Girls run the world, and 16-year-old Brooklyn Queen has taken her seat at the throne.
The young Detroit BMB Records artist made her debut in 2017 with the viral dance-friendly song “Keke Taught Me”, followed by “Beat The Baby”, “Emojis” and many other singles that catapulted the starlet into superstardom.
Her snappy Midwest delivery and no-nonsense lyrics are a stark contrast to her sweet “girl next door” appearance.
Brooklyn Queen’s latest single, “Poke it Out,” produced by PopLord and Jupyter is about girls who just want to have fun. Her social media #pokeitoutchallenge also invites listeners to get up and dance.
Brooklyn continues to show that she inarguably has what it takes to push Michigan to the forefront of rap music.
In a world where female rappers are finally receiving the respect and accolades deserved, Brooklyn aspires to continue progressing as a young artist and segueing into television and film as an actress.
The wildly popular teen influencer continues to make her mark on the world, boasting over four million TikTok followers, 1.7 million Instagram followers, and over 1.2 million subscribers on YouTube. Her loyal following, “The Queendom” continues to support the young starlet as she climbs the music charts and displays her artistic message to the world.
Teyana Taylor is part of a star-studded household and it seems daughter Junie is determined to let her star shine brightly.
The “Gonna Love Me” singer and her daughter Junie, born Iman Tayla Shumpert Jr. was trending on Twitter after a clip circulated of Junie checking fans at a Teyana Taylor concert.
Five-year-old Junie appeared with her mom onstage during her “The Last Rose Petal: Farewell Tour.” The mother and daughter were in the middle of their performance when Teyana spotted an altercation brewing in the crowd. “Hey, ain’t no f###### fighting when my baby performing,” she said.
Junie was not about to let anyone acting up in the audience mess with her set. “Whoever is acting sassy, they need to get out,” she warned. She followed up with “Period pooh,” as Teyana Taylor nodded her head vigorously before breaking into laughter.
Nevertheless, Junie, determined to continue, wasn’t done yet. “If ya’ll don’t play my music,” she informed the DJs, “I’m beating ya’ll up.”
Social media was quick to react, pointing out that the apple never falls far from the tree.
Teyana Taylor Wants to Give Kim Kardashian A Lap Dance
Meanwhile, it was a more adult Teyana Taylor performance that garnered headlines and the attention of Kim Kardashian earlier this week. The reality star posted a clip of the New York native giving DreamDoll a steamy lap dance as Lala Anthony looked on.
Still, the star power in the family doesn’t end there. Iman Shumpert, husband of Teyana Taylor, has been making moves himself on “Dancing with the Stars.” This week, the former NBA won the competition walking off with the Mirrorball trophy.
“Thank you to everyone involved in this show, I met incredible people that I won’t forget or ever stop rooting for!” He wrote on Instagram. “To have done most the lifting all season and then be lifted off of my feet in triumph from this kick ass cast put a lot into perspective for me!”
Iman Shumpert and Daniella Karagach dance Freestyle to “Lose Control / Bounce” by Missy Elliott ft. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop / DJ Clent on the Dancing with the Stars Finale! pic.twitter.com/hv5L3r3di6
Tyga has received some good news in time for Thanksgiving as it has been revealed that the rapper will not be facing felony charges in his domestic violence case.
According to TMZ, law enforcement sources report Tyga’s case has been downgraded from a felony. Initially, the cops referred the rapper’s domestic violence case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. However, the L. A County declined to file charges against Tyga because the evidence did not rise to a felony.
The L.A. County D.A says the case has been transferred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Therefore, the “Taste” rapper will dodge any felony charges though he could still be hit with a misdemeanor by the City Attorney.
As AllHipHop reported last month, Tyga was arrested for domestic violence after being accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Camaryn Swanson. After turning himself in to authorities he was released on $50,000 bail.
Camaryn claimed Tyga physically assaulted her and wouldn’t let her leave the property. She later posted pictures of her bruised face on social media.
When the story made headlines, Camaryn took to Instagram and explained why she decided to address the situation publicly.
“My intentions were never to go public with this,” she wrote. “Unfortunately ‘someone’ released a false narrative to TMZ painting me out to be somebody I am not, accusing me of things that did not happen and that I did not do. With that being said I took matters into my own hands and posted the TRUTH with proof tagging tmz AFTER they released the fake news.”
