“It was revealed in court [a] few moments ago that Tory Lanez DNA WAS NOT found on the weapon in the Meg Thee Stallion case,” tweeted Akademiks on February 3. He quickly deleted the post because the DNA test apparently concluded the results were inconclusive.
That one tweet by DJ Akademiks led to multiple back-and-forth exchanges between him and Megan Thee Stallion. During this week’s hearing, the prosecutors in Tory Lanez’s case brought up Ak sharing unreported information with the public.
“Lanez’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, argued that Lanez did not provide DJ Akademiks with any discovery in the case before Akademiks tweeted that ‘Tory Lanez DNA was not found on the weapon in the Meg Thee Stallion case,'” wrote Rolling Stone reporter Nancy Dillon on Twitter.
DJ Akademiks reacted to Nancy Dillon’s tweet by quote-tweeting her and adding his own comment. The controversial Off The Record podcast host simply posted, “I got it from Roc Nation… *shrug*.”
Is DJ Akademiks Telling The Truth About Roc Nation?
Megan Thee Stallion is part of the management roster for Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. Tory Lanez implied there was a conspiratorial campaign against him. Some people online even suggested Roc Nation attempted to smear Lanez by manipulating the media.
DJ Akademik’s claim that Roc Nation leaked favorable court information for Tory Lanez is contradictory to Lanez supporters’ claims that Roc Nation is behind the plot to bring down the Canadian musician. It is very likely Ak’s accusation is more trolling than truth-telling.
Clifford “T.I.” Harris has been trying his hand at stand-up comedy. Some longtime comedians, like Godfrey, took issue with the Hip Hop artist jumping into their field of entertainment.
“Listen, as many times as you joke on that s###, I’m gonna check your m############ ass as long as it takes,” Tip told Knight. “N####, when you stop talking about it and stop playing with me and mine, I’m gonna stop saying something.”
The verbal altercation between T.I. and Lauren Knight went viral on social media. T.I. later went on Instagram to further address the situation.
“When it first became known I was doing comedy, she went up, got on stage, and was talking about some s### about allegations then. And I ain’t say nothing to her, but some people who did say something to her, they were just on some, ‘Why are you tripping? Why are you saying s### like that?'” said Tip.
T.I. added, “All that allegation s###, I ain’t never rape nobody… I ain’t that kind of n####. Dungeons? B###### in my dungeons? You’re telling me I’m keeping somebody beyond their will? I’m holding somebody?”
The 41-year-old rapper/actor continued, “She said all that s###, right? I kept it smooth. Mind you, it’s a whole f###### confession from a politician. Felicia Moore has confessed to the whole plot of all this. And none of y’all are talking about this.”
“She blamed me, Killer Mike, and Isaac Hayes III. She blamed us,” stated T.I. about Felicia Moore during his Instagram Live session. “What she said was, ‘T.I. should’ve got out of politics. And he should’ve learned his lesson by now because last time he said something against me, that’s what got him into it with all them allegations.'”
Mowgs is speaking up for the U.K. drill scene, claiming it’s superior to the sound coming out of New York today.
The rapper from Birmingham, U.K. took to Twitter to air out his grievances against the NYC sound.
“New York drill has nothing on Uk drill,” Mowgs declared. “N##### just out der shouting at the mic and dancing funny.”
While Mowgs received a mixed reaction to his claim, North London rapper RV added fuel to the fire with a hilarious comment. “Theyre so angry and so happy at the same time,” he wrote.
All I hear is ‘AY AY AY GET STURDY’ I hate hearing dat s### in da morning
When somebody claimed that U.K. artists “would be bullied” for rapping like their American counterparts, Mowgs agreed and used Kodak Black for comparison. “Bro imagine if we some one rapping like Kodak in uk imagine what people would say 🤷🏾♂️”
Bro imagine if we some one rapping like Kodak in uk imagine what people would say 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/FxB3oS0vqi
Meanwhile, Mowgs displayed his rapping ability in his new song “A Girl From Erdz,” paying homage to his hometown of Erdington. The song follows recent drop “Swerve Off,” featuring fellow Birmingham rapper MIST. Listen to it below.
