homepage

Ludacris Celebrates After Receiving Honorary Bachelor’s Degree From Georgia State 

Ludacris was presented with an honorary bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University on Wednesday (May 4), which he called “truly one of the happiest days of my entire life.” 

He accepted the honor from his alma mater during the kick-off of GSU’s Commencement Week. Though he only attended the school for two years in the 90s, dropping out before graduation, he thanked GSU in a 15-minute speech to more than 800 master’s degree recipients. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ludacris (@ludacris)

“GSU, I am home right now. I owe Georgia State University a great debt, because you helped me arrive at me ‘why?’” Ludacris told the crowd. “My time on campus sharpened my skills. It gave me confidence that my path was preordained. That I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing.” 

Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges received his honorary degree in Bachelor of Science in Music Management. He initially enrolled in the same program in 1996 though he dropped out two years later after signing a deal with Def Jam Records. A couple of years after that, he would go on to release his breakout single, “What’s Your Fantasy.” 

Ludacris shared how instrumental his time at GSU has been throughout his career. “Though I left school I was never gone because this institution had become a part of me,” his speech continued. “It was a part of my fabric and DNA. My heart never strayed far from its steps and my commitment to someday return, and finish, was ever-present.” 

Ludacris Celebrates: “Mama, I Made It!”

From now on, with all due respect, and remember I said with all due respect,” he declared in a video shared on Instagram. “Y’all gone have to call me Georgia State University graduate Chris “Ludacris” Bridges.” he added, “Mama I made it, we did it! Class of 2022. Yes, it took a long ass time but damn it, I made it!” 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ludacris (@ludacris)

Ludacris also shared some other touching moments from Wednesday’s ceremony. Check them out below.  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ludacris (@ludacris)

Drake DMs Wife Of Troll Who Made A Joke About His Son Adonis  

Drake clapped back at a social media troll who made a joke about his son in the most Aubrey-like way possible. He reached out to his girl and slid in her DMs

The drama began on Tuesday night (May 3) when Drake decided to add his opinion to an Instagram post from an NBA shooting coach named Lethal Shooter. The coach voiced his support for enthusiastic fathers of NBA players, including Tee Morant LeVar Ball.  

Drake agreed with the coach and defended the fathers, explaining any dad would be proud to have their kid in the NBA. He also added that he intends to be just as competitive with his own son’s endeavors.  

“Imagine your son makes the league and he’s Ja or Melo or Lonzo,” Drake wrote in the comment section. “All you can do is be elated and competitive and it’s a right of passage to that the OG’s talk s###. I know I’mma be this way even if my son is in a rubix cube competition.” 

An Instagram user decided to respond to the Canadian superstar rapper but brought his son into it. “Ya son prolly play with ghost writers,” the troll replied to Drake.  

At this point, Drake, who is known to be notoriously petty, responded though he chose not to diss the troll in return. Instead, he let the guy know that he followed the guy’s girlfriend, implying she leads a boring life.  

“I just followed your girl,” Drake wrote. “Cause she’s prob miserable and needs some excitement in her life.” 

Social media sleuths discovered Drake stuck to his word and followed the IG user’s wife. Furthermore, he actually reached out to her, sliding in her DMs to make sure she knew he was “here” for her. 

“I’m here for u ma,” Drake wrote. 

Meanwhile, the troll seems to have taken it in his stride. He shared a screenshot of the DM Drake sent to his wife, apparently finding the whole thing hilarious. “Oh nahhhhhh fool really DM’d my wife,” he said, followed by several crying with laughter emojis.  Check out the posts below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AllHipHop (@allhiphopcom)

Kim Kardashian Reveals Kanye West Stormed Out During Her “SNL” Monologue 

Back in November, Kanye West expressed how unhappy he was that Kim Kardashian joked about their divorce during her Saturday Night Live monologue. A new episode of The Kardashians reveals that he was so incensed, he stormed out during the SNL taping. 

Last week’s episode of the reality show featured Kim’s SNL debut, highlighting the lead-up which included Kanye flying to L.A. to retrieve footage of a rumored sex tape from Kim’s ex, Ray J. 

During this week’s episode Kim told her sister Khole that Ye walked out while she delivered her monologue.  

When asked by Khole how things were with Kanye, Kim replied, “He walked out on SNL. Like, mid-monologue so I haven’t talked to him since.” The episode then includes the jokes Kanye took exception to.  

“I mean, I married the best rapper of all time,” Kim Kardashian says during the monologue. She later added, “So when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to just one thing: his personality.”  

However, Kanye West was not upset that she threw shade at his personality rather that she, “used the word divorced. According to Kim, Ye “wished I said the word filed for divorce” instead.  

She continued, “He was upset that I also said he was a rapper. He said, ‘I’m so much more than a rapper. I can’t believe you said rapper,’” Kim told Khloe. 

This proved a turning point in her marriage to Kanye West. “It’s all fun and games and apparently it wasn’t to him,” she said. ‘He’s so used to getting exactly what he wants. I’ve never seen anything like it. I mean, good for him, but hey, it’s not gonna happen here.”  

Kanye West Says “SNL” Forced Kim To Make The Joke

Meanwhile, Kanye West addressed the matter during his Drink Champs appearance.  

