Last week, snack food giant Lay’s took to social media to proudly announce that they had a new special edition bag featuring soccer star Lionel Messi. The response was probably not what they expected. As of this writing, their Twitter and Instagram posts about the release are among their most engaged posts ever… for all the wrong reasons. Nearly all of the 600+ Instagram comments are complaints that the bag’s design and concept are “stolen” from popular black-owned food company Rap Snacks.
Founded by James Lindsay, Rap Snacks is a popular food and beverage brand that sells “snacks” in colorful, eye-catching packaging that features prominent rap artists. The bags are designed by branding legend Jai Manselle and feature heavy hitters like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, Migos, and The Notorious B.I.G. to name a few. In recent years, the company has really taken off and is sold in retailers like Sam’s Club and Walmart.
“The fact is that @manselle and #RapSnacks have been doing exactly this. This is robbery and I can’t see supporting you guys again until you make this right…” reads the post’s top Instagram comment. A barrage of similarly frustrated, annoyed, and disappointed comments fill the rest of the feed. A large number of comments specifically call out Lay’s for not only what they perceive as “stealing” from Manselle and Rap Snacks, but, also as gentrifying a creative idea as soon as it starts working.
Lay’s decision to feature a celebrity in the center of its product does give a very Rap Snacks-esque vibe. However, that might have been able to slide if it weren’t for the striking aesthetic similarities between the designs. Messi’s bag is black with his face in black and white and surrounded by gold text that informs you that you are looking at the “GOAT Edition” bag. Well, Manselle hit a strikingly similar cord last year with the Rap Snacks “ICON Edition” bags that could be described the exact same way (save for the fact that they feature rap icons Master P and Biggie Smalls instead of Messi).
Rap legend Percy “Master P” Miller is a major Rap Snacks investor and is featured on a bag that looks suspiciously similar to the Lay’s Messi bag. The always outspoken businessman took to Instagram this morning with his signature vibrato. In an Al Pachino-inspired clip, he can be seen walking down the opulent spiral staircases of his home with bags of Rap Snacks declaring (among other things) that “people want original, you can’t knock us off” and “You make a black and gold bag and talk about the GOAT?”
In a lengthy companion caption, Miller started “It’s time the truth be told” and ended with “@manselle Join the movement!”
Lay’s has yet to make a statement as of this writing. But, James Lindsay took the controversy in stride with a statement on his Instagram account that started: “When your brand is disrupting a multi-billion dollar industry. Your so-called competitors are going try to protect their market share by any means necessary. The crazy thing is, I do not see any of these companies as competitors. @officialrapsnacks we are in our own lane. Our packaging is original. Our flavor profiles are new and innovative.”
After a few hours, Jai Manselle also utilized social media to address how he felt about the situation in a lengthy post that was paired with a side-by-side image of the Rap Snacks ICON bags and the Lay’s GOAT bag. “When you innovate and disrupt an industry as we have with #RapSnacks, the entire industry feels the ripple” he began. He goes on to talk about how just a few years ago people called them crazy for their radical branding concept that is now being mimicked by the biggest brands in the world. Though he admitted to the situation “hitting a nerve,” he ultimately was positive about the controversy and encouraged fans to pay attention to the power that this demonstrates can come from “our ideas, our culture, and our minds.”
This is a developing story and it will be interesting to see how Lay’s chooses to handle the backlash from fans.
Justin Park loves music down to the core, here to remind folks you don’t need to be bound by any one genre. Born and raised in Los Angeles, with roots from all parts of the city, the rising star creates music from the heart and soul, with lyrics inspired by real-life experiences we can all relate to.
With his smooth and sultry voice, the Korean-American singer-songwriter not only has what it takes to make it to the big leagues, but carries a charismatic spirit that fans can’t help but gravitate toward.
In describing himself, he states, “I’m a ball of friendly energy. I’m very optimistic, I like to smile a lot, I like to care for people. I like to show them my love and gratitude, especially those who work with me. That’s what it is, I live life happy as f###.”
Last year, Justin unleashed his critically-acclaimed single and visual for “Adore You, Dior You” featuring Ted Park, a beat that he reminds us came out well before BLXST’s “Movie.”
Fast forward to today, he returns with his newest release titled “MI VIDA,” drawing in Spanish influences that stem from his upbringing in the city of Angels.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Justin Park: My sound is one that’s evolving all of the time. I’m always influenced by anything. My creativity comes from all sorts of things: a conversation with somebody, overhearing a conversation, looking at someone’s clothes, at a piece of art, anything really. My sound changes everyday. I could do funk, pop, R&B, literally it’s whatever I feel like I want to do.
AllHipHop: What part of Los Angeles are you from?
Justin Park: LA LA, like right here. I was born in K-Town, went to Eagle Rock, then was raised in Pasadena. Came back to Koreatown, East LA, everywhere really.
AllHipHop: I saw somewhere that said you’re the Prince of K-Town?
