Rapper Travis Scott and pregnant partner Kylie Jenner believe in letting their daughter Stormi make her own choices.
The music star and the beauty mogul also practice “self-discipline” when it comes to setting boundaries for their three-year-old.
Scott told CR Men, “We try to do a more natural vibe (with parenting), like more self-discipline.” Travis explained he and Kylie give Stormi the option to follow their rules or choose for herself.
“(We say) “OK, you know you got to go to bed at nine. Are you going to stay up till eleven or are you going to go to sleep now?'”
He noted the approach is working for them so far, as Stormi usually does what her parents ask.
“It’s so cool (to hear her say), ‘I’m going to sleep ya’ll!'”
A source told E! News last month, “Stormi is fully aware there is a baby coming. She is always asking questions and wanting to touch Kylie’s stomach. It’s really cute.”
Funnyman Tracy Morgan has joined Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger for the long-awaited “Twins” sequel.
The former “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” regular will play an unlikely long lost sibling of the characters Julien and Vincent, who led director/producer Ivan Reitman’s 1988 original, a huge comedy hit for Universal.
“Twins was quite successful, and some years after, this whole thing started with Arnold meeting Eddie Murphy, and the suggestion came from one of them,” Reitman told the outlet. “It was, ‘I should be a triplet, that could be a very funny comedy’. We started a script with Eddie, and after the success he had with Amazon Prime on “Coming 2 America,” he got himself booked up heavily.
“We knew we were going to make it at the beginning of next year. I’d been good friends with Tracy Morgan for a long time and always thought he was one of the funniest men in the world. I thought he would make a terrific triplet, and we rewrote the whole script for him. Now, we’ll go out and try and put the money together and get it made.”
Opening up about the premise for “Triplets,” the filmmaker adds, “Secretly, there was a third baby born, a black baby, who hasn’t been in touch with his siblings.
“They don’t know each other and very early in the movie they meet and it’s how they achieve a bond together after all these years. It’s really a film about family and, no matter how different we all are, we have to learn to get along. These guys have great chemistry together.”
A furious Karen tried her best to fight a minor at Walmart in a video captured on TikTok.
In a clip discovered by Daily Dot, a TikTok user named cadie.mae3 shared footage of a mom laying down the gauntlet for a fight. The video was originally posted on August 25 and has surpassed 5.2 million views.
Although the teenager noted she was a minor in the clip, the Karen didn’t mind the age difference and was ready to scrap.
“Matter of fact, do you wanna go outside?” the woman asked the teen.
After being told the TikTok user was a minor, the Karen doubled down.
“I don’t care,” she said. “Then maybe you should act like one.”
The teenager contended she simply offered the woman a leaf and wondered why the situation was escalating. The confrontation became more heated and reached a boiling point when someone pointed out the woman was with her child.
“Her grandma’s outside, so I’ll give her to her grandma and we can go outside and I can go beat yo ass.”
The angry Karen was then asked her age.
“Doesn’t matter,” she replied. “I don’t give a f###. Y’all wanna act like you’re my age, then you can do like you’re my age.”
While no punches were ever thrown, the argument ended with a parting shot from Karen.
“You f###### ugly ass b####,” she sniped at the teen before walking away.
Mac Miller’s acclaimed mixtape Faces is finally being released on streaming services.
The late rapper’s estate announced Faces will arrive on digital service providers such as Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal on October 15. Vinyl copies of the project, which are available now for pre-order, are scheduled to ship the same day.
Mac Miller’s Faces was originally released as a free download in 2014. The mixtape featured guest appearances by Rick Ross, ScHoolboy Q, Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul and Vince Staples, among others.
Producers for the project included Thundercat, 9th Wonder, ID Labs and Miller himself under his Larry Fisherman pseudonym. E. Dan of ID Labs, one of Miller’s longtime collaborators, was one of the forces behind getting Faces on streaming services.
“Coolest birthday present I’ll get today is being able to officially announce that @MacMiller ‘Faces’ is dropping Oct. 15th on DSPs,” E. Dan wrote on Twitter. “A lot of work was put into getting this masterpiece into the streaming world and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
Coolest birthday present I’ll get today is being able to officially announce that @MacMiller ‘Faces’ is dropping Oct. 15th on DSPs. A lot of work was put into getting this masterpiece into the streaming world and I’m so proud to be a part of it pic.twitter.com/bCspDbtxB7
Ahead of the Faces rerelease, Miller’s estate also dropped a new video for the song “Colors And Shapes.” The visuals were directed by Sam Mason.
“The track felt very visual to me—like it had its own world,” Mason said in a statement. “This atmospheric nighttime place that was sometimes dangerous, sometimes comforting, then I saw a picture of Ralph and a story emerged.”
