Last week, articles circulated online allegedly exposing Summer Walker’s 2017 music contract with Love Renaissance (LVRN) and Interscope Records. The leaked documents hit the internet around the same time Summer dropped her Still Over It album.
According to Rolling Stone, Summer Walker agreed to give up the rights to her master recordings. The “Ex for a Reason” performer allegedly earned a 15% royalty rate for her music and an $85,000 advance.
Summer Walker took to social media to address the discussion about her supposed contract situation. The Atlanta-raised R&B singer pushed back on the narrative that the LVRN record label is taking advantage of her.
“I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter online. I didn’t say anything because I wanted to say focused on releasing my album. Now let me clear the air,” wrote Summer Walker on her Instagram Story.
She continued, “What that article said is not my current record deal. Over the years my deal has changed many times. I’ve always had my own representation and full support from LVRN. Thank you to my fans for always having my back and for all of the love [y’all] keep showing my new album. Appreciate y’all!!”
The fallout from the fatal Astroworld Festival continues to play out. Eight people were killed and hundreds of people were injured during the Travis Scott-organized event in Houston last week.
9-year-old Ezra Blount is one of the young attendees who was harmed that night. According to reports, the child is currently hospitalized after being crushed by the Astroworld Festival crowd.
ABC13 Houston journalist Stefania Okolie tweeted:
We have learned a 9 YO boy is fighting for his life at Texas Children’s Hospital after his family says he was trampled at #AstroWorld – [the] child was on his [dad’s] shoulders during the crowd surge, his dad passed out from [the] pressure, his son fell and [concertgoers] trampled him. The child’s family tells me all of his organs are damaged, and he has severe swelling in his brain. They praying for a full recovery, which would be a miracle. The 9 YO boy is in [a] coma right now & brain swelling has gotten progressively worse today after he was trampled at #Astroworld .family does not want his name shared right now, but please lift this child in prayer. He didn’t deserve this.
@StefaniaOnABC13 Twitter
Travis Scott Reacts To The Deadly Tragedy
Widespread criticism has been directed at Travis Scott, Astroworld Festival organizers, the city of Houston, and local law enforcement for not responding effectively to what is being described as a mass casualty event. Scott issued multiple statements about the catastrophe.
BREAKING: We have learned a 9 YO boy is fighting for his life at Texas Children’s Hospital after his family says he was trampled at #AstroWorld -child was on his dads shoulders during the crowd surge, his dad passed out from pressure, his son fell and concert goers trampled him.
The child’s family tells me all of his organs are damaged, and he has severe swelling in his brain. They praying for a full recovery, which would be a miracle.
The 9 YO boy is in coma right now & brain swelling has gotten progressively worse today after he was trampled at #Astroworld .family does not want his name shared right now, but please lift this child in prayer. He didn’t deserve this. We hear from Grandfather at 5 @abc13houston
Casanova shared a message via his manager from behind bars after turning himself into authorities nearly a year ago. The Brooklyn rapper is accused of being a member of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation gang. Casanova denies this and maintains his innocence.
At the weekend, his manager shared a video of Casanova on a prior trip to Nigeria, Africa. At the time, he was on parole and he spoke about turning his life around and what exactly is “Gangsta.”
According to the caption, Casanova’s manager posted the message on his behalf. “MIGHT DIE IN HERE BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER WHATS “GANGSTA” CAUSE THIS JAIL S### AINT “GANGSTA” AT ALL ‼” He wrote. “HOPE YOU YOUNG N##### BEAT THE ODDS‼️”
Last month, Casanova’s manager shared a plea from Casanova to his “fans and very important friends.”
“This is a public service announcement to all my fans and very important friends,” he wrote. “I’ve been incarcerated for almost one year now, exhausted all remedies and spent a significant amount of money on legal fees to prove my innocence. The charges against me are false, they don’t represent or reflect the person that I am. They are simply using my past criminal history to crucify me in court.”
Casanova continued and explained how he has made attempts to turn his life around including reaching out to the youth to prevent gun violence.
He concluded, “Any help provided will be a blessing, because I feel defeated one’s past shouldn’t be the reason why you can’t be afforded a successful future. No one should be held accountable for the crimes they have already served their time for, in legal terms that’s considered double jeopardy. Last but not least Happy Birthday to me, Free Me Until They Free Me, Y’all Know Outside Ain’t The Same Without Me. ‘LOL.’”
In October, Trap Smoke, an associate of Casanova and member of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation took a plea deal in the ongoing fed case. Jamal “Trap Smoke” Austin was one of the 18 members of the gang facing charges in a RICO indictment in December of 2020.
Drake has broken his silence to give a statement on the tragic events at Astroworld this weekend. The OVO boss joined Travis Scott onstage as a surprise guest and is now named in at least one lawsuit relating to the festival.
Travis has made two statements addressing the tragedy and now Drake has also come forward and shared his thoughts.
“I’ve spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy,” wrote Drake. “I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself. My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering.”
He concluded, “I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can. May God be with you all.”