“‘SNL’ making my wife say, ‘I divorced him,’ on TV,” Kanye claimed. “Because they just wanted to get that bar off, and I ain’t see the papers. We’re not even divorced… They ain’t no joke to me. My kids want they parents to stay together. I want us to be together.” 

A$AP Rocky Announces New Song “D.M.B. (Dats Mah B*tch)” With Trailer Ft. Rihanna 

A$AP Rocky isn’t letting his legal issues get in the way of giving his fans new music. He has a new release on the way, and this one could feature the mother of his child, Rihanna.  

On Wednesday (May 4), the “Fashion Killa” hitmaker took to social media to share a trailer for his upcoming song expected May 5. The clip presents a montage of him and Rihanna, featuring paparazzi images of the pair together over the years. The trailer also includes a snippet of the song and announces its arrival on Thursday.  

“2MRW,” A$AP Rocky wrote in the caption, confirming the imminent arrival of the track. AWGE, the creative agency founded by the rapper, revealed the title: “D.M.B. (Dats Mah B####).” 

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdJCfzvguOO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Meanwhile, fans have speculated Rhianna features on the track with A$AP. Scenes from the music video shoot in Harlem last summer are also included in the montage. One famous shot captures the couple, before they confirmed their relationship, on a fire escape wearing matching neon fits. 

A$AP Rocky With A Quick Post & Delete

A$AP Rocky also hinted at a collab with a post and delete, reportedly advertising his upcoming EP A Ghetto Love Tale. He shared what appeared to be the project’s cover art along with two song titles, “Roll My Blunt” and “D.M.B. (Dats Mah B####).”

The post also features the building and fire escape along with images taken from their July video shoot. The old Hollywood movie poster-style cover art also revealed that the single is produced by Skepta, Hector Delgado, Krash, Nort Ollem, Shlohmo, and D33J. 

Instagram

In other A$AP news, the famous couple were apparently at the Netflix Is A Joke Festival in L.A. on Tuesday night (May 3) when Dave Chappelle was attacked on stage. Comedian Michael Blackson shared a photo he took with A$AP Rocky and Rihanna and joked he thought he would have to play midwife. 

“I thought I was going to have to deliver a baby last night backstage at the Hollywood bowl,” he wrote in the caption. “All this happened 30 mins before some rapper with 3,000 mixtapes and no album attacked my neega Dave. The clout chaser ended up with a new eye and two left arms. Yesterday security is not today’s security lol,” he quipped. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Blackson (@michaelblackson)

Kidd Creole Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Deadly Stabbing

A judge sentenced Hip Hop pioneer Kidd Creole to 16 years in prison for killing a homeless man.

Kidd Creole, whose real name is Nathaniel Glover, was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in April. The 62-year-old rapper stabbed a man named John Jolly twice in the torso with a steak knife in 2017.

Jolly died from his injuries. He was 55.

“Mr. Jolly’s death was devastating to his family and those who knew him,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. said in a press release. “Every life we lose to violent crime ripples throughout our entire city, and we will continue to ensure everyone in our borough can live their lives with the sense of safety and security they deserve.”

Bragg continued, “This case makes clear that if you commit violent crime, we will hold you accountable, and I thank our team for their hard work achieving justice in this matter.”

Attorney Scottie Celestin, who represented Kidd Creole in the case, plans to appeal his client’s conviction. He claimed the judge had too much influence in the trial, according to the New York Times.

Kidd Creole was a member of Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. The legendary group became the first Hip Hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Dave Chappelle Attacker Is A Rapper Who Recorded Song Named After Comedian

A man faces an assault charge for attacking Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Tuesday (May 3).

Isaiah Lee tackled Dave Chappelle while the comedian was performing at the Netflix is a Joke Festival. Police arrested and booked the 23-year-old man on assault with a deadly weapon.

“The suspect produced what was later discovered to be a replica handgun and pointed the item at the victim,” Los Angeles police said in a press release. “Hollywood Bowl uniformed security officers, who witnessed the incident, engaged the suspect and removed him from the victim and took him into custody.”

Security handed Dave Chappelle’s assailant over to the police. Cops discovered a knife blade contained in the replica gun.

“The suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon,” police said. “He was transported to a local hospital to treat injuries sustained during the altercation with security. The victim was not injured as a result of the assault. The suspect was treated and cleared to be processed by medical staff.”

Isaiah Lee, who raps under the moniker Noname_trapper, released a song named after Dave Chappelle in 2020. The track doesn’t feature any mention of the comedian other than its title.

Benzino Attacks Eminem Over Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

Benzino blasted his old rival Eminem’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the members of its 2022 class on Wednesday (May 4). Benzino criticized the Rock Hall after seeing Eminem’s name among the list of inductees.

“Rock and roll hall of fame is just like the Grammy’s,” he wrote on Twitter. “They have no respect for our culture, Black or Hip Hop and if you don’t agree, you’re racist, period point blank.”

Benzino added, “So where’s Nas, Eric B and RAKIM, Kool Moe D, Epmd, Fearless Four, Fat Boyz, Lauren Hill, Little Kim, OutKast and 100s other Black rappers?? GTFOH.”

Earlier this year, Benzino claimed his beef with Eminem had come to an end. Their feud dates back to the early 2000s.

