More than 3,000 people signed a petition calling for Kanye West to be removed from this year’s Coachella Festival.
Kanye West’s harassment of Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, among others, led to a user creating the petition on Change.org. The online campaign hopes to get ‘Ye axed from the 2022 Coachella Festival lineup.
“We have watched Kanye harass, manipulate, and hurt Kim, Pete, and others for over a year now,” the petition’s creator wrote. “No one seems to want to stand up to him, and the ones that do, he puts under fire as well. Most recently, he has been threatening actual bodily harm on others.”
The user added, “This is ridiculous that he is allowed to freely do this. Coachella (along with other brand names that are still working with him) should be ashamed of themselves and should not be giving him any more of a platform.”
Kanye West is set to co-headline the 2022 Coachella Festival, which takes place in April. ‘Ye previously threatened to bail on the gig if fellow headliner Billie Eilish didn’t apologize to Travis Scott over a perceived diss.
“COME ON BILLIE WE LOVE YOU PLEASE APOLOGIZE TO TRAV AND TO THE FAMILIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES NO ONE INTENDED THIS TO HAPPEN,” ‘Ye wrote on Instagram in February. “TRAV DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN HE WAS ON STAGE AND WAS VERY HURT BY WHAT HAPPENED. AND YES TRAV WILL BE WITH ME AT COACHELLA BUT NOW I NEED BILLIE TO APOLOGIZE BEFORE I PERFORM.”
Billie Eilish didn’t apologize, noting she “never said a thing about Travis.” Kanye West believed she referenced Travis Scott’s role in the Astroworld tragedy when she said, “I wait for people to be OK before I keep going,” at one of her shows.
Coachella booked Billie Eilish to headline on April 16 and 23. Kanye West will be the headliner on April 17 and 24.
The LGBTQIA+ community wants to block rapper Boosie Badazz from performing in El Paso, Texas.
The protesters believe that Boosie, an artist known for his rich history of going on homophobic rants, incites messages of hate and violence against the community.
According to El Paso Matters, the “Wipe Me Down” artist has an upcoming concert at the Raves Night Club. But members of the LGBTQIA+ community hope that promoters hear their cry and pull the plug on the show.
One of the venue owners, Cynthia Bryant, said that she tried to get out of the contract with the artist but to no avail. She says she feels like “a fricking hypocrite.”
“I feel like such a failure because I couldn’t protect the one thing I stand for, and it breaks my heart. I don’t know how to fix it,” Bryant noted while saying her venue considers itself a safe allied space for the community.
Mamoud Kamara, the promoter for the concert, said that Boosie filmed an apology video for his statements but was not willing to make it public.
The concert will still go on, but the club has reserved the right to stop the show if anything goes sideways, “this includes violence, this includes hate, this includes verbal abuse.”
Despite these efforts, Amber Perez, an event promoter within the queer community, says that this is not enough to make Raves featuring Boosie a safe space.
“That’s crazy to me to think that you can literally say, ‘Oh yeah we hosted a Pride event but we’re going to host this person who is openly homophobic and transphobic, but you’re (the LGBTQ community are) still safe here,’” she said. “By the very definition, the idea of a safe space is one where you don’t necessarily need to have bodyguards and things like that.”
“El Paso Sun City Pride stands in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ Community and do not want artist like @boosiebadazzofficialfanpage in our city,” El Paso Sun City Pride said in a post on Instagram. “We call on our city leaders, community members to prevent hatred to enter our city. We already know what hate speech can bring to our community reflecting back to the August 3, 2019 mass shooting.”
The organization was referring to the August 2019 shooting in an El Paso Walmart, which left 22 people dead.
Dave East is a man of many talents. The Harlem spitter is holding it down for New York City right now, but his brand has leapt into worldwide superstardome. He has accomplished so much in a short period of time, but he is also climbing steadily atop another mountain.
And yet some things stay the same.
He just released a new project called How Did I Get Here? (HDIDH), where he gets deep but leaves much for fans to long for. The album is very personalbut he holds back just enough (9 songs) that will cause a demand for more. And more is what he gives us.
East didn’t deflect any conversation at all. He talked about his ability to still create incredibly engaging music, his burgeoning acting career, his life as a father, Nipsey and the state of Hip-Hop right now as the culture approaches its 50th anniversary. Right there in the middle is Dave East, a pillar of New York rap.
50 Cent is getting into business with the Houston Rockets.
The NBA franchise officially partnered with 50 Cent and his Sire Spirits company. The G-Unit rapper’s multi-year deal brings his Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne brands to Houston Rockets games and other events at the Toyota Center.
“Since I moved to Houston in January 2021, the love shown to me by this City has inspired me to make a positive and long-lasting impact in the community,” 50 Cent said in a press statement. “My investment in the Houston Rockets and their investment back into my charitable endeavors makes this partnership all the more special for me. I’m excited for what the future holds.”
50 Cent’s liquor brands will be showcased in multiple themed bars, a branded luxury suite and a courtside loge box. The Toyota Center’s Red & White Wine Bistro will be rebranded as the Sire Spirits Bar & Restaurant.
“In his time as a Houston resident, Curtis [Jackson] has demonstrated a strong passion for helping students in our under-served communities which mirrors the continued efforts we have as an organization, making this a perfect partnership,” Rockets President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr said. “Curtis’ business acumen and creativity have been well documented throughout his entertainment and entrepreneurial career and we’re excited to bring Sire Spirits to Toyota Center for fans to enjoy at Rockets games and our wide variety of events.”
50 Cent and Sire Spirits plan to sponsor the Black Sports Professional Career Fair and annual Black History Night. His G-Unity Foundation also intends to work with the Rockets to help parents and children attend games if they cannot afford tickets.