He continued, “To build it out I asked Malcolm’s family to send me bits and pieces from his childhood, scenes from the town where he grew up, objects, toys from his room—little pieces of his life that I extrapolated outwards and used to inspire the story. In the abstract, it’s meant to be a video about childhood—growing up as an artist and the highs and lows of that experience. It’s sort of a look at the emotional and difficult and perilous but noble path of an artist.”
Check out the video for “Colors And Shapes” below.
The late Whitney Houston made her acting debut in the blockbuster film, “The Bodyguard.”
Years after the movie’s premiere and her untimely demise, Hollywood is looking to remake this film and this time, rumors state that the powers that be are considering Bronx native Cardi B for the lead role.
It just might work.
Almost 30 years ago, Houston awed the crowd in the 1992 romantic drama. Whitney starring opposite Kevin Costner seemed to be an unlikely choice for the role.
But once the voice, which in its prime was one of the best to ever have been recorded, was pegged to not only act but do the soundtrack, she had all skeptics change their minds.
Whitney single-notedly made it the bestselling movie soundtrack of all time. The soundtrack had several singles, but the most successful was the remake of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
The move also grossed more than $400 million at the box office (worldwide).
Vanity Fair reports that the “WAP” rapper is one of the names “floated” to revive Houston’s role. One person that could be paired with her is Channing Tatum.
She is not the only one who might land the gig. Names like Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth are being plugged as the leads for this film.
Lawrence Kasdan of Kasdan Pictures, and Dan Lin, and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback will produce the new remake of “The Bodyguard.”
Kid Cudi believes Lil Nas X will play a major role in combating homophobia in Hip-Hop.
In a piece written for the annual TIME 100 list, Kid Cudi praised the 22-year-old star as an artist breaking barriers. He explained why the “Old Town Road” hitmaker deserved to be named one of the 100 most influential people of 2021.
“To have a gay man in Hip-Hop doing his thing, crushing records—that is huge for us and for Black excellence,” Cudi wrote. “The way he’s unafraid to make people uncomfortable is so rock ’n’ roll. He’s a true rock star.”
Kid Cudi also addressed a recent tweet by Lil Nas X suggesting a lot of Black male artists didn’t want to work with the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper. Cudi, who quickly reached out to say he was ready and willing to collaborate with the Columbia Records artist, noted this made him sad.
But Kid Cudi expressed hope for the future. He views Lil Nas X as a vital player in making things better for gay artists in Hip-Hop.
“There’s a homophobic cloud over Hip-Hop, and he’s going to break that s### down,” Cudi declared. “We have to stand with him. I’m going to do whatever I have to do to let him know—you have my support. When we do our song together, however trippy the video is, let’s get sexy with it.”
u heard it here first everybody kid cudi x lil nas for montero deluxe 🫂 https://t.co/tjabZ0tA9I
After Kid Cudi expressed interest in working with Lil Nas X, the latter teased a potential collaboration between the two for the deluxe edition of Montero.
“U heard it here first everybody kid cudi x lil nas for montero deluxe,” he announced via Twitter.
Lil Nas X is scheduled to drop his debut album Montero on September 17. The LP will feature guest appearances by Megan Thee Stallion, Jack Harlow, Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus and Elton John.
The health minister of Trinidad and Tobago spoke out against Nicki Minaj’s bizarre claim about a COVID-19 vaccination’s effect on testicles.
Dr. Terrence Deyalsingh said Trinidad and Tobago health officials could find no evidence of a COVID-19 vaccine causing swollen testicles and impotency. Earlier this week, Nicki Minaj claimed her cousin’s friend in Trinidad suffered from those side effects after getting vaccinated.
“Unfortunately, we wasted so much time yesterday running down this false claim,” Dr. Deyalsingh said at a press conference. “As far as we know, at this point in time, there has been no such reported either side effect or adverse event.”
Although Nicki’s tweets became a source of humor on social media, Deyalsingh noted health officials had to look into her claims. He expressed frustration over his department devoting time and energy to a wild conspiracy theory in the midst of the global pandemic.
“And what was sad about this is that it wasted our time yesterday trying to track down – because we take all these claims seriously, whether it is on social media or mainstream media,” he revealed. “As we stand now, there is absolutely no reported such side effect or adverse event of testicular swelling in Trinidad, or I dare say Dr. Hines, anywhere else. None that we know of anywhere else in the world.”
My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied
Nicki’s tweet about a COVID-19 vaccine’s side effects on testicles has also been debunked by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Chief Medical Advisor to the President of the United States. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, the news anchor brought up Nicki’s claims and asked if there was any validity to COVID-19 vaccines causing reproductive issues.
“The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no,” Dr. Fauci told Tapper. “There’s no evidence that it happens nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen. So, the answer to your question is no.”
Britain’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty addressed Nicki too, saying she “should be ashamed” of spreading misinformation at a press conference on Tuesday.