“To all @Eminem fans & Stans all over the world, the beef is officially over,” Benzino wrote. “I’m letting y’all know I have no hate towards any of his fans & recognize his contributions to Hip Hop. He truly is apart of the culture & 1 of the best to rock the mic regardless of his color.”

Eminem will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside fellow 2022 class members Lionel Ritchie, Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton and Carly Simon.

The Rock Hall’s past Hip Hop inductees include Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, N.W.A, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five.

Ray J Calls Kim Kardashian A Liar, Says More Explicit Videos Exist

Ray J is tired of being portrayed as a villain in Kim Kardashian’s life story.

The 41-year-old artist discussed the explicit footage that made Kim Kardashian famous in an interview with the Daily Mail. Ray J claimed his ex’s mother Kris Jenner orchestrated the release of the adult video.

“It has never been a leak,” he said. “It’s always been a deal and a partnership between Kris Jenner and Kim and me. And we’ve always been partners since the beginning of this thing.”

Ray J and Kim Kardashian made the adult video in 2002. He suggested they release it when Paris Hilton’s celebrity status skyrocketed following the leak of an explicit tape.

Kim Kardashian liked the idea and brought her mother into the mix, according to Ray J. Kris Jenner allegedly worked out a deal with Vivid Entertainment, and the former couple signed a contract for three videos.

Ray J said he recorded multiple explicit tapes with Kim Kardashian. Only one was ever released. Kim Kardashian allegedly maintained possession of the rest of the footage.

Despite the partnership, Ray J faced public blame for leaking the explicit video. He never corrected the story due to the contract he signed.

“From the beginning of us putting this sex tape out, this has been the biggest lie in the industry in the history of entertainment,” he said.

Ray J finally came forward to tell his side of the story after the Kardashians dragged his name into their new Hulu reality show. He believed the show misrepresented him giving a laptop containing intimate images and “mini-videos” to Kanye West.

“If they didn’t come back and show how they really were, how greedy and slimy they really were, I would never have had the enthusiasm or the will to go out and speak my truth,” he said.

He added, “I can’t live the rest of my life in this lie. This morning, I woke up and said, you know what? For the remainder of my life, I’m going to live in my truth and not in the lie that’s been created by Kris Jenner and Kim. I will not let them do this to me anymore.”

Cardi B Shuts Down Rumors About Her and Billie Eilish Beefing

Despite what Twitter is saying, rapper Cardi B and singer Billie Eilish are not beefing. In fact, the two are more concerned about their real friendship than anything brewing in the innerweb.

After the Met Gala on Monday, May 2nd, the Bronx beauty hosted a kickback for her friends, fans, and colleagues. A video showing the mother of two encouraging people to enjoy the party started to go viral. 

Cardi dropped this on the crowd, “Playboy bunnies, tonight we are gonna have fun. Make sure y’all get y’all drinks. Make sure y’all get y’all (sniff).”

The second cut of the video showed fans gathering around Cardi with their cell phones and Eilish mouthing “so weird.”

Trolls online called her a “true Barb,” the term to describe Nicki Minaj fans — referencing the longstanding beef between the two women who once fought during New York Fashion Week.

But hours later, after people started circulating the clip, the “WAP” chart-topper shut down the rumors about her being at odds with Billie Eilish, calling the young singer her “f##king baby.”

She tweeted, “I hate the internet cause one, how do y’all turn one of the most lit parties into drama. Two, Ocean eyes is the song I cater to my daughter. Three, Billie is my f***in baby. Yesterday, from the met to the party, everything was drama-free. Why do yall wanna turn everything into mess?”

In the tweet, Cardi shared private voice notes between herself and the “When The Party’s Over” singer.

The DMs were voice notes, where the 20-year-old told her industry big sis that she was “f##king worried you were going to see that. I was calling the people around you weird because everyone was coming up to you and shoving their phones in your ass. I was like just look at her with your eyes.”

Cardi then said, “the internet is trying to divide us…I hate the innanet.”

Drake Cashes In With Massive Deal Via Universal Music Group

Toronto rapper Drake has signed a new deal with Universal Music Group. Sources reveal that the agreement is one of the biggest deals of the artist’s career.

Variety magazine calls the deal “an expansive, multi-faceted deal with the company that encompasses recordings, publishing, merchandise, and visual media projects.”

Referred to as a “Lebron-sized,” the deal’s specifics are being kept under wraps.

For UMG, Drake is a big money maker – which makes offering such a deal a no-brainer. Many estimate that he brings in over $50 million a year with music earnings alone. 

Over the last eight years, Drake has sold over 37 million album units and made history with Spotify by becoming the first artist to breeze past 50 billion streams.

A deal like this will surely rack in more money for the largest music entertainment company in the world.

Many people thought Drake might go independent when his contract came up. Star maker Steve Stoute said in 2020, “Drake is about to get the biggest bag in the history of the music business by far. If Drake goes independent, the music business is over.”

But with this deal, his brand is firmly locked with the company that gave him wings.

Yung Pooda Makes A Highly-Anticipated Return With New Banger “Drop”

Undeniably one of the definitive voices coming out of the Houston music scene, Yung Pooda continues his steady ascent to the top with his new infectious single, “Drop.” Produced by Grammy-winning duo Cool & Dre, “Drop” is available on all music-based platforms today via It’s A 10 Records HERE.
 