Bronx-born rapper Cardi B will be in court again after a security guard filed a lawsuit against her for an alleged assault.
The Grammy award-winner is being sued by Emani Ellis, who in 2018 was working in Beverly Hills as a security guard when she was allegedly attacked.
Ellis claims that Cardi “violently, unlawfully, intentionally, suddenly and maliciously striking her about the head, face, and body, placing (her) in great for her life and physical well-being, and legally causing her to sustain injuries and damages.”
Ellis alleges that Cardi, who is Afro-Latina, “spit on (her) and used multiple profanities and racial slurs against (her) who is African-American.”
As a result of Cardi B’s attack, the security guard says that she cannot work and now has “permanent disabilities.”
In a tweet that has since been deleted, Cardi spoke about the incident, saying, “Why don’t you guys post the part where the doctor’s office said that that’s not what happen? and if I assaulted why she didn’t press charges? Why would I put my hands on some1 twice my size by myself while I’m experiencing sharp pain 4 months pregnant?”
Now, Cardi admits to fighting the woman but says it was self-defense.
According to the Blast, legal documents state that any violence on Cardi’s part was “reasonably necessary” because she had to protect herself from the woman’s “assault.”
Her attorney wrote that the fight “was reasonably necessary for her self-defense and safety and was justified by (the security guards) assault.”
The lawyer also hopes a judge will not award Ellis for “Speculative Damages.”
This means she will not “recover any damages alleged because such damages, if any, are too speculative to be recoverable by law,” addressing Ellis’s claim that she sustained a “shock and injury to her nervous system.”
Donald Trump showed love to Kodak Black, who received a pardon from the ex-president last year.
Kodak Black’s lawyer Bradford Cohen shared a message from Donald Trump, who thanked the Atlantic Records artist for some public praise. The former president expressed his appreciation for Kodak Black saying, “Getting rid of Trump is the worst thing America could’ve did.”
“In case you think the President just gave out a commutation and then forgets about it…he doesn’t #N.F.L.,” Bradford Cohen wrote on Instagram alongside a screenshot of the message. “#L.O.V.E. from your Unc Trump…lol…”
Donald Trump granted clemency to Kodak Black and Lil Wayne, among others, in one of the ex-president’s final acts in office. Kodak Black, whose government name is Bill Kapri, was serving time in prison for falsifying information on federal forms to buy firearms.
After the pardon was announced, Kodak Black conveyed his gratitude via Twitter. Since then, he’s endorsed Donald Trump on several occasions.
“I Want To Thank The President @RealDonaldTrump For His Commitment To Justice Reform And Shortening My Sentence,” the Florida native wrote. “I Also Want To Thank Everyone For Their Support And Love. It Means More Than You Will Ever Know. I Want To Continue Giving Back, Learning And Growing. @DanScavino.”
Gorilla Nems joined the newly minted AllHipHop podcast and it was crazy. The Coney Island heavy bar spitter came to midtown Manhattan at the world-famous WonWorld Studios to join in a great conversation about his newly found international fame. Those of us that know (you know – real hardcore Hip-Hop heads), are very familiar with Nems as a battle rapper and an MC that holds nothing back.
However within the last six months his song “Bing Bong” has taken over social media, the radio, and the Internet. His voice has been streamed well over 1 billion times over social platforms that have allowed people to use his voice and lip-synch with them. The result is some of the funniest, craziest mess you ever saw from amateur comedians.
Nems is funny, but he’s not a comic. He’s an MC through and through. He’s not taking this opportunity lightly and he’s already begun to work on various TV opportunities, possible movies, and of course the music.
Chuck Creekmur aka Jigsaw and SlopsShotYa sit down with Nems to discuss his life, his trials and tribulations, and what he expects to do with his resurgence. He’s got a remix of his hits song that includes Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Paul Wall, Trae Tha Truth, and others. And brand new music is on the way too. Nems’ story is way past due, but also right on time.
Even at such a young age Hip Hop star, NLE Choppa has made his mark, and he’s even already expanded his endeavors far beyond just Hip Hop.
NLE is certainly his own competition as he continually battles himself on the journey of continued greatness.
Debuting at 16, NLE still displays so much passion and conviction with quite an energetic and aggressive delivery to this day.
The 19-year-old recently dropped his ‘Me vs. Me’ album that displays his sharp prowess and chronicles the layers and different sides of his life as well as the battles he faces with self daily.
While music is still very much on the forefront, the Memphis emcee also has been working in his community to open schools and libraries. He has also launched his food truck with the purpose of putting healthier food options in the community with the intent to change the thought process and improve the overall health of his community.
Health and wellness are near and dear to NLE Choppa, as this has also been evident through his work in alternative medicine and with the birth of his NLE Heath & Wellness store. NLE’s mission with the store is to help heal people holistically without the use of pharmaceuticals.
AllHipHop’sRea Davis had a chance to talk ‘Me vs. Me,’ health and wellness, expansion, and more with NLE.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to have achieved so much success at such a young age, especially since everything kind of took off when you were 16?
NLE Choppa: I just feel like it’s a blessing. I feel like it’s a lot of people, you know what I’m saying, a lot of older people that wasn’t doing what I’m doing at this age, and a lot of people right now are not doing what I’m doing at this age, so I feel like it’s a huge blessing because at the end of the day, it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come to a lot of us that early. A lot of people gotta work a little harder for it. Some things like this don’t come until like early or late twenties, damn near in your thirties. So, I just feel like I’m blessed, and God saw something in me that he instilled in me since birth. It put me in the position that I’m in today.
AllHipHop: Has it hit you yet? Sometimes when success hits, life is moving so fast. Do you live in the moment? Do you take it all in?