Meanwhile, “Chosen,” the hit song by Blxst featuring Tyga & Ty Dolla $ign just scored a Billboard radio airplay No. 1 topping the Rhythmic Airplay Chart.
Rick Ross is well known for the grind that has amassed him millions of dollars and business interests outside of the music industry.
During a panel discussion at REVOLT Summit the “Everyday I’m Hustlin’” rapper revealed he always had the entrepreneurial spirit running through his veins. He recalled working throughout his childhood years, initially washing cars at 13 years old. “I got $30 a day from 8 in the morning to 8 p.m.,” he said. Though the job was easy for him, it was important for him to provide his customers with the best service possible. “That’s when I just learned to go above and beyond from the big homies that brought their cars in,” he said.
“You know, I’ll wash your car while you went in the flea market. They go buy Bally’s, they go buy Clarks, whatever it was they were doing. S—t, I’ll put gas in your s—t, I’ll organize your cassette deck, anything,” he explained. It was this attention to detail that kept patrons returning for his “above-and-beyond” customer service. “I got you. So they always wanted the fat boy that — they used to call me Heavy Silicone.”
Moreover, Rick Ross used his ingenuity to get ahead in the classroom as well. He revealed he would reach out to his classmates for help when he realized they might be ahead of him.
“You’re either gonna fold under pressure or realize what your strengths are and focus on them. Let’s capitalize on them.”
Additionally, Rick Ross published his latest book, “The Perfect Day to Boss Up” back in September. The “How-to” guide debuted on both the prestigious New York Times and Amazon’s bestsellers lists and is dubbed as a “captivating and inspiring guide to building an untouchable empire from mud to marble, no matter what obstacles stand in the way.”
Kanye West may be feeling some type of way about Kim Kardashian’s burgeoning romance with comedian Pete Davidson. The music and fashion industry mogul gave an impromptu speech at a visit to Skid Row on Thanksgiving Eve pleading for his family back.
Furthermore, Ye said God will reunite “KimYe” which will in turn influence “millions of families” to do the same. In typical Kanye West fashion, he somehow also linked the proposed reconciliation with Kim to overcoming the devil and homelessness.
He began talking about redemption, a familiar theme for Kanye West recently. “The narrative that God wants is for you to see that everything can be redeemed,” he said. “In all these relationships, we’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve publicly done things that were not acceptable as a husband. But right now today, for whatever reason — I didn’t know I was going to be standing right here. I didn’t know I was going to be in front of this mic, but I’m here to change that narrative.”
Kanye went on, blasting the reality networks that have filmed the lives of the Kardashian family for years. “I’m not letting E! write the narrative of my family. I’m not letting Hulu write the narrative of my family.”
He continued, seemingly realizing that his audience may have been a little lost, “I’m doing everything to be right next to the situation. I’m trying to express this in the most sane way possible, the most calm way possible, but I need to be back at home.”
Kanye West Says God Will Bring KimYe Back Together
Then, Yeezy’s rant took a turn for the bizarre, “Why is that?” Kanye West asked. “Because if the enemy can separate KimYe, there’s going to be millions of families that feel like that separation is okay. But when the kingdom, when God, who has already won, brings KimYe together, there’s gonna be millions of families that are gonna be influenced and say that they can overcome the separation, the trauma, the devil that’s used and capitalized and keeps people in misery, while people step over homeless people to get to the Gucci store.”
According to Page Six, Ye, who was there to meet with the CEO and president of non-profit “LA Mission,” discussed more than just his family issues:
They said Kanye West has “never been there and wanted to see everything going on. He talked about saving the world and how he had all these ideas to work with LA Mission.”
Elsewhere, the New York Times reported earlier today (Nov. 25) that Kanye West was added to the Grammy nominations for “Album of the Year” at the last minute alongside Taylor Swift.
Fetty Wap has spoken to Fat Joe about what caused his disappearance from the rap game after seemingly dominating with hits like “Trap Queen” and “679.”
The New Jersey native, who is still signed to RGF Records, where he began his career, and 300 Entertainment, said issues over finances led to a depression causing him to fall back eventually.
Early in the discussion, Fat Joe asked Fetty Wap what made him leave the industry at a time when he was experiencing such success.