Eight people lost their lives and hundreds were injured during the festival in Houston at the weekend. TMZ report: “Sources close to both Drake and Travis tell us neither had any idea to the severity of what was happening in the crowd.”
Drake is named as a defendant in a lawsuit alongside Travis and the event’s organizers by a festival-goer who claims they were left with physical and emotional injuries.
Kanye West and Drake may be one step closer to ending their longstanding feud, joining forces in the fight for Larry Hoover’s freedom.
J Prince took to Twitter to share a video statement recorded by Kanye. “I met with @kanyewest night in Htown at the Rothko Chapel,” he tweeted. “It wasn’t in my plans to meet him there but I must say I’m glad I didn’t allow a worship place for God to detour our meeting.”
Standing next to J Prince, Kanye says, “This is Ye and J. Prince. I’m making this video to address an ongoing back-and-forth between myself and Drake. Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other and it’s time to put it to rest.
Kanye West Asks Drake To Join Him Onstage
He then called for Drake to join him in a performance of their albums, “DONDA” and “Certified Lover Boy”. “I’m asking Drake on Dec. 7 to join me onstage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year live in Los Angeles with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover.”
Kanye West concluded by saying, “I believe this event will not only bring awareness to our cause, but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together.”
I met with @kanyewest night in Htown at the Rothko Chapel. It wasn’t in my plans to meet him there but I must say I’m glad I didn’t allow a worship place for God to detour our meeting. pic.twitter.com/GM9FIN80Uj
J Prince further explains in the Twitter thread that he wants to promote ‘movement thinking” over “moment thinking.” He also shared that Larry Hoover personally wants the pair to end their differences:
“So I met with @kanyewest to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them. Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did.”
So I met with @kanyewest to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them. Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did.
Kanye West mentioned a reconciliation with Drake in his much-talked-about Drink Champs interview. Ye has previously said the Canadian rapper is part of his ongoing mission to help free the co-founder of Chicago’s Gangsta Disciples, Larry Hoover, from federal prison.
Travis Scott is coming under fire following the tragic deaths at his Astroworld Festival.
A Change.org petition has requested his removal from the 2022 Coachella Festival lineup. The online campaign has already received thousands of signatures.
The petition is addressed to Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett, Goldenvoice and AEG. Goldenvoice, which promotes the festival, is a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).
“With the recent tragic and unnecessary death at Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert, due to Scott’s own gross negligence and sheer lack of compassion for human life, we ask AEG, Paul Tollet, and Goldenvoice to remove [him] as [a] performer at all of their festivals,” the campaign’s organizer Sendero Secreto wrote.
Eight people died and hundreds more were injured at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival on November 5. The two-day event was canceled following the disastrous first night.
Investigators are still trying to determine what went wrong at the festival. Travis Scott addressed the tragedy in a social media video, but the creator of the Coachella petition – like many social media observers – deemed it to be insincere.
“After watching Travis Scott’s apology video it’s very clear that he’s trying to avoid blame in the unnecessary deaths of his fans,” Sendero Secreto wrote in an update. “At no point in his video ‘apology’ did we think [he] was genuinely sorry for the loss of lives at his concert.”
Dopeboy Trouble is a rap artist from Columbus, GA whose Southern roots sowed someone who prides himself on loyalty, family, and the hustle. It’s his grind that’s most impressive, but what’s most exciting about Dopeboy is that he’s just getting started.
Born Chris Upshaw, Jr., the rapper first began making music while in YDC and quickly found it as a way to express his own ambitions despite having a troubled past. One word to describe his music? Dope. His sound is unlike any other rapper out there and his fans can attest to that. Boasting over 36,000 monthly Spotify listeners and 600,000 views on one of his first released visuals, Dopeboy has proven to himself that he belongs in the trap rap space currently held by the likes of Lil Baby, 21 Savage, and Gucci Mane. His music is centered around hard-hitting, drill beats that he shares on his recent single, “Dope FR”.
Up next for the rapper is prepping to release a series of new visuals following the video for “Think I’m the Sh*t” which was dropped at the top of 2021. His intent is to keep the streets laced with his music while he builds up his bubbly fan base and puts Columbus on the map.
Jaden, now 23, asked to be emancipated after he received “vicious” remarks online following the release of After Earth – which he starred in with his dad – in 2013.
Writing in excerpts from his upcoming memoir Will published by People magazine, Will said: “After Earth was an abysmal box office and critical failure.
“And what was worse was that Jaden took the hit. Fans and the press were absolutely vicious; they said and printed things about Jaden that I refuse to repeat.
“Jaden had faithfully done everything that I’d instructed him to do, and I had coached him into the worst public mauling he’d ever experienced.”
Will – who has Jaden and 21-year-old daughter Willow with wife Jada Pinkett Smith – never “discussed” the backlash with Jaden, but he knew the youngster had “lost trust” in his dad’s ability to lead.
“We never discussed it, but I know he felt betrayed,” he added. “He felt misled, and he lost his trust in my leadership. At 15-years-old, when Jaden asked about being an emancipated minor, my heart shattered. He ultimately decided against it, but it sucks to feel like you’ve hurt your kids.”
