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Rising Rapper Jake James Discusses His Come Up, Working With Buckwild, Wall Street And More

By: Shirley Ju Updated Category: Breeding Ground
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Jake James is an anomaly in the music industry, and he’s here to prove he has the talents and skillsets to make it in the big leagues.

Classifying himself as an “up-and-coming white hip-hop artist who’s serious about his craft,” the rising star sees himself on par with the greats such as Eminem, G-Eazy, and Mac Miller. From public housing to moving to Manhattan and working on Wall Street for most of his life, James creates music from the heart, touching on life topics and issues we can all relate to.

He states, “I got the business experience, I loved it but music has always been my passion since I met Mac Miller when I was a kid. Now, I’m transitioning into music full-time. It’s been crazy. I think I’m applying more pressure than most artists out here right now coming up, that’s my goal.”

While he currently spends his day job working as an investment banker, Jake’s whole trajectory on what his true dreams are have now completely shifted to music. With his undeniable lyricism and storytelling ability, James even caught the attention of GRAMMY Award-winning producer Street Symphony, who went on to executive produce his newest EP aptly titled The Earnings Season. The 6-track project is spearheaded by lead singles “High Grade” and “Count It Slow.”

To coincide with the project release, James shut down SOB’s in New York, bringing out special guests including Lola Brooke, HDBeenDope, Curly J, and Ace General.

Jake James
Jake James

AllHipHop: What was a young Jake James like growing up in upstate New York?

Jake James: It was different, I grew up in a town with 1000 people. I now have 15K Instagram followers, so it was a weird feeling for me growing up around a lot of people who were cool with the middle-class normal life. I wasn’t, I never thought that way. I actually left high school when I was 15 and ended up going to college. I skipped high school and started working in business on Wall Street when I was 17, moved to the city. It was a way for me to set my trajectory elsewhere and know what I wanted in life. I saw a lot of normal middle-class life going on. A lot of people are happy with that lifestyle or they pretend to be, I knew I’d never be. It’s just a part of my process.

AllHipHop: At what point did you realize you wanted to pursue music as a career?

Jake James: I always knew I could. Because when I was younger, I started going viral a lot, just doing little remix videos in Upstate. I knew that I had a talent. I went down to Manhattan and started opening for people like Dave East, G-Unit, and a couple other people. I knew. Just the reception I was getting, I knew. I spent a lot of my life on Wall Street so this is my first year of releasing my music commercially. My first single dropped back in February. I dropped a video, it went viral, then Buckwild – who’s a legendary producer – had reached out to me. That’s how I dropped my first single.

AllHipHop: What was the music video that went viral?

Jake James: I dropped a remix of “Ribbon in the Sky” by Rod Wave. It got reposted by a bunch of repost sites, it got 70K views the first two days. Buckwild had DMed me. Buck produced “I Got A Story To Tell” by Biggie and a lot for Big L, so that was my introduction to hip-hop. Once that happened, I thought “there’s a reason I’m doing this. There’s a reason for me to be here, create this path.” Hell yeah.

AllHipHop: What did Buckwild say when he DMed you?

Jake James: He just DMed me the prayer hand emoji. At first, I’m like “what? What’s he DMing me the prayer hand emoji for?” We went back and forth, I sent him some music. I knew who he was because Biggie’s my favorite rapper hands down, so I was very excited. He sent me a beat, he didn’t even charge me for it. It ended up being my first single, “Boss Thoughts,” earlier this year. Shout out to Buckwild.

AllHipHop: Were you opening up for Dave East and everyone before you ever dropped music?

Jake James: Yeah! Basically, I did a lot of footwork at first. I did showcases with a lot of people. I did showcases with Dave East, we did G-Unit. We did Moneybagg Yo. We did Funk Flex, DJ Clue, a lot of people. It was basically me getting my name out there in the early stages, but I knew I wanted the right team and right structure behind me before I really launched everything. That’s where I am at now.

AllHipHop: What’s it like working on Wall Street? You’re still there right?

Jake James: I’m in my final days of Wall Street right now, because tour next year seems to be the plan. Early top of the year. I started on Wall Street when I was 17. I come from a low income background. Got evicted when I was young, ended up moving to public housing. I knew I needed to understand money to get where I wanted. Wall Street was the way for me to do that. At a young age, it was a way for me to get by in Manhattan. You ever move to Manhattan when you’re 16/17 with no financial backing, it’s a trip. Wall Street was a means to an end for me, but I learned a lot in the process.

Right now I work at an investment bank, one of the bigger ones in the country. I lend money to hedge funds, private equity and asset managers. It’s a lot of hard work, but it teaches you the work ethic that you need to succeed in any industry. If you apply that same work ethic to music, there’s no way you can fail by any means. Shout out to Wall Street, but the creative side of me is more important. [laughs] I got more to offer.

AllHipHop: You have a song called “Count Slow,” which is a Wall Street anthem. Talk about blending both worlds.

Jake James: That was the first visual that really introduced the Wall Street life. That record “Count Slow” was produced by Street Symphony. That’s my guy, Street’s my A&R now. Street Symphony did a lot of Nipsey’s later music. He produced Victory Lap, “Hustle & Motivate.” He did “Young Black America” for Meek Mill. I got linked up with Street, he’s a two times Grammy winner. I was hungry so we did a whole project together.

“Count Slow” is the first time I really introduced any of the Wall Street aspects into the music. We went straight to Wall Street with a motorcade for the music video, to show visually what life on Wall Street is like. Because a lot of people never met anyone from Wall Street. That video got picked up, started going viral in certain places. No Jumper reposted, shout out Adam22. I’m just trying to give the world something they’ve never seen before, it’s my truest self.

AllHipHop: How does it feel to be working with these legendary people?

Jake James: It’s a blessing. It’s motivation for me. I’ve always believed in myself but having people who are platinum plaqued up and Grammy-winning, just shows me I can do whenever I want. There are not many white rappers that take them so seriously outside of Mac Miller, G-Eazy, and Eminem. Gotta be the next up at some point. [laughs]

AllHipHop: The Earnings Season EP out now! How are you feeling?

Jake James: Feeling great! It was a dope project. Me and Street, that was our first collaboration together. He executive produced that. Lots of long hours in the studio down in Atlanta. Did 100K the first day, which I was very happy about. Streaming very well. We debuted at SOB’s. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been to SOB’s in Manhattan, great little venue. Height of Covid, we debuted it. We brought out 300+ people, which was a surprise because a lot of people were afraid to pop out. It went really well so far, I’m going to keep pushing it. Street and I are going to work on a collab album for top of the year. That’s the next step. Shout out to everyone bumping The Earnings Season, love y’all.