Mowgs x Mist – Swerve Off
Both songs are from his upcoming highly-anticipated mixtape, The Bare Necessities, which he says is universally “good music.”
“F### the hype! F### the clout!,” Mowgs told Complex U.K. about the new project. “When people hear it, all they’ll be able to say is: “Rah! This is good music.” It’s my life story. We really came up on the bare necessities.
Although Mowgs spoke out on drill, he steered clear of the sound on the upcoming tape. ”I’m doing straight rap,” he said, also ruling out Afroswing. “I’m good at bars and I’m good at verses, but with certain songs, you need a really good hook to catch the people. So I’ve done a few songs with singers, different rappers, people I make music with now. I’ve got Rimzee on there, S1mba, Country Dons, Ard Adz and one or two more…”
R. Kelly blasted his former legal team for their jury vetting in his sex trafficking case, claiming they failed to remove jurors who had seen the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries. The film details accusations of allegations of child sexual abuse against him.
New York Daily News reports the disgraced R&B singer wrote an affidavit to the judge criticizing his former lawyers. He says they failed to include him in the jury selection process and dismissed any of his concerns.
“At certain points during jury selection, I did hear that some jurors may have seen the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries and that concerned me greatly,” he wrote. “I raised my concerns with my attorneys but they shooed me off. I was nothing more than a bystander in the process.”
R. Kelly is currently incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, awaiting sentencing. He was found guilty on all counts by the jury following a 25-day trial in Brooklyn Federal Court in September last year. Along with his new lawyer, he argues that two of those jurors saw the docuseries and should have never made the jury.
“There was no strategy involved in choosing the jurors that sat on my jury as far as I could tell,” R. Kelly continued. “At least there was no trial strategy that involved my input.”
Lawyers for the singer argued that the May 4 sentencing on his racketeering conviction in New York is postponed for R. Kelly to face another sex abuse federal trial in Chicago Federal Court in August. However, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly denied his request but did move sentencing to June 16. This is apparently due to a delay in receiving a pre-sentencing report, not in response to Kelly’s request.
August Alsina has dropped a new single once again, sharing his thoughts on his relationship with Jada Pinkett Smith, following his 2020 track “Entanglements,” which discussed their romantic affair.
“Well of course some s### was bound to go down when you’re tangled up with the world’s favorite,” August sings on the track. Elsewhere in the song, he addresses the situation again. “I heard I was canceled,” he croons. “Well, let’s speak on that/Red dot on my back, I became a target/And I’m flawed but flawless, that’s what makes me August.”
Announcing the song on Instagram, August Alsina wrote: “You know why I’m here ‼️[click the link in bio for NEW MUSIC] I’m On my way to take the trash where it belongs!!.. but I wanted to remind you that the world gone get SHOOK, regardless! 🗣 I’m GOD’s own. 🌎💥 … moving on 😏”
Later on Tuesday, August took to Twitter to address his critics. When one called the song trash and told the singer to take accountability for his actions, he responded:
“🥲ifeel for you and your ancestors brother. 🙏🏽C## u ain’t nevaaaaa had to lie this hard. 😂U know that s### hard boy! S### put u in a hypnosis soon as it drop! C## Got D##### 🗣 “I shake the wurrrrrrrrl” 🌎💥”
🥲ifeel for you and your ancestors brother. 🙏🏽C## u ain’t nevaaaaa had to lie this hard. 😂U know that s### hard boy! S### put u in a hypnosis soon as it drop! C## Got D##### 🗣 “I shake the wurrrrrrrrl” 🌎💥 https://t.co/uex8xEtAjy
The 29-year-old artist also responded to a user who praised his talent and told him to focus on making music. ‘I’m not a child anymore!,” he wrote. “& 🤨No need to remind me of me being talented, God gifted me that! I’m STiLL talking about MY life in my music, and Yal got a problem! 🗣 BE MAD! Black twitter is the new age slave owners! But Yal don’t own me! & u go stay mad about it”
I’m not a child anymore! & 🤨No need to remind me of me being talented, God gifted me that! I’m STiLL talking about MY life in my music, and Yal got a problem! 🗣 BE MAD! Black twitter is the new age slave owners! But Yal don’t own me! & u go stay mad about it https://t.co/AxmLNJUGTN
August Alsina also likened himself to Jesus in reaction to the hate he receives. “They Hated Jesus too Slime,” August tweeted. “Everybody wanna play Jesus, til its crucifixion time. ThankYou God, for sending your SUN (SoN) 🌞 🙏🏽 To come and pay for the price, & carry all of the spewn hate, projected hurt, & emotional pain within one, being transmitted thru words 2 another.”