“You’re on fire, you’re breaking records, destroying the game, running the game. “Trap Queen” sold more records than me … ten million f###### records, Diamond,” Joe remarked. “You sold ten million and then to me, it felt like you disappeared, like you just fell back.”
“I think it was more so the people I had around me wasn’t experienced,” Fetty replied. “Nobody was experienced honestly.” Joey Crack agreed and said he had been through similar experiences with his own ”homeboy management.”
Nevertheless, Fetty Wap was in the process of figuring out what was going on, particularly with the finances.
“Before I got on, they was telling me every time you go platinum, supposedly, they said you get a million dollars. We went platinum in four weeks. So, you know I’m like, ‘Where that check at?’” Fetty explained. “Then three weeks later after that, we went double platinum. So, I’m like ‘That’s two in the account right there.’” However, Fetty Wap told a similar story to so many other artists who come into the game and wonder where all the money has gone. “Now all the lies is flowing,” he said.
Fetty Said “I’m Paying For Everything”
Fetty Wap revealed the financial burden became too much for him at one point:
“I felt like I had to do everything myself. I put up all the bread for the tours, I paid for the tour buses; everything came out of my expenses. It was like I got to pay y’all but I’m paying for everything else. I kinda got depressed in a sense. If I’m the front man, why nobody backing me? I ain’t about to go broke trying to figure out what’s going on. I’m gone save my money.”
“You know where we come from, I ain’t gone’ let nobody play with my papers,” he said. “I don’t wanna’ look rich and be broke.”
Meanwhile, on Sunday (Nov. 21) Fetty Wap performed live for the first time after he was released on a $500,000 bond for allegedly running a bicoastal opioid ring. Fetty said he is unable to discuss his arrest at Rolling Loud last month or the case but reassured Fat Joe he is taking it seriously and has a good team around him.
Failure is often considered the first step to success. Every failure or challenge in life comes with a lesson that helps us to chisel or hone our craft and become better human beings. The story of artist Chris Arvan is one such example. The 52-year-old NFT artist and musician discovered a new dimension of life after he lost his hearing for a couple of years. What seemed to be terrifying at the time has now become a positive turn in his life.
Chris has always been passionate about music. He mastered many instruments during his early 20s and has a special fascination for rock and pop music. In 1989 he achieved his first milestone as a musician by replacing Paul Gilbert as lead guitarist in the band Racer X. Since then, he has had the opportunity to become part of several significant projects and also worked with renowned artists like Michael Fitzpatrick and producers Rock Mafia. His career reached new heights each year until he experienced a huge setback in 2017 when he started losing his hearing.
The symptoms of hearing loss were initially more acute in his left ear, and then the right ear followed. Chris was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss, diplacusis, and hyperacusis. When the doctors failed to give him any hope of fully regaining his hearing, and he was pretty much on his own. Chris had to resort to wearing earplugs for a couple of years. However, after trying a series of hyperbaric oxygen treatments, his hearing began to improve.
It was during this time that he fell back on his childhood passion for visual art. Chris had always considered his passion for art secondary to his music, but with this challenging phase in life, he was left with no option but to embrace it as a career. He pursued art with renewed vigor and was able to carve a niche for himself in that space too. By 2019, his patience and relentless effort finally paid off as he found his hearing restored to almost 85 percent, and within a few months, he was able to hear normally.
Chris took this opportunity to re-launch himself as a unique artist who combines both the realms of visual and performing arts. He combined his artwork with his musical compositions, a feat that only a few have done well thus far. He often creates the background visuals to his music through art, which sets him apart from other artists in the industry.
Chris’ return to the music industry was marked by a life-changing opportunity in 2019 when he composed the score for the official trailer of the Oscar-nominated film 1917. His career as an artist has also received several recognitions in the last couple of years. Chris’ artwork was featured in notable NFT exhibitions like the Bitcoin Conference in Miami, the Stratosphere exhibition in Beijing, and the George Lopez Foundation charity event and auction. His David Bowie-inspired piece ‘Alligator Space Invader’ will also grace the screens in Times Square during the NFT.NYC exhibition and conference in November 2021.
For Chris Arvan, age is just a number as he believes he has reached his creative best in his early 50s. The artist has a packed schedule working on music albums and NFT art for the next 10 years and even after that. He wants to inspire others to chase their goals through his story and take challenges as lessons, not hurdles.