The news comes after Will – who also has son Trey, 28, with his first wife Sheree Zampino – recently said he feels as though he’s “failed every woman” he’s interacted with.
Speaking in a teaser for his upcoming appearance on “The Oprah Conversation,” he said: “I want to tell the truth. I want to let people have it. I’ve carried, most of life, the sense of failing every woman I interact with. I haven’t talked about that publicly.”
Will Smith faced financial ruin before his “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” success.
The “Men in Black” star has admitted he went through severe money troubles, losing his cars and his home, and even spent a night in jail before he hit stratospheric fame with the hit 90s U.S. sitcom.
Will is coming clean about his past in his new memoir, “Will,” and he was quizzed about his low point in the TV special, “The Oprah Conversation: Will Smith.”
In a clip from the Apple TV+ show, the broadcast legend asked: “So right before ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ I think people would be surprised to know, this is the first time, I realized…you basically lost everything.
“The government seized your cars, it took your home, you ended up in jail. You describe it in two words actually, ‘rock bottom.’ What was at the root of that downfall, Will? And the life lesson you took from it?”
The actor explained a radio station fight that saw him put behind bars made him reassess his life.
He said: “When it rains, it pours. So getting into the fight at the radio station, Charlie punching the dude that landed me in jail, so the money is gone, the car is gone. I am laying on the floor in a jail cell, and I am like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!'”
And he still can’t believe how far he’s come.
“I won a Grammy eight months ago,” he marveled. “Like, what is happening? And it’s just the spiral when it starts going the other way. It’s like, sometimes you just have to get out the way and wait until the downward spiral stops.”
Media maven Wendy Williams does not seem to be getting better as quickly as we all thought.
Reports now claim that she will not be back as the host of her mega-hit talk show “The Wendy Williams Show” until next year.
The woman responsible for the exaggerated catchphrase, “How you doing,” will not return to her spot until 2022.
She took to social media to share a note with her fans and supporters. She posted on Instagram, “HOW YOU DOIN’? I MISS YOU ALL! As everyone knows, my health has been a hot topic. I’m making progress but it’s just one of those things that’s taking longer than we expected.”
“I’m a woman of a certain age,” she reasoned. “And I know enough to listen to my doctors and will return to my purple chair as soon as we all agree I’m ready.”
Wendy Williams, despite her connections to the younger Hip-Hop generation, is 57-years-old. She started her career in the Golden age of the culture and has been a staple since the early 90s.
“I want to thank all of my staff and our guest hosts for stepping up and stepping in while I can’t be there. I also want to thank Debmar-Mercury and our stations for being so understanding and supportive while I work my way back,” she wrote.
“Most of all, I want to thank my fans. I have heard your prayers and comments and feel all the love! You are everything to me,” she ended her note. “I love spending my mornings with you all and I’m doing everything I can to get back to work, but right now Wendy has to focus on Wendy. I love you for watching.”
As she takes the steps she needs to be well, the community wishes her well.
Joshua Garcia, or 3Nights as he is famously known, is a fast-rising music talent in the American scene. He is also the co-founder of COOKIES AND KICKS, a leading shoe brand in Los Angeles.
3Nights shares an inspiring story of rising from average to build an outstanding career in the entrepreneurship world. He was born and raised in the US to an immigrant family from El Salvador. Growing up, 3Nights showed great interest and passion for business. He loved everything to do with entrepreneurship, and he was already selling different stuff, such as drinks, while in high school. The passion was increasingly building in him, and all he wanted was to start a business and explore his dreams.
While in college, 3Nights met other like-minded individuals who motivated him to establish a dropshipping business. A determined and dedicated team, 3Nights and his friends drove the business to become a profitable venture. Balancing studies and the business became challenging for 3Nights, and he had to choose to focus on his life as an entrepreneur. Though it was a tough decision to drop out of college, he terms it as one of the best in his life.
3Nights has since expanded into other ventures, including the fashion industry, where COOKIES AND KICKS lie. The store is one of the most in-demand shoe stores in the country. He has also diversified into the real estate and crypto markets, where he is doing exceptionally well.
He has also shifted into the music industry to explore his talent. 3Nights has always had a passion for singing, and he believes it’s time he introduces the world to the artist in him. He recently released a single, ‘Come Around,’ which is swiftly rising up the charts. He is working on releasing more tracks soon as he cements his position in the industry. 3Nights is keen on growing his music brand to become one of the top artists in the country.
As the highly talented singer he is, it’s a matter of time before he breaks into the mainstream. You better watch out for the name 3Nights, as he is certainly set to become the next big music superstar in the country.
The ambitious entrepreneur is looking forward to diversifying and expanding into more industries. His eyes are set on the growth in the fast-rising crypto-world and real estate. Joshua shares an ambition to bring forth homes and businesses in the otherwise regarded remote region of California CIty. This includes building houses and creating communities for people.