Justin Park: Ha! [laughs] Prince of K-Town, I’ma have to get it trademarked one day, when I actually become the Prince of K-Town. Right now I say that because I walk around the city like I’ve never done before. I could walk into places where there’s a 2-hour wait. Even the restaurants, I’ll call ahead of time and they say “we have your seats right now.” If I need to entertain some people, oh Quarters. I hit them up and they say “oh we have your table already.” I walk into Terra Cotta like “oh wassup bro? Good to see you.” It’s dope.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences coming up? I know you’re very diverse.
Justin Park: My biggest musical influences are Stevie Wonder, Bobby Caldwell, Luther Vandross, Usher, Tupac 100%, Biggie Smalls, Jay Z, Thundercat. A lot of them.
AllHipHop: When did you decide to pursue music as a career?
Justin Park: I was a junior in high school. At our school, we have our talent show. The talent show was really hard, people were doing flips and s### off of chairs. The drumline team had these little glow up things, you turn off the lights and you see these stick figures. All I did was sing a song and I got first place, I just remember the feeling I got from that. The auditorium erupted for that one song. From then on, I said I’ma choose music.
AllHipHop: How did your parents respond?
Justin Park: I just have my mom so it’s a lot easier. [laughs] Half the battle was already won. With my mom, it was a little tough because she wanted me in school. She graduated college. She was one of the first in our Asian family to graduate. She said it’s so important for us to go to college, give us more opportunities, da-da-da. But I didn’t want to. I don’t like school. I don’t like to study, I don’t like books. I chose music. She’s like “well, can’t do anything about it.” I’m really stubborn, so I do what I want.
AllHipHop: Justin Park is your real name. Any contenders for another artist name?
Justin Park: That’s funny because I’m thinking about it now a little bit. I was driving the other day like maybe I should change my name to one word. You know how Zain Malik is like Zayn, it looks cool. I was looking at my name on Spotify: Justin Park. It looks so generic. Something cool: maybe it’ll happen, maybe it won’t. Maybe simplicity’s good.
AllHipHop: You released “Adore You, Dior You” last year. Did someone inspire this record?
Justin Park: “Adore You, Dior You” is more inspired by an idea than a person. When we wrote the record, a few key important people were already using the term to take the place of the phrase “Wine and Dine”. Adore you Dior you is a way of saying, I appreciate my girl so much I’d go above and beyond to make her happy.
AllHipHop: Ted Park is your good friend, I’m sure that session was lit.
Justin Park: Yeah he’s my good friend, that’s the homie. It was so lit. That was my first session with Ted, and Big Banana too. He’s a big name, he does a lot of people’s music. That’s who did the beat. Funny story, BLXST literally took the same beat. The 808s, the kicks, everything’s the same. And the guitar sample! What? It’s called “Movie,” it’s literally the same song. Obviously their version’s a little bit different.
AllHipHop: How’d that happen?
Justin Park: That’s the thing with Splice, Spice is this thing that gets sampled. You know how sampling is. They didn’t even change the time rate. It’s not faster, it’s not any slower, it’s exactly the same. I was sad because they came out with it months after us. Our video did really well, I’m like f###.
AllHipHop: Is there anything you can do about that?
Justin Park: It’s just Splice, that’s how it is.
AllHipHop: Best memory from the video shoot?
Justin Park: The best memory was having all of my friends there. The cars were really nice, it was cool to drive in. It was a vibe.
AllHipHop: New single “Mi Vida” out now, how are you feeling?
Justin Park: The song for me is super catchy, the music video is a f###### movie. I produced, casted, directed that whole b####. Storyboarded it as well, it’s really good. With that, I wanted to get more opportunities for Netflix specials and movies. Because I’m with UTA, I wanted to show them since I produced, directed, and storyboarded this whole thing. I want you guys to know I’m in this. Everything, triple threat type s###.
AllHipHop: What’s the story behind the video?
Justin Park: “Mi Vida” is a story about a guy who falls in love at the wrong place wrong time, like the worst f###### place wrong time. He’s at a bar and he falls in love with a Latina girl who’s giving him hella I love you vibes too. They have this little romantic thing, then one of her security guards ends up calling her dad. He’s like “what? Who the f### is with who?” He pulls up, beats the f### out of me takes me, tortures me, then I escape with my homie Zane Taylor. The cartel’s chasing me, that’s the story. It’s crazy!
AllHipHop: Where did you get the Spanish influences?
Justin Park: Growing up, not having a father figure I’d be out of the house a lot. When I’d go to Koreatown, downtown, a lot of the Mexican older folks would take me in and take care of me. There was a time when I was working at the Downtown LA fashion district, packing boxes with clothes, and carrying heavy stuff. the fashion district in Downtown. Most of them are Mexicans: running the stores, working the stores. I’d be in the back boxing with them. Spending all day with them: drinking cervezas, talking s### and laughing. That’s how I grew up.
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from your story?
Justin Park: I just want them to feel happy. I want them to look at the story and feel love and romance. This music video’s very sensual, so I want them to see the romance.