They Hated Jesus too Slime. Everybody wanna play Jesus, til its crucifixion time. ThankYou God, for sending your SUN (SoN) 🌞 🙏🏽 To come and pay for the price, & carry all of the spewn hate, projected hurt, & emotional pain within one, being transmitted thru words 2 another
Pusha T and Jay-Z are back with a new collab single, “Neck & Wrist,” produced by Pharrell, released at midnight on Tuesday (Apr. 5).
The pair haven’t jumped on a track together since the iconic 2016 hit, “Drug Dealers Anonymous,” and rap fans have missed them. Pusha-T raps about living the high life while Hov gets into his past marriage woes with Beyoncé.
Pusha announced the song on Tuesday, sharing the cover art and one of Jay’s lines: “We got different Saab stories, save your soliloquies…” Listen to the song below.
This latest offering will join the previously released “Diet Coke” and “Hear Me Clearly” on Pusha’s forthcoming album, the follow-up to his 2018 LP, Daytona. He previously claimed the project will be album of the year when it drops.
Pusha T revealed how eager he is to get the new album out during a recent interview. “I really want to get this album out,” he told Complex. “I want people to love it. Then I want to get onto the next because I’m on my next s### already.” He added: “I’m always looking to heighten what it is I do in the rap game. This is a legacy thing with me. This is all about being great.”
Furthermore he claimed: “This is all about making sure that the subgenre of street rap is seen at the highest levels, and can compete with everything that’s popular. This is the realest real estate in hip-hop, and I’m the Martin Scorsese of it.”
Meanwhile, it looks as though Pharrell – who Push credits for pushing him outside of his comfort zone on the album – was enjoying his 49th birthday in peace and ignoring his phone.
“Nothing is making me madder than @Pharrell being sleep and not answering me and @StevenVictor in group chat…” Pusha T tweeted.
Pusha T may have to wait a little while longer for a response. Skateboard P is enjoying Aries season in Dubai, according to his Instagram.
A clip emerged online on Tuesday (Apr. 5) showing T.I. unloading on the comic and telling them to “shut the f*ck up.”
T.I. Lashes Out
“Listen, as many times as you joke on that s###, I’m gon’ check your m###########’ ass as long as it takes.” T.I. ranted. “N####, when you stop talking about it and playing with me and mine, I’m gonna stop saying something.”
He continued, “N####, ain’t no m###########’ case, ain’t never been no m###########’ case ’cause I ain’t did nothing wrong and my wife ain’t did nothing wrong. And if you keep on playing with me n####, I’m gonna m###########’ continue to confront you publicly, verbally…”
The comedian attempts to placate T.I. reminding him that she’s a comedian and free to make jokes before the pair hug it out onstage.
T.I goes off on comedian for joking about his sexual assault allegations at a Comedy show pic.twitter.com/NLVXcS6Gpn
Meanwhile, the comedian shared her side of the story, adding context to what happened before T.I. began snapping at her.
Lauren Knight says she was wrapping up her hosting gig at an open mic event where T.I. had performed a 30-minute set earlier in the night. However, she claims the rapper kept cutting her off and hackling her. “It’s crazy you keep going and I can’t say nothing to you,” she said in defense of her actions. T.I. began shouting at her to “take your wig off right now.” After repeating it multiple times, she responded, “I’ll take my wig off when you speak on the allegations.” She also says nobody called him a rapist and that only T.I. took offense to her joke.
