Chuck D is using his skills as a visual artist to enter the comic book realm, creating a project that celebrates a famed hip-hop album.
The legendary lead rapper of the iconic Public Enemy will create a graphic novel commemorating the 30th anniversary of the group’s 1991 album Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black. Chuck D partnered with Z2 Comics on the book, titled, Apocalypse 91: Revolution Never Sleeps.
“Apocalypse 91 album is pretty much the soundtrack to the graphic novel,” Chuck D said in an interview to Inverse. However, he revealed, “The music came first, then came the images. They’re reciprocal. It’s interesting to see the graphic novel component to the sound, story, sight, and ideas that were made over 30 years ago.”
When asked to grade Marvel and DC for Black representation in comics, Chuck D admitted he doesn’t read many at 61
“I know when I was growing up they had to speak to the times,” he said. “Civil rights demands had to speak to the times when it came down to Black being beautiful and not just being just a second-class citizen.” He gave kudos to Marvel “because they had to deal with all the elements of New York City.”
Chuck D continued, “This comic book company rooted in New York City took note of knowing that it had to acknowledge that part of the population. Black Panther (T’Challa) was a person that got my interest. Did I put him above all the other superheroes?” he asked. “Not really, but he was in the mix. DC in the late ‘60s was still a little bit in fantasyland, dealing with the cornfields of the Metropolis outskirts. When they finally got around to it at the turn of the ‘70s then I was like, okay I’m interested.”
Chuck D Says Public Enemy Used “Comic Book imagery”
He then revealed that Public Enemy was inspired by comic books. “I created my own figures with a bit more imagination put to the Public Enemy characters. I didn’t invent them, I just brought it out with imagery. Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, the S1Ws, Terminator X, and myself. It was all comic book imagery.”
He says the group knew MTV wouldn’t play their music so they created an aura. “We weren’t going to get the front page, or the pop group Grammy of the year. And we weren’t going to get the attention by just going gangster. We weren’t trying to shock white America,” he added. “We wanted to be very clear who we were and it was really rounded with something else. There was enough there that after the bark, you found some bite!”
The ongoing legal saga involving Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion exploded on social media this week. Both rappers went back-and-forth on Twitter following a pre-trial hearing for Lanez’s assault case.
However, prosecutors seem to believe they can secure a conviction against Tory Lanez. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office provided a statement about the case to Complex.
The D.A.’s office stated:
Although we are legally prohibited from commenting on the evidence and will continue to abide by that obligation, our office is under an ethical duty to only proceed on charges which we believe can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and which have already been upheld by a judge after presentation of evidence at the preliminary hearing. We believe the evidence substantially supports the charges and allegations and that evidence will be borne out in court.
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office (via Complex)
Jay-Z has been awarded over $4.5 million in royalties after being sued by a fragrance company last year.
TMZ report an appellate court in New York City ruled in favour of Hov in his dispute with Parlux stemming from past cologne sales
Parlux filed a $68 million lawsuit against Jay-Z in 2016, accusing him of failing to uphold his commitments to a 2012 contract to promote his fragrance, Gold Jay-Z. They claim he neglected to appear at the Macy’s 2014 Gold Jay-Zlaunch and on appearances on Good Morning America. They further alleged his unwillingness to boot sales cost them millions.
Hov’s legal team said it was Parlux that lacked the knowledge to market a product from the Jay-Z brand. The rapper accused the brand of doing “crappy, lazy work” during his testimony. “I’ve always had problems with the quality of lazy work that was coming from Parlux,” he declared at the trial last year.
After being cleared of breach of contract Jay-Z told reporters, “I’d like to express my gratitude to the jury, especially during these difficult times.”
In November, AllHipHop reported the court found Jay-Z was not liable in the $67.6 million breach of contract lawsuit. They also reject his demand for royalties, a decision which the appellate court overruled on Thursday.
“The record is clear: Parlux sold licensed products after July 31, 2015, but failed to pay royalties on those sales,” Justice John Higgitt wrote in his unanimous decision.
The Long Beach native claims the Jane Doe accuser is targeting him in a “shakedown,” according to filings seen by Rolling Stone. Snoop doubled down his insistence that the forcible oral sex she accuses him of “never happened.”
The 17-page dismissal says the allegations are both “implausible and false.” Furthermore, Snoop claims they are too “threadbare” for a claim under the federal sex trafficking statute and too old to prosecute under state law.
“Nothing remotely resembling plaintiff’s story about defendant Calvin Broadus ever happened. He vehemently denies ever engaging in any sex act with plaintiff or assaulting or battering her,” the lawsuit claims.
The woman alleges Snoop Dogg assaulted her after one of his concerts at the home of his friend Bishop Don Juan, whom she also accused of “forcing her to perform oral sex on him,” in her suit. She alleges Juan “removed his penis from his pants” and “repeatedly shoved his penis into [her] mouth.”
The unidentified accuser further claims Juan took her to Snoop Dogg’s studio to see if he would “make you the weather girl” on a show the rapper was working on. She went along with it “in hopes of advancing her career,” her filing states. While there, she used the bathroom and alleges Snoop walked in and forced her to perform oral sex on him.
“Plaintiff found herself thinking about her job security if she displeased defendant Snoop Dogg,” her complaint states. “Plaintiff felt pressured by defendant Snoop Dogg due to his dominance, and his position of power over her, including his ability to hire and fire her and ensure that she would never be hired in his industry again.”
Snoop Dogg Claims This Is An Attempt To “Extort” Him
She claims the assaults happened during a period she was working for Snoop as a stage dancer, something he denies.
“She provides no allegations of any statement by defendant that he would help her career, and no allegations of any statement about how defendant might advance her career. Instead, the only allegation plaintiff makes is that [co-defendant Donald] Campbell — not defendant — said going to the studio where defendant was would be ‘a career move,’” paperwork filed on behalf of Snoop Dogg states.