Justin’s music was recognized by Jungkook of BTS on Instagram, which led to his track, “On the Low” to trend on Melon (South Korea’s Largest Streaming App ).
AllHipHop: How’d it feel to get the co-sign from Jungkook of BTS?
Justin Park: That was dope! I wasn’t expecting it at all. When I got home that morning, it was 4am or 5am. Someone had Insta messaged me, one of the fans. I looked at it, opened it, and it was a screenshot of his twitter. I’m drunk, I’m like “wtf is this?” It had my name and everything, it had to be something.
But it looked like everything else that K-pop fans tag me in. I thought it’s probably some BTS fan, but it’s different. I see the verification symbol, so random: @abcdefg… I’m like “what is this?” They’re like “Jungkook from BTS posted you!” I’m like “no way!” I looked again like “NO.” I go to Twitter and the s###’s trending. It’s at 20K likes already. I’m like “whoa, what’s going on?”
AllHipHop: How did he catch wind of you, do you know?
Justin Park: I actually don’t know. Though, it’s not that crazy though because I’ve had other K-pop stars like Monsta X support my music or say they checked it out. I’m always super appreciative that my music is getting on their radar somehow.
AllHipHop: What do you make of these blessings?
Justin Park: Just God telling me I’m on the right path, to keep enjoying myself and work hard.
AllHipHop: You’ve done BTS covers before, that must’ve been completely full circle!
Justin Park: I think it was. Even crazier than that, I was a fan when they first came out. This was when I was in middle school years ago, they weren’t poppin’ like that. It was crazy. I really thought it was 360 because I was such a fan of them when they first came out. They were just different. They had this immaculate style that I really fell in love with. Now, they’re the biggest thing in the world. It gives me hope though because it’s small beginnings. They had a very small company and now look at where they’re at.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Justin Park: Hot water, maybe some alcohol. Some Propolis throat spray, I need to do it every so often. Some slides, that’s it.
AllHipHop: Do you feel in the music industry there’s not enough Asian representation?
Justin Park: I mean, obviously I’d say yes. There could be more representation, but we’re on the way there. I’m not worried. I’ma take care of it. [laughs]
AllHipHop: How was it performing at Terra Cotta Lounge Bar?
Justin Park: Dope, very nice. We packed it out, we sold out all of the seats. I’m going to be there soon for my single release.
AllHipHop: How’s it feel to have this hometown support?
Justin Park: Hometown support is amazing, obviously TerraCotta was packed out. Every time we do stuff here, everyone shows up. It’s a blessing. They really f### with us, I’m happy.
AllHipHop: Goals yourself as an artist at this point of your career?
Justin Park: Hell yeah, a lot of stuff. I’m trying to go to China. I’m trying to really be international. If you look at my analytics, I have fans everywhere. Mexico’s my second most popular demographic. That’s why we made “Mi Vida” as well. They taught me everything I know. I’m making a song to give homage to my city and the people who took care of me as a kid. There’s that, then I want to go to Korea. My third album hopefully is Korean, then I’ll come back to America.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Justin Park: Just my album coming out, I Can See The Stars From Here, hopefully in March. Single for “Mi Vida” is out now. I’m excited, everything will be coming out. Just telling the people I love them. [laughs]
Less than a week after his divorce was finalized, rapper Kanye West has debuted a new way to express himself. He is now a poet.
Well, he has always been a poet and hung around poets (he is friends with Chicago native and Def Poetry Jam alum J Ivy), but over the last few days, he has shared with the world a lens for his artistry … and hopefully, a valuable and therapeutic tool for his own healing as he deals with life, post-marriage.
Ye, who also appeared on Def Poetry Jam, took to Instagram and explained why he chose to share himself in such an intimate way.
He wrote, “I feel already compromised that I have to justify my expression after over 20 years of art that I’ve contributed to the planet, but I also see the need to make sure we as a species are allowed to still feel anything.”
“Men not allowed to cry,” the emotional artist shared. “Celebrities not allowed to cry. I will not explain this new piece for the explanation destroys the mystery and magic of true love and puts it in a box that can be counted.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca2HTrlldjE/
The new piece posted on his Instagram is called “DEAD.”
In this esoteric piece, he states that “no one wanted to tell” him that he was “dead.” He also says that the “only people that would talk” to him were in his head.
“Art is subjective. Art only works when it is the artist’s absolute truth. Someone’s truth can be another person’s lie. We don’t all have to feel the same because we are not the same. Without further ado, I present to you my latest creation it is called DEAD,” he concluded.
This is the second poem that he has posted in three days. His first one was called “DIVORCE.”
A bunch of text messages sent after a seemingly consensual sex encounter might be significant evidence to clear Chris Brown of drugging and rape charges.
His accuser’s case might be out the window if the correspondence is authenticated.
According to Radar Online, the “Run It” singer saved text messages from a woman he had sex with two years ago and shared them with officials, hoping they will prove that he did not drug her when they were intimate.
The incident happened on a yacht docked outside of Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ Miami home on December 31st, 2020.