3Nights also shares a relentless passion for inspiring and educating other people, seeking to make their dreams realities. He wants to use his success to encourage and motivate them to turn what seems impossible into what’s possible. To 3Nights, dreams can be realized regardless of your background or current life situation. He advises finding what you aspire to be or achieve, then committing and dedicating yourself to making it happen. An open and positive mindset is also essential to help you adapt to the changing times while keeping your dreams alive.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com
By now, we’re all well aware of the nature of the Astroworld tragedy that is promising to all but fully (and rightly) cancel Travis Scott for good. By now, we’ve all seen the horrific videos — the piles of bodies screaming for help, the frightened kids begging for the oblivious cameraman to stop the show, the ambulance lights plowing through the crowd to take away the dead and the injured.
There’s no need to repost what we’ve seen countless times before. Trauma p### is a genre that needs to die a slow and painful death, sooner rather than later, and no one needs to re-watch a bunch of young men and women screaming and begging for their lives. Go watch a World War II documentary or the Investigation Discovery channel if you need a violent fix.
And we’re also seeing countless tweets — from the usual suspects, either of the dusty hotep variety who insist that this is part of some Grand Conspiracy to initiate Travis Scott into some (non-existent) Satanic Illuminati cult that, somehow, is tied to the functionally illiterate Kylie Jenner, or the fanbois and the groupies desperate to put on a white cape and mount a white steed to defend Travis Scott, a celebrity whom they don’t know personally and who wouldn’t spit on them if they were on fire — insisting that what he was doing was just part of “mosh pit culture.”
I’m here to tell every last one of these people one thing: you’re all idiots. I’m sure that will make you mad, and I’m also sure that I sincerely don’t have a f### left to give about that.
For those of you who think otherwise: there are no “both sides” in this matter. People are dead, you half-witted fetal alcohol cases — people who didn’t need to be dead, and people who wouldn’t be dead but for the supreme failure of the concert promoter to provide adequate necessities for a safe and enjoyable concert, and the sociopathic lack of concern on behalf of Travis Scott to leave the audience with a pleasant experience.
Call me whatever you want for being so blunt. Just remember I’ve been called worse by better.
While I’m aware that I’m comfortably in the Gen X range, I’m also aware that getting older in an industry where far too many die young and starving and alone is a privilege and not a right. And, to be frank, those of us who made it to our age group alive and well and in one piece in the entertainment industry didn’t get to that age by being a bunch of idiots. Our intelligence and empathy extended to the mosh pit, too.
I write this to remind you that it was my generation who grew up in the throes of the mosh pit culture, and I assure you that there were rules in that sonofabitch. Contrary to the erroneous belief held by Travis Scott and his minions that the mosh pit was a rage-fest that was little more than an excuse to beat the s### out of each other, the reality is, there were rules in that sonofabitch.
I’ll allow this Twitter thread to explain it to you in such a way that doesn’t involve the incandescent rage I’m currently feeling at the blatant stupidity exhibited by this marginally talented “artist.”
A lot of the folks talking about “mosh pit” culture are young af & never been to metal & other hardcore concerts
1)Many concerts at a certain level have the support staff to back up the hardcore
2)Moshing is consensual. And people regularly protect folks who might get pulled in
I’ve been to concerts where the entire ground floor suddenly became a pit and no one died or got seriously injured. And people of all genders, but esp huge cis men did their parts to help anyone get out who needed it
I cannot help but remember when the Roskilde tragedy happened through no fault of Pearl Jam’s — and lead singer Eddie Vedder stopped the show and openly wept on stage, begging people to stop and save those who couldn’t be saved, and how the community came together as a whole to heal, to love and be loved, and to be more mindful going forward.
Of course, if you ask a certain group of folks about this, they’ll tell you that Eddie Vedder was “weak,” feminine, and a p#### — to which I have no other response than to tell you, with all due disrespect, to go m######### yourselves, now and forever, for that ignorance.
As I said, I’m sure I’m going to get a backlash from the usual suspects who don’t bother to read the f###### article to comprehend but only choose to pick and choose what they want to read with the intent of answering back. And as I said, I sincerely don’t care. My job is, to tell the truth — your job is to comprehend it.
And I cannot make this any clearer: it is not just rock’n’roll artists that understand what mosh pit culture really is, either. (For some reason, the “default” setting in rock’n’roll is cis white guys, even though rock’n’roll was and remains a Black art form, and there’s no shortage of Black artists — from Jimi Hendrix to Slash and Arthur Lee of Love, from Fire from the Gods to Fishbone and King’s X — that are revered within the pantheon. Also, I shouldn’t have to say this, but I’m going to anyway: “skinheads” and other racists aren’t welcome in our shows, and any attempt by them to penetrate our mosh pit sanctum usually ends with their brains on the concrete.)
There are countless rap artists — the most notable example being Playboi Carti, who notably & honorably ceased performing while begging his audience to stop acting like a####### — who get that if nothing else, a concert is a safe space to express one’s true self and a rare chance to enjoy the music live and in living color, and nobody benefits if anybody gets hurt in the process.