The accuser “was never employed by Snoop Dogg or any of his companies and has furnished no proof to support her claim of employment by Snoop Dogg and/or his companies,” a rep for Snoop Dogg confirmed to Rolling Stone.
Snoop Dogg asks that the lawsuit be dismissed with prejudice: “Plaintiff’s complaint, launched just days before defendant’s Super Bowl Halftime performance, was a thinly veiled attempt to extort defendant for money to stop plaintiff from continuing to assert her false claims publicly. But the fatal deficiencies in her complaint ensure her gambit will not succeed,” he alleges in the new filings.
Jane Doe’s lawyer, Matt Finkelberg called his client “brave” for standing up to someone with “elite celebrity status.”
“We believe it is the defendants’ intention to attack and intimidate any woman who goes against them,” Finkelberg told Rolling Stone.
His statement continued, “If harassers like Mr. Broadus continue to retaliate against those who stand up to them, we are concerned there will be a disastrous chilling effect, and women will not come forward out of fear of retaliation. Even worse, harassers would feel emboldened to sexually assault without fear of consequences,” he said.
Jazmine Sullivan received a trio of NAACP Image Awards on Thursday night. Her album, Heaux Tales was awarded outstanding album, and “Pick Up Your Feelings” won the outstanding soul/R&B song. She also collected the award for best artist.
Affion Crokcett is hosting the week-long non-televised Image Awards Virtual Experience and Thursday night was the music categories.
Jay-Z- and Jeymes Samuel won in the outstanding soundtrack/compilation album category for The Harder They Fall. On Wednesday, Feb. 23, Samuel who directed, co-wrote, co-produced, and scored the film, won outstanding breakthrough creative. The movie also won the award for outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture.
Saweetie was named outstanding new artist for “Best Friend” (featuring Doja Cat), adding to her Grammy nomination in the same category.
“Essence”- Wizkid featuring Tems picked up the award for outstanding music video and outstanding international song for the version also featuring Justin Bieber.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak won best traditional group as duo Silk Sonic for “Leave the Door Open,” while Anthon Hamilton picked up outstanding male artists for “Love Is The New Black.”
Outstanding hip-hop/rap song went to Tobe Nwigwe for “Fye Fye” featuring Fat Nwigwe with the duo also winning best contemporary group.
Darnella Frazier was named NAACP humanitarian of the year on Thursday night. She received the honor for recording the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 later testifying at the trial.
The 53rd NAACP Image Awards will air live on BET on Saturday, March 26 at 8 p.m, hosted by Anthony Anderson. Mary J Blige will perform on the night.
The Bronx-born goat of rap has been on a tear recently, but was propelled back to the limelight in 2021. His Verzuz battle with Big Daddy Kane was one for the ages. KRS contiunues his reign of lyrical terror with a new album, I M A M C R U 1 2, which dropped on 2/22/22. The album is 14 songs deep and offers the Blast Master in all of his glory with his lyrical range on full display. On top of that, he offers socio-political commentary as well as high level critiques that have made the 50-something emcess famous. The album has enough for the young and the OG. Certainly, after 25-plus albums we’d expect KRS to experience some decline, but that is not happening. As he says often, “I do this!” Indeed he does an at a high level.
Bay Area artist Kayebands, is letting everyone know he’s not an artist to be skipped over in 2022. With a few singles and a project on the way, we can not wait to see what Kayebands has in store for us, especially after his 2021 single, ” Ghost Lick,” Kayebands always delivers a “unique experience.” So, it is no surprise to anyone that Kayeband’s newest release, “Benz Truck,” featuring Avenue Swift, is a smash hit. The single was released with a visual to match as well, directed by Digital Avnue, and it showcases Kayebands in a new light that audiences have never seen before.
With a mix of “high frequencies,” natural “storytelling, and raw energy,” it is clear Kayebands is from the Bay Area, mixing his influences of dope storytelling and high-energy artists like J Dilla, Mf Doom, D-Savage, Dom Kennedy, Nipsey Hustle, Lucki, and RBL Posse, with his Bay sound, Kayebands is sure to astound.
If “Benz Truck” is anything like what Kayebands has in store for the future, we can expect nothing but refinement, high energy, and an all-around anthem that will put anyone in the zone. Kayebands says the track is about “staying on your hustle and creating your path.” As he points to the line in the song, “Benz Truck,” saying, “I’m the type to wake up, go and take that.”
Kayebands is sure to turn heads with “Benz Truck” featuring Avenue Swift, so be sure to tap in with Kayebands via Instagram @kayebands for more.
In the meantime, watch Kayebands visual for “Benz Truck,” directed By Digital Avnue below.
Ahmed Ismail is a multi-faceted artist based out of Toronto, Canada, whose voice is one you’ll want to keep on your radar. Under the artist name of AD22, he has fully immersed in providing mellow yet euphoric ambiances within each track, resulting in captivating sounds that flow together effortlessly. AD22 is coming out strong this year with many upcoming projects, beginning with a brand new single, “Night Shift.”
Like many AD22 songs, “Night Shift” is a relaxing song standing on slowed down and minimalistic synth melodies that accompany the soothing vocal performance of AD22. The track explores AD22’s journey by documenting his daily life as an upcoming artist, creatively reflecting the belief that he must take control of his life by finding balance within. He voices the many distractions and tribulations that come with this newfound career, creating a resonating message with his fans, including relevant lyrics and an unforgettable listen.
“Night Shift is a combination of different stages throughout my life, reflecting on times where I would work long hours throughout the night, making records, and making money,” expressed AD22. “Through the mellow, calm sound that encompasses me as an artist, I created a record that people who always strive to achieve more can relate to. In simple terms, Night Shift is inspired by the grind.”