The family of Young Dolph issued its first official statement about his death.
Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot and killed in Memphis on November 17. His family expressed agony over his loss but made a point to champion his legacy.
“There are no words that exist that sufficiently express the pain we are feeling as a family,” the statement reads. “Losing Adolph, Dolph, Man-Man, changes our lives forever. And while we will take each day as it comes, we are comforted in knowing that he leaves a legacy that reflects his heart. A heart that was for his family. A heart that was for the people.”
Young Dolph’s family added, “We are grateful for the outpouring of love. We are grateful that his godly obligation to show kindness to the world is being acknowledged. As a family, we were blessed to call him our son, our nephew, our brother, our cousin, our partner and our Father. And now, we have the honor of calling him our angel. A role he has always played.”
Memphis police are currently investigating Young Dolph’s murder. No suspects have been identified, but cops did release photos of two masked men believed to be involved in the shooting.
Young Dolph was 36 years old. He is survived by two children.
“I’ve been coming to Jackson since I was 14, and I love y’all. Y’all love my stanky drawers, and I love y’all back. And I just wanna tell y’all that y’all always been supportive of me. And it’s a big secret I wanna let it out. I’m enrolling in Jackson State next semester,” Boosie exclaimed.
“You’re talking about a young man that’s very astute with life. Understanding what he wants to say, what he wants to accomplish. Smart as a whip. And energy level is unbelievable,”
He said on his 21st and Prime podcast. “ I know he said he wanted to enroll. I don’t believe that whatsoever.”
Despite Deion not believing the “Wipe Me Down” artist will register at the school, which is one of the largest Black universities in the United States and the fourth largest university in Mississippi, he does understand why he might say it.
Sanders conceded, “I think if there was a school that he would enroll at, it would be Jackson State.”
The athlete and the entertainer shared time on campus and Sanders said, he gave him the “big brother” love like an OG should. As excited as Boosie was to see the game, Sanders was excited to see Lil Boosie
“First and foremost, this was not only a huge game, 60,000 there, but that was my first time although we’ve talked on the phone several times meeting Boosie. So I was a kid, you know, at halftime because they brought him in. So I just sat down across from him and gave him that big brother.”
But Boosie might actually be serious.
The rapper comes from a college educated family and his brother is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (initiated in the Alpha Sigma chapter). A few years ago, Boosie stirred up some trouble, rocking some Crimson and Cream para.
Unsure of his violation, his Greek brother got him together and explained why they were going at him so hard.
If his grades are right and he keeps low maybe Boosie might get to shimmy and cross the burning sands of those Delta Delta Nupes. Think about it … how lit would it be at the probate and your neo pops out as the creator of the Kappa Shimmy anthem.
T.I. distributed over 1,000 turkeys to underserved families and seniors ahead of Thanksgiving.
The Grammy Award-winning rapper’s nonprofit organization Harris Community Works hosted its 16th Annual Turkey Giveaway in Atlanta on Tuesday (November 23).
T.I. and his family handed out turkeys and produce at Jackson Memorial Baptist Church. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Councilman Andre Dickens, comedian DC Young Fly and dozens of volunteers joined Tip to help out at the giveaway.
“Such a honor & a blessing to do for the community that has been there for me since the beginning… & even doper to do it with fellow natives,” T.I. wrote in an Instagram post featuring multiple photos from the event.
Chick-Fil-A, Humana and Kroger were among the companies involved in this year’s giveaway. Papa John’s donated $10,000 to the cause and presented an oversized check at the event.
T.I.’s turkey giveaway isn’t the only way he’s giving back to his hometown of Atlanta though. The rap star is also building an affordable housing development with plans to open it in 2022.
“We’ve got affordable housing, 143 units going up,” T.I. said in October. “Mixed-use community. We about 40 percent done. We supposed to be done sometime next year.”
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Porsha Williams has detailed her shocking and abusive relationship with R. Kelly in her new memoir.
The reality TV star claims in the book, “The Pursuit of Porsha,” due for release on November 30th, she finally R. Kelly after she heard him beating a woman at his house, where she suspected several other women had been held for weeks.
Porsha dated the disgraced music star when she was 25. She also shares her first encounter with the star – when he trapped her in his bedroom and gave her no choice but to have sex with him.