People pass out at concerts. People sometimes get hurt at concerts. People even sometimes die at concerts — but in 99.99% of those cases, it’s through an “act of God” or a freak accident, not due to a violent weirdo who needs validation in the form of injured and dead bodies, who otherwise wouldn’t get any sort of props were it not for the notoriety of the needlessly violent nature of his shows.
There’s no other way of putting this than bluntly: what Travis Scott did at Astroworld wasn’t “mosh pit” culture. Not a single one of us who started our entertainment careers in rock’n’roll recognize what Gen Z is calling a “mosh pit”…because it’s not a mosh pit.
What Travis Scott did at Astroworld wasn’t an “Illuminati sacrifice” or a “Satanic ritual.” I was raised Catholic — I promise, Satanists don’t incorporate Hieronymous Bosch imagery in their rituals. And as for “Illuminati,” the very definition means “enlightened ones” — have you heard Travis Scott talk? Does this man sound like one of the world’s great thinkers, one who would understand the syncretic secrets of the universe? C’mon, fam. He can’t even perform live without a machine making him sound somewhat tolerable. Do you really think The Powers That Be are going to entrust higher-level thoughts to someone who can’t read above a third-grade reading level? Use the Third Eye you allegedly have decalcified to think, please.
What Travis Scott did at Astroworld was reckless, irresponsible, and straight-up assault.
It was a sociopathic disregard for human life. It was raw violence, brutal and unfiltered.
And he deserves to pay, and dearly, for his actions.
Rapper Travis Scott has been having a week from hell.
After eight people were killed at his Astroworld Festival, the chart-topping artist has vowed to pay the funeral costs for the bereaved families. He also said that he and the BetterHelp organization would help in other ways those traumatized by the fatal ordeal.
TMZ reports that the “Butterfly Effect” rapper will be paying for everything out of his own pockets and will spare no expense to make sure that the people who died are laid to rest honorably.
Also, he will partner with the BetterHelp organization to offer free mental health services to those struggling with getting over the chaos that left almost a half dozen dead and 300 in need of medical attention.
BetterHelp will provide one-on-one virtual therapy sessions with licensed professionals and team up with the National Alliance of Mental Illness to support those who prefer face-to-face counseling.
Travis Scott is overseeing a special hotline dedicated to those impacted by the Astroworld catastrophe on Friday, November 5th.
Nevertheless, despite people falling out and dying in the audience, the rapper continued performing.
The event got so out of control that it was declared a “mass casualty” only 32 minutes after the Texas native took to the stage, but he was allowed to continue. Law enforcement managing the crisis believed this was the proper course of action as a riot might have transpired if he had stopped.
Regardless of the police’s rationale, some thought that to continue was callous. Several lawsuits have been filed.
Travis Scott remains regretful. He said: “I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival.”
The stats are grim from that horrible night: eight attendees died, some went into cardiac arrest, one police officer was stabbed with a hypodermic needle, and hundreds were injured at the festival.
Cameron aka c6merxn is the rapper and producer coming up in the music industry. With influences like Lil Uzi Vert, he embodies a style that is unique and expressive to him. c6merxn got into recording music as a way to escape from his sometimes depressing reality. It was a therapeutic getaway from the insecurities and doubts plaguing his mind. That zone where everything went away producing or recording tracks, paved the way for his future as an artist.
c6merxn has since been on the path to building his fanbase and getting his voice and musical style to the world. His mission is to remain consistent with releases and has been keeping up with his hectic schedule on streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Soundcloud. The method to his madness came with rewards, blowing up his single “DOORDASH” pass 50,000 streams on Spotify alone. The track served as the prequel to his mixtape, “TRAP” which is now available on all platforms.
As of right now, c6merxn is already working on his upcoming self-titled debut album, “c6merxn” rumored to be dropping in November, and has plans to release an instrumental-only album to showcase his skills as a producer. Music has really been a beacon of light for the upcoming artist, taking him from a place of darkness to enjoying all that life has to offer. c6merxn intends to use its rising buzz and social media marketing expertise to help new artists kick-start their careers and be discovered by the mainstream market. With his career growing, c6merxn is heading in the direction of making those dreams a reality.
Rap superstar and producer Missy Elliot has received a star on the coveted Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her star, presented on Monday, November 8, at 11:30 A.M. PDT, makes the 2,708th star in the organization’s history.
The star was unveiled by the “The Rain” chart-topper and her longtime manager and friend, TV & film producer Mona Scott-Young, and two of her young sisters in art, Ciara and Lizzo.
LOOK AT THE BRIGHTEST STAR ON HOLLYWOOD… correction the BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!!
Lizzo said during the presentation, “You are the brightest star in the universe.”
“I have watched you my entire life, and I saw a superstar in you. I also saw myself. I’d never seen myself before … We don’t deserve you,” Lizzo gushed.
Ciara said during her tribute, “We define genres of R&B, Hip-Hop … then there’s the genre of Missy. It is true; her style can’t be duplicated or recycled. There is only one Missy.”