AD22 uses music as a way to heal from hardships and adversities in his past, shifting those experiences into a successful music career. Blending influences from Jay Z, Nipsey Hussle, Drake, and Santan Dave, AD22 is a forward-thinking artist who transcends genres as he creates his own lane in the music scene. “Night Shift” is undoubtedly the start of what’s going to be an exciting year for AD22 and fans alike. As he prepares for another single dropping soon and the release of his debut project in late May, he shares a message he wants fans to take away from his music:
“I hope my fans take away that no matter how difficult circumstances might seem, there’s always joy out there to be seized when they allow the moment to arrive. My music channels my inner thoughts, and although that varies from one song to another, one common theme that’s shared is independence, hope, and love.”
A&E greenlighted a Roc Nation-produced documentary series about the Parchman prison in Mississippi.
Roc Nation’s new docuseries will explore the efforts to reform the Mississippi correctional system. Jay-Z and Yo Gotti previously helped file a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of inmates facing inhumane conditions at Parchman.
“A&E has the privilege to partner with Roc Nation to tell the truly urgent story of Parchman Prison as we continue our commitment to impactful programming,” A&E’s Executive Vice President and Head of Programming Elaine Frontain Bryant said in a press release. “The series is emblematic of larger issues within the U.S. criminal justice system, and we hope it spurs desperately needed awareness both at Parchman Prison and nationwide.”
The four-part documentary will examine the civil rights case and give viewers a look inside the prison. It will also detail the origins of Parchman, exposing its shocking history.
“In 2020, Roc Nation and Team Roc launched a fight to put a stop to the literal death sentences imposed on inmates through the inhumane, violent, and torturous conditions created by Parchman prison officials,” Roc Nation’s CEO Desiree Perez said. “We are honored to develop this series with A&E, Good Caper and ITV to continue to make sure the atrocities and history of Parchman are top of mind on a national stage.”
The upcoming documentary is tentatively titled Exposing Parchman. No release date has been announced for the series.
Megan Thee Stallion would like to sit in the director’s chair one day.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Megan Thee Stallion discussed her ambitions in the film industry. The 300 Entertainment rapper noted she’d like to direct at some point in her career.
“I definitely want to be an actress, but I also really want to be a director,” she told THR. “I love movies and I’m definitely a film buff.”
She added, “I like to create. Not only do I like to write music, I like to write stories. I definitely want to see these stories come to life.”
Megan Thee Stallion is already making inroads in the movie business after landing her first film role earlier this month. The Houston native will appear in a new A24-produced flick titled F###### Identical Twins.
A directing opportunity may come sooner rather than later as she’s also got a first-look deal with Netflix. Last December, the streaming service announced an agreement with Megan Thee Stallion to create and produce projects for Netflix.
“Megan is a multi-talented creative force who has consistently made her mark on culture,” the company’s head of comedy Tracey Pakosta said in a statement. “She’s always growing and evolving as an artist, and we’re thrilled that she’s making a home at Netflix for this next chapter in her journey.”
The legendary rapper was announced as the host of the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday (February 24). LL Cool J will also perform at the event, which will be held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on March 22.
“It’s an honor to return to the stage as host of the iHeartRadio Music Awards and bring live music back to fans all over the world as we celebrate our favorite artists,” the Hip Hop pioneer said in a press release. “I have a special performance for the fans, and the show will have some great surprises throughout the night. See you there!”
LL Cool J previously hosted awards shows such as the Grammy Awards and the American Music Awards. He was also the host of last December’s National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Jennifer Lopez will be honored with the Icon Award at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Previous recipients include Elton John and Bon Jovi.
Cardi B, Drake, Future, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion and the late Pop Smoke are among the notable Hip Hop artists nominated for the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards. The full list of nominees can be viewed here.
The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards hosted by LL Cool J will air live on FOX at 8 p.m. Eastern on March 22. Fans can also listen to the show on iHeartMedia radio stations or the iHeartRadio app.
Kanye West claimed he’s responsible for Pete Davidson’s exit from Instagram.
A day after Pete Davidson deleted his Instagram account, Kanye West boasted about running the comedian off the social media platform. ‘Ye took his victory lap while mocking the Saturday Night Live star he calls “Skete” in a post on Thursday (February 24).
“Ran Skete off the gram,” he wrote. “Tell your mother I changed your name for life.”
Kanye West has repeatedly referred to Pete Davidson as “Skete” while ranting about the comic on social media. ‘Ye began targeting the SNL cast member after the Staten Island native started dating the polarizing rapper’s estranged wife Kim Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian is currently in the process of divorcing Kanye West. Earlier this month, she expressed concern over Pete Davidson’s safety in a text message that ‘Ye posted on social media.
“You are creating a dangerous and scary environment and someone will hurt Pete and this will all be your fault,” the reality star told her soon-to-be ex-husband.
‘Ye responded by telling his Instagram followers to not physically attack Pete Davidson.
“UPON MY WIFE’S REQUEST PLEASE NOBODY DO ANYTHING PHYSICAL TO SKETE,” he declared. “IM GOING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION MYSELF.”
Kim Kardashian filed to divorce Kanye West in February 2021. She began dating Pete Davidson later that year.
Philthy Rich is a Bay Area legend, and he continues to release the hardest-hitting street anthems possible for his incredibly dedicated fanbase. One of the gems to hail out of Oakland, the self-proclaimed Sem God is the definition of someone who turned their life around for the better, persevering through all obstacles life throws at him and rising from the trenches.
While he couldn’t see himself living past 21, the West Coast rapper shifted his hustle into his own music, recording and perfecting his craft any chance he could. Now a decade and a half deep into the game, Philthy is slowly breaking through from the underground to the mainstream, most recently with his newest project titled Motivational Purpose.