Screenshots show exchanges between the “Jane Doe” and the platinum-selling chart-topper that included her calling him “baby,” him telling her she “should take a plan b” pill, and then her ghosting her for hours with her texting “Wya” and “Bae” with the sobby eye emoji.
Also seen in the messages sent almost immediately after the alleged violation are unsolicited nude selfies, suggestive sexual language, and flirtation.
The two continued going back and forth from her new number a few days later, on January 2nd, 2021, after she moved to Los Angeles.
The next few months, Jane Doe continued to text him, begging to come over to see him. In one message, she acknowledges that the two of them are at the same party and that she wanted to leave with him.
In June of 2021, she asks him, “Will I ever be able to see u again?” After sending another unsolicited nude out, she told him that she missed him and “U were honestly the best —- I’ve had (emoji) lol I just want it again. Why are you playing with meee] lol.”
He still did not respond to her.
Finally, almost nine months after their one-night stand, she wrote, “U knew full well I wasn’t pressing u about no ˛˛˛˛ U told me to stay and then gonna try to play me? Nah that’s crazy I didn’t deserve that but u def got it.
Her lawsuit stated that Chris Brown offered her a spiked drink while the two were in Diddy’s Star Island mansion’s kitchen.
The woman alleges that he gave her “tips about starting a career in the music industry” as he filled her cup with more alcohol.
She stated in her lawsuit that she became “disoriented, physically unstable, and started to fall in and out of sleep” and then he blocked her in a bedroom.
Jane Doe said that after he would not let her out of the room, he undressed, and raped the woman. She even said that he ejaculated inside of her.
After he climaxed, she says he said to her that “he was ‘done.'” The lawsuit mentions his “plan b” comment.
However, the text messages that Brown has provided seem to shift the context of their New Year’s copulation. He is currently taking legal action against her and working with law enforcement in Miami during the investigation.
Does absence make the heart grow fonder? Well, the Migos’ Quavo Huncho was spotted out on a hot date with this ex. Yes, it appears as though Karrueche Tran and he may be working towards romance.
So, aside from his creativity the Migos’ musician, seems to be making time for his romantic endeavors, this according to The Daily Mail. Generally speaking, the Left Handed Sniper is again shooting his shot and it is wet.
Back on? Karrueche Tran and Quavo Huncho reignite dating rumours as they enjoy a low-key dinner in LA https://t.co/iBVkWWvvOR
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) March 7, 2022
With all things considered, Quavo and Ms. Tran look great together. Back in 2021, the stars called it quits. So, their intimate encounter in West Hollywood may signal reconciliation. Does The Nice Guy restaurant serve as their fist “official” date? In fact, the “Bad and Boujee” spitter and his boo, were enjoying the ambiance of a private patio.
Be that as it may, this encounter is not shocking. Merely, two months ago, the Migos musician, sparked dating rumors when he was seen spending time with the Claws actress. As a matter of fact, it shows the previous pair thoroughly enjoying St. Martin.
In fact, the good folks over at The Shade Room have gathered delicious receipts. Best wishes go out to the “Intentions” MC. With all bets aside, whatever Quavo Huncho decides to do will be the right decision.
Recently Texas rapper Project88Icon spoke about his recent run of successes after being featured onNBA 2k21 with his song,“Go Viral.” In addition to his recent placement in the video game space he also landed a placement on Netflix and ESPN’s newest untitled series that has yet to be released.
Brought up in both Texas and Atlanta, Project88Icon says his music is a fusion of the two cities’ music with a futuristic twist.
“I rap, I can sing – I do it all. Some say I’m just musically inclined, but I’ve just been making music since I was younger. In middle school I was a fan of 2Pac, but I wanted to be a DJ. I thought I was going to be a DJ but then I started writing poems. My poems just kind of started turning into raps.”
“Atlanta moves on a different time so it allowed me to move around out there and understand the scene” – Project88Icon
From there while living in Atlanta Project88Icon soaked up the culture of ATL making long lasting connections with artist like Gorilla Zoe and other up and coming acts like Johnny Cinco.
“I moved to Atlanta when I was younger, I went to school out there for a little while. Growing up in Atlanta I saw a lot of activity as far as the music scene and the streets. I connected with a whole lot of people when I was younger and a lot of those people are DJs now and we’ve just stayed connected. Atlanta moves on a different time so it allowed me to move around out there and understand the scene,” Project88Icon said. “I was always writing and making music but I didn’t understand the business and so I did whatever I could to get my foot in the door. I did everything from working and writing for artists to doing whatever I could to help build their buzz.”
Plotting and planning his next moves Project88Icon released his first album in 2020 called Area88 and has since continued to feed the fans releasing roughly 9 singles in a few years time which included his fan favorite and breakout single, “Glizzy.”
“Glizzy was a spurt of the moment song, just a leaving the spot type thing. I had situations where I had people turn their back on me. That song was made from the experience where someone was close to me and set me up. I promised myself I would never be caught lacking without my pistol. I made a song about it and it was produced by my boy Feddi. We connected and knocked it out in like an hour. People always get hype off that song and it really moves the crowd – people really like the song. A lot of people from different walks of life like the song. It’s the wild wild west out here now, this is what it is,” Project88Icon said.
