Morgan Wallen was one of the biggest breakout mainstream musicians of 2021. However, the Country singer found himself in hot water after a video of him screaming “n#####” went viral online.
Despite the racially sensitive scandal, Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album earned 2x-Platinum status from the RIAA. The project also spent ten weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart last year.
Wallen was back in the news recently. His guest feature on Lil Durk’s “Broadway Girls” helped the single hit #1 on several Billboard rap rankings. Durk actually picked up his first Hot Rap Songs chart-topper thanks to the collaboration.
TMZ caught up with Lil Durk to ask him about his “Broadway Girls” partner Morgan Wallen. A cameraman questioned the Chicago-raised rap star on the “n#####” video controversy.
“Nah, he ain’t no racist,” responded Lil Durk. “That’s my boy. Also, we had a long talk. He had his public situation. We had it behind closed doors. I vouch for him and he’s good.”
The “Voice of the Heroes” rhymer also declared, “He ain’t canceled. I talked to him. When I say you ain’t canceled, you ain’t canceled.” Lil Durk went on to encourage Kendrick Lamar and other rappers to work with Morgan Wallen.
M·A·C Cosmetics tapped Hip Hop star Saweetie for Challenge Accepted. Pop culture icon Cher is also involved in the makeup brand’s campaign.
“Only M·A·C could bring Cher and Saweetie together,” says Drew Elliott, SVP, GlobalCreativeDirector, M·A·C Cosmetics. “When we were thinking about how to demonstrate our high performance, it was obvious that we needed an Icon and a Legend.”
Elliott continues, “M·A·C products are built for stars on stage or off, every day and all day. We could not be happier to have Cher and Saweetie put our formulas to the ultimate test, let’s see if you have what it takes.”
Both Saweetie and Cher appear in an ad for M·A·C’s Challenge Accepted. The 30-second spot features the “My Type” rapper and the “Believe” singer inviting their fans to put M·A·C makeup to the test.
“I have always wanted a matte lipstick that feels comfortable and doesn’t feather or fade,” states Chantel Miller, Director of Artistry and Digital Content, North America. “I spoke up for what I believed a lot of people and Pros would love… and then along came Powder Kiss Lipstick. Challenge accepted.”
Miller adds, “This formula is just groundbreaking. I get everything I want out of it and then some –with such a perfect selection of shades to match my mood, my makeup and whatever challenges my day (or night) has in store for me!”
Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo let his 2.2 million Twitter followers know he is no longer drinking lean. The creator of the purple drank-inspired “Wockesha” single has apparently put down the double cup.
Yesterday afternoon, Moneybagg Yo took to social media to make the announcement. His life-changing decision was met with over 2,300 likes on the platform.
“I [used] to think being sober would f### [with] my creative process, I see [that’s] just a mind thing [because] I been more active, skin glowing, and I been dropping nun but pressure. 🔥 #NomoWockesha.”
I use to think being sober would f### wit my creative process, I see dats just a mind thing cuz I been more active skin glowing and I been dropping nun but pressure 🔥 #NomoWockesha 📉
Last summer, fellow Memphis native NLE Choppa called on Moneybagg Yo to start drinking liquid Chlorophyll along with his lean. Choppa’s #ChlorophyllChallenge went unanswered by Moneybagg at the time.
“I Have A New Challenge For Rappers. For Every Pint of Lean, Or Even Alcohol, Drink A Pint Of Chlorophyll. I Wanna Start By Challenging @MoneyBaggYo. I’ll Bring This To You Personally Fam,” tweeted NLE Choppa on June 22.
U.K rapper Central Cee has been busy recently, releasing an end-of-year wrap-up vlog and a GRM Daily Duppy freestyle all within a couple of weeks.
Furthermore, it looks as though the West London hitmaker will release another collaboration with fellow UK rap star Fredo after a clip circulated of the pair recording music together in the studio. Represent Radio shared the nearly minute-long clip stating, “Central Cee and Fredo have another track on the way!”
The duo first appeared on a track together last summer on Stay Flee Get Lizzy’s “Meant To Be,” released in March.