Nonetheless, she maintains she “made a joke, just like he did,” and there is no beef between her and T.I. Check out her response in full below.
Goldberg, a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors and a former Oscar host, said that she believes his career will make a comeback.
“Some of Will Smith’s future projects are in question,” she said. “The question is, does he have a path back? Yes, of course, he does! He will be fine. He will be back. No worries.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPrglUgfmWw
Her co-host Ana Navarro added that the slap should not “define his career” and nobody should be judged by their “worst moment.”
“This is going to be with him the rest of his life. It’s going to be in his obituary. This is not going away,” Navarro stated. “But should it define his life? Should it define his career? No, absolutely not. So I think Netflix and all those are making a mistake, and I hope they reconsider because we should be able to separate his art from what he did.”
Elsewhere, Smith’s “Bad Boys” director Michael Bay was asked for his reaction while promoting his new film “Ambulance.” He argued there should be more important topics, such as the war in Ukraine, dominating headlines.
“First of all, it’s wrong to begin with. That’s all people are talking about and I don’t really care. Hollywood gets very self-absorbed. There are babies getting blown up in the Ukraine right now. We should be talking about that so I really don’t care,” he declared to Yahoo!,before noting the slap was out of character.
“He’s not that guy. I’ve never seen him lose his cool like that,” Michael Bay said.
Smith has apologized for his “inexcusable and unacceptable” behavior during the Oscars and has resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Tatyana Ali’s “heart aches” over her The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The 43-year-old, who played Will’s onscreen cousin Ashley Banks on the TV sitcom, told her Twitter followers that she believes in her co-star, although Chris Rock did not “deserve to be hit” for making a joke about Will’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith on March 27th.
I love #WillSmith very much. @chrisrock didn’t deserve to be hit. Period. My heart aches for what has happened. I don’t know what caused that chaos & confusion, but I do know that Will has a big heart. I’ve seen him many times try his best to do what is right. I believe in him.
“I love #WillSmith very much. @chrisrock didn’t deserve to be hit. Period,” she wrote. “My heart aches for what has happened. I don’t know what caused that chaos & confusion, but I do know that Will has a big heart. I’ve seen him many times try his best to do what is right. I believe in him.”
Tatyana and Will Smith starred alongside each other in all six seasons of the TV show between 1990 and 1996.
DJ Khaled is being immortalized with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce selected DJ Khaled to be the 2,719th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A ceremony to unveil his star will be held in Los Angeles on April 11.
“DJ Khaled is one of the most popular and ever-present impresarios of the rap industry and we are thrilled to honor him with his own star on the Walk of Fame!” Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a press release.
The Epic Records artist’s star will be located near the Amoeba Music record store on Hollywood Boulevard. DJ Khaled joins Hip Hop artists such as Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J and Missy Elliott on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
DJ Khaled celebrated his impending addition to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in an Instagram post on Tuesday (April 5).
“THEY AINT BELIEVE IN US , GOD DID !” he wrote on Instagram. “Grateful, Thankful. KEEP GOING @wethebestmusic STILL.”
The upcoming star ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. PST on April 11. Fans can livestream the event around the world exclusively on the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s official website.
When you have a moniker like TrapGameCrazzy, the name speaks for itself.
Hailing from Columbus, Mississippi, the rising star prides himself in being both a trapper and rapper, detailing his life experience in his rhymes and inspiring his fans along the way. Being independent and having to overcome endless obstacles that come with life in the streets, TGC is the definition of self-made.
In describing himself, TGC states he’s “the livest trapper in the industry, the most active. I put my all into it, that’s all I do everyday. I’m a Godly person. I’m an entrepreneur, I’m a hustler. I’m loyal, I’m adventurous. I’m one-of-a-kind, a person you don’t meet every day.”