The new song is already showing signs of being a bonafide hit. His hometown, Houston’s top hip-hop radio station, 97.9 KBXX, known as The Box, will premiere the record this Friday at 3 PM.  “Drop” finds the Houston-based artist back in his hit-making element with an up-beat offering that exemplifies his sleek signature style with a lyrical punch. The offering features a sample from Ice Cube’s iconic, “Today Was a Good Day.”
 
The braggadocious banger arrives on the heels of his most decorated single to date, “Forever Tippin” featuring DJ Chose. Since its 2021 release, “Forever Tippin” charted on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/ Hip Hop Airplay Charts and was the #1 most added record at Urban Radio. To date, the official video has garnered 5+ million views on YouTube and the positive responses to the song resulted in Yung Pooda being the #2 most discovered artist on Shazam—a significant benchmark that few independent artists can claim.


 With each release, Yung Pooda has continued to gain new fans and reach new heights with his music and riveting performances: he performed on BET’s Hip Hop Awards Rap City Special (Watch: BET Hip Hop Awards) relaunch and most recently on an episode of YO! MTV Raps Wild ‘N Out. Pooda has also demonstrated the depth and range of his lyrical caliber and versatility of his flow with a tantalizing freestyle he performed in the studio via AMPD Official where his spin on Moneybagg Yo’s, “Said Sum” went viral.
 
The Houston hit-maker is poised to make a bigger mark in the 2022 musical landscape with “Drop” and much more to come.
 
LISTEN TO “DROP” HERE

ABOUT YUNG POODA

Nothing holds more weight than a promise.

In 2019, Yung Pooda found himself at a crossroads between the streets and the studio. After performing alongside legends such as Boosie Badazz, Slim Thug, and Z-Ro, recording with platinum icon Paul Wall, and igniting a buzz of his own throughout the country, the Houston rapper made an important pledge to himself. His pledge changed the course of everything to follow in its wake.

“In the middle of recording and getting in all kinds of trouble, I promised God I would get out of the streets and just do music,” he admits. “I stuck to my word.”

Long before this vow, hip-hop called to him as a kid in Orange, TX. Pooda’s mother bumped Naughty by Nature’s “Hip Hop Hooray” throughout the one-bedroom and one-bathroom house built by his grandfather that he and his mom shared with his grandma. As he puts it, “I used to go nuts to that song!” He used to listen to classics from OutKast, JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, Master P, Ludacris, DJ Screw, and more. When Pooda visited dad, pops actually built a home studio at his spot to cook up beats and DJ. Growing up, he practiced his skills on the mic and sharpened the wordplay, developing a signature style. He sent shockwaves through the city after a successful showcase, earning endorsements from the likes of DJ Hi-Cof Houston’s 97.9 The BOX who said, “He’s always been a lyricist.” Inciting local excitement, he performed multiple tour dates with Boosie Badazz and teamed up with Paul Wall for the single “Beat Up The Block.”

Relocating to Prairie View, he moved into a two-story house with his cousin and two friends where they “were trapping and getting money, but s### got too hectic.” At this point, he reset everything. “There were fights, threats, and all types of s###,” he recalls. “I ended up saying that prayer.”

His music made its way to Jeff Aronson, CEO of It’s A 10 Records, a boutique label, who immediately signed him in 2019. In 2020, Pooda made waves on Tik Tok and mix show radio with the release of his first single, “Repeat Dat” which was produced by GRAMMY® Award-winning duo Cool & Dre [JAY-Z, Beyoncé, Nas] along with a reflective song, “Lies Told”- his thoughtful response to social unrest and police brutality. This year, his critically acclaimed newest single, “Chicken N Grits” is bringing him to the
forefront. C&G has earned over 30 million Tik Tok views, was the #4 “Most Added” song at urban radio and is in rotation at BET Jams, Revolt, and YO! MTV Raps.

Fresh of the release of his new single with hit-maker DJ Choose “Forever Tippin,” which gives a new-school feels to the Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug classic “Still Tippin,” Pooda has amassed his third, consecutive, hit in less than one year. Produced by Cool and Dre, his track is currently flowing in the millions with audio streams as the hard-hitting visual flows in over three million views on YouTube and has continued to receive a heavy-hitting stamp of acclaim since its release this past June with plugs from The Source, Hip Hop DX, Kazi Magazine as Houston Press stated “Pooda’s “Forever Tippin” pays homage not only to the track’s original stars but to the uniquely Houston rap sound they pioneered.”

Moreover, the track entered the Mainstream R&B/ Hip Hop Airplays Charts on Billboard and earned the #1 most added via Urban Radio during its release as Pooda earned the achievement as the #2 most discovered artist on Shazam.

In the end, Pooda fulfills every promise and leaves his mark on the culture in the process. “When you listen to me, I want you to feel enlightened and great,” he leaves off. “I hope you relate to the emotion and know you’re not alone. I’m young enough to make mistakes and old enough to know better. I’m telling my story. I’m human.”

CONNECT WITH YUNG POODA

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

LISTEN TO YUNG POODA

SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC | TIDAL SOUNDCLOUD

Atlanta’s Bonafide Street Poet Hunxho Is Blowing Up After Viral Single “Let’s Get It”

Atlanta undoubtedly serves as the mecca to some of hip-hop’s greatest names, and it seems the new talent continues to be birthed from the city at a rapid pace. Hunxho is a self-proclaimed Street Poet who wears his heart on his sleeve with each release, calling himself a “pain artist from the East side of Atlanta. 