While it is unclear when it was filmed, the clip is from Central Cee’s end of the year recap vlog. The Londoner shared the video on his YouTube channel Tuesday (Jan. 4), featuring his 2021 highlights, including behind-the-scenes footage from his “Wild West” campaign.
New Music On The Way
On Monday (Jan. 3), the rapper shared a video via TikTok and confirmed that his new single, “Retail Therapy,” would be released Thursday, January 6.
“told her that I’m a Gemini, now she on google checking the compatibility”
Central Cee is unstoppable. another song teased on TikTok before dropping anywhere else…y’all paying attention? pic.twitter.com/f8NfajmBnV
Meanwhile, Central Cee picked up the Best Newcomer and first-ever Best Drill Act awards at the U.K’s Mobo’s last month, capping off a successful year. Moreover, his GRM Daily Duppy Freestyle dropped on Christmas Day and has amassed nearly three million views on YouTube.
Additionally, he dropped a video with D Block Europe in December and has a new mixtape on the way, available to pre-order now.
Jason Derulo got into a scuffle at a Las Vegas nightclub on Tuesday morning (Jan. 4) after a man referred to him as R&B singer, Usher.
TMZ shared footage of the incident at the Aria hotel in Vegas. They received reports from eyewitnesses claiming Jason Derulo got into it with the men after they passed each other on the escalator. One of the men seemingly mocked Derulo yelling “Hey, Usher! F*** you, b####!!!” The singer responded by punching him in the face, leaving the man crashing to the floor.
The two-minute video obtained by TMZ shows part of the fight including Jason Derulo charging at the men. Security steps in at one point on the video to break up the scrum as chaos proceeds around them.
An additional video posted by the Neighborhood talk shows the altercation from another vantage point. Derulo can also be seen in handcuffs at the end of the clip being escorted out of the building. It is reported that he received a trespassing notice from ARIA, and was removed from the property.
Las Vegas police said in a statement that they received reports of an altercation at a nightclub at the Aria resort after 2 a.m. They say Jason Derulo “committed a battery against two individuals.” He was not arrested nor given a summons and no injuries were reported by police.
TMZ says the two victims declined to press charges but have a year in which they can change their minds and pursue a case. They could also proceed with a lawsuit against the singer.
After teasing the project for months, the “Blinding Lights” hitmaker finally revealed that the project would be coming to streaming platforms on January 7. Now, the Weeknd shared news of an exclusive Amazon Music live stream experience, “103.5 Dawn FM.”
Fans of The Weeknd can head over to Twitch or Amazon Music app from 9 pm PST on January 6. Alongside the album, exclusive merch for the event — including a limited-edition hoodie, t-shirt, and sweatshirt — will also be available via Amazon and in the Amazon Music app. The merch is available to purchase for 48 hours starting at 5 pm PST on January 6.
The Weekend declared, “The power of the 103.5 Dawn FM experience is that maximum fulfillment comes when all who hear it are tuned in at the same time.”
The flyer teases the show will be broadcast live from “somewhere in Los Angeles,” but few other details are known about the event. The Weeknd confirmed on Twitter, “tracklist and sneak peeks tomorrow at… well, you already know when.”
The project has several features, including Tyler, the Creator, Lil Wayne, Quincy Jones, and Abel’s friend and neighbor, Jim Carrey. The two bonded over their shared astronomy hobby after discovering they lived two buildings apart.
Carrey has already heard the album and is a fan. “I listened to Dawn FM with my good friend Abel @theweekndlast night,” he tweeted. “It was deep and elegant and it danced me around the room. I’m thrilled to play a part in his symphony. ;^•.”
In response, The Weeknd thanked the actor for his involvement in the project. He called it “kismit” and said it was a “full circle” moment.
Joey Badass has some words of advice for Tristan Thompson after he was determined to have fathered a child outside of his on-again, off-again relationship with Khloé Kardashian.
According to Badass, Tristan needs to be more honest with himself and the women in his life. He says the Sacramento Kings player should just admit that he needs to be with more than one woman.