Most recently, TGC unveiled his new project titled Legalize Trapping, a 10-track project dedicated to his lifestyle and motivating listeners all around the world. The mixtape is spearheaded by lead single “Trap,” where TGC reveals he saw a hundred racks at the young age of 16, reminiscing on his come-up and how far he’s made it. “Trap” also was paired with a visual treatment.
Beyond the music, he’s a businessman and investor, whose goal is to spread the message of ownership and self-improvement. In fact, his trucking business currently funds his music career.
AllHipHop: What was it like growing up in Columbus, Mississippi?
TrapGameCrazzy: It was cool, it is what it is for the location. It’s not really country, but it’s not really city either. I brought a lot of things to Mississippi, a lot of trends. I made a lot of moves so it was cool on my behalf. For anyone, it could be slow. There’s not really too much to do. You have to create your own entertainment, create your own vibes. There really ain’t too many places to go for going out.
AllHipHop: When did you fall in love with music? Who were you listening to?
TrapGameCrazzy: I always loved music. When I was younger, to be honest I really didn’t think music was real. I thought it was some Santa Clause type s###, the celebrities and all that s### when I was growing up as a kid. As I got older, I started meeting certain people. I had relatives that was doing the music thing and they were really talented, that really opened my eyes up and made me realize it’s really possible.
AllHipHop: Any artists you listened to that you loved?
TrapGameCrazzy: I like R&B music to be real. I like vibe type music, but I grew up to Boosie, Jeezy, and Gucci. A lot of artists, but I just liked their music. I wouldn’t really say a name or a person that I really f##### with like that, I f### with all good music. Gucci, Boosie, Jeezy, I listened to them more out of all the artists growing up.
AllHipHop: Talk about the inspiration behind your name. How did you get your name?
TrapGameCrazzy: I really was trapping. Trapping was a business or a hustle of making ends meet. I always went crazy when it came to making ends meet. I was making things happen for myself, putting food on the table. Where I’m from, I broke records for trapping, just like artists break records, getting money and making fame happen. I’m a legend where I’m from, as far as getting money and putting people on. So I just said TrapGameCrazzy, because my trap game crazzy!.
AllHipHop: You just released Legalize Trapping, how are you feeling?
TrapGameCrazzy: It’s a good tape overall, front to back. I got a couple strikes against me. I can’t really take another strike or where I’m at, they’ll try to give me a life sentence. It’s really nonsense. I can see how they look at the s###, but I don’t think it should be a thing for a person to get a life sentence. I know somebody that got a life sentence for their third strike and they just got caught with a half ounce of marijuana, not even a whole ounce. There are a lot of people that are incarcerated, they used to give out crazy numbers on certain charges. I don’t think it’s the home for them for real, so Legalive Trapping. Trapping should be legalized.
AllHipHop: What would happen if trapping became legal?
TrapGameCrazzy: It’d be a lot less balanced, stuff going on. More people get to be home with their family and raise their kids. But really, trapping is legal to the government. The government trap all the time, just like a pharmacy. Pharmacy got pills, got drank, all types of stuff. But you get caught with it in the streets or try selling it in the streets, that’s when it becomes illegal. It’s not as serious as people make it to be, in my opinion, there are people doing way worse things or more serious crimes. Where I’m at, we got a big prison system in Mississippi, and the prison’s are completely full. I got a lot of partners in prison, it’s full. People are sleeping on the floor, there’s sometimes 4 people in one cell. That’s more of an issue. So,no, I don’t think it’s that serious, as people make it.
AllHipHop: You released the music video for “Trap,” where are you going through recording this one?
TrapGameCrazzy: Actually, I was on probation. I got in trouble out of town. I thought I was gonna be gone for a long time, but God brought me through it.
What made me make the song “Trap” was when I heard the beat, it made me think of me as a person. I’ve been trapping since I was 10, so I said a few things, reminiscing in a couple things that I witnessed in my life growing up. Basically, the transformation and transition from back when I was a kid to my current situation. I really didn’t get a chance to shoot the video like I wanted to because everything was last minute, but it turned out alright. It did what it did.
AllHipHop: What inspired your new video “More”?