Embodying the definition of an emcee who speaks his truth and delivers powerful messages to the people, the rising star is directly inspired by real-life experiences and struggles in the hood. 

Exploding onto the scene with his standout single “Let’s Get It” which organically went viral, Hunxho doubled back and released a standout remix with fellow Atlanta rapper 21 Savage. If that’s not enough, his newest project Street Poetry boasts a guest feature from NoCap and notable production from Internet Money, Jetsonmade, and Buddah Blessed.

Regardless, Hunho turns his pain into something positive, and reminds audiences around the world that they too can change their life for the better. 

AllHipHop: Atlanta got a crazy wave right now. How was it growing up on the Eastside?

Hunxho: It’s a typical hood, a regular hood. I didn’t have a lot growing up but my mama made it happen. It was 8 of us in the house, but she had 6 kids. It was 6 of her kids. My grandma and my mama came together, we had to make it happen. 

AllHipHop: When did you start taking music seriously?

Hunxho: I’ve been taking it seriously since I started. I started 3 years ago, I just tried it out. When I was younger, when I was a kid I used to want to sing. But I can’t sing lowkey, you feel me? [laughs] I just know. When I got older, I tried rapping and that stuck with me. 

AllHipHop: Who inspired you the most?

Hunxho: I listened to Tupac, Anthony Hamilton, India.Arie, music like that. But nobody really inspired me. 

AllHipHop: Were you working anywhere?

Hunxho: I never had a job, I was in the streets. 

AllHipHop: What did “Let’s Get It” do for your career?

Hunxho: My song “Let’s Get It” started me off. I dropped it in 2020, it started going up in 2021. It just caught on. It was leaked, somebody else had posted it. Somebody posted themselves dancing to it and it started going up so I dropped it. 

AllHipHop: Were you mad it leaked?

Hunxho: Nah not really. I don’t even know [how they got it], I have a lot of leaked music. 

AllHipHop: What’d it mean to get 21 Savage on the “Let’s Get It” remix? So hard!

Hunxho: He hit me up on Instagram one day and told me I’m hard. When I hit him back, I texted him “what do I gotta do to get you on this ‘Let’s Get It’ remix?” He ended up getting on it. 

AllHipHop: You know how he caught wind of you?

Hunxho: I’m not even sure, but my bro is one of his bros. I didn’t even send it to him, I think the label sent it to him. When I got 21 on the phone, I told him I appreciate him. A lot of people who are already made ain’t doing that for the people who are trying to make it. He reached out to me right on time. He’s one of them ones.

AllHipHop: What makes you different from the rest of the artists?

Hunxho: I got a whole different sound, if you hear my music you couldn’t even tell I’m from Atlanta. A whole different wave, a whole different sound. 

AllHipHop: What was your reaction when you heard 21’s verse back?

Hunxho: Hard. It was hard. But I didn’t expect anything less because he’s been dropping hard music lately. 

AllHipHop: What do the “2” tattoos on your eyes represent?

Hunxho: My block where I’m from, Second Ave., 2200.

AllHipHop: What’s the inspiration behind your name?

Hunxho: I got my name in middle school. This is when the word huncho started really buzzing, so I changed my name on Instagram to @hunxhoseason. People started calling me hunxho and I stuck with it. 

https://hunxho.ffm.to/streetpoetry

AllHipHop: Highly-anticipated new project Street Poetry out now!  

Hunxho: Oh yeah, it feels good. It’s doing good. I could tell, I’m elevating every time I drop. I just stay locked in, I got so much music. Not that I was doing too many Street Poet’s, I just felt I needed to come up with something different. Give them Street Poetry, then come back with Street Poet 4 or something like that. 

AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from this project?

Hunxho: I’m telling people I want them to take it and put it into their own life. Put it in to their own context, because everybody goes through different stuff. 

AllHipHop: How’d you end up collaborating with NoCap?

Hunxho: I linked with him one time. This is before I had even got 21 Savage on “Let’s Get It.” I ain’t have no features. I usually like to do tapes with no features. If I do a feature, I’m a do a female. This time, I said “let me try something different.” Right after that, I had linked with him. He’s cool with my folks though, that’s how I got with him. It wasn’t even on no music s###. 

AllHipHop: Why do you not like doing features?

Hunxho: I be trying to focus on myself, growing myself. I ain’t really too much into hearing people say “oh yeah, he wouldn’t of popped without this song. He wouldn’t of popped without this or that.” I want to do it myself first, before I start working with people. 

AllHipHop: You have production from Internet Money, Jetsonmade, Buddah Blessed. How was it working with these all-star producers?

Hunxho: Hard, it was hard. Buddha Blessed was in the studio, Jetsonmade too. Me and Jetson lock in the studio too. Me and Jetson are working on an EP right now. It was cool, it was smooth. I only went to Jetson’s studio one time, we did 2 to 3 songs. I think I was in LA too. We did a lot in LA. 

AllHipHop: “Been Thru” you say you’re fighting demons, how do you cope?

Hunxho: My mental health straight. Everybody got problems, everybody deals with them differently. I ain’t the type to really talk too much. I be in my head a lot, I don’t really talk. But it’s good though, I don’t be on no crash out s###. I find a way to deal with it. 