AllHipHop: What was it like having that many people come out? That’s not easy independent.

Jake James: I had sold out SOB’s a couple years ago, a showcase structure with many other artists. This is my first time trying to sell it out myself, with my name on the ticket. My manager and I booked the opening acts ourselves. We booked the venue directly so it’s a lot more pressure that way. When you go into the venue and meet the venue owner like “okay, we got this.” [claps]

We really had 10 days to pack out. We booked the venue 10 days in advance. For me, it showed me that I have a lot of love in my city. I wasn’t expecting 300+. It’s a 400 person venue, we damn near had it at capacity. It’s a blessing for sure. I love performing, and I love being able to connect with people. You resonate more when you’re in front of them, telling your story. I want to keep going bigger from 300 to 400 to 5K, 15K to 50K. We’ll see.

AllHipHop: Were you nervous at all?

Jake James: Nah, I don’t really get nervous. I was excited because I haven’t performed in New York since Covid hit. This was my first performance since Covid, so I was very excited. I hadn’t seen my NY supporters in a while. I moved to Atlanta for most of the year to work with Street, so this was my homecoming for sure. We had Lola Brooke come out and open. We had Curly J come out and open, HDBeenDope,

AllHipHop: How did you handpick the guests you brought out?

Jake James: We had some dope people. Lola Brooke came out , she’s been going crazy. She’s definitely one of my favorite female artists in New York. She bodied her set completely. We had HDBeenDope, he was formerly with Roc Nation. He’s a dope artist, he killed it. It was a chance for me to let other people get to know my fans and spread the love. Oftentimes, New Yorkers compete too much. They don’t come together to use their collective interest. I had K Goddess pull up on me to support.

AllHipHop: “Money Over Everything” is super vulnerable. What were you going through recording this one?

Jake James: Damn, nobody ever asked me that question yet. [laughs]. As I entered the music industry, my life changed a lot. I used to live in Manhattan, had a very structured life working on Wall Street. I had a nice luxury apartment in Midtown. It was every day the same schedule. With that comes relationships. You’re around people a lot more, you can develop closer relationships. Once music started taking off, I ended my lease. I started traveling, lived in hotels all around the country. Five, seven different cities. For me, I ended a serious relationship partially because of music. Music was taking off. It has some negative impacts on people when stuff goes well in the music world.

AllHipHop: She wasn’t supportive?

Jake James: She was supportive, but you can’t always give people time to the extent that they want it when you’re trying to come up. I’m sure you’ve probably seen that in your own career a couple times. Sometimes you just need to go your own way, especially if you’re never going to be around in your city. [laughs] It’s something that keeps happening back to back with me. Even though you want love, love is great, you meet lots of beautiful people, it’s not always the right time. God dam, mama raised a heartbreaker I guess. [laughs] We here.

AllHipHop: How important is money to you?

Jake James: Money is super important. It’s an instrument though, it’s not important for the sake of being rich. I’ve always wanted to be wealthy so I could help people. I was evicted when I was young, I moved to public housing. Money doesn’t make you, but it can definitely break you. At that point, I was at rock bottom when I was 16 years old. I never wanted to live off of food stamps for the rest of my life. For me, it was a tool. I know with my experience on Wall Street, I was able to raise money with my independent label privately to fund what I’m doing, instead of going the major label route off rip. Money is important, but it’s important to understand that it’s an instrument, a tool. It’s not the end goal by any means. Nobody denies wanting money. [laughs]

AllHipHop: You’re into cryptocurrency, also a financial advisor. How do you balance everything?

Jake James: Yeah, without a doubt. I’m a crypto trader, definitely. It’s a little crazy, you have to stay engaged. I’m passionate about trading and finance too, it’s always been a passion for me. It’s nothing I had to go out of my way to learn or force myself to do. I have a nerdy side, I have a hip-hop, street side to me. Crypto is super important, it’s a way for me to earn passive income. I made thousands of dollars in crypto that I used to pay for stuff like hotel rooms and flights, all that stuff. Rather than having a label advance, when you can make it on your own it’s helpful for you as an artist. I’d encourage any artist to learn about crypto and investments. It takes a little bit of time but if you take a couple hours a day, you could really run up some crazy money.

AllHipHop: You have a song called “Big Dreams.” What are your big dreams?

Jake James: I feel like the dreaming phase started when I met Mac back in the day. At first, I wanted to be an influential artist who helps people believe in themselves. Go take the reins of your own life, that was really my goal at first. But now, it got way bigger. Now that I see that I could actually do it, I could scale my music career and scale the business side of things. My long-term dream: I want to be one of the biggest white artists of all-time. Like I said, the Mac Miller’s, Eminem’s, the G-Eazy’s are top-tier. Nobody’s really broken that. I work with G-Eazy’s team a lot so shout out to G, he showed me love this year.

For real, I want to build my career to the highest point it could be, and add the business aspect to It. Add the enterprise mentality like a Jay-Z. No white artist has really done that yet. I want to start my own fund, my own investment company, like J acquired portions of different companies and really built an empire. All love to Mac Miller, that was never really his goal. He was just an artist. For me, there’s a business side to things as well. Once I get my initial come up, initial network, I know how to scale that and build a real business out of it. My clients right now manage anywhere from 35 billion to 6 trillion. I’ve moved billions of dollars myself. I’ve moved over $3 billion this year. If I apply that same knowledge, same skillsets later in my life, I could really build something big.

AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for next?

Jake James: There’s a couple of things coming up next year which I’m really looking forward to. Top of the year, I’m really focused on this collab album with Street Symphony. I’ve never had features on my projects before so this would be the first time I’m introducing features. My first time really getting the co-sign from a major producer like Street, so I’m excited for that. Y’all could keep a look out for that.

We’re looking for a tour announcement pretty soon, y’all will see that. We’re going to go on tour next year, which I’m excited about. That’s been a big thing with Covid that I haven’t been able to do, but looking forward to it. Trying to hit as many cities as I can. Project with Street, tour, and something more recently that came up, like I said I came up loving Mac Miller in the early days. His music didn’t speak to me as much later in his life, but me and Big Jerm are working on a tape. Jerm is Mac Miller’s main producer and engineer. I had sent him a lot of music. Some I did with Street, he really loved it so we’re working on something. More to come on that announcement. Street project, Jerm project, and tour.

AllHipHop: How old were you when you met Mac Miller?

Jake James: What’s crazy, I met Mac when I was probably 13. VIP tickets at one of his shows. That’s really what inspired me to start in the early days. Rest in peace to Mac Miller.

AllHipHop: What was your favorite song of his?