The song was released as a single on the Area 88 album and accompanies other songs that Project88Icon has released with Johnny Cinco, Gorilla Zoe and others.
“I got a street team and I promote music online, word of mouth is always great. But I am always trying to expand my brand. And that way I can tap into them when we need each other. We got the Alien Mob over here that’s always been so supportive of my music. It’s just we got a different way of thinking and moving. So we have that out of the world energy with everything that we do and you can catch that vibe in my 11:11 visual.”
RIP King Von! Check out the new lyric video as LIl Durk and the late- King Von team up for “Evil Twins”track featured on King Von’s album “What It Means To Be King” Out Now! Its an ominous and dark visual but that’s the kind of energy that the “Evil Twins” are bringing to the scene. Check it out below, this is like a haunted trap house and what a real life lyric video should be!
Some are tired of Kanye because of the inflammatory things he says – they want the “Old Kanye” who isn’t all up in the news. Meanwhile he’s got some pretty dope music that’s selling out arenas and none of that has to do with Pete Davidson, the reason everyone has been hating on Kanye the last week. Oh and there’s the documentary that Netflix bought for 30 million. Kanye is winning despite the smear campaigns that come his way and he seems to be relying on his faith to get him through it all.
Why did Big Fase purportedly insinuate that The Game and Diddy were more? So, in a recent social media post, is the big brother alluding to the truth? Or, is he simply projecting entrenched feelings of inadequacy?
In general, within families relationships become strained. As with, Big Fase and The Documentary MC, the brother’s bond is being challenged. Reportedly, this animosity arose because of money.
As a matter of fact, the siblings came together to create the now defunct Black Wall Street Records. However, with time’s passing the family members have grown more distant. For one thing, Jayceon reportedly believes that his big brother was financially using him.
The Perceived Insult
Be that as it may, even with time’s redemptive qualities, the brothers Taylor have not reconciled. Furthermore, the Eazy wordsmith says as much. Recently, while chopping it up on Drink Champs, he broaches the topic. Then, Game gets right to it saying he, “still doesn’t” have a good relationship with his big bro.
Perhaps, that’s why Big Fase decided to post a salacious allegation on social media. Of course, the insinuation has been removed from his IG. In any case, the shot has already been fired.
The Implied Retaliation
To clarify, Big Fase 100 uploads a photograph of Diddy and The Game. Moreover Stretch is situated in front of Puff Daddy. The embrace includes the Bad Boy’s arm wrapped around the neck of the left coast lyricist.
Although, the accompanying caption is brief, the allusion says a lot. At the bottom of the photo, a questioning Big Fase seemingly contends, “Maybe it wasnt my Street credibility. Another key point is the accompanying caption. Indeed, it goes on to beg the question, “hmmm.”
Thus far, The Game has yet to directly respond to this obvious allegation. After all, in the past, The Game has already spoke on his relationship with Sean John. “I ran with Diddy before I ran with Dre,” he shared with TMZ.
All things considered, it appears as though Big Fase misses his younger brother.
Snoop Dogg personifies the block and the boardroom. So, recently he spoke on how he conducts artist development. Moreover, he mentions how he helped a “lowballed” Benny The Butcher secure the bag.
In addition, to serving as Def Jam’s executive creative consultant, the Doggfather boasts many titles. Authentic is one of the most coveted ones. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Benny The Butcher approached Uncle Snoop.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CayMMXotQVy/
The Problem
As a matter of fact, while speaking with Tidal’s Elliott Wilson, the legendary entrepreneur brings up his altruistic ways. Last November, the Buffalo MC ends up signing with Def Jam. Specifically, the BODR boss, steps in to help with BENNY’s negotiation process.
First off, the proven businessman asked 2 Chain Benny Mane about the negotiation details. Then Snoop Dogg opens up. “He’s like, ‘Oh man, they lowballed me.’ I said, ‘Lowballed you? They don’t know who you is?’” he expresses. Next, Mr. Broadus hops into motion.
With this in mind, he teaches Benny The Butcher a valuable lesson. This, just so happens to be, ignore the minions. As opposed, to contacting the point-person, the proven businessman reaches out to their boss.
The Solution
Snoop wears his confidence as comfortably as he does his Chucks. Soon, Snoopy reveals the ultimate resolution. “I’m going to call the boss. You’re going to tell the boss what you want, and he’s going to give you what you want and you’re going to sign,” he explains.
“You never know what you’re worth until you overcharge. That’s what we need to know. A lot of times, we be scared. I go in and overcharge,” expresses the lauded lyricist.
In other words, it must be a great feeling to have Snoop Dogg in one’s corner.
Global superstar Rihanna broke the internet with the reveal of her first pregnancy. The Bajan businesswoman is having a child with Harlem-bred Hip Hop artist A$AP Rocky.