NLE Choppa: I really live in the moment, but I still feel like it just ain’t hit me hit me yet. I feel like the best time things do hit you is when it’s memory. I feel like a little later on in life I’m going to be like yo I really did all of this at this age. I really was this. A lot of stuff I don’t really too much enjoy right now because I’m always looking for the next thing. I’m trying to be better than who I was yesterday. I’m never really complacent with what I’m doing now. I’m just all about the next step. So when it does get to the time where I really just sit down and relax and look back on my life, I know like I’m going to be more grateful for these years/ my early years because it’s the foundation for my future.
AllHipHop: Talk to me about this project. What was the inspiration behind ‘Me Vs. Me?’
NLE Choppa: Um Myself. That’s pretty much why I named it ‘Me Vs. Me’ because I feel like I was battling myself good and bad. Whatever it was, I always came back to self with questions. Came back to self with what songs I should put on there. Came back to self with which songs were hard. Just battling myself. So, I feel like the biggest inspiration was me.
AllHipHop: So a lot of times we are in our own head, battling our own self on everyday decisions, or sometimes it can get a little hectic and sometimes we are in our own way. So how do you get around it when you are battling yourself?
NLE Choppa: Trusting you. You know what I’m saying. Having faith in what you do. Having faith in what God has already designed you to do. I feel like that’s why I named it ‘Me Vs. Me’ because it’s a lot of times as people we sit down and doubt ourselves, and that’s when we become our enemies. But as long as we know like whatever we doing is going to be achieved it’s no pressure on it, so I realize that even if I do doubt sometimes, I still stay with that goal. I still stay on a road that’s hard and that’s rocky because I know on the other side, it’s gonna be smooth. Just knowing that whatever you are trying to achieve is already achieved. Keep working.
AllHipHop: So you arebig on meditation. A lot of people are trying to get into meditation; a lot of people like it. What does meditation look like for you?
NLE Choppa: Meditation, I ain’t gonna lie, it saved my life. It was at a point of time where I was at my lowest, and I was at my lowest because just off the simple fact that I wasn’t even breathing right. I wasn’t getting the right amount of oxygen into the brain. I wasn’t getting the right amount of oxygen, and I wasn’t releasing the right amount of carbon dioxide. A lot of stuff had me toxic. A lot of stuff was building up. It really just saved my life because it brought calmness in my life because I was always on edge or just anxiety built or just depression built. It just brought a type of calmness in my life to let me know that everything is okay. Stay patient. Keep working.
AllHipHop: I know you are big on wellness as well, so did you stop smoking and drinking to focus on mental health? What was the reason?
NLE Choppa: No more smoking, no more drinking, no pills, no lean…none of that. I even cut off a lot of people and even changed my diet. So I feel like within meditation it opened my eyes to do all of the things to make sure I’m in the right state of mind.
AllHipHop: Do you ever have any conversations with your rapper peers about the importance of mental health?
NLE Choppa: Anytime I’m in a room with any rapper, I make sure I’m vocal about what I believe in and about what I do everyday. You never know, it might be their third or fourth time hearing it, and that may be the time that they take heed to it. When they see me do it, a lot of people wouldn’t listen to their own mom about certain things, but when they listen to someone who comes to them as them, they’ll listen to it. It’s like if a rapper comes to a rapper as a health guru, or like if a basketball player comes to a basketball player as a health guru. God sends you the help you need as you. God doesn’t send himself to people on who you think he might be. He sends it to people you will listen to the most. That’s my job.
AllHipHop: I know you are very passionate about also giving back to the community. I know that you are working on libraries and schools, and your herbal stuff. What else are you working on?
NLE Choppa: My food truck. Developing my food truck. Trying to get it to be a worldwide thing. When it gets up and running, do food truck tours, help feed people, do something like free food Friday for whomever is starving. They can come get some free food. Feed the homeless. Just stuff like that around my food truck. Just implementing…that’s really one of my main focuses right now.
AllHipHop: How has dad life changed your life? Especially having a little girl?
NLE Choppa: That’s pretty much why I got where I’m at. I knew change had to give especially if I was having a little girl because I wanted her to look up to somebody because you know at the end of the day I want her to view me as who she would like to date in the future, so she won’t be broken-hearted. I want to be a perfect role model to show her what a man is and what a man is supposed to do for her. I know that’s something that’s lacking in this world right now. Showing your daughter or giving your son who they are really supposed to be. How they are supposed to be taught and how they are supposed to grow up. That’s the one reason why I changed a lot of my life. I try to empty out a lot of the negative and bring in a lot of the positive.
AllHipHop: Talk to me about Tupac’s influence on you. I know you have the tattoo. We saw you pay homage in “Picture Me Grapin.” Talk to me about Tupac’s influence on you, and also, who else were you influenced by coming up?
NLE Choppa: Tupac was a major influence, major because not only what his music was, his music was beautiful. He had balance in his music, but who he was as a person day-to-day is what spoke volumes for me. What he stood on; the principles he stood on…the type of person he was. I’ve been in the same room with people who said they were in the room with him. I’ve been in the same room with producers who say they produced music for him. They said the type of person he was it never changed. It was always him. Even if it was one of his other six personalities, it was always true to that personality. Just being real. That’s what I take heed of, and that’s what I support. I feel like that’s what I want to be remembered for just being real.
AllHipHop: Who else influenced you coming up? What other artists?
NLE Choppa: Lil Wayne for sure. The diversity he had with his music. The diversity he had with his style. [He was] comfortable just in his own skin. I have to give a big shout out to Bob Marley. On my Rasta side because most of my family is Jamaican. My mother she was born in Kingston. My grandmother was born in Kingston. So I have Jamaican roots. Bob Marley, he played a huge role in my sound also.
AllHipHop: Speaking of Tupac, no one can deny that you are talented, but how did you feel about some of the critiques that came and some of the backlash that came when you made the comment about people drawing comparison to you and Michael Jackson and you and Tupac?