Jake James: That’s hard. “PA Nights” is one of my favorites by him.

AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know??

Jake James: If you guys haven’t, please check out my second EP The Earnings Season. Out on all platforms. Much love to everyone who came out to SOB’s. Keep a look out for next year, we ain’t stopping. We ain’t slowing down. I’m excited.

EXCLUSIVE: Fan Sues Versace Over Fight With “Notorious Duo” Offset And Cardi B

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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A man who sued Cardi B and Offset for allegedly assaulting him in 2018 is now pursuing legal action against Versace.

According to documents obtained by AllHipHop, Giovanni Arnold is suing Versace for negligence and vicarious liability over the alleged attack. He blames the fashion company for not hiring better security for its 2018 Met Gala afterparty at the Mark Hotel in New York City.

Arnold claims he was waiting outside the hotel to get an autograph when he was snubbed by Cardi B and Offset. Following a verbal confrontation, three men from the couple’s entourage allegedly attacked him.

The autograph seeker says Versace’s security stood by and did nothing while he was assaulted. He accuses the company of failing to establish a safe environment for the plaintiff and other patrons.

“Video recorded before, during, and even after the attack shows that the security personnel hired by Versace for the event stood by idly as the assault took place,” the lawsuit says.

Arnold labels Cardi B and Offset as a “notorious duo” with a “propensity for violence” in the lawsuit. He insists Versace and the security company XYZ should’ve known the rappers were “more of a threat to the public than vice versa.”

The lawsuit suggests Versace acted with gross negligence by hiring XYZ. Arnold accuses the fashion company of “failing to properly screen, hire, train, manage, supervise, retain and control XYZ.”

Versace is also alleged to be at fault for having inadequate background checks. Arnold contends the XYZ security guard’s behavior “reasonably constituted a menace to other patrons.”

Arnold believes he sustained injuries due to Versace’s failure to properly staff the event. The lawsuit includes a lengthy description of how he suffered from the alleged attack.

“Plaintiff has been rendered sick, sore, lame and disabled; that he has suffered pain, mental anguish, anxiety, and emotional distress, together with shock, fright, apprehension, embarrassment, humiliation, and a loss of enjoyment of life and will experience same in the future; that he has been obliged to expend, and will expend in the future, sums of money for medical aid and attention; and that he has been unable to attend to his usual avocation and activities, has suffered a loss of other benefits as a result, and believes he will continue to suffer same in the future.”

Arnold is seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Versace and XYZ Security. The specific amount would be determined at a trial if the case proceeds.

YG Cleared In Robbery Connected To Deadly Shootout

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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Compton rapper YG has been cleared of a robbery that has been a cloud over his head for two years.

According to TMZ, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office won’t be filing charges against the “FDT” rapper because they have not gathered enough evidence to link him to a crime.

“Not enough evidence of what defendant did to aid and abet the crime,” the D.A.’s office wrote in a statement. “Presence during the crime alone is not sufficient.”

AllHipHop.com reported on January 25, 2020, that the rapper was arrested and released from Men’s Central Jail on a $250,000 bail after being accused of robbing someone.

There is not a lot of information about the alleged robbery or the case, but during his detainment, his attorney Joe Tacopina said that his client would be cleared, and now he is no longer a suspect.

YG’s arrest seemed to be related to an incident in July of 2019. A gunman driving a Cadillac Escalade registered to YG shot up a police vehicle with an officer inside. 

An innocent bystander was killed in a high-speed chase, which ended in Inglewood. One person was arrested while an accomplice managed to escape on foot.

The cops raided YG’s house the same month, looking for evidence connecting the rap star to the murderous incident.

YG has maintained his innocence and contended he was holed up in a recording studio. He said he did not learn of the shootout and the following murder until after the deadly confrontation.

Pooh Shiesty Avoids Life Sentence Over Gun Charges

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Pooh Shiesty avoided a possible life sentence by pleading guilty to a single firearms conspiracy charge.

According to Rolling Stone, Pooh Shiesty pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of violent and drug-trafficking crimes on Tuesday (January 4). As part of a plea deal, federal prosecutors dropped three other charges against him.

The 22-year-old rapper was facing federal charges of conspiring to commit a Hobbs Act robbery, committing a Hobbs Act robbery and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The charges stemmed from his alleged role in an October 2020 shooting and robbery.

Pooh Shiesty, whose real name is Lontrell Williams, was accused of shooting a man in the buttocks at the Landon Hotel in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida in 2020. Prosecutors said the Memphis native and two co-defendants went there to purchase marijuana and high-end sneakers.

The Gucci Mane protégé agreed to a plea deal after the alleged victim, 28-year-old Brandon Cooper, was indicted in a bank-fraud scheme. Last October, Pooh Shiesty’s lawyer Bradford Cohen spoke to Rolling Stone about the negotiations.

“We’ve entered into plea negotiations because there have been developments in the case that I think changed the dynamics of the case,” Cohen said.

Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 97 months for Pooh Shiesty. He has been in jail since July.

Magistrate Judge Lauren Fleischer Louis warned Pooh Shiesty that he may face a harsher sentence while accepting his plea. He will be sentenced by Chief Judge K. Michael Moore at a later date.

In December, Pooh Shiesty released a freestyle from behind bars. He also provided an update to fans via Instagram.

“Ima Be Back In A Minute Won’t Be To Long Til I’m Free,” he wrote. “I LOVE ALL MY FANS AND THE ONES WHO STILL SUPPORTING ME…. I Still Remain Untouched And Unfuckwitable, Still Talkin My S### Like I’m 8feet 3, Still Poppin King S###, Still Having My Way Like King Eatin Like A King And Thinking Like A Winner, Ain’t Sh*t Changed But How My Clothes Get Washed And How The Doors Gettin Locked.”

Listen to his “Federal Contraband” freestyle below.

Midnight Madness Part 2: Battle Rap Community Plans Secretive Underground Fight Club

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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This is Part 2 of “Midnight Madness: Battle Rap Community Plans Secretive Underground Fight Club.” Make sure you check out Part 1 here.  You can also vote for the best of battle rap in 2021 here.

Midnight Madness now has an official social media presence where all updates are shared. They confirm their status as “a private battle rap show case,” and their mission to “reinvigorate the competitive spirit with judged battles and winner takes all stipulation.” Furthermore, they reiterate, “this is not a league,” battles are funded by sponsors and only the winner gets paid. 

They also clarified the edibility requirements for their cards. Battle rappers must have “over 7 catalogued YouTube battles.” Midnight Madness battles will be judged by 5 onsite battlers or media personalities. Each round has a 2:45 minutes time limit, capped at 3 minutes.  