“Tristian Thompson gotta stop being a sorry ass n####,” Joey Badass tweeted. “Tell Khloe you’re a f###### gyalist and you need more than one woman. Straight up. Whats so hard about being honest with our women fellas? F### this western b#######. Relationships should be expansive and beneficial for all.”
Furthermore, Joey Badass claims most people are in non-monogamous relationships, they’re unaware of it however because everybody is lying to each other! “Most of us have been in polyamorous relationships our whole lives,” he wrote. “The only difference is we weren’t honest about it. But if you’ve ever been sexually involved with someone non-exclusively, guess what, you’re polyamorous.”
Joey Badass then questioned what it means to love somebody without constraints. “Unconditional love means you love with no CONDITIONS. Most of our minds are way too conditioned to even love freely.”
Elsewhere, footage has emerged of Tristan Thompson shortly before he confessed to lying to Khloe and accepted the paternity test results. TMZ reported Tristan was spotted picking up daughter True from gymnastics class Monday (Jan. 3) just an hour before his Instagram Story confession. Sources tell TMZ Tristan also dropped off 100 roses for 3-year-old True.
The innumerable number of albums that are released every year is almost impossible to keep track of. It is equally difficult to quantify which albums are “the best,” taking into account personal preferences, charting data, regional biases, the hood vs the computers vs the critics vs the fans vs the industry, and then some. Here is our list of 2021’s best, but drop your faves in the comments.
Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Little Simz gave us one of the absolute best album of 2021. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert presented Hip-Hop with everything it could be and perhaps should be. The British-Nigerian rapper burst through globally in 2021 with a true classic and an honest opus that presented lyrical prowess fused with the introspection of a wise, ol’ sage. She gave us 1998 Lauryn Hill vibes without sounding like her predecessor. She tumbles over issues like systemic racism, family beef, toxic relationships, violence, and her “daddy issues” without sounding preaching, overbearing or corny.
There’s a war inside, I hear battle cries Mothers burying sons, young boys playing with guns The devil’s a liar, fulfil your wildest desires Now I don’t wanna be the one to doctor this But if you can’t feel pain, then you can’t feel the opposite The fight between the Yin and Yang’s a fight you’ll never win I study humans, that makes me an anthropologist
– “Introvert”
Musically, Little Simz was one with the sonic landscape of Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, giving listeners a true gem and offering other rappers a portrait of an album as art. This 19-track trek with a young Black female was a journey worth riding shotgun. [Listen Here]
Lloyd Banks – Coti(The Course of the Inevitable)
Lloyd Banks did that ish. The former G-Unit rapper finally made a truimphant return with Coti, his fourth studio album. The album represents the “Comeback of the Decade” with over 10 years between studio albums. However, Banks came back with a vengeance by sharing his truth unapologetically (his daughter is featured on the album art) and rapping with the best of them (Benny The Butcher, Ransom, Freddie Gibbs, Styles P). Coti is chock-full of maturity, but the impact is not diminished with lessened punchlines. Some say the album was a bit too long, but after 10 years, he had plenty to get off his chest. With praise from Travis Scott, J. Cole, Busta Rhymes, and others, the future is bright. [Listen Here]
Boldy James – Bo Jackson
The Alchemist and Boldy James are quite a dynamic duo and Bo Jackson is the third full album from the pair. Bo Jackson is a continuation of their previous work. The Detroit emcee’s slow, cocky, menacing, and possibly sociopathic temperament is present, but he turns it up even more. The Alchemist also rises to the occasion opening up a portal to grander songs like “Fake Flowers”, “E.P.M.D.”, and “Steel Wool”. Earl Sweatshirt and Roc Marciano show up on “Photographic Memories,” offering a cornucopia of chill, a real treat. What happens next is anyone’s guess, but we’re here for it. [Listen Here]