If you’re not familiar with Shugg, it’s time to get familiar. The new hottest artist rising out of the heart of Massachusetts, Shugg is here to take over the rap game with his undeniable talents, boasting a spitfire flow, aggressive bars, and nothing but truth in his lyrics.
As someone who came from the mud and took his hustle from the streets to the studio, Shugg proves hard work, dedication, and passion goes a long way.
In describing himself, Shugg states, “I’m a n#### from the outskirts of Boston, just trying to put on for his city. For the Twin Cities. I don’t like to say it like that, but I like to put myself in the most genuine category of them all. I gotta go hard, I feel a n#### like me know what it takes to win. I’m trying to do everything that I can do to win and provide for my family and everybody that I love.”
Most recently, Shugg unleashed his newest music video for “Foreal,” which arrives on the heels of his previous release “Kenan & Kel.” Both records serve as motivation to get out there and go after your wildest dreams, proving there’s a light at the tunnel no matter what your circumstances. Both records can be found on his forthcoming album titled Nonfiction.
AllHipHop: How is it over there in Massachusetts?
Shugg: Dude, don’t come out here. [laughs] Nah, it’s straight to come out here for a little bit during the summer maybe, but they don’t call us Mass-holes for no reason. It’s cold out here, the people and the weather. It’s not the best place to be, not gonna lie to you.
AllHipHop: What was it like growing up there?
Shugg: I’m not going to lie man, it wasn’t easy growing up. It was me and my mom, we had probably 9 or 10 people in a two-bedroom apartment. Never had the best living conditions growing up. Never had cable, never had a house phone my whole life. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade none of that for nothing because it made me who I am. It made me appreciate s###. Now, I appreciate everything. I know nothing’s promised because of that upbringing. I’ve seen my mom struggle and I never want to ever see her struggle ever again. That’s why I do me, and that’s why I go so hard doing what I do.
AllHipHop: How did you get your name?
Shugg: I got it in high school, I was going into my freshman year. Long story short, my coach heard about me doing my little 1, 2, 1, 2. He said, “I heard you got some sugar” or some s### like that. From then on, it was a little inside joke. Everybody called me Shugg from there on out. I don’t wanna say to much, but allegedly out here they called white girls ‘sugar’. So in high school, that’s what they used to call me. Shugga Shay, because in their mind they heard i had it like that. As I got older, I couldn’t be a grown man being called Sugar, so everybody calls me Shugg now.
AllHipHop: Favorite artists coming up?
Shugg: Ooh, that’s a hard one. Right now, I’d say Meek Mill is one of them. Gucci Mane is definitely a big inspiration. Jay-Z is the GOAT to me because nobody’s really better than Hov. At the moment, my two favorite artists are Baby Face Ray and I f### with Icewear Vezzo.
AllHipHop: When did you realize you can do music for a living? Was there a turning point?
Shugg: Yeah, I went through some s### back at the end of 2016. Some n*ggas was hating on me. I went through a little somethin’ somethin’ I don’t really want to speak about, but it made me realize that the streets don’t promise nobody nothing. Once I put up my first music video and my city showed me love and embraced me, it was a wrap. The minute I sold one ticket, I knew I could sell a million tickets. Because if I could do it one time, I knew I could do it a million times. Once I seen that, I thought “Yeah, I could definitely take this to the hoop.”
AllHipHop: You have “Foreal” out now. How are you feeling?
Shugg: I’m feeling great. I never got this much love, I’m not gonna front. “Foreal” is doing the best out of anything I ever did, so I see the progression. It really doesn’t have nothing to do with me, it has everything to do with we. I’ve got a beautiful team. I wouldn’t be s### without my n*ggas. Snake’s holding it down. Collectively, it’s a lot of us and everybody’s been putting in work. It’s weird because like I said, out here it’s cold. Massachusetts, Boston, I don’t know if you heard, we’re Mass-holes. People don’t really show love like that, it’s really bittersweet. But people are embracing me right now, so I’m loving it. I know if I can win people out here, then I can win people out there. So “Foreal” got me feeling good, foreal foreal.
AllHipHop: Where did you record the record at?
Shugg: I record everything at my own studio. I got my own s###, my own studio. I send everything else to this dude named John Scott. He’s that n#### out here. He actually just moved out to LA right now. He works with DaBaby, Lil’ Baby, Snoop Dogg, Jeezy, etc. He’s a big name.
AllHipHop: Where was the video shot? Best memory?
Shugg: The video was shot in Providence, Rhode Island. The best memory was falling in love with one of the dancers.
AllHipHop: For real? [laughs]
Shugg: Hell yeah, I love one of them. We in love, but not really, but really.
AllHipHop: Does she know?
Shugg: Does she know? S###, she better know. Nah, she knows. We cool.
AllHipHop: I premiered your video, “Kenan & Kel,” on Flaunt. How did that visual embody where you’re from?