The 12-track project is exactly what the title embodies, giving his fans hope and motivation that if he can make his wildest dreams come true, they can too. Spearheaded by lead singles “”King Of Oakland” and “Motivational Purpose,” the album reels in all-star appearances from Jeremih, Rich The Kid, Icewear Vezzo, OBN Jay, Larry June, Seddy Hendrinx, and more.
Philthy Rich discusses his come up, the new project, who motivates him, why he’s the King of Oakland, thoughts on Gunna’s “Pushin P,” “Broke Before” with YG Teck, his dog-breeding business, his feature price, doing a VERZUZ with Mistah Fab, and more!
AllHipHop: How does it feel to be where you are now, versus where you came from?
Philthy Rich: Man, I came a long way. I didn’t think I’d make it this far. Nah, I didn’t see myself making it this far at all. I don’t think kids from Oakland see themself… you know? I’m just happy to make it past 21. That was a blessing.
AllHipHop: Motivational Purpose out now, how are you feeling? I love the title, very inspirational.
Philthy Rich: Growing and coming of age, I wanted to start talking about different things. I don’t want to keep talking about the same things from the past. I’m into growth, I’m into change. I’m into being the boss: handling my business, taking care of my family. You don’t just want to motivate people, you’re also motivated by people. There’s a lot of people that motivate me also. I’m always looking to see and do bigger and better things.
AllHipHop: Who are some people that motivate you?
Philthy Rich: Music-wise? I like Meek. I like Lil Baby. I like whatever I can relate to. Whatever I can relate to, I like it. I like Ross also. I like Nip. People that want to do better.
AllHipHop: I love that you released a song called “King of Oakland.” Why are you the King of Oakland?
Philthy Rich: I feel like everybody’s kings. The competition’s not gonna say I’m the king because they’re not gon’ cheer for the other top dogs. The competition’s gonna give me my flowers so I’ll give myself my flowers. By me coming from where I came from and surpassing a whole lot of obstacles and overcoming everything makes me a king. Me taking care of my family makes me a king. So many different things. Me running a label and my different artists makes me a king. Me wanting to see other people shine and put people in position makes me a king. Me giving back to the community makes me a king. It’s not trying to talk down on nobody, s### on nobody or stunt on nobody, or big dog… you should carry yourself like that. The women should carry themselves like queens, the men should carry themselves like kings. Shouldn’t let nobody else tell them different.
AllHipHop: “I kept it independent just like Master P.” Talk about keeping it independent because a lot of people wish they could.
Philthy Rich: It’s the grind, the Bay Area grind. We were taught that young. When I first started rapping I started seeing man, I was making more money putting out more music. I’m like “okay I gotta stay putting out more music.” So the more music I put out, the more money I make.
AllHipHop: Because some people think they shouldn’t be dropping, you know?
Philthy Rich: The attention span is so short, they’ll be onto an album drop today and it’ll be over in 90 days. Back in the day, they’ll drop an album, you’ll tour for a year, drop another album next year. That’s the major label type thing, but a lot of artists flop that way because they be grinding the street. There’s a lot of artists that people have never seen before. I knew major artists from the city that got signed and people say “hey, what that guy look like? I’ve never seen him before.”
These same people that’s reppin’ Oakland, wherever they from, and people in Oakland never even seen you. If you start at the top, you gotta finish at the top. If you start at the bottom then make it to the top, you can fall off up here and come back down and relate, and then build yourself back up. You start here, blow up, then come back down and people still know you. If you blow up immediately and then come down, nobody don’t know you. [laughs] It’s like building a house, you’ve got to start from the ground up. You can’t work from top to bottom, it’s a foundation. You can start, get hot, get cold, get back hot, but at the end of the day, they watched you. They watched you build.
AllHipHop: What’s the reality of the grind for you? You just said you didn’t know if you would make it past 21.
Philthy Rich: Yeah, when I first started rapping. I was in the streets heavy: 4-way search clause, catching cases, having my second son, beefing with the dudes up the street, trying to rap. I’m like I need to do something different. Actually I got grabbed by homicide, they police are asking me “am I in my kids’ life?” I’m like “yeah.” They’re like “is your daddy in your life?” I’m like “no.” They’re like “well the way you’re going, you’re not going to be in their life.” I thought man I gotta do something different in my life before it be true, before I be a statistic.
AllHipHop: I interviewed Gunna 2 days ago. I asked him about what he thought about Bay artists claiming that he stole the term. He said it was just their lifestyle. How do you feel about the situation?
Philthy Rich: He might have felt like it’s just a lifestyle, but does he fit that lifestyle? Gunna, from Atlanta? How does he fit that lifestyle?
AllHipHop: Pushin P? Keeping it player?
Philthy Rich: No, that’s not just keeping it player. That’s not what that means.You could’ve just said “keepin it player” if that’s what that was.
AllHipHop: Okay, so what is Pushin P from a Baydestrian?
Philthy Rich: Pushin P can stand for a whole different thing. It can be what you just gave me right here [weed]. It could be dealing with females. His Pushin P ain’t the same because you can’t come from buying Berkins and trickin’ and all this, then be talkin about Pushin P. That’s something totally different, It don’t go together.
AllHipHop: But in the aspect of you guys all working your ass off to get to where you are in the rap game…
Philthy Rich: That has nothing to do with Pushin P. I’m talking about the lifestyle. Does he come from that lifestyle? Trickin’… and I ain’t saying nothing wrong with it. Shout out Gunna, I don’t have anything against you, Atlanta, whatever. But trickin’ does not go with Pushin P. That’s the Atlanta lifestyle, the South. If he made a song called Trickin’, people probably wouldn’t have felt a certain way. But you made a song called “Pushin P,” then in the song there’s certain things you’re not saying. Keep it real, I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me.
AllHipHop: Because a lot of your homies did care.
