.
GloRilla Shoots Her Shot At Rubi Rose
Elsewhere on the podcast, GloRilla discussed threesomes and also shot her shot at another female rapper. “You know one girl who I like?” she asked before replying, “Rubi Rose.” Check out the clips below and some reactions to Glo’s “nasty” revelation at the end of the page.
Megan Thee Stallion had her first opportunity to testify in front of a judge on Tuesday (Dec. 13), giving her account of what happened on that evening in July 2020 when she alleges Tory Lanez shot her in the foot.
The “Plan B” hitmaker took the stand at around 11:15 am and proceeded to give three hours of harrowing testimony. The Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta asked the Texas native if she was nervous. “I just don’t feel good. I can’t believe I have to come up here and do this,” Megan replied.
After the lunch break, Megan was even more emotional than she had been during the morning session, breaking down several times while on the stand, according to Rolling Stone.
“Because I was shot, I’ve been turned into some kind of villain, and he’s the victim. This has messed up my whole life,” Megan Thee Stallion stated.
During the trial, the Grammy Award winner admitted she lied to the media when she denied being “intimate” with the singer. She explained she was left feeling “embarrassed,” and considered their relationship irrelevant to the shooting.
“This whole story was about who I’m having sex with, and I don’t understand why that matters,” she told the jury. “It’s disgusting at this point. How can I share my body with somebody who could shoot me?”
Megan Thee Stallion Accuses Tory Lanez of Telling “So Many Lies”
Megan Thee Stallion reaffirmed her allegations that it was Tory Lanez, not her former best friend Kelsey Harris, who shot her.
“Tory came out and told so many different lies, about me not being shot, about him not being the shooter, and making this all about a sex scandal,” she claimed.
“Because I was shot, I’ve been turned into some kind of villain, and he’s the victim. This has messed up my whole life,” Megan added.
As reported by AllHipHop.com, the rapper detailed the events surrounding the July shooting while on the stand. She also explained why she initially failed to tell police that Tory Lanez shot her.
In the past few years, the Afrobeats movement has been steadily taking shape globally. Power players such as Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Burna Boy as well as relative success stories from burgeoning acts in TEMS, Rema, Ayra Starr, C Kay, Omah Lay, Adekunle Gold, and more have been cementing their status.
In Los Angeles, Nigerian-American Tomi Tribe has been at the crux of exporting Afrobeats to different communities in LA. Born Tomi Atolagbe, he is currently based in DTLA but bred in Riverside, CA, Tomi has been throwing weekly parties creating a lane for Afrobeats in the city of angels. But it didn’t come without barricades and obstacles in the way.
“Being a first-generation Nigerian in America, it was hard not to walk in the traditional African path of a doctor, lawyer, dentist etc.” Tomi unveils. “Lack of support from the community/family made things difficult but also motivational,” says the vibes curator.
A vital Afrobeats integrator in LA, Tomi has been able to utilize his business savvy and affiliations to be a tastemaker with unique business standing. The business acumen he says was forged by his father who is a doctor and entrepreneur, simultaneously you can attribute his style to his cultural background.
“It’s in my culture,” he says. “The Yoruba people of Nigeria are known for music, parties, and enjoyment. My father is a doctor and businessman, so I grew up working for the family business and that gave me the entrepreneur spirit. I’ve never had a job in my adult life, so I’ve always had to hustle to live.”
Through his imprint, Triibe Viibes, they have become the most influential Afrobeats events company in Los Angeles garnering international attention as the home of the official concert after-parties for Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, DJ Tunez, ECOOL, and more. Afrobeats Hollywood at Station 1640 is the first weekly Afrobeats party in LA history.
Gearing up for his maiden EP this November, the trendsetting musicman is preparing another culture-shifting EP that will largely express his sound and vibe. The project will feature a handful of songs with established Nigerian acts such as Peruzzi, weaving through bursting Nigerian Alt sounds in PrettyBoyDO.
“It will showcase my range as a producer,” Tomi says. “It’s called Vibrations Vol.1 E.P. The songs are ‘What You Need’ with Cocoa Sarai, ‘La La’ with Peruzzi, and a duet with Cocoa & Peruzzi ready for December.”
He also says he intends to release it before a month-long trip to Africa which is known to peak in December time since December is a holiday-summer-esque vibe where concerts, festivals, and artists classify it as a busy period of work and networking.
Inspired by pioneers such as Fela Kuti, Diddy, Ye, Wizkid, and Gucci Mane to mention a few, something parallel to all the aforementioned names is their ability to commercialize their music, and brands and also uplift other artists. A common factor with Tomi who hopes to raise the profile of African music to wider audiences.
“My career goals right now are creating as many superstars from Africa as possible,” he says. “There are so many talented artists in Africa that don’t have the proper guidance and outlets. Africa is the future”
Look out for this future mogul in the music business and craft scene.