Tyler The Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
Tyler The Creator had something to prove and he proved it while rubbing it in the face of certain purists. He spun the block on those haters with Call Me If You Get Lost, his middle finger to convention…while embracing convention. But with Tyler, nothing is truly normal. The album, a partnership with DJ Drama has all of the ostentatiousness of a blockbuster, but also the tenderness of an acoustic soul singer that employs electronics from time to time. He has this cocky brashness that, coupled with his natural boyishness, that sounds like a kid that finally made it. Frank Ocean, 42 Dugg, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Wayne, Pharrell, and others. They all join in the adventure that is Tyler The Creator. [Listen Here]
Lil Durk – The Voice (Deluxe)
Lil Durk continued to be the street’s favorite and The Voice Deluxe helped keep him there at the top. The Voice is dedicated to King Von and he doubles down on the notion with the deluxe version. The album, a 28-track monster, serves up a posse of guests. Also, The Voice Deluxe presents a less inhibited Durk, freer to be himself in full, as the original stopped at 16 songs. One thing is for sure, the re-up is a bit more somber, painful,d and basks in paranoia. At this point, the Chicago staple deserves all the wins he gets. [Listen Here]
Nas – Magic
AllHipHop’s emcee of the year had one helluva year. Dropping Magic in the latest hour of December, he certified his year in stone. The QB King talked that talk the whole time on his second album in 2021. On “40-16 Building” he spews, “Take my quotes, I’m here to give hope/ Start a company from one of my phrases / We in the age of letting dumb sh#t kill your kingdom / Body bags for no reason, young sh#t, blunts lit, slurring off of the Seagram’s.” A terse 9-tracks, this album exemplifies why we love Nas so much. To paraphrase Mike Tyson, Nas’s style is impetuous, his songs are impregnable, and he’s just ferocious on the mic. Magic isn’t bogged down by guests, but A$AP Rocky and DJ Premier make appearances. And, of course, there is Hit-Boy, who is really an impressive complement to Nas. [Listen Here]
Mozzy – Untreated Trauma
Mozzy managed to do something that most don’t: capture the environment that cultivated him. Untreated Trauma gives us more than a look at life in Oak Park, Sacramento. The Cali rep paints a picture while presenting a delicate balance between blessings and tragedies, balling and falling. The results are reminiscent of a “Menace II Society” spin-off that delves sonically into the intimacies of the hood. However, Mozzy is not from South Central so the nuances are apparent here as well. Despite the red hue, denoting his hood tribe ties, the album is not as dark as it seems, nor is it truly addressing the trauma. But Mozzy is not dishonest and neither are EST Gee, Babyface Ray, Celly Ru, Kalan.FrFr, who ride shotgun. [Listen Here]
Nardo Wick – Who Is Nardo Wick?
Nardo Wick had everbody asking the question: Who Is Nardo Wick? By the end of the year, the intended audience new the answer. The Jacksonville, Florida native became reknown for his impactful song, “Who Want Smoke?” Charismatic and confident, Wick drops lyrics that are the sum total of his Southern influences. The 20-something employs violent imagery (See “Chop Chop” and “Blam Boom”) to hype folks up and yet this oft-terrifying concept only strengthens his position. Overall, Who Is Nardo Wick is nu trap, a multi-dimensional talent, laid-back and deadly. [Listen Here]
Young Thug – Punk
Young Thug’s Punk has nothing to do with the musical genre or the suggestion that he’s a coward. The album offers a portal for Thugger to become even more experimental than in the past. “Die Slow” opens Punk and sets the tone with a soft accoustic, drumless beat and a vocal backdrop. It is an interesting juxtaposition. The album is uncharacteristically soft unless somebody like J. Cole jumps in and adds some rougher texture. Thugger joins him there though and that is the beauty of this album. However, at 20 tracks, it does get a bit long. By the time, “Rich Ni##a Sh#t” comes Thugger and the late Juicewrld give a welcome change in tone. “Bubbly” with Drake and Travis Scott offers the same. Overall, this album offered enough for most listeners and pushed the boundaries. [Listen Here]