Rihanna may be carrying an offspring at the moment, but that has not stopped the Fenty founder from still embracing fashionable looks. One particular outfit caught the eye of a fellow red-carpet regular.
Veteran actress Jada Pinkett Smith posted a photo to her Instagram page of Rihanna in a PVC Dior dress during Paris Fashion Week. The sheer maternity wear also garnered praise from outlets like Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire.
Pinkett Smith wrote in IG:
Who says you can’t wear see thru fits when you’re preggers???😍😜😍 I love me some Rih. She’s bold, unapologetic, fierce, kind and an all around girls girl. She likes to see other women win and that’s one of her qualities I admire most. She’s a queen that loves helping other women find and hold their own crowns. As women, it’s important that we seeeee one another, help heal one another, love one another and support one another. Here’s to one more of my favorites for International Women’s Month✨❣️✨
@jadapinkettsmith Instagram
In addition, Jada Pinkett Smith uploaded her own pregnancy photo side-by-side with Rihanna’s Dior ensemble. The 50-year-old Red Table Talk host rocked her see-through dress for the 1998 Grammy Awards while pregnant with her and With Smith’s son Jaden.
Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch The Throne is widely considered a seminal Hip Hop collaborative album. DaBaby believes his new release, Better Than You with Baton Rouge rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again, should be viewed on the same level.
The 12-track Better than You mixtape hit DSPs on Friday, March 4. As part of DaBaby’s media run to promote the project, the North Carolina-bred rapper sat down with DJ Whoo Kid for an interview.
“When you talk about music and a body of work, it ain’t been no collab project that’s f###### around with that since… you probably gotta go to Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye type s###,” declared DaBaby.
Hov & Ye’s ‘Watch The Throne’ Was A Commerical and Critical Success
Watch The Throne hosts classic tracks such as “N##### in Paris” and “Otis.” Kanye West and Jay-Z’s 2011 opus began its 66-week run on the Billboard 200 chart at #1 by selling 436,000 copies in its first seven days of release.
Many music critics praised Watch The Throne. The LP made numerous publications’ year-end lists for the top-ranked albums. Watch The Throne also earned seven total Grammy nominations.
“Otis” won Best Rap Performance in 2012. “N##### in Paris” won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song in 2013. “No Church in the Wild” won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration that same year.
‘Better Than You’ Is On Pace To Have Lower Than Exected First-Week Numbers
HitsDailyDouble projects Better than You to debut with 25,000-30,000 first-week units. In comparison, Youngboy’s third studio album, Sincerely, Kentrell, started at #1 with 137,000 units last September. 2022’s Colorsopened with 79,000 units.
There have been countless collaborative collections by Hip Hop artists since Watch The Throne dropped. Some of those notable projects include Drake & Future’s What a Time to Be Alive, Killer Mike & EI-P’s Run the Jewels, Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz’s ColleGrove, 21 Savage & Offset’s Without Warning, Kanye West & Kid Cudi’s Kids See Ghosts, and Gunna & Lil Baby‘s Drip Harder.
E! News caught up with multi-time Academy of Country Music Award winner Dolly Parton prior to the “Jolene” hitmaker’s hosting gig at the 2022 ACM Awards. Francesca Amiker spoke to Parton about working with “WAP” rapper Cardi B in some way.
“She’s a character. She’s an original,” stated Dolly Parton about the Bronx-raised entertainer. Amiker then asked Parton about possibly recording a song with Cardi. The 76-year-old music industry legend responded, “I might if she’s willing.”
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Throughout her music career, Cardi B collaborated with numerous other acts. Her discography contains singles with Migos, Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, Megan Thee Stallion, Normani, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Jennifer Lopez, and Ed Sheeran.
Dolly Parton is best known for albums such as Joshua, Coat of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, The Grass Is Blue, Little Sparrow, and Blue Smoke. The Tennessee native also starred in films like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominated Dolly Parton for the 2022 Class. Other nominees include Beck, Eminem, Fela Kuti, Rage Against the Machine, Lionel Richie, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Warwick.
The Netflix documentary jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, produced by Time Studios and Creative Control, explores producer/rapper Kanye “Ye” West’s rise in the music industry. However, some scenes from the film were left on the cutting room floor.
For example, Time got access to an exclusive outtake from jeen-yuhs featuring Ye and singer/songwriter Teyana Taylor. The nearly three-minute clip provides behind-the-scenes footage from a 2017 studio session.
At the time, Kanye West and Teyana Taylor were working on a song titled “Cold Blooded.” The track was created for Taylor’s K.T.S.E. album, but “Cold Blooded” did not make the final tracklist.
K.T.S.E. eventually arrived on June 22, 2018, to critical acclaim. Teyana Taylor’s sophomore studio LP featured Kanye West and Mykki Blanco. West produced every track on the project.
“When I put the camera on, that was the vision, to document him, not knowing if he wanted me to film him at the time or not. It’s just one of those gradual things that happened,” stated Coodie in an interview with Netflix.