AllHipHop: You talk about working hard, what’s the reality of the grind?

Hunxho: Man, if I can sleep in the studio I will. As long as I’m doing something that’s got to do with music, I feel good. I like moving a lot, I like doing a lot. I want to everyday, wake up and do something that has to do with music. I like working. I don’t ever want to feel like I made it. I don’t care if I made it yet, I’ll always want to keep working. 

AllHipHop: How’d you find your way to 300 Entertainment?

Hunxho: I won’t say I found my way to 300, they found me. They were watching for me, the most genuine. I’ve been through a lot before I ever signed with 300, with the music and being signed to people. I’d been through a lot, I wasn’t trying to get into another bad situation. But they seemed more genuine so I went with them. It wasn’t just people trying to be in my ear: “do this, do that.” They’re genuine. 

AllHipHop: You were completely independent before that?

Hunxho: Nah, I was completely independent when I signed to 300. I was signed before in 2020 when I first got out of jail.

AllHipHop: What’d you learn from behind bars?

Hunxho: I learned a lot. I learned my sound, I learned patience. I learned a whole lot. On the streets, what I was doing, I didn’t really have no time to think. I was go go go. So when you’re sitting down, you have nothing but time on your hands. You’re in your thoughts, you’re thinking. 

AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?

Hunxho: I need cigarettes, that’s it. Dead serious, I don’t need anything else. [laughs] I used to need a Redbull but I stopped drinking Redbull. Cigarettes, Redbull, and I need Eli, my manager. We bros though, outside of all that. We f### with each other. 

AllHipHop: What do you do for fun?

Hunxho: Work. [laughs] When I’m not working, I’m mad for real because I want to be working. I be trying to find work. I don’t play the game too much, I used to play games a lot though. 

AllHipHop: What can we expect next?

Hunxho: I got an EP finna drop, and I got a song called “Fight” that’s I’m finna drop. I’ll drop that first, then come back with the EP called Chosen. I feel like I’m chosen, then my son’s name is Chosen too. He’s 11 months right now, he’s finna be one.

AllHipHop: How’s fatherhood?!

Hunxho: It’s smooth. I always wanted kids, low key. So when it came, it was smooth. My son will get to dancing when he hears my music.

AllHipHop: How old are you?

Hunxho: I’m 22. I’ll be 23 in June. A lot of people can’t tell how old I am.

AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us now?

Hunxho: Not really. If there is, they’re going to hear it in my music. Street Poetry out now!

Kanye West Sued By Pastor For Stealing Holy Man’s Voice

A Texas pastor is preparing to sue Kanye West for the unauthorized use of one of his sermons on his Donda album. 

The preacher says Ye sampled him on the song “Come to Life” and now he wants to battle in court.

According to the Daily Mail, Bishop David Paul Moten has filed a lawsuit against Kanye West for using a 70-second clip of his voice on the track. 

In the claim, Moten says he estimates his voice is used up to 20% of the song, suggesting there is the continual use of his voice throughout the song from start to finish.

Also named in the suit are the Universal Music Group, Def Jam Recordings, and G.O.O.D Music. 

Another lawsuit was filed in March 2022 regarding Kanye West’s 2010 song “Power” from the My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, where a British rock band King Crimson filed a copyright infringement lawsuit for the unauthorized use of their 1969 song “21st Century Schizoid Man.” 

The labels are named in this case also.

Since then, Kanye and the labels said they would accommodate Declan Colgan Music Ltd (DCM), the company repping the band, with 5.33 percent of the amount sold or ‘otherwise exploited’ copies of “Power.”

But the company says this has not been honored.

UMG agreed to pay DCM royalties at the same rate as the rapper-producer but “has failed, and continues to fail, to comply with its royalty accounting obligations in respect of one mode of exploitation.”

Eminem To Be Inducted Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Detroit rapper Eminem is a part of the 2022 Rock and Roll Class of Inductees.

According to the Detroit Free Press, his induction checked off a few historical milestones for the artist.

The rapper made it into the prestigious club the first year he was eligible, showing just how much the industry professionals, executives, and fans wanted him in. 

It almost seems lopsided when you line him up with the other artists in his class: Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, and Lionel Richie.

The second milestone is that he is the 20th performer from Detroit to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the institution’s 36-year history.

Other solo acts already inducted include Jay-Z, LL Cool J, The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.

That means he leaped over Nas, Biggie, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and many others that inspired him and came before him.

Regardless, he does belong there.

You become more intelligent listening to Eminem. In a study of almost 100 top artists in over 25 genres of music, Eminem had the most expansive vocabulary. CNN reports he has used 8,818 unique words in his chart-topping songs. 

He bests Jay-Z (6,899 unique words), Tupac (6,569 unique words), Kanye (5,069 unique words), and Bob Dylan (4,883 unique words). And with over 227 million records sold, he is the best-selling rapper of all time.

Which was one of the reasons his 2022 Super Bowl performance was so powerful. But not all people believe those factors are important.

One Twitter user said, “I don’t see Eminem as rock and roll. Appears the theme this year is ‘diversity.’ Doesn’t matter, he got a lot of votes and he’s someone’s favorite. I don’t think RRHOF has been about what’s ‘fair.’ Otherwise Rush would have made it in before they did.”

https://twitter.com/KevinEsmeier/status/1521887619235385346?s=20&t=zhDVQJI5VrxZI7tMxX9kkA

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on November 5th at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater. The show will air subsequently on HBO and HBO Max streaming.