Key Glock – Yellow Tape 2
Key Glock’s Yellow Tape 2 offers no guest appearances and he pulls that off. In this era of over-collaboration and audience sharing, this is quite the feat. The 24-year-old South Memphis native continued to be uninterested in being carried. He rides a beat effortlessly though. Folks like Pyrex and Juicy J help tremendously and Key Glock obliges. Pop this tape in the whip and go for a ride. [Listen Here]
DMX – Exodus
We lost DMX in 2021. That sh#t hurt. However, before he departed the earth, he left us with Exodus. His 8th album was intended as a comeback album, so it is inundated with guest appearances. Jay-Z, Nas, Swizz Beatz, The Lox, Moneybagg Yo, Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, Alicia Keys, Snoop Dogg, and more. Truthfully, Exodus is not X’s best work (we’re talking about the Grand Champ here), but it allowed us to say goodbye properly. It also underscored the evolution of a man that had endured addiction, mental health woes, the streets, stress, and more. Moreover, we got to hear “A Letter To My Son,” an absolutely heart-breaking song full of insight. Every DMX album offers a prayer. Now we offer ours. [Listen Here]
Westside Gunn – Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B
Westside Gunn has steadfastly served the fiends with his special brand of dope. The A-Side of Hitler Wears Hermes 8 was an incredible feat, but he topped it a month later with Side B. Technically this double album is supposed to be played as one unit, but it is also technically two distinct albums. 20 songs. The project features Larry June, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, Tyler The Creator, 2 Chainz, Jay Electronica, Mach-Hommy, and others. Hitler VIII finalizes the popular mixtape series with an exclamation point with more producers than the first album and also more. Gunn is an icon in business, music and also art curation. Respect to all the producers too. JR Swiftz, Nicholas Craven, Daringer, Jay Versace, Madlib, DJ Green Lantern, The Alchemist and numerous others hold it down. This is fine art redefined. Pure and uncut.
Young Dolph & The Paper Route Empire – PAPER ROUTE iLLUMINATi
PAPER ROUTE iLLUMINATi is technically a “mixtape” – Young Dolph’s words – but we have no choice but to include it in the list of great albums of 2021. It is also a compilation album of Dolph and his consortium of rappers that harken to the old days of Hip-Hop dynasties. So, Key Glock, Snupe Bandz, and Joddy jump headfirst into the fray and Gucci Mane joins for the win. The project clocks in at a whopping 78-minutes, but it never wears out its welcome. The crew keeps it interesting on songs that range from maniacal & menacing to straight storytelling. The sad reality is PAPER ROUTE iLLUMINATi was Dolph’s last project before he was brutally murdered in his hometown of Memphis. May he rest in peace. [Listen Here]
Nas – King’s Disease II
Nas has the distinction of being the only rapper with two albums in the year-end. Before Magic’s release in December, King’s Disease II was an incredible work for the 48-year old. And then came Magic, which was arguably better. Regardless, KD2 remains a powerful work that could garner the native New Yorker another Grammy like its predecessor. Eminem, Lauryn Hill, EPMD, A-Boogie, YG, Charlie Wilson and, of course, producer/rapper Hit-Boy. Nas is aging in reverse and if he continues in this fashion, with this level of quality, his kingship will be undisputed.[Listen Here]
Baby Keem – The Melodic Blue
Baby Keem’s The Melodic Blue felt like it came out of nowhere, but he was born into this creatively. The cousin of Kendrick Lamar, truly managed to define himself as a creative force. The Melodic Blue splashed the Billboard 200 chart with an estimated 53,000 total albums moved and he became a critics darling. “Trademark USA”, “Pink Panties”, “Range Brothers” (with K-Dot), and other songs from TMB made Keem a darling with critics and fans alike. [Listen Here]
Wreckage Manner (Style P and Havoc) – Wreckage Manner
There are artists that emulate the real and there’s the real. Both Havoc and Styles P are party to a pair of acts that shaped the hardcore horizon in New York City. The Mobb Deep and The Lox brethren come together as Wreckage Manner. The album of the same name gives a more introspective glimpse at a pair of gangsters that has – to quote Prodigy – “seen it all, been through it all.” The results are stellar. “Nightmares 2 Dreams”, “Hymn To Him”, “F#ck Around” and other songs gave fans of “real rap” fans all they needed in 2021. With Hav on the beats and both vets on the rhymes, this is an exceptionally good album. [Listen Here]