The Midnight Madness Rules

https://twitter.com/MidnightMadnss/status/1478124239622443009?s=20

Additionally, the rules for betting and wagers are clearly outlined.  

https://twitter.com/MidnightMadnss/status/1478124248082354182?s=20

Midnight Madness Squads 

The teams, all captained by a top-tier battle rapper, are composed of some of the most talented lyricists and performers available and will compete for titles, plaques, and varsity jackets.  Some have been confirmed while others continue to be formed. Here’s what we know so far.

Island Gang

The entire Midnight Madness concept began with one battle, Island Gang’s Yoshi G vs. Gun Titles Pristavia. Verb had already begun assembling his island warriors before MM was a thing. He comes with a crew that includes Di Da Hennyman, Snake Eyez, and Barz Major alongside First Lady of the Island, Yoshi G. Henny did not come to play and immediately dropped a diss track before most of his competition had even picked a team. He left no doubt as to the targets of his wrath titling the track, “HennyMan Disses EVERYBODY “Trapper’s Island” (‼‼SHOTS FIRED‼‼).” 

UPDATE: moments before going to press, Yoshi G withdrew from the Pristavia battle after Aye Verb spent the day airing his grievances surrounding the organization.

Gun Titles

Tsu Surf is already a member of one of the most formidable groups in battle rap, Gun Titles. Relative newcomer Pristavia joins the elite squad of Surf, Tay Roc, and Chess though they are not all confirmed Midnight Madness players. So significant is Pristavia’s impact that Joe Budden and Tsunami talked about her during a recent episode of his podcast. 

Gutta City

Eazy The Block Captain has branched off from his Guntitles brethren and is curating his own team, Gutta City. He took to Instagram to confirm: “I need 8 got 5 already………we lit.” Surf responded, “CATCH YOU IN THE TRENCHES!! ITS UP. 😡” The competition between the two teams looks set to be intense!  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYS5dECspfg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Every Fuccin Bar

Likewise, two-time Champion of the Year Geechi Gotti can bring his EFB players to the club. Every Fuccin Bar is stacked with heavy punchers in the form of Rum Nitty, B. Magic, JC, Ave, Ms. Hustle, Riggz, and Real Name Brandon alongside Gotti. As an owner of The Riot battle league, Gotti could also draw from there to add to his pack.  

Ball Game

Hitman Holla revealed Ball Game would include his Wild N’ Out fellow cast member, Charlie Clips. John John Da Don’s selection was unsurprising as the two have a long-time association. A. Ward’s addition to the team was less anticipated and ensures “Ball Game” has one of the best rebuttalers in the game on side. He is looking for a female addition, however…  

“Jus got off the phone !! My starting 5, Charlie Clips, Award, JJDD, HitMan Holla Before I pick my 5th do it have to be female battle rapper?” wrote Hitman. 

A. Ward looks set to face Gun Titles own Chess after Surf and Hitman placed a friendly $10,000 wager on the clash.  

“Tsu Surf & Hitman Holla agree to bet $10,000 on a Chess vs A.Ward Battle on #MidnightMadness 🤯@Tsu_Surf @HitmanHolla @Iam_AWard” 

God Tier Alliance

Shooney Da Rapper assembled a veteran all-women’s crew with the working title of The Ratchets, adding 40 BARRS, Phara Funeral, Chayna Ashley to her roster. However, all that pen power and experience proved insufficient for the ladies! The addition of Hollow Da Don, COTY Chilla Jones, and MarvWon makes God Tier Alliance one of the most expert teams in Midnight Madness. We may see one of the GTA players in action soon as Bill Collector has already called out Queen 40! 

Midnight Madness moves fast… GTA’s Hollow Da Don may already have his first opponent lined up! He and DNA have been firing shots at each other for months and had a near faceoff on IG Live in October.  

DNA, however, wants to remain independent. He shared an image of Marvel’s “The Punisher” motif with the caption, “This is my Team.” If fans were waiting for subsequent names to be added to The Punisher’s squad, then they were left disappointed. DNA confirmed he is to remain a lone wolf telling one commenter, “N#### that means I am no team it’s just me.” 

The Cheat Code

Bill Collector was initially tight-lipped about his Midnight Madness squad and only shared one announcement. His first addition to The Cheat Code was another talented and unorthodox lyricist, Sheed Happens. However, Bill revealed that he will rotate players from his Loud Boys roster, plus his Gates of the Garden squad. Rappers like Dre Dennis, Xcel, NXT, Dev the Demon, Frak, and the Reach God himself, Dot will all battle under The Cheat Code banner.  

https://twitter.com/PAbillcollector/status/1477880869973024768?s=20

Life Like

Shotgun Suge is yet to announce who will be joining him on the Life Like team. However, he brings enough smoke regardless, taking shots and half the battle rap community on his “Midnight Madness” diss track released at midnight on Sunday (Jan. 2).  

He wasted no time and delivered the follow-up, “Midnight Madness 2” a day later.  

Team Landslide

Calicoe’s Team Landslide has a gritty edge to it with the inclusion of Jakkboy Maine, First Lady Flamez, Ill Will, Qleen Paper, and fresh talent Eliza Versa. Cal’s “WWF” diss song is one of the most popular ever and it looks as though he could be cooking up something new for Midnight Madness.   

The First Midnight Madness Event

The battles for the first card have been fixed, though the date, while unconfirmed, is rumored to be Friday, January 28.  

Moments before going to press, an announcement was made that left Island Gang’s Midnight Madness place in doubt. Yoshi G, one half of the main event withdrew from the battle after Aye Verb became disgruntled with the way the venture was progressing. He tagged Surf writing, “you changed the rules!! and u lying !! Yo foot soldiers crossed the lines ! P### sass 100???? Mannnnnnn STOPPPPPPPP.”

“U wasting yo breath find replacements and gone bout ur business,” wrote Yoshi.

https://twitter.com/_YoshiG/status/1478465739795304449?s=20

Midnight Madness Breaking News!

However, Midnight Madness has too many moving parts and willing players for a cancelled main event to put a dampner on the proceedings. Team GTA stepped up immediately and offered Pristavia a choice between veteran Shooney and new rising star Eliza Versa.

Any battlers wanting to be a part of the fast-paced venture will have to get it together asap. The final Midnight Madness teams will be announced on Friday (Jan. 7).  

Battle Rap Superlatives

There’s still time to complete AllHipHop.com’s “2021 Battle Rap Superlatives” survey! Click here to select which events had the most impact on the culture over the last 12 months. Vote for these and all the other categories, plus your chance to become our “Fan of the Year!”