NLE Choppa: A lot of people don’t understand me. They don’t really know me. A lot of those comparisons come from people within my circle who see me on a day-to-day basis. A lot of people just see what they see on the social media, and that’s not who the person is internally. So a lot of people wouldn’t know the comparisons I give, but they’ll probably understand it when it’s too late. Like everybody else does when a person is probably gone or when a person is further down the road way older. They’ll understand it, it just wasn’t meant for them to understand now.
AllHipHop: So we’ve gotten a lot of great music out of Memphis over the years in Hip Hop. Who are some of your favorite artists out of Memphis?
NLE Choppa: Moneybagg, Pooh Shiesty, Big30. Those three are strong with me. I f*ck with them, and I grew up with 30 and Shiesty. We were in the studio before we blew, before I even blew. I always looked up to Bagg when he made his ‘Federal’ mixtape.
AllHipHop: Did you listen to any of the older artists too out of Memphis? Did you check out the Verzuz with Three 6?
NLE Choppa: Three 6 Mafia. Yeah Three 6 Mafia. DJ Paul, Juicy J, 8 Ball & MJG. All of those guys. It’s always been heavy in my household growing up from my parents. My mom, she went to a lot of Juicy J parties growing up, so just a lot stuff like that culturally and stuff.
AllHipHop:So speaking of Verzuz, whowould you like to see in a Verzuz battle?
NLE Choppa: In a Verzuz battle…I don’t really know. I’d like to see…if they were alive, I would’ve loved to see a B.I.G. and Pac one. I feel like that would be crazy, a Biggie and Pac one. Put some holograms together, and do something like that. That would be amazing.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
NLE Choppa: My sound is unique. I gotta lot of different sounds, a lot of different flows. I feel like they all come back as unique to me. I can rap on any beat. Country, rock, metal whatever it is, rap, R&B, anything. It’s just people haven’t heard that diversity yet, but this year they will hear it. I’m going to be dropping a lot more music. So, I just feel like my music is unique. One of a kind.
AllHipHop: Do you think you will be intopolygamy forever,or do you think it’s a right now thing?
NLE Choppa: Naw for sure forever. I just know the purpose of it. A lot of people do things because they hope it goes this way or think it may go this way, but I actually know the benefits of everything. I actually know what I can accomplish. I actually know what my ancestors did back in the day. I know how the Egyptians, how the Roman empires, how the Aztec empires, how all these empires thrive and strive for a long time because they had civilizations; they had villages, and people played their role, and did their role, and did what they had to do. Now we are in a new generation where a lot of stuff is brainwashed because the power that we hold is not really to be shared as far a melanated people, melanated beings. The power we have and the power we had once before, if we start to implement more of it in this generation, in this age, we would be able to get back what’s ours.
AllHipHop: Who are your Top5 favorite rappers dead or alive?
NLE Choppa: I don’t really like to do these because honestly I feel like I always miss out people. I gotta give Pac…gotta put Pac in there. I gotta put Wayne in there. I gotta put DMX in there. I gotta put Biggie in there, and I’ll guess I’ll put me in there. I guess that category is kind of hard because I resonate with people for different reasons. I try to stay away from those type of questions because I feel like I always forget somebody. It’s so much talent dead or alive. You can go to the Lil Snupes. Lil Snupe had so much potential. Great artist.
AllHipHop: What other endeavors are you tapping into? What else do you want to do? What else do you see beyond music?
NLE Choppa: Acting, TV shows, movies. I feel like I need to implement this year. I’m supposed to be getting my own TV show, and hopefully I’m supposed to be in a movie by the end of this year, so we getting it done.
AllHipHop:If your sex life was amovie? What would be the title?
NLE Choppa: ‘Young & Wild.’
Photo Credit- Johnnie Carpenter courtesy Warner Records
Twantooinked the Colorado “Ball” musician says he has been on a roller coaster grind his entire life however entering the 2022 year it just feels a bit different. He was able to do something he says he hasn’t done in years which was actually sit back and reflect on a successful 2021 music year. He removed himself from social media. In doing so he was able to take time away to think, appreciate personal goals while building up new milestones in doing so he found himself taking a look back at missed opportunities.
He states so much happened in 2021 musically. Ranging from songs “ Don’t care “ and “Ball” both surpassing one million streams to his first music video gaining well over 500,000 views on YouTube. Twantooinked musician obtained his very own verified account on today’s most popular music site SoundCloud. As this year 2022 welcomed itself in immediately he naturally went back into grind mode with all aspects in life he states whether it was a new house, replacing his iconic Ford Mustang convertible which has been mentioned in songs “Don’t care” and “Ball” and then eventually stolen and totaled out by an unknown car thief.
Twantooinked states he had wrapped around the idea of where do I go from here he felt as if he was in the same space with everyday surroundings while musically he was in a whole different space reaching levels that were unexpected. During the social media hiatus, he was able to build a year’s worth of new music, new ideas, new goals, and looks Foward to having new accomplishments.
For updates and exclusives regarding Twantooinked Musician, songwriter follows him on socials below.
Since the birth of social media, we’ve seen hundreds of songs from legacy artists have their own viral moments and reach new audiences across generations. There have also been countless times where such artists have been trending after appearing in funny or controversial videos. This begs the question: why aren’t more legacy acts capitalizing on this momentum and re-energizing their fanbase by being present on these platforms, creating their own content?
According to entrepreneur/music marketer Sean Taylor, AKA BrandMan Sean, a primary reason for this is that they’re skeptical about the value that social media will bring when they’re already successful. He believes that artists are missing out hugely due to their reluctance to adapt when it comes to investing their time being on one platform in particular. “There’s no faster way to market established acts than by getting them active on TikTok. Once you win TikTok, the other platforms fall like dominoes”, Taylor states.