Philthy Rich: But you asked the question. I wasn’t in the comments mad or nothing. I’m just saying in general, how I look at that lifestyle from the South because I’ve been there, it’s totally different from the Bay Area and the meaning of what we feel is Pushin P. So he might feel however he feel, but we feel something totally different. That’s our lifestyle and I don’t feel like that’s their lifestyle. But shout out to Gunna,. I don’t really care. I don’t fall into the trends or the fads, or follow what everybody does. If he made a song saying that, okay cool. I’m not bothered by it. I just feel like it’s two different lifestyles from California to Atlanta.
AllHipHop: How do you feel about your peers feeling some type of way about it?
Philthy Rich: You can’t make everybody happy. I do stuff that they don’t like. No matter what: if everybody likes you, something’s wrong.
AllHipHop: Who’s on the cover art for Motivational Purpose?
Philthy Rich: Me, my kids, a couple houses, some cars. Dre Feddi my cousin that passed away, some money, some jewelry, I think that’s it. Motivational Purpose, this is what I do it for as in my kids and my cousin that passed away. You can have these things. You can accomplish these things if you grind. I’m not saying this is what it’s all about, but you can have these things.
AllHipHop: You put that song out “Broke Before.” What were you going through recording this one?
Philthy Rich: “Broke Before,” I just followed YG Teck lead. Really, I just sent him a beat. I’m a fan of his music. I like his music, he’s one of the biggest artists in Baltimore. I sent him the record, he sent it back. I listen to people I can relate, I can relate to him. I can’t do music with people I can’t relate to. I’ve been in the studio or people have sent me music to get on and I just couldn’t do it. Send me something else. It just didn’t work.
AllHipHop: What’s Philthy’s feature price?
Philthy Rich: [whistles] For the verse right now it’s $10K, for the show it’s $20K. $20K plus travel. Somebody just booked me today for Seattle.
AllHipHop: You excited?
Philthy Rich: I’ve been going at it for so long, I don’t really get excited like that anymore. My sister every time: “hey you need to get excited.” Even my birthday party, I’m always on the go so it’s normal life for me.
AllHipHop: But to perform the new project though?
Philthy Rich: I don’t perform it this soon. I wait. People don’t know it, unless we’re at a listening party and I’m playing the songs for you. I wait till they pick what song they’re vibing with, they do numbers and the people know it. I don’t like to get on stage and the people don’t know the music. So I wait. I just did a show in Kansas and I didn’t perform any of those songs. But I performed a couple of songs off like Phillip Beasley, that was before Solidified and Solidified was before Motivational Purpose. So I’m a let it generate a little bit. You get up there and rap it, they just looking at you stupid.
AllHipHop: I feel like real fans would know.
Philthy Rich: Yeah, the real fans gonna vibe to whatever it is. I want to be up there if I cut the mic, they’ll know to say the words.
AllHipHop: What is your favorite song to perform then?
Philthy Rich: I don’t know, they all got different vibes. I like to keep it real, but when I do “S63,” the second verse they quote that. When I do “Make A Living”, the second verse they quote that without the music. I like that type of stuff, interact with the crowd.
AllHipHop: You’ve got some fire features. How’d “Safe” with Jeremih come about?
Philthy Rich: Shout out my boy Hitmaka, you know he’s an A&R at EMPIRE. He also did a record off Phillip Beasley with Landstrip Chip out of Atlanta, he produced that one also. It was a dope record. We actually had Ty$ on it at first.
AllHipHop: What happened?
Philthy Rich: Clearance, clearance is crazy. We might be able to use it later on as a remix, but he had half the hook and a verse on there. Fire.
AllHipHop: I know Ty and Jeremih’s energy is crazy too.
Philthy Rich: People don’t understand like rapping is just part of, half of being a rapper. There’s so much different stuff you gotta do besides rapping. A lot of people don’t understand all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes. Mind you, I’ve had that record two albums prior. They’ve been working on the clearance, trying to get it done. It was on the billboard of Phillip Beasley with Jeremih and Ty$ in it. We had to take it down and re-put it up because we didn’t get it cleared in time.
AllHipHop: That’s so irritating!
Philthy Rich: It’s just when different artists are on major labels, you gotta go through them and they gotta clear it. The lawyers have to approve it. If they got an album coming out, they don’t want nobody to drop no music because it can take away from their album. It’s a process.
AllHipHop: You know the artist Suigenersis? He got a NBA Youngboy feature and he said the same s###, it’s impossible.
Philthy Rich: My boy had an NBA Youngboy feature a long time ago, before he blew up. My boy Murdock, but they never put it out. See if that’s still independent, I would’ve just dropped it. I would’ve put that s### on SoundCloud, Youtube, just leaked it. When it came out, it would’ve blew up and they would’ve f##### witth it. I would’ve just put it out, but that’s the labels. When you sign to labels, they want their percentage. They want to cut of whatever you do. You can get a feature, then they can cease and desist it or they don’t clear it and you never can put it out. Even the people that pay for features. You can pay for a feature, but then if you don’t pay for that yellow paper, you can’t do nothing with it. And then when you pay for that yellow paper, that’s just the clearance. They still need a percentage off of whatever that record sells. They gon’ do the verse. They might do the verse for free for you, but you still gotta pay in the long run.
AllHipHop: How do you navigate the business? Obviously independent’s a little bit better.
Philthy Rich: It’s better for me because I don’t have to go through clearing records and all that type of stuff. You get a verse from me, you can throw it up the same day. I’m not into that. But dealing with the bigger artists that’s signed to majors, that’s how you gotta do it.
AllHipHop: I know you’ve got FOD Entertainment, you’re turning into a music exec. How’s that been?
Philthy Rich: I can’t say it’s been easy because I’ve got 12 artists. One right there: JUST BANG, Toohda Band$, Skinny T, Lil Trey, Lil Steve.
AllHipHop: I interviewed Sada Baby and he said he had 32 artists.