Soulja Boy Turns His Attention Towards New TV Show & Away From Beef

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Throughout his three-decade career, Soulja Boy has had issues with Ice-T, Bow Wow, Drake, Tyga, Chris Brown, Chief Keef, Kanye West, Shia LaBeouf, Randy Orton, Twitch, and many others. The entertainer born DeAndre Cortez Way says he is now ready to leave the beefing in the past.

“2022, my new TV show [is] coming out [on] January 21 [on] Revolt TV. Shout out to P. Diddy,” said the 31-year-old recording artist/reality television star in an Instagram Live video.

He continued, “Being Draco new TV show – January 21. 2022, we’re going into the year with all positive energy. I ain’t got no beef with nobody. I ain’t got no smoke, no problems, no nothing. All I’m doing is TV shows and movies. I’m an actor now.”

The DeAndre Way album creator is still working on music as well. Following the release of multiple projects like Big Draco and Big Draco 2 in 2021, Soulja Boy is preparing to release more content in 2022 as well.

Additionally, Soulja Boy has been promoting his Big Draco NFT collection. The “Crank That” and “Kiss Me Thru the Phone” hitmaker is selling the non-fungible tokens on the OpenSea marketplace.

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Chance The Rapper Teams Up With Joseph Gordon-Levitt For Jimmy Fallon’s ‘That’s My Jam’

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon recruited four celebrities for episode two of That’s My Jam. Hip Hop performer Chance The Rapper partnered with The Dark Knight Rises actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the hour-long game show.

Chance The Rapper and Joseph Gordon-Levitt went against singer/actor Josh Groban and Grammy-winning vocalist Alessia Cara. All four entertainers took part in different segments such as “Slay It Don’t Spray It” on the Peacock program.

“Me and @chancetherapper. Partners. TONIGHT! This guy is a brilliant artist and a total sweetheart. When they told me he was on my team, I was like, sign me up. #ThatsMyJam,” tweeted Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Monday night.

Chance The Rapper sang Montell Jordan’s classic 1995 single “This Is How We Do It” as part of the “Slay It Don’t Spray It” challenge. If the contestant is able to correctly complete the karaoke-style contest, the opposing team gets sprayed in the face with water.

For the final round, all fours stars had to switch off singing “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. Video of Chance The Rapper performing a Country-Rock version of Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” was also published on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon‘s YouTube channel.

Each celebrity participant represented a charity of their choice. Chance The Rapper was competing for SocialWork. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was competing for Doctors Without Borders. Alessia Cara was competing for United Way of Canada. Josh Groban was competing for Find Your Light Foundation.

Photo credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC

URL Announces Full Lineup For ‘Super Fight’ Event Featuring Tay Roc Vs Danny Myers

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Two battle rap war-horses are set to go head-to-head, verse-for-verse later this week. Ultimate Rap League’s Super Fight event is returning to the Caffeine streaming platform with a highly-anticipated matchup.

Baltimore’s Tay Roc will take place in a lyrical war with Danny Myers of Los Angeles. The two skilled emcees plan to finally settle their differences in the URL ring.

“If he’s such a monster, why did it take this long for this battle to happen?” asked Danny Myers about his upcoming opponent in a Super Fight trailer. The clip also included Tay Roc suggesting Myers is “ass.”

Another must-see battle is also taking place at Super Fight. Serius Jones and Chilla Jones will exchange rhymes in order to see who can claim to be the best Jones in the business.

In addition to Tay Roc vs Danny Myers and Serius Jones vs Chilla Jones, Super Fight will also feature JC vs Charron, Lu Castro vs Drugz, and Swave Sevah vs Anderson Burris. URL’s Super Fight will stream live Saturday, January 8, at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT for free at Caffeine.tv.

New Nipsey Hussle EP To Be Released As An NFT

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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UPDATE (1/5/2022): The nipseyverse.com website has been pulled down. Apparently, “legal issues” have caused the release of RAIRTECH’s Nipsey Hussle NFT collection to be delayed. The original article is below.

RAIRTECH is releasing a limited NFT collection for a new Nipsey Hussle project. The digital rights management platform partnered with Leroy “Mr. Lee” Williams and Southwest Digital Distribution for the upcoming EP.

“Culture, community, and innovation have always been at the heart of Nipsey’s values,” says Mr. Lee, CEO of Noddfactor Entertainment. “We’re glad to work with RAIRTECH and Southwest Digital to continue his vision with yet another groundbreaking release to his final album.” 

The Nipsey Experience will include the title track “Blue Laces 3,” seven additional unreleased tracks, the Nipsey Hussle documentary, and behind-the-scenes footage. Only a limited 1000 NFTs with exclusive music rights to the project will be available.

“We see this NFT drop as a means of creating a community of loyal fans and collectors that will benefit from future content, all available through our NipseyVerse,” states Southwest Digital’s John Patillo.    

In addition, the 1000 participants in the NFT release will be added to a private discord server to receive exclusive drops, including first access to NFTs, real-world auctions, and merchandise. The NipseyVerse is scheduled for release on January 6, 2022.

“With all the NFT platforms available, it’s an honor to collaborate with the Nipsey Hussle team on such an iconic project for our first-ever NFT drop,” says Ed Prado, CEO of RAIRTECH.

Prado continues, “As we understand the significance of this project and its legacy, we’re excited to demonstrate the RAIR technology suite as a truly viable solution to empower creators with more control than any other solution on the market.”  

Prior to his death in 2019, Nipsey Hussle released the Grammy-nominated Victory Lap via All Money In/Atlantic Records. The Los Angeles representative also famously sold 1000 copies of his 2013 mixtape, Crenshaw, for $100 each. That sales strategy was considered trailblazing at the time.

Kanye West Working On “Masterpiece” “DONDA 2” Says Steven Victor

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Kanye West is working on the follow-up to his 10th studio album “DONDA,” touted as a “masterpiece” by Steven Victor.  

“DONDA” was delivered last summer after a series of extended delays, with Kanye making constant changes and updating the album until he was happy. Now, according to Steven Victor, Kanye West is working on a sequel, and it’s something extra special. 

The music executive spoke exclusively to Complex. “Ye has started working on his new masterpiece DONDA 2,” he said.  

Though Victor gave no indication as to when Kanye West fans can expect the project, his use of the word “masterpiece” is telling. A respected industry figure and the founder and CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide, the exec has worked closely with Yeezy over the years. Victor also held the role of COO at G.O.O.D. Music and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group. 

Kanye West is yet to release any details about the project although his recent reconciliation with his long-time foe, Drake opens the door for an epic collaboration. The pair made music together for years before beefing after their first meeting in 2009.  