One such artist who wasn’t convinced that TikTok was for her was Grammy-award winner Macy Gray. The R&B/Soul singer was a firm believer that her core demographic wasn’t on TikTok and the platform wouldn’t be the best way to spend her time/budget to promote her music.
However, since working with BrandMan Sean’s content marketing and advertising agency, ContraBrand, not only were they able to change her mind but they were also armed with content ideas ready to strike while the iron’s hot following Gray’s viral performance of ” The Star-Spangled Banner” at last month’s NBA All-Star game. This has worked to such great effect that you could confidently cite Gray as being a trailblazing legacy act on TikTok.
While her performance was doing the rounds across socials in the hours following the game, garnering millions of views, existing and new fans were also able to connect with the American singer-songwriter directly, rushing to follow her on TikTok and Instagram. While many legacy acts have verified accounts, they are often being run by their management being used as merely a music promotion tool. However, in Gray’s case, she’s been posting her own videos, doubling down since her performance at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. As a result, she went from around 400 followers to over 90,000 in just a matter of days.
“When it comes to Macy it’s not even as much about gaining new fans like it is with newer clients, it’s just more about how do we reengage these people who already know who you are, and remind them that you exist”, explains Jacorey Barkley, co-founder of ContraBrand Agency. “You need to let them know that you do have new music coming out, which is what the digital ads and even the social moments are all helping to do. It’s easy from an execution standpoint, and a material standpoint, but it has been hard from a standpoint of convincing Macy to hop on and give TikTok a try as she’s already successful”, Barkley states.
There have been plenty of videos going viral featuring Gray in the past couple of weeks. From LeBron James trying to hold back his laughter during her rendition of the national anthem, to fans taking to social media to talk about her aggressively hugging Jennifer Hudson backstage at the NBA All-Star game, Gray’s big personality is tailor-made for social media.
“The great thing about working with Macy is that every time she goes out in public and does something with somebody she’s literally like a walking viral moment”, Barkley laughs. “That’s been really great because even now we’re building out these game plans and how to strengthen those viral moments and give them a little bit more legs rather than just letting them just be one-off things that happened here and there and actually having a place for fans to and follow and engage with her directly.”
ContraBrand is a content marketing and advertising agency that first made waves in the industry after working with rapper/singer 24kGoldn, leveraging TikTok to accelerate trends that helped his single, CITY OF ANGELS, to over 200 million streams. That success led to several future TikTok campaigns, including helping build a groundswell for his first Billboard #1 hit, Mood.
Gray’s not just been benefitting from being a walking viral moment when around others as Barkley describes her, she’s also been creating her own solo viral videos. Gray recently participated in the trending #dropitchallenge, with her video racking up over 1.9 million views to date.
Her caption ‘when you’re 50 and u can’t get all the way down….’ sparked lots of support in the comments on TikTok, including Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Nicole Scherzinger, who wrote, “U did your thing on it sis!!!”, as well as a fan who wrote “I’m 34 And I’m with you. I love you, your music makes my not flexible body move just fine.”
ContraBrand Agency’s focus when building campaigns with artists lean heavily on utilizing narratives, influencers, and social trends across multiple platforms to build omnipresence within digital communities. BrandMan Sean firmly believes that Gray can and will become the blueprint for how to successfully market legacy artists in the TikTok era.
“Macy is a unique personality that has always benefited from being herself and there’s no faster way to rebrand an established act like Macy Gray than TikTok”, says Taylor. “But be clear that TikTok is just the starting point. We have big ideas and there’s plenty more to come.”
Billions of people around the world enjoy the passion and creativity that music can bring to their lives, and many of them choose to pursue it as their career. This is simultaneously motivating and difficult since so many others are choosing to do the same. There are many ways that a musician can make themselves stand out amongst the competition, one of them being a multi-talented creator. This is exactly what Tiana Musarra has accomplished. The model, YouTuber, and author are now pivoting her talents to singing and songwriting, using the world as her stage.
Born in New York,Tiana moved to Miami to pursue a career in modeling. This career perfectly suited her demeanor, and she has become a well-known face in the modeling industry. Tiana has even participated in globally renowned fashion events like New York Fashion Week. Even after accomplishing a series of milestones as a model, Tiana never wanted to limit her talent to a single industry. This is why she pivoted her talents toward songwriting.
In 2018,Tiana started writing poems to express her feelings and thoughts. Her friend is also a singer, and she motivated her to pursue songwriting as a career move. Initially, Tiana didn’t take it seriously, but she explored her talent further and started writing poems after a while. She changed her poems into songs that connected with people from all walks of life. In 2020, Tiana dropped her debut album, Odyssey, which had 7 songs. The album was released in collaboration with the famous singer Kish. Their musical talent complements one another, with Kish’s innate talent and Tiana’s smooth voice making the quality of the tracks top-tier.
Tiana and fellow artist Jahkoy are creating a 6-7 song EP, each track with R&B vibes. The two started the album unconventionally: they connected over Zoom since Tiana was in Miami and Jahkoy was in Canada at the time. They worked this way for 2 years, sharing their ideas and talents to create something special Now that Jahkoy has relocated to Miami, they’ll be finishing the album in a studio face-to-face.
One way the dynamic duo is making their music stand out is by creating tracks that are easy to relate to.
“When we create, we always get more and more ideas from just one story happening in our lives, or even in our friend’s lives,” shares Tiana. “The music always tends to come out really emotional and easy to connect to.”
In addition to her success as an artist, Tiana wrote a devotional journal titled 15 Days of Daily Devotions. Tiana’s daily devotional journey changed her life completely, and she believes it will do the same for others. Being an influencer and a model on social media has its own challenges. She had to deal with negative comments and hate from people who don’t even know her. Her faith in God has helped her, giving her the strength to carry on and achieve success.