“I’ve already put myself in this position. This is what you’re supposed to do. You have to,” Williams, now 40, writes in her book.
Admitting she had had sexually abusive boyfriends before, she was alarmed to realize she was repeating the pattern.
“I think me being in that weakened mindset made me ready and available for him to be a predator and seek me out… It’s not just that he was R. Kelly, it’s just in my life at that moment, it was just yet another man in the same position doing the exact same thing taking advantage of me,” she revealed.
Porsha also shares chilling details about her final visit to Kelly’s home where “twenty or thirty other girls” were there for a “party,” adding that some had apparently been there for weeks.
She claims she heard screaming and the sounds of a woman being beaten and demanded to leave.
The singer allegedly called Porsha Williams several times afterward, but she told him, “I’m done with you.”
“When I got home from that last encounter, I knew I had hit a wall. And I was completely traumatized, completely confused about why this was now happening to me again as a grown woman,” she told Variety.
She had only told one friend about her relationship with R. Kelly, but fully cooperated when agents from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations showed up on her doorstep.
“After they left, I just looked around my home, I saw my daughter later, and I just thanked God for just me surviving and being where I am today,” she adds.
G-Eazy is grieving following the death of his mother.
The RCA Records artist announced his mom Suzanne Olmstead passed away in an Instagram post on Wednesday. G-Eazy wrote a detailed message about his heartache and shared some old photos.
“I love you so much,” he wrote. “The shock still won’t let me accept the feeling that I’ll never get to hug you in person again. My queen, my hero, my everything… my mom.”
G-Eazy continued, “The tears won’t stop. My eyes hurt, my face hurts, my body hurts, everywhere hurts. There’s no safe place to hide and there’s no way to lay, sit, or stand that doesn’t hurt. The pain is enormous. But I know you’re out of yours and that brings me peace. I love you so much.”
In the post, G-Eazy noted his mother was his biggest inspiration. He referred to the Olmstead as being “super-human.”
“You loved your two boys more than life itself and we love you the same,” he concluded. “Luckily we have each other to hold and to lean on and that’s all that matters. Our hearts are broken, but they are full of love and gratitude for the life you gave us. With us always… we love you mom.”
Read G-Eazy’s entire tribute to his late mother below.
After violating his probation, the man who has been convicted twice of breaking into the rap god’s house is in trouble with the law. This time, it is not for bothering Marshall.
According to the Associated Press, Matthew Hughes violated his probation by missing a probation appointment and allegedly beating up a mall security officer.
The 28-year-old pleaded guilty to missing his September meeting with his P.O. in a Macomb County Circuit Court. However, he did not cop to the assault against the mall cop.
Now, Hughes is being held in the Macomb jail, awaiting further details about his future.
Who knows what that will be, especially since the violation comes days after he was graciously given probation (with time served) for breaking into the “8-Mile” rapper’s Clinton Township home in March 2020.
He had already served 524 days in jail, surviving the rampant COVID-19 outbreaks that allowed rappers like Tekashi 6ix9ine compassionate release.
Hughes has an obsession with the bleached blonde emcee. Only ten months before this last incident, Hughes broke into Eminem’s Rochester Hills property. He was looking for the rapper.
Hughes pleaded guilty in that case as well. Hopefully, someone gets him help before he hurts someone.
Ahmaud Arbery’s killers have been convicted of murder.
A Georgia jury found three white men guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man. Jurors deliberated for less than two days before reaching a verdict on Wednesday.
Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan were each facing nine criminal charges. Last year, the trio chased down Ahmaud Arbery while he was jogging in their neighborhood and killed him.
All three were charged with one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Travis McMichael, who fatally shot Arbery, was found guilty on all nine counts. His father Greg was found not guilty of one count of malice murder but convicted on the rest of the charges.
Bryan was found not guilty of one count of malice murder, one count of felony murder and one count of aggravated assault. The jury found him guilty of the remaining charges.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents Arbery’s family, issued a statement about the verdict on Wednesday.
“Guilty. Guilty. Guilty, “ he said. “After nearly two years of pain, suffering, and wondering if Ahmaud’s killers would be held to account, the Arbery family finally has some justice. Nothing will bring back Ahmaud, but his family will have some peace knowing the men who killed him will remain behind bars and can never inflict their brand of evil on another innocent soul.”