Pusha T Talks Hating Clipse’s ‘Til The Casket Drops’ Album

Hip Hop veteran Pusha T recently released his fourth studio LP It’s Almost Dry. Before going out on his own as a solo act, Pusha was one-half of the Virginia-bred duo known as Clipse.

Between 2002 and 2009, Clipse released three studio albums. Pusha T and Malice’s Til the Casket Drops ended up being the brothers’ final official album together.

Tidal CCO Elliott Wilson interviewed Pusha T for the Tidal Magazine. That conversation included Push explaining why he is not a fan of Clipse’s 2009 project Til the Casket Drops.

“I hate it. I hate it,” said Pusha T. “And when a song comes on, like ‘I’m Good,’ man, this was a little bit of a bop. Hate it. Soon as I find myself bopping a little bit too much — ah, damn. And there’s another thing. Bro, Malice is telling you the whole time, he’s leaving. You hear it the whole way through the album.”

The Virginia Beach native continued, “The transition is happening, the album’s out, I’m touring and he comes and brings me a book and says, ‘Man, you probably should go read my book. But I think you should just go solo because I don’t want to do this.’ Til the Casket Drops. Only thing I love about it is the artwork, and that’s because KAWS did it. That’s it. ’09. Shout out KAWS.”

Pusha T and Malice reunited on It’s Almost Dry. English performer Labrinth joined the two siblings on the closing track titled “I Pray for You.” It’s Almost Dry also contains contributions by Kanye West, Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Nigo, Lil Uzi Vert, Kid Cudi, and Don Toliver.

Teyana Taylor Announces “The Last Rose Petal 2… Farewell Tour”

Back in September 2021, Teyana Taylor informed her followers that she was saying goodbye to live touring with “The Last Rose Petal… Farewell Tour.” That trek ended in November, but Taylor just revealed additional dates for part two.

“The Last Rose Petal 2… Farewell Tour” kicks off in Los Angeles, California on August 3 at the Hollywood Palladium. Teyana Taylor will also hit other cities such as Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, London, and Paris.

The 31-year-old Harlem native wrote on Instagram:

I kept my promise… I told you I would come back for you #TLRP2 is here! Come out and watch me, leave it all out on the stage… One last time… Just for you & as my last rose petal falls….🥀

Pre sale tickets will go live TODAY here’s the presale password: FAREWELL

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY @ 10AM! VISIT HERE FOR TICKETS: http://www.TeyanaTaylorTour.com link also in bio!

P.S. make sure y’all get y’all tickets early cause I don’t wanna hear y’all a#### complaining about s### being sold out! 😩😩😩😂😂😂😂❤️ If you don’t see your city up there that means I already did your city &/or even a encore on #TLRP1!! So TLRP2 is for all the cities that I did not get to hit during part 1. However If you see a city on part 2 that I already did in part 1 those cites are getting encores because the venues was not big enough to hold the amount of people that showed up 🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

I kept my promise… I told you I would come back for you #TLRP2 is here! Come out and watch me, leave it all out on the stage… One last time… Just for you & as my last rose petal falls….🥀

Pre sale tickets will go live TODAY here’s the presale password: FAREWELL

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY @ 10AM! VISIT HERE FOR TICKETS: http://www.TeyanaTaylorTour.com link also in bio!

P.S. make sure y’all get y’all tickets early cause I don’t wanna hear y’all a#### complaining about s### being sold out! 😩😩😩😂😂😂😂❤️ If you don’t see your city up there that means I already did your city &/or even a encore on #TLRP1 !! So TLRP2 is for all the cities that I did not get to hit during part 1. However If you see a city on part 2 that I already did in part 1 those cites are getting encores because the venues was not big enough to hold the amount of people that showed up 🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

@teyanataylor Instagram

During her run as a recording artist, Teyana Taylor dropped the studio LPs VII in 2014, K.T.S.E. in 2018, and The Album in 2020. She also starred in films such as Madea’s Big Happy Family, The After Party, and Coming 2 America.

Teyana Taylor has also won awards as a video music director. In 2021, Maxim named Taylor the “Sexiest Woman Alive.” The musician/actress/choreographer became the first African-American to lead the monthly magazine’s annual list.

Tickets for Teyana Taylor’s “The Last Rose Petal 2… Farewell Tour” go on sale beginning Friday, May 6 at 10 am local time at livenation.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jimmy Neutch (@teyanataylor)

SZA Rants About Being “Sick Off You N*ggas”

“I be so sick of you n#####, y’all contradicting,” sings SZA on her “I Hate U” single. The Top Dawg Entertainment recording artist expounded on those lyrics on Tuesday.

SZA took to social media to share her feelings about being a public figure. Over 25,000 Twitter accounts like a particular tweet by the 32-year-old, St. Louis-born vocalist.

“I swear to God if I didn’t accidentally fall in love [with] music… I would NEVER EVER COME OUTSIDE,” posted SZA. “Y’all suck the joy and life out of EVERYTHING. Thank God for purpose cause outside of art it’s f### y’all. Now run [with] that.”