Within a few days of publishing the journal, it sold out twice. This is quite an achievement forTiana, considering this is the first book she has written. Tiana also hopes to continue this journey, sharing more devotional experiences with people in the coming years.
East London-born Jamaican R&B & Hip Hop songstress Tiana Major9 has truly affected the culture as such a versatile artist with her own hypnotic hybrid of R&B, jazz, soul, and rap.
The uniquely talented artist has now released her ‘Fool Me Once’ EP while simultaneously being on the ‘Heaux Tales’ tour with Jazmine Sullivan.
From MOBO Award nominations to Grammy nominations, the new neo-soul leading light shows no signs of slowing down.
Tiana Major9 previously garnered a Grammy nomination for “Best R&B Song” for her collaboration with EARTH-GANG on “Collide,” from the Queen & Slim soundtrack.
With widespread acclaim and hundreds of millions of streams to-date, Tiana Major9 has certainly made her mark across genres.
AllHipHop’sRea Davis had a chance to speak to Tiana Major9 about her new EP, tour life, her Grammy nod, biggest influences, and much more.
AllHipHop:You are such a versatile artist. Who are some of your biggest influences?
Tiana Major9: I would say Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and Amy Winehouse just to name a few.
AllHipHop:What was it like growing up in East London?
Tiana Major9: I would say normal to me, but I guess that means nothing to you.
Tiana Major9: What do mean specifically?
AllHipHop:For those who’ve never been to London, take us there.
Tiana Major9: We wore our school uniforms. Um I went to a mixed school. It was very cold. We used to watch a lot of American TV.
AllHipHop:How old were you when you learned you wanted to do music, and how did your upbringing affect that career trajectory?
Tiana Major9: I was five, and I learned to sing or I loved singing in the church. So going to church every Sunday just solidified the fact that I wanted to sing, and just like sing for the rest of my life.
AllHipHop:So how did it feel when you received the Grammy nomination?
Tiana Major9: I didn’t believe it. I mean I understand why it received the nomination, “Collide” sorry because it’s a beautiful song, and it really touched people. It really reached people, but I think at the time I was just like I can’t believe this is happening because I was like a baby in my career, and no one knows me yet. People know me now.
AllHipHop:How did you celebrate?
Tiana Major9: I just had…it was like a virtual Grammys, so I was just at home. I ordered from this place called Sushisamba which is like Japanese and Brazilian sushi, and I got my dad to go pick it up because they weren’t doing delivery. I just got dressed up at home and ate sushi and drank.
AllHipHop:So how has pandemic life been for you?
Tiana Major9: Um, it’s been cool. I’ve been able to work. The first half of it was quite hard because we couldn’t really do much. We couldn’t travel, but as things started to ease up around the world, I was able to travel, come back to LA and just shoot videos and content and just be in the studio and be around people, but the first half, it was really tough, especially because I was living alone as well. It was very hard.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from the ‘Fool Me Once’ EP?
Tiana Major9: ‘Fool Me Once’ we can expect or you can expect a song called “2 Seater” featuring Smino which was one of our first ever sessions. It just became this song. What else can you expect… You can expect two other songs. I’ve been performing these songs on the road. There’s a song called “Try Peace” and then another song called “On God!” and yeah some of my favorite writing that I’ve ever done.
AllHipHop:How has tour life been so far?
Tiana Major9: Tour life has been good. It’s been good. I think we’re on our fourth show, fifth show; LA’s tomorrow. Um it’s been very… I feel like it’s been exactly how I expected it to be kinda thing. It’s nice being able to see different parts of America. Being able to say that I’ve travelled and performed for my fans that I probably would’ve never done if I wasn’t on this tour, at this point.
AllHipHop:Of the cities that you have left on the tour, what are some of the cities that are your favorite to visit, or you are most excited about visiting?
Tiana Major9: I’m excited about going to New Orleans. Never been there before. I can’t wait to go back to New York. I love New York. Where else? Um, I think Houston. I think Houston’s on it. Houston. Atlanta. I love the south.
AllHipHop:Who are your Top 5 favorite rappers dead or alive?
Tiana Major9: I would say Biggie definitely. Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar. Top 5 ooh, top five, top five. Um, I would say Cole. I think Cole’s definitely in there. Fourth one though, I meant fifth one. I don’t know. It’s quite hard. I only have four.
AllHipHop:Who are your Top 5 favorite singers dead or alive?
Tiana Major9: Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and Ella Fitzgerald.
AllHipHop:Who would you like to see in a Verzuz battle?
Tiana Major9: I would like to see, I think Mariah Carey and Beyoncé.
AllHipHop:Who are some of your dream artists to work with?
Tiana Major9: I would love to work with Giveon. I’d love to work with Beyoncé. Jazmine Sullivan too. I think it would be dope if we wrote a song together. Lizzo as well. I think Lizzo could be a dope collaborator.
AllHipHop:Who are you currently listening to right now?
Tiana Major9: Who am I listening to? I’m just listening to my own stuff at the moment to be honest. I’m just so like tunnel vision right now with my own music, so mainly my own stuff, and the stuff that comes on from Apple Music suggestions, but just mainly my own stuff right now.
AllHipHop:So what’s next for you? We know you are on tour, we know you have the project that’s going to be preceding the album. What else is next for Tiana?
Tiana Major9: Next, again more new music, um visuals. Hopefully my own tour with headline shows. Just more work.
AllHipHop:What do you want your legacy to be years from now?
Tiana Major9: I want my legacy to be like I’m being true to myself; I’m being honest. I want my voice to be strong on the things I say to be something…I just want my inner self and my honest self to come out. I want my legacy to be honesty.