The Chicago-born creator continued, I knew his style somewhat didn’t fit with the rappers back then. It was different. But I knew he was going to do something great,”
Mary J. Blige partnered with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban to present the inaugural “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit” this May.
“The idea for the festival came to us after early listening sessions of my latest album with my family and friends and women in the industry,” stated Mary J. Blige. “Each time, the people in the room would share a story, oftentimes of heartbreak or pain, but they always ended with joy and love and how their girlfriends or mom or sister helped them find their voice and strength.”
The 9-time Grammy Award winner, 2-time Academy Award nominee continued, “We felt like after two years of being inside and having to endure so much, that this was the type of experience that people, especially women, deserved.”
The three-day festival is set for Mother’s Day weekend 2022. Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, City Girls, Ella Mai, Xscape, Queen Naija, Baby Tate, and Omerettá the Great will perform at the Saturday Night Concert.
Additionally, the Friday Night Concert features Kiana Ledè, Emotional Oranges, Rubi Rose, Inayah, MK XYZ, and Omerettá the Great. “Strength of a Woman” organizers booked Ms. Pat, Wanda, Just Nesh, and Erica Duchess for the Comedy Show. Kierra Sheard and Le’Andria Johnson will take part in theMother’s Day Brunch.
Blige also stated, “I’m so grateful to all of the performers, vendors, and participants for committing themselves to our inaugural event and I am so excited to do this in a city that has been rocking with me since the very beginning of my career. I am proud to create this with my sisters and I look forward to an undeniably beautiful and special experience.”
The “Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit” will take place in Atlanta on May 6-8. Presale tickets go live on March 8 at 10 am ET. General on-sale begins on March 10 at 10 am ET. All tickets can be purchased at www.soawfestival.com.
“For generations, the foundation of Atlanta’s resilience has been built and fortified by women,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “The ‘Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit’ lifts up our local minority and women-owned local businesses and amplifies the voices of the women in our lives who continuously make our communities better through their lens of courage combined with compassion.”
Mayor Dickens added, “Thank you to Mary J. Blige – one of our nation’s most iconic artists and no stranger to Atlanta – and her partners for choosing Atlanta for this inaugural event. Atlanta continues to influence everything.”
Encino Dental Smiles is an internationally known and recognized cosmetic dentistry clinic that provides a wide range of cosmetic dentistry and smiles enhancement services all under one roof. They specialize in general dental health and enhancing smiles offering superior dental services, such as custom-made dental implants, gum surgery, gum lifts, porcelain crowns, bridges, porcelain veneers, Invisalign/clear braces, fixing gaps, and teeth whitening.
Dr. Faraz Farahnik, an experienced general and cosmetic dentist at Encino Dental Smiles has given beautiful smiles to numerous celebrities, musicians, rappers, influencers, athletes, and producers, including Lele Pons, Blac Chyna, French Montana, Burna Boy, Jeremih, Soulja boy, GaTa, Lyrica Anderson,Akbar, Elijah Blake, Steff London, A-1, Beverly Johnson, Kellon Deryck, and many others.
Dr. Faraz Farahnik is a native Angeleno who graduated with honors from UCLA and earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from USC’s prestigious Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. As a professional celebrity dentist, he understands how to complement each patient’s unique facial features and he is committed to giving his patients life-changing results.
Encino Dental Smiles invests in state-of-the-art technology and a comfortable environment for its patients. It offers multiple dentistry services, including minimally invasive procedures such as tooth extractions, dental implant placement, periodontal disease treatment, and full mouth reconstruction. It uses 3D scanning and other sophisticated equipment to help patients get more predictable results and more proportional smiles from their orthodontic treatments.
The clinic is also equipped with a dental microscope that can make teeth appear 20x larger, allowing dentists to perform fillings and crowns that are much more accurate. Encino Dental Smiles strives to provide excellent service with advanced equipment, a comfortable atmosphere, and friendly staff. Hence, it enhances the experience of dental visits and is more enjoyable. High-end technology allows Encino Dental Smiles to give its patients better in-depth examinations and more accurate diagnoses. As a result, it is able to provide painless procedures which produce a more aesthetically superior smile with longer-lasting results.
Encino Dental Smiles is located at 16260 Ventura Blvd #730, Encino, CA 91436. They serve the community in Los Angeles as well as traveling to treat patients from all around the world.
The Gabe Concept is one of those artists that doesn’t require an introduction in the music industry. Everyone is aware of his artist’s extraordinary musical talent. He was born and reared in the lovely country of Argentina.
At thirteen years old, he was driven towards electronic music making him learn production at a young age. Watching old videos of “Tiesto” and “Armin van Buuren” fascinated him how they do it.
The artist has created a number of notable pieces, but “P#### del Este” and “delta Buenos Aires” are two of the many that he liked working on. This Argentina-born musician has a long history of impressive projects under his belt, including “Tulum,” “Nightfall,” and his most recent single “Experience,” which has garnered him over 21K monthly Spotify listeners.