J. Cole – The Off-Season
J. Cole made his triumphant return to rap in 2021. He didn’t disrupt the order with The Off-Season but managed to shake things up nicely. The album presented the North Carolinian as his most musically diverse and his co-dees show up in a major way as well. 21 Savage, Lil’ Baby, Cam’ron, Bas, Morray, Lil’ Jon all show up in impressive, varied fashions. The star of the show is Cole, who dazzles lyrically at times. “Put an M right on your head – you Luigi’s brother now,” he drops. Cole has consistently captivated audiences and The Off-Season is not different. He covers a wide range with songs like “p u n c h i n ‘ . t h e . c l o c k” (emotive), “l e t . g o . m y . h a n d” (introspective/spiritual), “9 5 . s o u t h” (lyrical crunk), “a p p l y i n g . p r e s s u r e” (bars) and more. Salute, Cole. [Listen Here]
Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud – The Plugs I Met 2
The original was immaculate as a brick of pure white and the sequel did not disappoint. On The Plugs I Met 2, The Butcher returns to the sordid conditions that made him what he is today. With the dirty production by Harry Fraud, the album comes close to being as good as the first installment. The “hood Bill Gates” really impresses on the one and manages to solidify himself as one of this era’s greats. Sure, the drug talk wears thin at times, but Benny makes it sound so good. Benny succeeds, in part by, standout performances from Fat Joe, Chinx, 2 Chainz, French Montana, Jim Jones, and breakout star Rick Hyde. [Listen Here]
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist – Haram
The Alchemist continues to be a fixture in the musical landscape of Hip-Hop, gently shaping the culture from behind the boards. Armand Hammer pushes the underground upward with Haram in a way that harkens to the Golden Era of subterranean rap. “You don’t gotta be here if you don’t wanna,” Armand yells on the brief track “Roaches Don’t Fly.” But song after song, we are drawn in like flies to feces. There’s quite a high level of mastery here – from both men as Earl Sweatshirt, Quelle Chris, Curly Castro, and others jump in the fray. That’s word to J-Live, Kool Keith, The Juggaknots, Company Flow, and others that paved a way for this to blow the manhole off. [Listen Here]
Drake – Certified Lover Boy
Drake cannot be ignored. He continued to bully the charts and set a standard for Hip-Hop to flourish in pop music. Certified Lover Boy was a triumphant return of sorts even though there were numerous delays. When it finally hit, the landscape shifted. CLB debuted at Billboard 200, pushing a massive 613,000 album-equivalent units In this day and age? Who does that? Drake! This was the largest opening week of any album in 2021. On top of that, it was Drizzy’s 10 number-one album. He also shattered Apple Music and Spotify records for the biggest opening-day streams on those platforms. Bruh. Fans enjoyed the album and Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Giveon, Jay-Z, Project Pat, Tems, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Travis Scott, Future, Young Thug, Yebba, 21 Savage, and Kid Cudi jumped on to co-sign this as the commercial album of the year. [Listen Here]
Snoop Dogg presented Eli Manning with a special gift for the former New York Giants quarterback’s 41st birthday.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, Snoop Dogg offered a Death Row Records chain to the younger Manning brother. The West Coast legend said he’d give the chain to Eli Manning the next time they see each other in person.
“Eli, I would like to present to you this Death Row chain for being so Hip Hop and being so hip,” Snoop Dogg told the retired quarterback. “That’s yours, baby. When I see you, you got that. I’ma put that around your neck. Happy 41st birthday Eli.”
The gift seemed to take Eli Manning by surprise as he had a big smile on his face.
“Thank you,” he told Snoop Dogg. “I will look good in that.”
Peyton Manning quickly jumped in and called for Eli to wear the Death Row chain once the NFL Playoffs begin.