AllHipHop:Who do you feelare the most impactful Hip Hopartists over the last decade?
Tiana Major9: Ooh, I think Kendrick. He’s just; I think he’s the full package. Like he has lyrics. He has great music, He has his visuals. He has something to stay. Yeah I think Kendrick’s just one of my favorites.
“The parties are also in the process of meeting and conferring to determine whether they can reach a settlement agreement that would resolve this case,” Sprio told a judge earlier this week.
However, Damon, the co-founder of Roc-a-Fella, one of the most influential brands in Hip-Hop, said that they are far from settling.
After posting a screenshot of a headline promoting the alleged settlement on Instagram, the Harlem hustler warned his followers, “Please don’t believe this hype. We are nowhere near a settlement.”
The caption continued, “They accused me of doing something I did not do and now they have to prove it.”
Damon Dash continued to punctuate his rights and wrote on the post, “And I can sell my share anytime I want #askthejudge.”
This is not the first time that Dame has brought this up. As reported by AllHipHop.com, Dash appeared on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast and said, “[Jay-Z] sued me for something he said that I did that I didn’t.”
He continued, “Then I just had to sue him because he was redirecting funds for ‘Reasonable Doubt’ [and] I didn’t realize it.”
Consistent with his Sharpe interview, Damon told his former friends and partners to get the courts out of their business and handle their differences as men.
The captioned concluded, “#Jayz and @Biggsburke if you wanna settle this holla at me…we use to hustle together…court is corny… let’s talk like men for the culture… I dare y’all to respond #doitfortheculture.”
Jay-Z, Biggs Burke, and Dame Dash founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995.
The first album, Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, is considered one of best rap records of all time. The lawsuit is rooted in a court deciding what rights Damon Dash has to sell this work if any.
During an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Kim confirmed Pete had honored her with the inking, which is even more permanent than a traditional tattoo.
“(It) isn’t a tattoo, it’s actually a branding,” she said, making a stamping gesture. “Because he wanted to do something that was really different. (Pete told Kim), ‘I don’t want to be able to get rid of it or to cover it up, and I just wanted it there as like a scar on me.'”
In addition, Kim divulged that Pete, 28, has several other tattoos dedicated to her.
“He has a few tattoos, a few cute ones, that he got,” the 41-year-old revealed, indicating that the actor has at least three new pieces of body art. “(They are) cutesy things…my favorite one… says, ‘My girl is a lawyer.'”
Kim, who was legally declared single as part of her divorce proceedings from Kanye earlier this month, began dating Pete last November.
And during the conversation, the beauty mogul indicated that she is happier than ever.
“I think it’s just in life, like no matter what it is, I just think I encourage my friends and the people that I love just to be happy,” she continued. “And I went for it. I was like: ‘You know what, I’m in my 40s like f### it, just go for it. Find your happiness.’ I went for it and I took my time…I found it and it feels so good. I want to hold on to that forever.”
Up and coming artist, WorldIsGualaa from New Jersey just released his single “5 am in Miami”. Working like crazy with his team since the pandemic started, a visual will also drop for the song. This song is about a guy stuck in his head about 2 different women, a lover’s quarrel if you will. The song “5 AM in Miami” brings a vibe that is easy to get into. This song is a whole different feel from the last song WorldIsGualaa put out, Eye 4 Eye which was deeper in another way, speaking more on the people he’s lost
During his basketball career, WorldIsGualaa lost both his brother and best friend. These two life-changing events did exactly that, changed his life. He became more serious about figuring out what to do with his life and went hard. He chose music because it’s a sincere and expressive form of art. A way he can release his pain and listeners can relate and release theirs.
After graduating from Wilmington University, WorldIsGualaa began taking music seriously in April 2020. He then dropped an 8 track EP, to basically let his presence and capabilities be known. This kick-started him continuing to use music to express. Now is dropping songs and visuals in pairs and talking about defining his sound. He calls himself the hardest to impress because he isn’t easily wowed but I think it will be easy for him to impress us.
“I’m the hardest to impress it takes a lot to impress me. I don’t be hype or follow trends – the hardest to impress.
Make sure to follow him on all social media @Worldisgualaa and GO listen to his new single “5 AM in Miami” and let him know if you’re impressed.
Buffalo-bred emcee Benny The Butcher recently came back with Tana Talk 4. The Black Soprano Family boss released his most recent project on March 11 to mostly positive reviews.
However, there are some critics of the imagery Benny The Butcher presents in his songs. Throughout his career, Benny has used his lyrics to describe aspects of life on Montana Avenue in Buffalo.
Tracks such as “Johnny P’s Caddy” featuring J. Cole and “10 More Commandments” featuring Diddy reflect on subjects like drug dealing and street violence. Benny The Butcher joined Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 to discuss Tana Talk 4 and more.
Benny The Butcher Declares He Is Not A Role Model
“Man, society or the fans or supporters, they glorify rappers too much. I am not Dr. Martin Luther King. I am not Malcolm X,” Benny The Butcher told Ebro Darden. “I’m nobody like that. I’m not like a revolutionist or one of those type of dudes. I’m a rapper. I’m a guy out the hood who made it.”
The 37-year-old rhymer continued, “I’m not a role model. I’m an example. I be hearing dudes say, ‘Man, I got more money than rappers.’ Get more money than Jeff Bezos. It’s like, ‘I dress better than rappers.’ Dress better than the fashion model. Why everything is compared to rappers? People are obsessed with rappers.”
J. Cole & Benny First Met In ATL While Recording For ROTD3
Benny The Butcher’s conversation with Apple Music included him talking about collaborating with Dreamville Records founder J. Cole. Apparently, the two spitters first connected during Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers III recording sessions in 2019.