Philthy Rich: It’s hard when you’re actually doing something everyday, because I’m tryna drop music from each artist every month. Not each artist, but an artist from the label every month. We already got February, we got March, working on April. I’m trying to drop a tape every week and every month, from so many different artists. It shouldn’t be hard. And push it, like the old Master P.
AllHipHop: Talk about SemGod x Drank God Icewear Vezzo. Shoutout to Icewear, one of the hardest out of Detroit.
Philthy Rich: That’s my boy. I was rockin with Ice, Peezy, GT, Babyface back in the day. I love Detroit. Detroit’s my second home. Vezz, that’s my bro. Been rocking with him going to Detroit, him coming to Oakland. All of them, really. Really the whole Detroit, shout out to Detroit.
AllHipHop: Talk about relating, I feel like you and Vezzo have…
Philthy Rich: Yeah, we got the chemistry. Everybody wants to do a tape. We were gonna do one, but he ended up going down. That’s when he had went to the feds before he came home. We just haven’t got in there like that.
AllHipHop: Damn, y’all were tapped in before that? That’s wild.
Philthy Rich: We been tapped in before me and you did that interview. I done been stuck in the D for a week in the snow, couldn’t leave. Snowed in. Tee Grizzley before he blew up, really everybody. I love the D, for sure.
AllHipHop: I know you’re always drippy. What are your favorite places to shop?
Philthy Rich: Right now, Gucci. And the reason why is because I can just go in there… I just left there before I came here.
AllHipHop: On Rodeo?
Philthy Rich: Yeah, shoutout Lonsi. I can just go in there, throw a whole fit on and leave. So it’s easy. That’s the same way I used to be with Amiri, with Versace, even back in the day with True Religion and Rocawear. S### used to be the same way. I done did every designer. That’s just what I’m on right now.
AllHipHop: Talk about Real Bullies Back in Style, your dog breeding business.
Philthy Rich: That’s going good. I try to touch every aspect of revenue. Again with the rap industry, it’s a stepping stone to do everything else. Once you become a household name, once you build a platform, I could be charging n*ggas $50K for dogs right now. I don’t but I could because of who I am. Okay cool, give me $50K. I’m a drop the dog off, we gonna take a picture, sign an autograph, and then bye. I don’t be wanting to try to overdo the dog game and try to take over. Then the community be mad at me because “oh he thinks he’s poppin’ because he’s a rapper.” I really want to be in it. I really take the dogs to the vet everyday, I ain’t got nobody else doing it. I really get the progesterone tests and the breeding, all the shots.
AllHipHop: That’s a lot, how many dogs do you have?
Philthy Rich: I used to have a kennel, but right now I’ve got like 10. This is all I do everyday. He’ll tell you, I get up everyday at 6 in the morning. Let the dogs out, put the other dogs on the side. Feed them, give them they medicine. I let them out, feed them back, the other dogs when they gotta be bred. I take ’em out myself. I’ve got my own dog car, he be mad. He’s like “bro, this your dog car?” Yeah, this a million dollar car. Let’s get them to the vet back and forth. I do it all myself.
AllHipHop: Did you always have a love for dogs?
Philthy Rich: Yeah, even since a kid. I had pitbulls and rottweilers, all that.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to be this entrepreneur, rapper?
Philthy Rich: I mean, it’s the same way when I hustled when I was in the streets. When I was in the streets and I was young coming up, it’s the same way I hustled then. It’s just a different game now. I know how to rap hustle. I know how to dog hustle. I’m a put my mind to it, I’m a get it right.
AllHipHop: What are you most excited for next? Do you have any goals?
Philthy Rich: Make a million dollars off Cameo. This new app, this new partnership we doing right now. Hit me up for some shoutouts: birthdays, I do quinceaneras. I do it all man. Just continue to grow, continue to be blessed, continue to be great. See my people grow, be great. That’s the type of vibe I’m on.
AllHipHop: If there’s one song you want people to listen to off of the new project, what should it be?
Philthy Rich: “Motivational Purpose,” the title track. That’s it. That’s the best song on there for me. I had put it up, it had did numbers, I had to take it down because of Youtube. There was a female in there and she was dancing, then they made it age restricted. I had to take it down then put it up on Vevo, it was going crazy at first. Then I go see somebody’s video over here, they got 20 girls twerking and dancing. There’s one girl in my video, I’m like “what?” Why this ain’t age restricted or taken down?. I’m no hater or no snitch to be like “hey bro, y’all don’t take his down,” but damn! I got one girl for half a shot. I hate when they do that bro. I’ve got a few videos on there that would do numbers, but they do that. That’s just the life, another obstacle you’ve got to overcome. Shoutout to Vevo though because they accepted it. They rocking with it so that’s what I’m rocking with from here on out.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Philthy Rich: That’s it man. Grab that Motivational Purpose, it’s doing what it’s doing right now. Probably gonna drop another video soon. This weekend, I have that VERZUZ with [Mistah] Fab in the Bay. Me and Fab are doing a VERZUZ in the Bay. Not through the Triller company, but we’re gonna do it ourselves. You gotta come out.
AllHipHop: I grew up on Mr. Fab! That’s so epic, where’s it going to be?
Philthy Rich: Oakland. I’m going out there from here.
AllHipHop: I grew up on the Hyphy movement!
Philthy Rich: Oh you on that side then. Over there, on that side. We over here, the streets over here. It’s the streets versus Hyphy.
AllHipHop: Who’s gonna win?
Philthy Rich: It ain’t about winning, picking or whatever. Just rapping, celebrating, but we know who got the numbers. We know who got the numbers when you put the numbers up.
For all the tech we have in our lives that we take for granted, we can easily overlook the pioneers behind them and the hip-hop stars in their own relative fields.
Before Dr. Dre and his pioneering approach to audio, we had Jesse Russell.