Shugg: That really shows you everything in a nutshell. Really, really, without getting too crazy. “Kenan & Kel” is basically for the streets out here because that’s what’s going on. When you listen to that track, that’s what’s really going on out here. It definitely shows that yeah people might think Mass is uppity, but there’s a hood everywhere. “Kenan & Kel” definitely embodies that. It shows and talks about what’s really going on in the most friendly and catchy way possible.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to have the Massachusetts rap scene popping?
Shugg: It feels great. It feels beautiful. I remember going into the club and just being a regular street n*gga. Now when I go into the club, every club I go to my record’s getting spinned. I’m hearing DJs shouting me out, I’m taking pictures with random people. It’s an indescribable feeling. I’m truly blessed. It’s truly fortunate.
AllHipHop: What is it that you want fans to get from your story?
Shugg: If Shugg can do it, you can do it. Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever let anybody tell you you can’t do something. It’s never too late to start following your dreams. You know, the streets is a lie. It’s a beautiful place to get some life lessons, but don’t get caught up in the sauce. If you a real n*gga and you stay 10 toes down, God’s gonna help you no matter what.
AllHipHop: How’s the independent grind?
Shugg: I love it man, I love it. Because at the end of the day, I work hard for my money. Anytime I put up my own money and I see it flip, then I get to reap all the benefits and I don’t really got nobody telling me what to do, it’s a beautiful thing. I don’t know if I’ll ever sign a major deal, to be honest unless the bag is super right.
AllHipHop: Damn, that’s a statement. Why?
Shugg: If I could get in front of the right amount of people and show people what I’m working with, there’s nothing a label could really do for me. Other than hand us some money, but we already have money. Money isn’t really an issue anymore. You know what it is, you create the engine, you create the monster and they reap the benefits. I thank the streets for giving me the knowledge to understand that if I could make a dollar once, I can make it a million times. You really don’t need too much outside help.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
Shugg: A good vibe, some good Zaza. Honestly, I need something cold to drink at all times. Without that, s### gets weird. I’ve been in that situation a few times, left a whole session because there’s no water.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your forthcoming album, Nonfiction?
Shugg: The truth. 110% the truth. The truth is in the pudding. Nonfiction, it is what it is. I never told a lie, that’s my slogan. I’ma be real: all that s### there’s no pen, no pad. That’s all coming straight from the head and the heart. From Nonfiction, people are going to expect the truth and a big piece of Shugg. A lot of n##### capping and rapping, there’s zero cap in my rap. I never told a lie, not once.
AllHipHop: Any collabs we should know about?
Shugg: Right now, no honestly. We got a whole bunch of s### in the works, but I haven’t done anything solid. We talking to Icewear’s team right now. I f### with ABG Neal heavy.
So far as features right now, honestly we haven’t done any. We’ve been doing everything just Shugg. Everybody’s like, “Yo, you got to get these features. You got feature money.” Yo man, I be so busy doing what I do. By the time I get to the studio, I bang that s### out and I get out. So far as major features, none right now, but they’re definitely on the way for sure.
AllHipHop: Any goals for yourself at this point in your career?
Shugg: I’d say 6 months to a year, to be in a real solid position where I’m not just that ngga in New England or in Boston area. I want the world to know who I am. Well, not even the world. 6 months to a year, I need the nation to know who I am. Nggas f### with me, that’s all. And the movement to get bigger, take full advantage of this momentum we got going.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working?
Shugg: What I like to do for fun? [sighs] Can’t even tell you the last time I had fun. S###, I like to smoke good weed. I like to laugh. I like to chill my n*ggas, catch a vibe man, and catch some rec. What else do I like to do? I’m not really a club dude, I do like the casinos though, not even gonna front. The casino be the devil’s house, but we be in there. That’s about it. I like to plot honestly. That’s really my sense of fun, working really.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Shugg: Just be on the lookout. I promise you, we ain’t gon’ stop here. I appreciate you the long way for you helping me out, helping the team out. F### with your energy. I’m super thankful and grateful for you and this interview. Thank you and may God bless all the trap n#####.
Beanie Sigel claims he’s getting a major payday from Kanye West.
While speaking at a Philadelphia club, Beanie Sigel said Kanye West promised to pay him $50 million for coming up with the Yeezy name. The State Property rapper declared he’d also be getting stock in Ye’s Adidas brand.
“I got a phone call from a m########### the other day – Kanye West,” Beanie Sigel told the crowd. “He said Sig, I owe you $50 million and five percent stock in Yeezy. And I don’t know if n##### know, Yeezy sold $1.7 billion last year. That n#### said he got a $50 million check for a n####.”
Beanie Sigel shared this info after Kanye West declared he owed the Philly-bred MC money on REVOLT’s Drink Champs. During the interview, Ye credited Beans with coining the Yeezy moniker.
“I still owe Beanie money, and I been trying to give him this money for a minute,” the G.O.O.D. Music founder told hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. ‘Cause he made the name Yeezy. He used to call me Yeezy.”
Ye explained, “People who took a liking to me in volatile situations would always give me a nickname, so it seemed like I was cool like them. [Yeezy] was Beanie’s name for me when I was at Baseline. On some like, ‘That’s Yeezy,’ make him one of us. He let me wear his State Property chain. He really just embraced me.”