“I met [J. Cole] when they were doing the Dreamville thing in Atlanta. I tried to get a slot on there. I laid something crazy. I don’t know how I ain’t make that album. But no, I mean, he made it right. He made it right. But that’s when I first met him,” recalled Benny.
Tafa “T-Shyne” Peters will release Confetti Nights on April 1. The East Coast performer recruited his YSL boss Young Thug and NBA superstar Kevin Durant as executive producers for the mixtape.
T-Shyne’s upcoming project is coming out via Young Stoner Life Records/300 Entertainment. The Granada-born, New York-raised performer presented “30 for 30” and “Feed The Fam” as preludes for the release of Confetti Nights.
An official Caleb Seales-directed music video for “Feed The Fam” landed on YouTube last September. Tashi was behind the camera for the “30 for 30” visuals which arrived in January 2022.
In celebration of the “Feed The Fam” track, T-Shyne hosted the “Feed The Fam” event in The Bronx, New York City. On January 20, he gave away free meals to families in need.
Previously, T-Shyne released his debut project, The Immaculate, in 2018. That body of work featured Max B, Young Thug, S’natra, Strick, Denham, Juicy J, and Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd.
Slime Language 2 hosts “That Go!” by T-Shyne, Young Thug, and Philadelphia-bred emcee Meek Mill. Shyne got the chance to collaborate with Hip Hop heavyweight J. Cole as part of Thugger’s “Stressed” off the 2021 studio LP Punk. “Stressed” opened at #69 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.
Besides T-Shyne, Young Thug’s Young Stoner Life Records is also the label home of Gunna, Lil Keed, Strick, and other acts. Confetti Nights will likely contain features from YSL labelmates Young Thug and Gunna.
2020’s “Whats Poppin” is one of Jack Harlow’s most commercially successful singles. A second version of the 6x-Platinum song featuring Lil Wayne, DaBaby, and Tory Lanez peaked at #2 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.
Jack Harlow Acknowledges Megan Thee Stallion Got Shot
Rolling Stoneselected Jack Harlow as the magazine’s latest cover star. In an interview with the outlet, Harlow spoke about receiving requests to remove DaBaby and Tory Lanez from “Whats Poppin” over their respective scandals.
“I know I’m a good person. My character, my integrity are very important to me,” Harlow is quoted telling Rolling Stone. “And I think I’ve done such a good job that now I’m being forced to answer for other people’s actions. It doesn’t feel right as a grown man to speak for other grown men all the time.”
Louisville Metro Police Department officers shot Breonna Taylor, 26, in March 2020. The fatal shooting took place during a botched raid at the wrong residence. A grand jury did not indict any of the cops for Taylor’s death because prosecutors reportedly failed to present homicide charges.
“The Breonna Taylor thing being so close to home – that happened in my hometown. We just had to go back and just show face. You know what I mean? Moments like this are bigger than anything we’re working on, bigger than the ‘Whats Poppin (Remix),’ bigger than any of that,” said Jack Harlow last year.
Disney+ subscribers can now watch “Truth Hurts” hitmaker Lizzo (UglyDolls, Hustlers) on the streaming platform. Lizzo took to Instagram to reveal her appearance onThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder animated series.
The vocalist/flutist also posted a clip of her cameo from The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. The 97-second, edited video shows a cartoon version of Lizzo interacting with the 14-year-old Penny Proud character.
Lizzo wrote on Instagram:
MAMA I MADE IT!!!! I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A CARTOON— AND WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM @mstinalawson I SCREAMED SCRAMED SCRUMMED 😱😱😱 GO CHECK OUT MY EPISODE OF @theproudfamily ON @disneyplus RN!!!
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder premiered in February 2022. Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar’s coming-of-age comedy is a revival of The Proud Family which originally aired on the Disney Channel from 2001 to 2005.
Kyla Pratt (One on One, Dr. Dolittle) voices Penny Proud on Louder and Prouder. The cast also includes Tommy Davidson, Paula Jai Parker, Karen Malina White, Aiden Dodson, Carlos Alazraqui, Jo Marie Payton, Soleil Moon Frye, and Alisa Reyes.
Plus, Hip Hop star Artist “A Boogie” Dubose plays Francis “KG” Leibowitz-Jenkins. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder‘s supporting cast also features Keke Palmer, Cedric the Entertainer, Billy Porter, Aries Spears, Cree Summer, EJ Johnson, and others.
According to reports, Instagram made the decision to block Kanye “Ye” West from his account for 24 hours. The Meta-owned social media platform claimed Ye violated the company’s policies on hate speech, harassment, and bullying.
West repeatedly blasted Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson on Instagram for weeks. The G.O.O.D. Music founder recently turned his attention to comedians D.L. Hughley and Trevor Noah as well.
However, Kanye West is getting some backing from one of his fellow Hip Hop recording artists. The Game took to Instagram to call for the app to #FreeYe. He wrote:
IG funny as hell with what they say violates their policies etc…. It’s a whole war going on in Ukraine & hate posts surrounding it that add fuel to the fire + Africans being violated & barred from crossing borders to safety with racists comments/content attached…. and y’all zero’d in on Ye’s posts about the protection of his children, his fatherhood & him speaking his truth in defense to the coonery displayed by other verified users on this app that further complicate his situation in regards to his family. #FreeYe @kanyewest
Another rap star also stood up for West. On Wednesday night, French Montana tweeted, “They suspended my dawg Kanye off Instagram, he about to make his own social media platform.”
Kanye West recently complained that his “celebrity friends” were not speaking up on his behalf in his supposed conflict with Kim Kardashian. The 44-year-old Donda album creator insists Kim K is not allowing him to see their children. The Kardashian reality show star has denied she is blocking Ye from his kids.
They suspended my dawg Kanye off instagram he about to make his own social media platform