TrapGameCrazzy: The “More” video, it’s more on a scale I like my videos to be on. It’s more put together, better quality, and better production. The “More” song is always wanting more. I want more now. You know how when you reach goals, you really move the post and set new goals. To me, it’s about wanting more and progressing. A little struggle, just really making it through the struggle. Making it past the struggle.
AllHipHop: One thing you want fans to get from the project?
TrapGameCrazzy: Basically inspiration and motivation. Tap in with me a little bit. Get to know what type of person I am, what stuff I be on. I really wanted to motivate people and give people a push, those who want to accomplish their goals and their dreams. Inspire people, give people good vibes.
AllHipHop: How’s the independent grind?
TrapGameCrazzy: The independent grind is kind of hard, but it’s easy. It’s a lot of work. You gotta educate yourself. You gotta reach out to certain people and try to connect with the right people because the music industry’s crazy. So much finesse going on, so much promises be going on so you gotta lock in with the right team and make the right decisions. You really gotta have your bag right. The independent thang is cool so long as you got the right resources, the right type of budget, and the right plan.
AllHipHop: Talk about being a businessman and the importance of ownership.
TrapGameCrazzy: I always want to mess with the music, but I’m trying to win regardless. No matter what happens, no matter how things go in the end, I want to be on top. I still want to be stable and everything so I always try to play on different sides of the field. Business is good, different little ropes to it. Different knowledge that could help you, that determines the level you reach with it. I always feel like people should always have their hands in multiple streams of income so you always have something to fall back on.
AllHipHop: You own a trucking business as well?
TrapGameCrazzy: I ain’t really big into trucks so I really got into it because I had thought of a little plan, a way to have a budget for the music. I’m thinking take a $50K ball and get a truck, work it like that. Everything I got from the truck, I invested in the music. When push comes to shove or worst case scenario, I’ll always still have a truck. The truck ended up growing into two trucks, and so far. I got a partner I went school with, he really big into the trucks.
Him and his father drive trucks, so I really tried to kill two birds with one stone. I was trying to help him fulfill his own dream to have his own truck, do this do that. I tried to take him away from the company he was with and bring him into a family type situation with me. So he’ll feel comfortable and everything, him just driving the truck. He inspired me to get into it because he loved the truck so much. I know he knows the ins and outs, so I tried to kill two birds with one stone. Get in business, make some money, help a friend, we all come up together.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
TrapGameCrazzy: I need some exotic marijuana, some drank, and good vibes.
AllHipHop: How was SXSW this year?
TrapGameCrazzy: It was it. It was turnt, it was cool. A lot of artists chillin’ out there, grinding. One thing I realized about this music: there’s a lot of talent and a lot of people who got talent, a lot of people can make good music and all that, but you gotta have your bag right. That’s what’s gonna make the difference: the bag and the budget, and the plan. There’s a lot of people out there, so it makes me look at it like: what’s going to separate me from them? What do I gotta do differently? Everybody’s trying to do music, everybody’s trying to blow. I started looking at it like what makes you the one?
Members of Goonew’s family defended their decision to prop up his lifeless body at a Washington, D.C. nightclub.
Concerns arose after Goonew’s corpse was displayed at an event held at Bliss Nightclub on Sunday (April 3). His mother Patrice Morrow and sister Ariana Morrow spoke to FOX 5 about the controversy, dismissing any criticism.
“For all the negatives, people probably don’t even know nothing about us,” Patrice Morrow said. “They have no idea. People just saying what they want to say and that’s fine. That’s perfectly fine. I’m pleased with how I sent my son away. I wish people would just let me grieve in peace.”
Ariana Morrow added, “We’re not trying to clear anything up. We don’t care about anybody and what y’all have to say negative. Nobody. We don’t care.”
Bliss Nightclub issued an apology after footage showed Goonew’s dead body propped up at a party. The venue claimed it didn’t know what the event would entail.