Sentencing for the McMichaels and Bryan will happen at a later date. The felony murder convictions come with a minimum sentence of life in prison, so all three men are facing multiple life sentences.
View some of Hip Hop’s reactions to the convictions of Arbery’s killers below.
Relieved and happyto hear the verdict but it does remind me that this country feels like it's always a string of bad verdicts away from sinking into irreparable chaos. This one might put a band aid on it for now but it's hard to have faith in the justice system in general.
Unlike that judge up in Kenosha, this #Brunswick judge wasn’t here for no madness. Big ups to all the hands and feet that went down there to push the line. Hoping for a little peace for the Arbery famo
Has Nas, one of Queensbridge’s official representatives, won a Grammy and now living like the Kardashians?
According to Yahoo! Life, the “Illmatic” emcee has just purchased a $3.5 million mansion in the semi-rural outskirts of Calabasas.
Built in 2007, this home is a far cry from the tiny 40th Avenue apartment he grew up in back in the day in QB.
The four-bedroom and 5.5 bathroom home sits on 6,500 square feet of living space. The luxurious house has limestone floors and an eight-car garage that is accompanied by a motor court.
From the foyer, guests will be able to see an impressive wrought-iron staircase that leads up to a living room with a fireplace, expansive built-in bookshelves, and a terrace that peeks at the mountains over yonder.
These amenities are beautiful accents to this Mediterranean-meets-Southwestern style home.
If Nas wants to get his cook on, he can go down to his gourmet kitchen and get busy with his high-end Viking appliances and granite countertops. After he prepares his favorite omelet (grabbing a few spices from his butler’s pantry), the “The World is Yours” chart-topper can mosey over to his new breakfast nook.
Nas has a separate gym, a luxe spa-like bath with a jetted soaking tub, and a steam shower for his personal wellness.
He has an alfresco dining patio with a built-in barbecue in the backyard and a grotto-style pool with a spa, waterfall, and water slide for entertaining guests.
Nas has been putting in the work for the last few years. Between his investments, his music, and his media ventures with Mass Appeal, he deserves to have the spot of his dreams.
Back in 2020, Cardi B premiered her Facebook reality series Cardi Tries. The show centers around the Invasion of Privacy album creator attempting different professions and activities.
The second season of Cardi Tries already featured celebrities such as Amanda Seales, Indya Moore, Chlöe Bailey, and Raven-Symoné. Episode 6 of S2 will include an appearance by R&B singer Ciara.
Cardi B and Ciara will try their hand at making Thanksgiving dinner on Cardi Tries. Chef Kwame Onwuachi is assisting the two music stars with cooking their favorite holiday dishes.
Beginning today (November 24), viewers can watch the latest installment of Cardi Tries featuring Ciara on Watch Together via Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook Watch. Each episode typically runs for 13-20 minutes.
Season 1 of Cardi Tries consisted of shows about Cardi B dancing ballet, driving stunt cars, playing basketball, preparing sushi, teaching nursery school students, and more. Her husband, Offset of the Migos, appeared on the“Cardi Tries Gaming” episode.
So far, Season 2 has seen Cardi B try to learn rhythmic gymnastics, cook Latin American food for Hispanic Heritage Month, take care of wildlife, face her fear of heights, and officiate a wedding. “Cardi Tries Tying The Knot” amassed more than 5.5 million views on Facebook.
On November 24, 2021, the Universal Hip Hop Museum and AllHipHop.com are set to celebrate Brooklyn’s Joey BadAss, Dana Dane, Steady B, Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, Roxanne Shante, MC Shan, and more.
At 26, Brooklyn rapper Joey BadA$$ can boast that he has an Oscar. Well, technically, it belongs to the producers of the film ‘Two Distant Strangers,’ which was named Best Live Action Short at the 2021 Academy Awards, but he still gets to rock the honor.
It is powerful because the founding member of the Pro Era collective and the force behind two solid studio albums represents the genius still present in rap culture. Often considered the Tupac of his generation, for his conscious music and acting ability, he can be seen on episodes of ‘Grown-ish,’ ‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga,’ 50 Cent’s ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan,’ ‘Boomerang’ and ‘Mr. Robot.’
Tuesday, November 24, was the Thanksgiving Throwdown at the New Haven Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut.