Has Kanye West Moved On From Kim?

Meanwhile, Kanye West’s love life is at the center of internet speculation. He has been spending time with several ladies recently. After making a very public plea for the mother of his four children, Kim Kardashian to “come back” to him and purchasing the land opposite their former family home, it seems Kanye is mixing things up a bit.  

There were rumors for months that Kanye West was dating 22-year-old model VineTria. It is unclear if the pair are still seeing each other. He went on a date with actress Julia Fox in Miami, Florida on New Year’s Day. He was then photographed by the paparazzi on a hotel balcony with two other women.  

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Kodak Black Challenges Jay-Z To A ‘Verzuz’ Battle With Conditions

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter ignited a firestorm of opinions late last year when he talked about potentially taking part in a Verzuz event. The 52-year-old Roc Nation founder believes he is unbeatable in that forum.

“Can’t nobody stand on that stage with me. I ain’t gonna lie. No disrespect. Everyone’s amazing and done what they’ve done. No one is standing on that stage with me,” declared Jay-Z during a Twitter Spaces session.

Now, one 24-year-old rapper is directly challenging Jay-Z to a hits-for-hits Verzuz battle. Florida-bred rhymer Kodak Black took to Twitter to lay out his conditions to go against the Brooklyn native.

“I’ll do a [Verzuz with] Jay-Z. 😈 ‘IF’ he [wins,] he [gets] 15 % of my catalog! I win, he [makes] me Vice President of Roc Nation 🤷‍♂️,” posted Kodak Black on Monday night.

https://twitter.com/KodakBlack1k/status/1478211903608475651?s=20

Kodak Black began releasing music around 2013. His discography includes the Platinum-certified Painting Pictures, Project Baby 2, and Dying to Live projects. Singles like “Tunnel Vision” and “Zeze” earned RIAA plaques as well.

Jay-Z currently has fourteen No.1 albums which are the most for a solo act in Billboard 200 chart history. Four singles by the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer peaked at #1 on the Hot 100 chart. At the moment, Jay-Z’s catalog includes 103 entries on the Hot 100.

Since its launch in 2020, Verzuz has presented match-ups such as Swizz Beatz vs Timbaland, RZA vs DJ Premier, Nelly vs Ludacris, Fabolous vs Jadakiss, DMX vs Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross vs 2 Chainz, Jeezy vs Gucci Mane, Raekwon vs Ghostface, The Lox vs Dipset, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony vs Three 6 Mafia.

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Jack Harlow Honored By City of Louisville With His Own Day

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Hometown hero Jack Harlow has been recognized by the city of Louisville after being awarded a day in his honor. 

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The “What’s Poppin” hitmaker shared a framed notice from Louisville mayor Greg Fischer announcing that the city will observe Dec. 18, 2021, as “Jack Harlow Day.”  

The letter, which Jack posted on his social media accounts, began with a declaration: “Know ye that the city of Louisville honour Jack Harlow.” The city paid tribute to Jack for his contributions to the city: 

“For answering, once and for all, that what’s poppin’ is Louisville when it comes to talent that makes it bigger than big, but doesn’t forget the “home” in hometown or homegrown,” the letter reads. “The rapper’s way with words and beats has earned him untold fans, chart-topping releases and an ability to give back in meaningful ways, and he does.” 

 Jack Harlow recently teamed up with KFC parent company Yum! Brands in Kentucky. They raised $250,000 for the American Red Cross to assist with Kentucky tornado relief efforts. He shared the announcement on his Instagram page. 

“Growing up I always dreamed of being the biggest artist to come from Kentucky,” he wrote. “Now I’m teaming up with @KFC, the biggest brand to come out of Kentucky. For the next year, we’re gonna do some big things together.” 

“It couldn’t come at a better time,” Jack Harlow continued. “The state needs our help more than ever in the wake of this past weekend’s devastating tornadoes. Together we will be donating $250k to the @americanredcross in support of relief efforts. I ask that you donate whatever you can to help those affected by this tragedy.” 

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Tristan Thompson Apologizes To Khloe Kardashian After Paternity Test Results

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Tristan Thompson is now a confirmed father of three after a paternity test confirmed he is the father of a baby boy. He issued a statement apologizing to his former girlfriend and mother of his child, Khloe Kardashian. 

On Monday, Tristan Thomspon accepted responsibility for his son and had some words for those he hurt. 

“Today, paternity test results revealed that I fathered a child with Maralee Nichols,” he said via his Instagram Story. “I take full responsibility for my actions.” 

He continued and said he will step up now that he is legally determined to be the father. “Now that paternity has been established I look forward to amicably raising our son.” 

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Tristan then turned to those who were affected by his choices. 

“I sincerely apologise to everyone I’ve hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately.”  

Next Tristan directed his attention to the mother of his daughter, Khloe Kardashian. “Khloe, you don’t deserve the heartache and humiliation my actions have caused you. You don’t deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions certainly have not lined up with the way I view you. “ 

According to Tristan Thompson, though he and Khloe split in the summer, he still has a lot of love for her. “I have the utmost respect and love for you,” he said. Regardless of what you may think. “ 

He had one more apology before signing off, “Again, I am so incredibly sorry.”  

Khloe Kardashian, 37, shares three-year-old daughter True with basketball star Tristan Thompson. He also has a four-year-old son, Prince whom he shares with Jordan Craig. 

Rapper Indigo Suave is a Trendsetter for Modern Hip-Hop Culture

By: Brxton Lee Updated Category: Music
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Music is a unique experience for everyone. Taste in music speaks to something more profound about our identity and pinnacles, a pressing conviction of our entire existence.  Indigo Suave shares, 

“You can’t always wait for the inspiration to come. So many times, you are just in the studio playing with sounds until an idea pops up.  I think that’s what makes the music creation process magical, and you’ll never know what you end up with unless you experiment.”

As you might know, the music world is highly ambitious, and it takes a certain altitude of devotion to ride the tide.  Indigo Suave means business when showcasing that kind of loyalty in his craft. His sheer persistence is transparent, and he’s been committed to furthering his brand credibility by pushing content for his music catalog in 2022.

Indigo Suave strives to be an artist that can keep up with the trends without compromising his values. Paying tribute to his roots is something he’s been brought up with and is one of the critical ingredients to the success of his influence.  Fans look for ways to bond with the artist beyond the music, and this is an ambition that Indigo performs remarkably well.  If anything, the music scene has become hyper-saturated. Since many labels push new artists monthly, musicians need to pay special attention to crafting their records to remain nuanced and prominent within a fast-paced music industry. 