The Ctrl album creator also added, “When I said I BE SO SICK OF U N##### YALL CONTRADICTING. I was talking to everyone. Not men. For the record. I hate u was a universal emotion. Take care.”

SZA did not stop there. Moments later she returned to Twitter to offer another thought. The Grammy winner wrote, “And please know when I drop anything it’s not for y’all. It’s to free my m############ self.”

That May 3 tweet by SZA amassed more than 63,000 likes on Twitter. Many fans of the singer/songwriter born Solána Imani Rowe have been patiently waiting for her to drop the follow-up to 2017’s Ctrl studio LP.

https://twitter.com/sza/status/1521669411165331458?s=20&t=PIdFQx-0ek3FetaENKNnHQ

SZA Scores Chart Hit With “I Hate U”

Since the arrival of Ctrl, SZA appeared on songs with Kendrick Lamar (“All the Stars”), Justin Timberlake (“The Other Side”), Doja Cat (“Kiss Me More”), Summer Walker (“No Love”), and other acts.

“I Hate U” became SZA’s highest-debuting solo single on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. The track opened at #7 in 2021. Additionally, “I Hate U” broke Apple Music’s record for the most-streamed R&B song by a female artist.

SZA also scored another Top 10 solo hit on the Hot 100 chart with “Good Days” in 2020. As of May 4, she has managed to place sixteen total entries on the Hot 100 with five songs making it into the Top 10.

Hard Summer Music Festival Books Megan Thee Stallion & Lil Uzi Vert As Headliners

HARD Events announced the lineup for the 2022 HARD Summer Music Festival. The upcoming concert will take place at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California from July 29-31. 

The 2022 edition of the HARD Summer Music Festival will expand to three days for the first time in history. Fans will get to see top Hip Hop and EDM acts perform live over that weekend.

Houston-raised rapper Megan Thee Stallion tops the HARD Summer Music Festival bill for the July 29 date. Philadelphia-bred rapper Lil Uzi Vert will close out the show on July 30.

Megan Thee Stallion released her latest single “Plan B” on April 22. The track peaked at #29 on the Hot 100 chart and #7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Lil Uzi Vert recently showed up on Pusha T’s “Scrape It Off” from the It’s Almost Dry album. Uzi’s own discography includes the 2017 studio LP Luv Is Rage 2 and the 2020 studio LP Eternal Atake.

Electronic artist Porter Robinson is the HARD Summer Music Festival headliner for July 31. The showcase will also present Gunna, Denzel Curry, Ski Mask the Slump God, Three 6 Mafia, Aminé, and more.

HARD Summer Music Festival passes will go on sale beginning Friday, May 6 at 10 am PT at hardsummer.com. Tickets can be secured via layaway for a $9.95 deposit. The lowest option for layaway deposits will be available for only three days until May 8 at 11:59 pm PT.

Capital FM Owner Reportedly Told Journalists Not To Mention Tim Westwood Accusations 

Tim Westwood stepped down from his Capital Xtra radio show last week (Apr. 27), after multiple young Black women accused him of sexual misconduct

According to a report from The Guardian, which detailed the DJ’s alleged misconduct in an investigation conducted with the BBC, the owner of Capital FM told its journalists to avoid reporting the allegations against Tim Westwood.  

The outlet also reports Capital FM’s parent company Global has received questions from staff over whether they looked into anonymous accusations about Tim Westwood that were widely circulated in 2020. The DJ categorically denied the claims back then, stating he has never had “inappropriate relationships” with underage girls.  

Global’s newsroom staff told The Guardian their managers directed them to avoid reference to the accusations about Tim Westwood. They also claim some radio show presenters were told not to mention the allegations on air. 

Global confirmed they parted ways with Tim Westwood “until further notice,” in light of the allegations. However, the company was alerted to accusations about the DJ nearly two years ago. AllHipHop reported the anonymous claims made by several young Black women that circulated on social media in June 2020.  

At the time, staff reportedly told The Guardian that they asked management to investigate the claims. Furthermore, several Capital FM presenters raised the issue on Twitter, though it is thought the company had not received any formal complaints against the veteran presenter. 

Doja Cat Tops Artist 100 Chart For The First Time

Rapper/singer Doja Cat is the most popular music act in America at the moment, according to Billboard. The Planet Her album creator rose to #1 on the Artist 100 chart.

This week, Doja Cat’s “Woman” sits at #7 on the Hot 100 rankings. “Need to Know” (#19), “You Right” with The Weeknd (#43), “Freaky Deaky” with Tyga (#54), and “Get Into It (Yuh)” (#73) are also on the Hot 100.

Plus, Planet Her currently holds the #6 position on the latest Billboard 200 album chart. Doja Cat’s 2021 studio LP has spent a total of 44 weeks on the Billboard 200.

Additional Hip Hop stars Jack Harlow (#7), Lil Baby (#8), Pusha T (#9), and Drake (#10) also made the most recent Artist 100’s Top 10. Pusha joined the list following the release of his No 1. album It’s Almost Dry.

Doja Cat’s climb to #1 on the Artist 100 takes place on her 119th week on the tally. The 26-year-old Los Angeles, California native debuted on the chart in November 2019.

This year has also seen rappers Kodak Black and Lil Durk reach the pinnacle of the Artist 100 for the first time. Both XXL Freshman Class alums made it to the apex of the chart in March.