TIME magazine’s 2021 “Most Influential People” list has dropped, and a few Hip-Hop artists and influencers have made the list. Some of them have been on the list before and some have popped up for the very first time.
Can you guess who in the Hip-Hop or Black community is considered the most influential?
On the Icon list, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has topped the list (and for good cause). The two fearlessly abandoned the pomp and circumstance of the British monarch to step into their own lanes. They also outed their bigoted haters in a way that not only shook up the world but made it see an ugly truth it probably would not have seen without the disruption.
On the Pioneer list, civil rights attorney Ben Crump has made the list for his steadfast championing of people of color. Whether he is comforting a family or challenging law enforcement, he does this with a touch that is not only warm, but sincere.
The Titans list featured Simone Biles, who like Osaka refused to allow anyone to tell her she was “OK,” when she was not. So, she too spoke, echoing in action what Lauryn Hill sang about when she performed “I Gotta Find Peace of Mind.”
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz are on the list for the work they did with bringing to the world battle culture in the form of Verzuz. The duo built an empire off of an idea that they had before the pandemic. With their genius and a few of their celebrity friends, they changed the game and have increased the stock of artists that many counted out. It is not only the hottest streaming show on the gram, it is also one of the hottest tickets to get. The Lox vs. The Dipset episode actually sold out Madison Square Garden.
Say what you want but Nikole Hannah-Jones belongs to Hip-Hop. Everything about her from her bright red hair to her brash “take me or leave me” attitude screams Public Enemy and Fight the Power! When her 1619 Project her rejected by the last president and his GOP roadies, it cause the university that she worked with not to give her tenure. She basically said, “Oh, ok. Word?” Then accepted a position at the prestigious Howard University. In the words of HU alum Sean “P-Diddy” Combs, “Take that … take that.”
Artists have their own section on the list. It’s not surprising that names like Daniel Kaluuya (from Judas and The Black Messiah) is up there nor Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish). Those too are incredibly influential and we all know that.
The Leaders list features the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams. The way they defeated the odds shifted the way that Black women are seen in politics. The two women, both from HBCUs, step into an arena dominated by men and made it pink (well Harris made it pink and green).
Also on the list is former president, Donald Trump. Don’t be shocked, he caused a whole treasonous revolt on the nation’s capital.
Jada Pinkett Smith, her daughter Willow and her mother Adrienne Banfield Norris have also made the list for the groundbreaking content that they have produced with their Red Table Talk series. Gritty. Bold. Unapologetic. Real. It is everything that one might want to lace over a dope sample and drumbeat. Instead, we get this fire acapella but filled with the music of Black women’s truth.
TIME magazine is a staple in American culture and to see our faces sprinkled all over it is a pure delight. For the entire list, please click here.
The Hip-Hop world is celebrating as rap legend Scarface is receiving a new kidney.
The transplant will save his life and ensure that one of the most prolific voices in rap music will be around for years to come.
The news was released on social media by T.I., who shares a close bond with the Geto Boys member. The Atlanta native, who would most certainly yield his title “King of the South” to Face captioned, “My mentor @brothermob 👑 Got a new kidney… From his son no less… #GodIsGood#KingOfThaSouth”
“COVID attacked my lungs first, and then it attacked my kidneys and knocked them out. I got full lung recovery, but my kidneys never came back,” he said.
He also took to Twitter to solicit support from friends, fans, loved ones, and virtual strangers.
I need a kidney y’all any volunteers? B+ blood type
He captioned, “I need a kidney y’all any volunteers? B+ blood type.”
This has not been his only health challenge. He was diagnosed as a manic depressive at the age of 12 and has taken the steps to make sure that he is on the right path.
He told the Black Doctor in 2020, “Some days are better than others,” he said. “Even right now, yeah. But I know I want to live. And now when I look back upon that dark time, now that I’m alive, I thank God for forgiving me for trying to take something as precious as my life. He’s merciful.”
He was overweight which almost killed him.
“I was at stroke level,” Scarface admitted. “I had it all: congestive heart failure, malignant high blood pressure, kidney damage, enlarged heart, sleep apnea, borderline diabetic, etc. My life was threatened. So if someone in the street threatens my life, he better make good on it. Because I have to kill him or he’s going to kill me. So I had to kill bad health.”
In addition to her many health challenges, talk show host Wendy Williams has tested positive for the coronavirus.
She and her team took to social media to share the news.
On The Wendy Williams Show’s Instagram account said “While continuing her health evaluations, Wendy has tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19.”
The statement continued, “To allow Wendy time to quarantine and fully recover and to ensure that our production abides by all SAG/AFTRA and DGA Covid protocols, we expect to begin the 13th season of ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ on Monday, October 4th.”