Even though these past few years were a setback for many artists, Indigo Suave used this season to harness his craft for the main stage.  Indigo Suave is a surefire act that is quickly seizing attention, and one thing is for sure; his star power will keep rising. 

Follow Indigo Suave below:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/indigosuave/

Abdellah Zejli Drops New Track “Anti Social”

By: Brxton Lee Updated Category: Music
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Upcoming hip hop artist Abdellah Zejli made his return to all major streaming platforms with his song ‘Anti Social’. Lasting just under 2 minutes in run time, ‘Anti Social’ features an up-tempo beat, bouncy 808s, fast flows, and lyrics about coming up. The song showcases Zejli’s unique ability to flow and balance his cadence. He’s definitely an artist to keep an eye on going forward.

You can listen to Abdellah Zejli here:

You can follow Abdellah Zejli here:

https://www.instagram.com/abdellahzejli

Jacksonville Teen’s Murder Becomes TikTok Trend Thanks To Deadly Rap Rivalry

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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The age-old question in Hip-Hop is always … Does art reflect life or does life reflect art?

Recently, a video entitled “Where Corbin” has been trending on TikTok.

Corbin Johnson’s body was reported missing in 2018 and was discovered in 2019. The spillover from the platform into other spaces on the Internet has caused the case of his death to be researched.

One article on News4JAX.com <> has received over 700,000 clicks since the trend has popped off.

Corbin’s mom, Melissa Jackson, says that people have been reaching out to her in response, offering their condolences. She asked why, and when found out that it was a TikTok challenge gone viral, she said, “I think that it’s just ignorant. I really do think that it’s ignorant.”

The song is called the “Beatbox Remix/ Bibby Flow” by Julio Foolio featuring COJACK.

In the song, one lyric says, “Corbin got kidnapped they found his bones he was rotten (Where’s Corbin?)”

Unfortunately, Corbin was connected to a feud between two Jacksonville gangs (ATK and KTA), that happen to be rappers. Both gangs blur the lines by detailing their beef in their rap music videos.

Reports claim Corbin was a member of ATK.

From videos like these, social media, and their local intel, the polic know that Yungeen Ace is the star from ATK, and Julio Foolio is the star from the gang’s opps, KTA.

On an IG Live feed, Foolio was asked “Where’s Corbin?”

“Talking about where is Corbin, I don’t know where Corbin is. That’s all I’ve got to say,” the rapper said about his former rival.

Many TikTokers have pulled the videos down, after finding out the real meaning behind the song.

According to an article in First Coast News published in
2021, the Jacksonville Sheriff has said that the information that they have come from the crews making their social media posts and videos.

The cops say that the videos are the equivalent of “the gang graffiti of the 80s.”

In fact, law enforcement are considering shows by YouTubers like Queenzflip’s QuietRoom

TrapLife Documentaries and Insider Hotspot to tell them what’s going on in rap music and how it relates to the streets.

The viral videos, bloggers, and self-incrimination come mostly from the artists, allowing law enforcement to pinpoint when things got super-hot for both gangs after the murder of Zion Brown in May 2017, Julio Foolio’s cousin.

Arrested for the killing was Yungeen Ace’s homey, Deontrae Thomas, 19.

In retaliation for Brown’s death, Yungeen Ace was shot eight times. Three other men were shot in this altercation: Royale D’Von Smith Jr., 18, and Jercoby Da’Shad Groover, 19. This all happened in 2018.

In celebration, Julio Foolio posted a picture on his Instagram of himself with an airbrushed T-shirt of Royale D’Von Smith Jr., aka 23, that said: “Rest in P### 23.” He captioned it, “I’m getting a new T-shirt made for my show.”

In 2019, in a shootout at the Paradise Gentlemen’s Club on Baymeadows Road, another ATK rapper Boss Goon was shot up and killed in his car after his performance. Shot in the back was ATK rapper Ksoo and his father, who was shot in the back.

KTA rapper Lilbuck was murdered shortly afterward. The following February, Julio Foolio’s little 16-year-old brother Adrian Dennard Gainer Jr., aka Bibby was killed.

In celebration of those murders, Ksoo entitled his 2019 release of his album, Bibby Out. After posting several videos about killing KTA members and “smoking Bibby,” Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Ksoo in March, charging him with killing Bibby and Lilbuck.

Between February and March, several attempts were made on both Julio Foolio and Yungeen Ace’s lives.

Julio Foolio then posted videos about “who I’m smoking,” and naming Ace, ATK, and 23.

This smoking on homies kept coming up, even in the March music video, “Who I Smoke,” featuring Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace, and FastMoney Goon.

Julio Foolio then released a diss track called “When I See You,” a remix of Fantasia’s “When I See U.”

While they think they are funny, they are really playing themselves out. Before the release of either video, law enforcement has been checking the tapes to arrest people.

Jacksonville’s Sheriff Williams said when announcing the arrest of six convicted felons seen in rap videos with firearms, he shared, “Social media has impacted our society in many ways. Most of those impacts are positive. Unfortunately, these advances in technology also provide the criminal element with a new platform to promote their trade in the street culture market.”

This is true. Julio Foolio, twice, took to Instagram to talk about the murders, including Corbin’s.

Corbin’s mother said, “For the most part, it is disgusting a lot of people. A lot of people, if you do have some people that think it’s funny and laughing about it. But for the most part, it really is touching a lot of people’s hearts.”

“To answer the question where’s Corbin, Corbin is right here. He’s in my heart. If you’re looking for Corbin, that’s where Corbin is, he’s right here. I have him with me every day,” she said.

NLE Choppa Says He’s Releasing A Herb As Alternative To BBL Surgery

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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NLE Choppa claims to have an all-natural alternative to the “Brazilian butt lift.”

The Memphis native announced plans to release a herb that supposedly produces the same results as a BBL without surgery. NLE Choppa also declared his herb would increase breast size.

“2022 I will be presenting a herb that NATURALLY works ass a BBL also increases breast size,” he wrote via Twitter. “For every 3000 SURGERIES there is one death. Let’s naturally get the body you want. I am here to assist.”

NLE Choppa’s herbal alternative was met with skepticism on social media, prompting him to lash out at his doubters.

“Why when I try to help y’all it’s jokes, or I’m crazy, or it’s impossible,” he wrote. “Y’all immature and should innerstand I’m trying to help our queens and kings. When your sister or friend pass away for putting plastic in the body, or transferring fat remember yo jokie joke.”

Although NLE Choppa believes in conspiracy theories, he’s not wrong about the dangers of BBL surgery. According to the New York Times, the “Brazilian butt lift” has the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic surgery.