“Our deepest condolences to Goonew’s family, friends and fans,” the nightclub said in a statement. “Bliss was contacted by a local funeral home to rent out our venue for Goonew’s home-going celebration. Bliss was never made aware of what would transpire. We sincerely apologize to all those who may be upset or offended. Please keep Goonew’s family and friends in your prayers at this difficult time.”
The 24-year-old rapper, whose real name was Markelle Morrow, was shot and killed in Maryland on March 18. Police are still investigating the shooting and offering a $25,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.
The National Hip Hop Museum based in Washington, D.C. is unveiling a traveling exhibit in Arkansas.
Little Rock’s Mosaic Templars Cultural Center announced it’s hosting the National Hip Hop Museum’s “And the Beat Don’t Stop” exhibit. The memorabilia collection comes to Arkansas on April 7 and runs until July 1.
The National Hip Hop Museum’s “And the Beat Don’t Stop” celebrates 50 years of Hip Hop. Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will begin its run with the exhibit by hosting a free event in Little Rock on April 7. The opening will feature DJs, a 360-degree photo booth and breakdancing.
“While the music and the artifacts are a big draw, we always keep in mind that we are here to educate the community and what a wonderful way to take some not-so-distant history and unpack it a bit and show the cultural connections to today,” the center’s director Quantia “Key” Fletcher said. “For many of us, Hip Hop has been part of our entire consciousness and has impacted our lives from music and fashion to art and culture. It has been the voice of the marginalized populations and offered a mic oftentimes in hallowed spaces.”
The National Hip Hop Museum was founded three years ago by Jeremy Beaver. Find out more about its services and collection here.
Fat Joe has become an author with the help of Roc Nation.
The Terror Squad leader announced his memoir titled The Book of Jose on Tuesday (April 5). Fat Joe’s book will be released by Roc Nation and Random House’s Roc Lit 101 in November.
“I’m proud to present my memoir– The Book of Jose,” Fat Joe wrote on Instagram. “This is my life unfiltered, the story of a kid growing up in the South Bronx’s unforgiving streets and how I became a multi-platinum-selling artist. #TheBookofJose comes out on 11/1, but you can pre-order your copy now from @roclit101!”
The Diggin’ in the Crates member wrote his memoir with the help of veteran music journalist Shaheem Reid. Fat Joe called the book “the most incredible read you ever read in your life.”
“The Book of Jose is more than just a book about my career,” he said in a press statement. “It explores the darkest moments of my life — brushes with death, being locked up, losing friends, and dealing with depression — that shaped me as a man. I overcame significant adversity but I’m excited to be in a position to share my story and inspire others through my journey.”
The Weeknd has teased fans by suggesting he might “pull a YE” and change his name.
The “Starboy” musician referred to Kanye West legally changing his name to Ye. He said he has considered switching his stage moniker to ABEL to better reflect his real name, Abel Tesfaye.
“I feel like I should change my stage name to ABEL at this point,” he wrote on Twitter. “Maybe pull a YE and just legally change my name to ABEL. No last name. Like Madonna or Cher or Prince. I don’t know it seems like a lot.”
Trying out a possible name reference, The Weeknd added, “ABEL formally known as The Weeknd?”
John Legend supported the idea, writing, “ABEL is dope,” to which The Weeknd replied, “i’m tempted …”
In October 2021, a judge approved Kanye’s request to alter his legal name from Kanye Omari West to simply Ye.
Tory Lanez was handcuffed and detained for violating a protective order in his ongoing criminal case involving Megan Thee stallion.
Tory was in court today( April 5th ) for a hearing involving his felony assault case, where he is accused of shooting Megan in the feet after a party and the Hollywood Hills in July of 2020.
The judge said Tory violated the protective order when he addressed the situation on his Twitter account this past February.
A back and forth broke out after another hearing related to the case. Megan Thee Stallion blasted an erroneous report by DJ Akademiks, who claimed Tory’s DNA was not found on a weapon.
Megan Thee Stallion replied after the report gained steam around the internet. The Houston rapper posted text messages from Tory Lanez, who appeared to be apologizing to her after the altercation.