“Eli, I want you wearing that for the playoff game in two weeks,” Peyton Manning said. “That’s a must.”
Watch the clip of Snoop Dogg giving a Death Row chain to Eli Manning on the Monday Night Football broadcast below.
The veteran rapper announced his Dope Don’t Sell Itself LP will be released in January. 2 Chainz also told fans the project’s lead single will arrive later this week.
“Hey you how you been !?” he wrote via social media. “Its been a minute I know ,but im back with something new and exotic . You know I ain’t been around this long with out being a thinker and a constant student & teacher of the game my album ‘ DOPE DONT SELL ITSELF ‘ drops this month and single drops this week Sincerely Yours , Two Tone Toni.”
Last year, 2 Chainz declared Dope Don’t Sell Itself will be his last trap album. The upcoming project will be his first studio LP since 2020’s So Help Me God!
2 Chainz originally unveiled the title of Dope Don’t Sell Itself at the 2021 HARD Summer Music Festival. The multi-platinum selling artist revealed the name while performing at the event in San Bernardino, California.
Although 2 Chainz had a relatively quiet 2021, he closed out the year by collaborating with DJ Premier. The former Playaz Circle member linked up with the legendary producer for a single called “Mortgage Free,” which was released through Payday Records.
Kodak Black was arrested over the weekend at the housing development where he was raised for trespassing and violating a cease and desist order acquired by the complex.
His former neighbors were outraged, saying he was not doing anything.
According to NBC, the folk in Pompano Beach were upset that the superstar they witnessed growing up in the Golden Acres housing complex was detained by law enforcement.
Court documents show that the Broward Sheriff’s department was alerted by a “ShotSpotter,” which detected gunfire in the early morning hours of New Years Day.
According to the residents, Kodak was in the area giving out gifts — after being warned by the Pompano Beach Housing Authority that he should not come and distribute (under the rule of law), after giving out hundreds of air conditioning units residents in the development last summer.
The officials issued a statement saying that while they appreciated his gesture, the gifts did not meet the “standard safety guidelines,” and they were trying to avoid “risk or harm to residents.”
One resident named Pat Celange said, “He was doing nothing. He pulled up, gave his gifts, and they came around the corner.”
Clearly, Celange was not aware of the rule.
Kendra Johnson describe the scene saying, “The SWAT team just came and said, ‘you’re being arrested for trespassing.'”
Some are calling B.S. on this.
“It’s sad man, cause he does a lot for the community,” resident Junior Jean Baptiste stated. “He’s giving a lot of kids motivation. Kids are trying to make it out. That’s crazy”
His lawyer, Bradford Cohen, wrote on his Instagram his thoughts.
“Can you imagine the incompetence and ego that a police officer would actually put into a report that he ‘personally knew’ the housing authority had a ‘cease and desist letter’…not that it was a trespass notice, not that it was properly served, not that Bill knew of it, not that the officer saw the letter, not that the officer read the letter, not that the police previously warned him, not that the letter was actually valid, not that he was an invitee to the property, not that he was doing something he wasn’t allowed to do, not even a call to the housing authority to verify.”
He continued to write, “Someone actually trained this Deputy. I’m hoping it’s not a ranking Deputy that made this blunder and maybe a rookie that doesn’t understand the law.”
“By the way they also towed his legally parked vehicle so they could ‘inventory search’ it,” he concluded. “This young man has done nothing but support his community since being released, paid peoples credit card debt, sent first responders kids to college, paid for officers funerals and its never enough. Watch what happens where BSO will blame HA and HA will blame BSO.”
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
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.
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.
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.”
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 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.
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 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‼‼).”
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.
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!
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.
— WOTY RHODES🦍👸🏾🇬🇾 THA VILLAIN 🦍🎀 (@MSHUSTLE1271) January 3, 2022
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.
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?
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.”
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.
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.
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.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS PRISTAVIA VS YOSHI BIG T VS LU CASTRO SNAKE EYES VS NUNN NUNN QUBAN VS BARS MAJOR 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈
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.
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).
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!”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