In the Drink Champs conversation, Kanye West insisted he’d been trying to pay Beanie Sigel for quite some time. He equated the situation to Nike co-founder Phil Knight providing stock to graphic designer Carolyn Davidson, who created the company’s famous swoosh logo.
“I been trying to give it to him,” Ye noted. “I’m like, ‘This man made up the name.’ It’s like the lady who made the Nike swoosh. Phil Knight went back and made sure she was straight.”
Kanye West says Beanie Sigel made up the name “Yeezy” and he’s been trying to give him money for it.
Cardi B is experiencing a “family emergency” and is asking a judge to postpone her defamation case against vlogger Tasha K.
Cardi B’s trial against Tasha K. was supposed to kick off tomorrow (November 9th) in Atlanta.
The Bronx rap star sued Tasha K. for defamation after Tasha claimed Cardi B had HPV, herpes and was a prostitute.
Yesterday, Cardi B lawyer filed docs asking for the trial to be delayed due to what she told the court is a family emergency.
Tasha K., born Latasha Kebe, is not buying it. She is asking a judge to dismiss the case with prejudice – meaning it cannot be filed again.
According to Tasha, Cardi B is playing games with the court. She cited the rapper’s pending lawsuit with Kevin Michael Brophy over a stolen back tattoo.
While she was diligently preparing for trial last week, Tasha says that Cardi B was out partying with the editor-in-chief of British Vogue.
To make matters worse, on November 7th, when Cardi requested the continuance due to the “family emergency,” the rapper was happily posting pictures of her daughter on Twitter.
“Ms. Kebe had to block off two weeks of her schedule, even though she is self-employed and cannot make money if she is not actively working. But, because Ms. Kebe has always taken the lawsuit seriously, she sacrificed her time and earnings to ensure her readiness for trial on November 9th, 2021,” Tasha K.’s lawyer Olga Izmaylova said.
Tasha K.’s lawyer said Cardi B does not care about the trial because she is too busy getting ready to host the American Music Awards on November 21st.
According to Tasha K., Cardi B has been in California preparing for the American Music Awards and “has absolutely no intent of showing up” for the trial in Atlanta.
“[Cardi B] intentionally and deliberately chose to disregard the orders of this court by leaving town for a two-week obligation the week before trial,” Tasha K.’s lawyer told the judge.
Tasha K. is asking for the full complaint to be dismissed.
On November 8, 2021, the Universal Hip Hop Museum and AllHipHop.com are set to celebrate Hip Hop History Month by highlighting Public Enemy and some of Hip-Hop’s most pioneering DJs.
Formed in 1982 on the campus of Adelphi University, Public Enemy was originally composed of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Terminator X, Professor Griff, Bill Stephney, and Hank Shocklee.
Few will dispute that the group is one of the most impactful rap groups in history. However, we further charge that they were as influential in shaping the late 80s and 90s Civil Rights movement as any leader in the community, churches, or in political office.
With their music, they didn’t only have political commentary but brought bonafide jams— proving that the “CNN of the Streets” also knew how to make you dance.
On Saturday, November 8, 1980, at the Ecstasy Garage Disco in the Bronx, some of Hip Hop’s influential pioneers gathered for A Fantastic Cold Crush Jam.
Grandwizzard Theodore, The Fantastic Five, and Cold Crush’s Charlie Chase, and Tony Tone were among the trailblazers spinning the decks and rocking the mic.
The venue was a completely dark room with a single sixty-watt light bulb illuminating the DJ section and the atmosphere was electric.
This “Know Ya Hip Hop” Moment has been brought to you by @uhhmuseum x @allhiphopcom To support YOUR museum, text UHHM2024 to 707070 or go to their website www.uhhm.org.
Appearing on the Carrie & Tommy podcast, Bruno Mars said: “Yeah, (we disagree) all the time! That’s the beauty of it, though. Being able to have a conversation.
“The truth is, every time we disagree, that means it’s wrong because when it’s right, it’s unanimous. You’re just fighting to fight. I know what you’re gonna ask, ‘Who’s normally wrong?’ Most of the time, it’s Andy! (laughs)”
Sometimes, Silk Sonic songs just came together perfectly, including their debut single “Leave The Door Open.”
Bruno Mars recalled: “That one was a blur, but I do remember you being outside, and I brought a guitar out, and I started playing chords.
“It started off on an acoustic guitar, and we were just going back and forth… That one just kinda built from all different angles.”
The duo – whose spark for a collaboration came after spending time on tour together in 2017 – made their live TV debut at the Grammy Awards in March this year. It was an amazing experience to be back on stage after the pandemic halted live music.
“Especially with that song, me and Andy for the first time, we get to perform on stage,” Bruno said. “It would always be different when we were on tour together, but this was our first time. We were all about – ‘We’ve gotta wear suits, our collars’ gotta be out, we’ve gotta work out, we’ve gotta be in the best shape we can possibly be in.
“Because that quarantine – you pick up a few pounds!”