Jesse Eugene Russell is an American inventor known for pioneering the digital cellular base station and fiber optic microcell and has been at the forefront of innovation for cell phone users.
Born April 26, 1948, in Nashville, Tennessee, he spent his early childhood in the deprived neighborhoods of Nashville.
After attending a summer educational program at Fisk University, he began his academic and intellectual pursuits, going onto Tennessee State University, where he focused on electrical engineering.
After graduating, Russell became the first African American to be hired by AT&T Bell Laboratories directly from a Historically Black College or University.
Jesse Russell rose through the ranks at the company working in various roles, including Vice President of Advanced Communications Technologies, Vice President of Advanced Wireless Technology Laboratory, and the Chief Wireless Architect of AT&T.
In 1988, Russell created the concept for the wireless digital phone and communication after designing a cell phone that transmitted signals between handsets and cell phone towers rather than in-between cars, which was common practice at the time, making mobile phones more handy and affordable.
Russell’s team developed the technology that transformed communications and was dubbed as “2G” for the “second generation” of mobile phone systems, paving the way for the technology we all use today.
As Jesse Russell developed his expertise, he established and led an Innovation Center focused on Applied Research in Advanced Communication Technologies.
Russell was instrumental in the rapid realization of new access network platforms so AT&T could expand its broadband communication network options.
In addition to his work with AT&T, Russell’s other accomplishments include the Outstanding Young Electrical and Computer Engineer of the Year Award in 1980, U.S. Black Engineer of the Year in 1992, and in 1995, he was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering.
Jesse Russell is also notable for dozens of patents of innovations in wireless technology, including “Base Station for Mobile Radio Telecommunications Systems” (1992) and the “Wireless Communication Base Station” (1998).
Russell is now CEO of incNETWORKS, a company specializing in 4G broadband wireless communications.
Furthermore, he has been innovative in many aspects of wireless communication systems, architectures, and technology which has shaken up the wireless communication industry.
As a pioneer in tech, Jesse Russell has done so much for how we communicate in the modern world.
Without his engineering aptitude and the ability to look at things differently, we would still be using cell phones in our cars and nowhere else!
Quality Control Music’s Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas inked a deal with SoundCloud.
According to Variety, the duo’s management company Solid Foundation and SoundCloud teamed up for a joint venture to discover and develop artists. The Quality Control founders will work with the streaming service to establish custom A&R programs for creatives on the platform.
“With our years of ear-to-the-street skills coupled with SoundCloud’s endless stream of talent and powerful data pointing to what is authentically bubbling up in the scene I can’t think of a better merging of passion, intel and skill sets to create countless new paths for emerging artists,” Thomas said. “We are beyond excited for this partnership.”
Lee added, “There is nothing more important to our process than discovering new artists, so partnering with SoundCloud, one of the most important hotbeds of talent, is incredibly exciting to us. Their data merging with our time-tested way of cultivating and building artists will be a blend to be reckoned with!”
Quality Control will provide services such as distribution and marketing to select artists on SoundCloud. Thomas and Lee will find talent using the streaming service’s data and resources.
“Coach K and P are two of the most influential voices in music, having identified, developed and grown some of the most successful hip-hop acts of our time,” said Eliah Seton, president of SoundCloud. “With this deal, we’re bringing together SoundCloud, the largest A&R source on the planet, with the creative genius of Coach and P.”
Lizzo planned to make Ursula “fine as hell” if she landed the part in “The Little Mermaid” reboot.
Lizzo hit the headlines in 2018 when she made a video of herself singing “Poor Unfortunate Souls” as the sea witch from the 1989 animated Disney version, with the clip racking up three million views.
In addition, Lizzo auditioned when director Rob Marshall began casting for the live-action update the following year.
“Everyone knows I auditioned for Ursula in Disney’s upcoming live-action ‘The Little Mermaid,’ and I didn’t get it. But you know, I’m fine as hell,” she told Variety. “That has nothing to do with Ursula, but I was down to make Ursula a THOT, shaking ass.”
While Lizzo was pleased with her audition, the part eventually went to Melissa McCarthy.
And though she may have been disappointed over the result, the singer – real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson – revealed that there were no hard feelings when she bumped into Melissa at Adele’s “One Night Only” concert in Los Angeles last November.
“She was like, ‘Hi, I’m Melissa.’ And I was like, ‘Hi, I’m Melissa. And I also auditioned for Ursula.’ And she was like, ‘Well, why the hell did I get the part?’ which is a classic Melissa McCarthy thing to say,” the 33-year-old recalled. “And then she goes, ‘This is my daughter Vivian.’ And I’m like, ‘Get out of here, because my name is Melissa Viviane.’ We were looking at each other like, ‘What the hell is going on?'”
“The Little Mermaid,” also starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, and Javier Bardem is set to be released in May 2023.
Kim Kardashian is tired of being married to Kanye West and wants a judge to hurry up and make her single.
According to TMZ, one of the reasons she wants out is because his actions are causing her emotional distress. In court documents obtained by the outlet, the mother of four said, “I very much desire to be divorced.”
She also said she wanted to keep the divorce proceedings private, but Ye has “not done so.” The billionaire said that her husband’s social media keeps the public aware of troubles in their relationship, which has caused family trauma.
One of the other things Kanye had done to cause conflict was when he asked a judge to stop Kim from transferring assets out of any family trusts. Kim contends that is just another facetious request, especially since both of them signed prenups before they got married.
Because of the prenup, all of their trusts and assets are separate. To top this off, even Kanye’s lawyers recognize that the prenup is valid, so his requests are moot points.
The court documents also noted that Kanye’s lawyers have acknowledged that they have trouble getting through to him about his unreasonable requests.
Kim’s lawyer said in 2021, “But as you also know, we face challenges in communicating with our client — and the validity of the prenup (with all of its related legal implications) is a heavy issue to broach.”