“The mortality rate from BBL is estimated to be as high as 1 in 3,000,” Dr. Samuel Lin, an Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, told Harper’s Bazaar last year. “This is greater than any other cosmetic surgery. Any patient considering BBL should be informed of the risk of death from this procedure.”

J $tash Found Dead After Allegedly Killing Girlfriend In Murder-Suicide

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Rapper J $tash has died in an apparent murder-suicide.

According to multiple reports, officials believe J $tash killed his 27-year-old girlfriend Jeanette Gallegos before fatally shooting himself on New Year’s Day.

Three children were found at a Temple City, California home where the incident occurred, but they were unharmed.

“Right now, the evidence at the scene and the preliminary information we have from the children in the home is that it’s a murder-suicide,” Lt. Derrick Alfred of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told KTLA.

Deputies from the Temple Sheriff’s Station in Los Angeles County responded to a domestic violence call around 7:15 a.m. on January 1.

“When deputies arrived, they discovered two victims, a 27-year-old female Hispanic and a 28-year-old male Black unresponsive inside the home,” Deputy Grace Medrano said in a statement. “The female victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds, while the male victim sustained an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

J $tash, whose real name is Justin Joseph, was identified as the deceased male. He was a former affiliate of Rich The Kid.

The 28-year-old rapper was previously accused of domestic violence in 2014. He was arrested for allegedly beating up his then-girlfriend Danielle Phaeton, but prosecutors threw out the charges in 2015.

Bow Wow Sips Wine Days After Declaring He’s Done Drinking

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Bow Wow a.k.a. Shad Moss didn’t take long to break his New Year’s resolution.

Days after announcing he was done drinking, Bow Wow posted a video of himself enjoying wine on Instagram. The multi-platinum selling rapper wanted to grant himself an exemption though, claiming wine didn’t count in his “no drinking” declaration.

“Wine don’t count,” he wrote in the post’s caption before addressing his love life. “IM TIRED OF BEING SINGLE SOMETHING GOTTA CHANGE! Im on my playa s### from here on out! ROOT FOR ME I NEED LOVE.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYP6LOTBGmd/

Bow Wow’s wine-drinking clip featured him dancing to Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney’s song “The Girl Is Mine.” It was a dramatic change from his words on New Year’s Day.

“Last night was my last night drinking!” he insisted via Twitter. “Lets see if i can keep this up forever! Im really done.”

Forever was apparently a lofty goal as Bow Wow couldn’t even make it a week. But the New Year isn’t off to a bad start for the veteran artist/actor as he’s got a new gig.

Bow Wow is scheduled to appear as a “celebrity detective” on FOX’s I Can See Your Voice. Catch him on the show’s season premiere, which airs this Wednesday (January 5).

Midnight Madness: Battle Rap Community Plans Secretive Underground Fight Club

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Something unthinkable happened in the world of battle rap over the weekend. If you follow the scene on Twitter, you will be aware of exactly what Midnight Madness is and how it could change the game.  

For the uninitiated and those battle rap fans who spent the last few days under a rock, something akin to an underground fight club is coming to battle rap. Something with fun at its core. Midnight Madness is not a league, nor a platform nor is it strictly a roster of artists. It’s a nod back to the days when the likes of Cassidy, T-Rex and Murda Mook were outside. Of no-frills, street corner battles with money, and reputations on the line.  

https://twitter.com/Tsu_Surf/status/1477895784293097480?s=20

Likened to a battle rap dice game outside the cookout, Midnight Madness is the brainchild of multiple influential battle rappers and supporters who converged in the group setting of the Twitter Spaces. Together, they hatched a plan to switch things up a bit. Secret locations, money on the line, and judged clashes…the winner walks away with everything, the loser could be going home without their Jordans!  

What started as a bet between Veterans Tsu Surf and Aye Verb organically grew into something far more significant. Midnight Madness plans to throw private small room battles with teams regularly competing for money, status, and several championship titles and belts. Uniquely the “Hardcore” titleholder can defend and lose the belt on other leagues through a cooperation agreement between the brands.  

The Midnight Madness Battlers

The names lining themselves up to join the venture have sent a shock wave of interest through the scene. Battle rap legends like Hitman Holla, Charlie Clips, Hollow Da Don, and Calicoe have already signed up. Other participants include current Champion of the Year Chilla Jones*, former two-time Champion, Geechi Gotti, and one of the most talked-about contenders for COTY 2021, A. Ward. New Era favorites including Eazy the Block Captain, Lu Castro, and JakkBoy Maine are also confirmed. The women are represented by some real queens of female battle rap. 40 BARRS, Phara Funeral and Shooney Da Rapper, some of the nicest to ever grace the ladies game all bring something special to the proceedings.

*Watch the King Pen list his best of 2021 “Battle Rap Superlatives” selection below.

The Rules

The concept is simple. Each invite-only event will host four battles. Each battler will have to put between $500 and $5,000 on the floor and battle for the chance to be the one to pick it all up and walk away. The loser leaves with nothing. The battles are all judged and the winner takes it all! The lucky 30 or so people in attendance also get a chance to win by putting money on the table as side bets. The community may donate to the pot both in person and via online contributions. The cash raised will be split equally between the four victors on the day. The battles will then be posted on YouTube creating valuable exposure for the artists.  

How To Get Involved

Supporters can also participate in the wagers as an online betting system is being created to facilitate this. Furthermore, brands are invited to work alongside the Midnight Madness collective with plenty of sponsorship opportunities available. The focus is to generate an independent, politics-free system, directing the profits back to the artists themselves.   

The announcement of the first card included match-ups that have the battle rap community excited. The card features aggressive performers with skillful pens and looks set to be an explosive way to introduce Midnight Madness.  

Midnight Madness Squads  

Midnight Madness also has an additional competitive element. A roster of elite teams is in operation, and some major players made their team selections known early. Battlers on MM cards need not be affiliated with any of the teams and can battle independently…as long as they come with their bread!  

As team talks for the underground fight club continue new groups are likely to be added. The Twitter Space discussions have remained open all hours for several days now. Midnight Madness continues to take shape as one after the other, rappers came through to talk their ish and fight for their team or their spot on it!  

Stay tuned for further details in Part 2 where we reveal some of the names on the Midnight Madness Teams! 

In other news, there’s still time to complete AllHipHop.com’s “2021 Battle Rap Superlatives” survey! Click here to select which events had the most impact on the culture over the last 12 months. Vote for these and all the other categories, plus your chance to become our “Fan of the Year.”   

Reigning Champion Of The Year, Chilla Jones shared his thoughts on just who was best in 2021.

Current Champion of the Year, Chilla Jones gives us his “Battle Rap Superlatives”