He feels that having a strong passion for music may assist aspiring musicians in reaching their full potential. Furthermore, a musician The Gabe Project is also a pilot, and he enjoys flying in his spare time. He also enjoys coding, making him a multitalented individual.
His main objective was to make his product as unique as possible so that it might appeal to a larger audience. He believes that an artist’s unique genius will be recognized in the long term. The Gabe Concept is here to change the electronic dance music landscape since the music industry has been producing tracks that are incredibly repetitive to Listeners.
Music appeals to multiple senses, according to Brandon Rangel. It is more than just sound, as music can unlock memories of sight, touch, and even tiny whispers. Well-crafted lyrics and music take people back to specific points in their lives, thus impacting them on various levels.
Brandon Rangel doesn’t just want to create music for everyone; he wants to release music that listeners react to on individual levels. Not all memories are happy, but Brandon Rangel feels that as long as a track makes someone remember a significant event, it will create a connection between an artist and their audience.
After all, successful musicians don’t just put out great music; they put out music that fans can relate to. The five senses are part of the human experience, so why not capitalize on this simple concept? Per Brandon Rangel, an ideal example of a song that impacts multiple senses is “Red, Red Wine” by UB40. This classic has instantly recognizable music accompanied by lyrics that invoke the color, smell, and taste of red wine. What Brandon Rangel finds genuinely remarkable is how creatively the song comes together.
He cites this particular track as a great inspiration for his own music. The biggest challenge is to tie everything together, so it is not only practical but has that seamless flow. If a song does not have these critical elements, it will not have the same impact on listeners. Brandon Rangel reflects on how other tracks have deeply touched him, so a primary goal is to create that same effect but on the performing side.
Another purpose for Brandon Rangel is to release music that will be around for a long time. Some songs fade away while other musicians fall under the undignified category of one-hit wonders. Brandon Rangel knows that in order to avoid these fates, he needs to create timeless tracks that capture the human senses.
“Everyone has talent. What’s rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” – Erica Jong
If there is one thing that the music industry has always valued is an original talent. Even though the competition has increased in this space, with fresh talent pouring in from several sources, the value of unique creativity has always found a place in this industry. One such unique talent is Abran Lopez. This 21-year-old jazz musician started his journey on the street at the age of 17 to become a prominent name in the live music scene in America. Here’s his story.
Abran was born and brought up in a wealthy family of entrepreneurs. Although Abran was passionate about music from an early age, he always knew he would follow in his father’s footsteps and join the real-estate business. Everything was going fine until Abran turned 16, and his father suffered a major setback with his business losing millions. The family was forced to move from a posh bungalow to a two-bedroom apartment in a low-income neighborhood rife with crime and drugs.
The sudden downfall in their financial position led Abran to quit high school and start earning to support his family. It was then he took up music as a way to make some money during the day while working as a waiter in a restaurant at night. Abran started his career in the subways by entertaining passersby. While some helped him with a few dollars, others asked him to shut up. Working as a waiter in a posh restaurant where live music was played, Abran always dreamt of being on stage as an artist. He could spot the difference between an artist playing in the subways and one performing in a luxury restaurant. This fired his passion to pursue music as a profession.
With no formal musical training, it was difficult for Abran to find a place where his talent would be valued. This was when one of his co-workers suggested he try his luck at a talent hunt show. When Abran reached the audition venue, he was so excited about the opportunity that he was anxious about losing it due to his lack of formal training. With this lack of confidence, Abran could not perform his best and eventually lost out. This was when he realized the value of self-confidence and the need to hone his skills. Although he failed in his first attempt, the lesson he learned was priceless.
Over the next several months, he poured his heart and soul into improving his craft. He then took another leap of faith to audition for The Voice, a popular talent hunt show broadcasted on Hulu and Peacock. Abran left the judges mesmerized with his performance, and what followed after this roller-coaster journey was him being crowned the winner of season 9 of The Voice.
Abran earned loads of appreciation for his debut album Breathless, which was part of his prize for winning The Voice. His euphonious tone and unique take on cross-genre music left his listeners craving more. Today, Abran is a renowned name at music festivals and live concerts. He is redefining jazz with his signature style that has never failed to impress an audience. Abran has a series of projects in the pipeline, and some of them are due to roll out this year.
The popular ‘Messed Up’ instrumental has been flooding the clubs since 2019 but has just recently come on all platforms. From what’s been told in interviews, the track was actually inspired by events that brought adversity and led to the confidence that’s heard in her music today.
Brujeriagirl began making music at the age of 14 when she first received a piano for Christmas. Throughout her high school career, kids at school would make fun of her saying that she would never amount to much. Using this as fuel for her career, Brujeriagirl began working harder. In a recent interview, she states, “I know it sounds crazy, but I remember every hurtful word that was said to me and I use them as motivation”.
So far, this motivation has worked out for the talented DJ coming in the form of ‘Messed Up’. The single’s title refers to glossy eyes from tears of the past. Now looking in the present, Brujeriagirl is one of the hottest up and coming DJs and has no reason to look back.