That is when Tory replied, “Good Dick had me f###### 2 best friends and I got caught… that’s what I apologized 4… It’s sick how u Spun it tho.”
That simple explicative-filled tweet was enough to land Tory Lanes in the crosshair of the judge, who ordered the rapper held on $350,000 bail today.
Prosecutors also were concerned. Tory Lanez’s legal team was feeding information to DJ Akademiks. Tory’s lawyer Shawn Holly denied the leaks were coming from anyone on her team.
Tory Lanez is reportedly gathering the $350,000 bail as of press time. But for now, he remains in the custody of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
Kid Cudi has joined the cast of John Woo’s action-thriller “Silent Night.”
The rapper and “Don’t Look Up” actor is the latest to board the film, and he will star alongside Joel Kinnaman, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno.
In the film, Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, will play a detective named Dennis Vassel, which centers around Kinnaman’s character Godlock. Godlock is a father on a mission to avenge his son, who was killed in the crossfire of gang violence on Christmas Eve.
“Silent Night” is being directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Woo, known for action movies such as “Face/Off” and “Mission: Impossible 2,” from a screenplay by Robert Lynn. The project is currently in production in Mexico City.
Executive producer Joe Gatta said of Cudi’s casting, “Based on what we’ve seen from set so far, it’s clear that Scott has a presence and gravitas that is incredibly captivating. He is a powerful addition, and perfect complement, to this stellar cast.”
In addition to his music career, Kid Cudi is a well-established actor, starring in films such as “Don’t Look Up,” “X,” and “Need for Speed.”
“Coming Up” by Cpt Andrew Anderson, a new song was just published. As a result of its success, the song has amassed a considerable fan base. It became viral a few days after it was released. Because of the song’s catchiness and Andrew’s amazing musical abilities, this is a true work of art.
Cpt Andrew Anderson is a relative novice to the music industry, but his talent is anything but. Andrew has so far put out five tracks this year. Listening to them, you can hear Andrew’s efforts to evoke strong emotions in them. “Coming Up” is no different. Experts think it’s a great song for folks of any age.
It’s hard to get tired of listening to “Coming Up,” because it’s so catchy and upbeat. It doesn’t matter how many times you hear the music because something about it keeps you coming back to it. That’s a strong testament to Andrew’s skills.
Always keeping her dreams and visions at the forefront of everything she does, newcomer artist Momforkingss makes herself known throughout the music industry with the debut release of her first tracks.
Making music has been a new and exciting way for Momforkingss to really express herself and de-stress from everyday life. When the onset of the pandemic came and she had a little more time on her hands, she was really able to explore this hobby and turn it into a full-time passion project.
Momforkingss loves all things social media and really appreciates how she can connect with people worldwide and how it really makes it so there is no limit to who you can meet or what you can accomplish. Growing her platform on Instagram has taken her career to the next level, and her latest venture into music should be no different.
Fans are already responding well to her tracks, and she looks forward to releasing even more songs, connecting with her fans, and maybe even performing some live sets later in the year. In the meantime, she is mainly dedicated to getting better at her craft and perfecting it every chance she gets.
He sang in a video after the event, “I ain’t win no Grammys, that s### hurt my feelings, that s### finna make me cry… Zero out of five, that’s how many Grammys I won. That s### made me cry, that s### me cry.”
He also posted a series of photos on Twitter with fellow nominees Lady Gaga and Doja Cat, writing, “Can’t believe I lost all my grammys. I am now no longer gay!”
The following day, however, Nas seemed to have a different perspective about the loss on Twitter.
last night was my favorite performance yet. and a fun night in general. we lost all our grammies but that just mean it’s time to go even harder! love y’all. ♥️
“Last night was my favorite performance yet. A fun night in general,” he tweeted. “We lost all our Grammys but that just means it’s time to go even harder! Love y’all.”
On Sunday, Nas performed a medley of his tracks “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” “Industry Baby,” and “Dead Right Now” alongside Jack Harlow at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The “Old Town Road” hitmaker was nominated for categories including Album of the Year for his debut album Montero and Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Music Video for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).”