A multi-talented person having excelled in three different fields which are music production, music artist, and nutrition specialist, the 32-years old Ruti Gomes has successfully made her presence felt through her hip-hop singles.
Based out of Sinop in Brazil, Ruti is particularly known for creating rhythmic music for gym-goers and fitness-conscious people that have been acclaimed globally. Such music comes as a great help for physical training and nutrition routine.
This became evident as Ruti’s singles like Dance Corporate Gym, Villain at the Gym, Fitness Gym, Energetic Retro Gym, and Metal at the Academy turned globally popular and made rounds in social media.
Born on July 8, 1989, Ruti opened up a new vista in the field of Hip-Hop as she blended the rhythms with the fitness regime and musically highlighted the importance of nutrition. As this was rarely done earlier, it proved her immense creativity.
In fact, such an effort was the need of the hour as the outbreak of COVID-19 brought to light the prime importance of remaining fit by developing the body’s immune system with the help of nutritious food. To fight the CoronaVirus, our body really needs to be armored and that can be done only through raising the level of public consciousness about nutrition.
Drawn to the domain of music at the age of 15, Ruti developed her taste for electronic music. Subsequently, she decided to produce musical albums.
A person who believes in a balanced lifestyle and following the nutrition action plan, Ruti also imparted lessons to the students and others to follow the same to lead healthier and happy lives. Ruti’s fitness Mantra is quite clear: the human body needs fuel which is food to live normal and healthy lives.
Naturally, the food for life must be nutritious to help them avoid diseases and stay fit. This is just like a machine: a machine needs fuel to run and it can run well if the fuel is pure. She blended this thought with music which the public liked greatly.
Ruti brought to the surface the fact that human wellness and wellbeing depends totally on intake of nutritious food and not junk food to which a large number of us are addicted. This thought found excellent expression through her pop songs thus creating a new awareness among the people.
Here, her innovativeness can be seen clearly.
To a media question what was the challenge Ruti faced and how did she overcome it, the pop singer musingly says: “I made it a mission to propagate the value of remaining fit in life and showcased it through rhythmic ways. When I began that, I was a little nervous as to how people would accept it? But the grand success of having seen people supporting my views greatly pleases me.”
As a musician and nutrition expert, Ruti believes human life should be disease-free to enjoy it the way one enjoys a rap song. Life should also have rhythms of its own if one is healthy both mentally and physically. Hence, her songs are also full of optimism with the tag of good health for longevity attached to it.
Since the audience found such nutrition-teaching a marked departure from the usual claptrap being taught through energizing your brain with music. Certainly, Ruti has opened up a new chapter in rap music by linking it with human life. You can keep a tab on Ruti Gomes’s life journey on Instagram or Spotify. She regularly shares new updates with her fans and followers on Instagram.
The third man arrested for the murder of Young Dolph stepped into a Memphis court on Wednesday, February 23rd.
According to the local ABC News affiliate, during his first appearance before the judge, Devin Burns was hit with a $100,000 bond and told to return next week on Monday, February 28th.
The 27-year-old has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault and one count of property theft in the amount of $10,000-60,000.
“On January 11th, Mr. Shundale Barnett was brought to the Clay County Jail by the Indiana State Police from an arrest on I-70,” Clay County Sheriff Paul Harden recalled. “He was booked in the Clay County Jail on an outstanding warrant from Shelby County, Tennessee.”
“We held them (Johnson and Barnett), contacted Shelby County, and held him (Barnett) on their warrant, and we were contacted on January 21st, and they told us that they were no longer wanting to come up and pick up Mr. Barnett and that we were to release him at that time.”
No trace of Barnett has been detected by law enforcement. A search for Taylor is also in full swing.
Young Dolph was murdered in a drive-by shooting outside of a Memphis cookie bakery in November 2021.
Investigators are slowly putting the pieces together to solve the murder of the rap star.
Battle rappers often fall foul of the common misconception that they can’t make quality music. Despite the success of artists like Tsu Surf, whose recent collaborators include Benny The Butcher and G Herbo and Mozzy, or Arsonal Da Rebel with his tracks featuring NLE Choppa and Wyclef Jean, the stigma remains.
Veteran female battle rapper Chayna Ashley continues to challenge that misconception. The Bronx native dropped her latest album, “Ashes To Ashes,” on Wednesday (Feb. 24).
Chanya takes center stage on the eight-song project with a combination of her powerful delivery and elite lyricism. The only features come on “All My Life,” a tale of overcoming adversity. Ama Musiek delivers a compelling hook, while fellow female battle rapper Starquiasha a.k.a Star Smilez spits the second verse.
After cementing her role in female battle rap, Chayna Ashley took a break in 2019. However, she is making her return, which also motivated her to get back in the studio and create her new album.
Chayna Ashley Says “True Lyricism” Is Making A Comeback
Now, with new developments, including the recent addition of Remy Ma as a league owner with her Chrome 23 battle league, Chayna Ashley knew the time was ripe for her return. “I see what’s happening in female battle rap and know I can contribute at an elite level like I’ve always had,” Chayna explained to AllHipHop.com. “When I do get back in that ring, they’re going to pray I stayed away,” she added.
Furthermore, Chayna believes “true lyricism” is making a comeback, the perfect time for her return. Despite this, she initially questioned her content and was unsure if she would be accepted back into the fold.
I strayed away and lost my way,” Chayna admitted. “Now I see that it never really left and know this is the time to show my true appreciation and RAP!” She added, “This is hip-hop and this is what it was meant to be!”
Chayna Ashley also discussed the challenges of making music in addition to battling and says mastering both is not an easy task. Both test MCs in different ways, which she says “truly pushes your pen and skill.”
She continued, “My battles showed me to not fear any moment! My music showed me I could touch lives and change them for the better. Both worlds have huge parts in my life and I’m glad to be at home in both!”