Among the legends performing were Hip Hop music innovator and pioneer Dana Dane. His debut album, “Dana Dane with Fame,” was the first Hip Hop album certified gold by a solo Brooklyn artist.
Also performing were the Philly Hip Hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and women rap icon the legendary Roxanne Shante, who as a teenager marked her debut with the hugely impactful “Roxanne’s Revenge” in 1984.
Lil Nas X has announced a new partnership with the finance application Cash App. The collaboration features LNX giving away $1 million to various teenagers. Winners will be selected randomly and receive $20 via Cash App.
The social giveaway campaign launched on November 23. It will continue until the prize is distributed. To participate, teens can comment with their $cashtag and #CashApp13Plus on Lil Nas X’s social media channels.
Cash App is now available for everyone over the age of 13. That move unlocks access to digital banking tools – including direct deposit and peer-to-peer transactions – for teenagers through the mobile payment service.
I’ve been on Cash App for years—and now it's available to anyone 13+up!
I know managing money as a teen can be tough & I'm thrilled more young people can take control of their financial futures w. @CashApp. We're giving $1M to anyone 13+ so drop ur $cashtag + #CashApp13plus now pic.twitter.com/8BcAPKpobC
“I’ve been on Cash App for years, and I think it’s amazing they are making it available to anyone 13 and older now,” says Lil Nas X.
The “Industry Baby” performer continues, “I wish they had something like Cash App when I was younger and I think it’s great that more young people can start to take control of their financial futures early on.”
Canadian singer-songwriter Abel Makkonen Tesfaye secured his position as one of the most celebrated music acts in history. The XO label head, better known as The Weeknd, added another accolade to his résumé.
Billboard announced The Weeknd’s single “Blinding Lights” earned the #1 spot on the publication’s Greatest Songs of All Time Hot 100 Chart. “Blinding Lights” surpassed Chubby Checker’s classic “The Twist” for the title.
The Weeknd set several Hot 100 records with “Blinding Lights.” The After Hours track is the leader for most weeks in the Top 5 (43), most weeks in the Top 10 (57) and most weeks in the Top 40 (86).
“Blinding Lights” spent four weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 chart in 2020. To commemorate the song’s success, Billboard partnered with Karvin Cheung’s The Infinite trading card company. The Infinite is launching a special trading card pack collection on shop.theweeknd.com.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to create trading cards for the music industry, especially cards celebrating some of the world’s most renowned artists,” said Karvin Cheung.
He added, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Billboard to highlight The Weeknd’s milestone, which will undoubtedly play a role in defining the future of music.”
Plus, a limited-edition NFT featuring The Weeknd will also be available. Those non-fungible tokens were created in partnership with Autograph, the brand co-founded by NFL legend Tom Brady.
“This collaboration highlights a momentous achievement and a very special moment in time for one of the most influential artists today,” stated Julian Holguin, President of Billboard.
Holguin continued, “We’re thrilled to celebrate that moment and translate the most quoted rankings in music to innovative, new formats. The digital trading cards and NFTs launched in partnership with Autograph will truly capture the excitement that ‘Blinding Lights’ inspires and allow fans to own a defining moment in music history.”
It has been a huge week for Warner recording artist Saweetie. The California-raised rapper performed on Saturday Night Live and earned two Grammy nominations.
During her set on SNL, Saweetie ran through her new single titled “Icy Chain.” The song includes lyrics about the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
“Mink on my body like I just went hunting. Tell PETA I’m being one hunnid,” raps Saweetie on “Icy Chain.” In response, PETA plans to send Saweetie a luxe faux-fur coat from Apparis in the hopes of inspiring a change of heart.
PETA also released an official statement about the track. The group’s Senior Vice President, Lisa Lange, provided a comment addressing the “Icy Chain” line.
“We’ll be 100, too: It’s a shame that the icy girl seems to have an icy heart,” said Lisa Lange. “PETA hopes that once Saweetie sees how luxurious faux-fur coats are, she’ll ditch the ones made from animals who valued their lives and were tormented and killed for a look that says, ‘I don’t care how others suffer.'”
PETA worked with other Hip Hop artists in the past. Styles P of The Lox recorded a “Love Is Love” public service announcement for the organization in 2018. Two years later, Mariah Carey presented Jermaine Dupri with PETA’s Humanitarian Award.