Page Six reports that the 57-year-old media mogul has received the vaccination. This is after she made public statements to her peer, Dr. Oz about why she didn’t want to get the shot in March.
“No. I don’t trust it,” she said. “I’ve never gotten the flu shot either, though, and you and I have talked about that. Several of the doctors on my team have told me, ‘Wendy, get the flu shot.’ I’ve never had the flu. I’m not getting a flu shot. I very rarely get a cold. I never have headaches. I don’t take aspirin because I feel my heart murmur or something like that. I’m not getting it — no! I don’t trust it. There, I said it.”
Despite not wanting to get poked, she mandated that her audience show proof of vaccination to attend a live taping.
Chance The Rapper has joked it was a “huge relief” to attend the glitzy Met Gala in New York on Monday – without his young daughters.
The “No Problem” hitmaker – who has daughters Kensli, five, and two-year-old Marli with wife Kirsten Corley Bennett – enjoyed a rare adults-only evening at the star-studded fashion event.
Speaking to actress Keke Palmer during Vogue magazine’s live stream, he quipped: “This is a huge relief to just be out here with a bunch of adults.”
But while Chance thought it was “amazing” to be out without his daughters, his wife didn’t share his enthusiasm, prompting him to declare his love for his two girls.
Chance told People magazine: “It’s amazing (to be child-free),” while wife Kirsten said, “I miss them!”
The rapper, real name Chancelor Bennett, quickly added, “I miss them (too). Just in case they look at this interview in 20 years!”
Mariana Velleto is the definition of a “Bad B####,” and she’s here to bring that same energy into the music industry. Today, she unleashes the official music
video for her newest single, “Crazy.”
The 3-minute visual sees the rising star in her prime, bringing the sexy record to life in true Mariana Velleto form.
Rocking a sleek, all-black fit, Mariana reminds you on the hook: “I’m better than your average, average girl. You’re f###### with a bad b####, savage now.”
Speaking on the “Crazy” music video, Mariana states:
“What I create is for motivation, I want people to feel like they can boss up on anyone or anything. I want people to feel that they can relate to my sound, because it’s just me being transparent and sharing my emotions. (We all have them right?!) My music can be the voice for the quiet, the
strength for girls becoming women, the energy that helps you push through.”
About Mariana Velleto:
Mariana Velletto is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter, mogul in the making with a melodic sound incorporating her rich, Jamaican and Italian heritage into Pop and
R&B music.
Born and raised in Utica, New York, Mariana began singing covers of her favorite R&B vocalists, quickly realizing her natural talent and passion for music. At 18, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.
Mariana and her father restructured their record label Diamond Empire Production
Inc. in 2019. Mariana’s first released single from the label, “Hold Him Down,” premiered
on BET network and rapidly grew to over 100K streams on Spotify shortly after the release.
Her latest single, “For Me,” was produced by hitmaker Jazze Pha and released late Spring 2021. “For Me” quickly garnered attention and was a viral smash with influencers such as Dan Rue and the TikTok community creating content to the catchy anthem.
Mariana Velletto’s music can be found on all streaming platforms, with over 350,000 global streams. Her lyrics empower young women to find their own way, attracting thousands to her social media platforms daily.
Mariana is a performer at heart and is excited to showcase her live vocals to audiences worldwide.
Balenciaga is accused of offending the Black community by perpetuating a negative fashion stereotype.
For over $1000, they are selling designer sweatpants with the boxer elastic band stitch on the top. Ordinarily, it sounds like a bold design choice, however, many are saying that it is classic cultural appropriation, mimicking Black and Brown boys in the hood that sag their pants.
The sweatpants are called said that her concern was that the item was clearly a poorly thought-out design that was created as a money grab. She says it was a play on “Black culture with the hopes of securing major profits.”
She further stated that the style has “been used to criminalize Blacks, especially Black males as thugs and a threat to American society.”
In a statement to CNN, the author of “Cultural Appropriation as ‘Agency Reduction”’ further stated, “Balenciaga men’s Trompe-L’Oeil sweatpants in red triggers immediate concern given the grotesque similarity to the iconic African American hip hop aesthetic worn by Black Americans for decades that has resulted in the imprisonment and death of Black men.”
“The trousers have commercial cultural appropriation written all over them; branded with the name Balenciaga,” she continued.
The chief marketing officer for Balenciaga, Ludivine Pont shared the company’s corporate statement on the item, “In many of our collections, we combine different wardrobe pieces into a single garment, such as denim jeans layered over tracksuit pants, cargo shorts merged with jeans and button-up shirts layered over t-shirts.”
He didn’t see the problem, despite the social media pushback.
Black men being discriminated against and devalued for sagging pants and Balenciaga is profiting off the style. Crazy how it’s ghetto until they put a price on it pic.twitter.com/ujjFkHfYnt
The sagging pants craze was outlawed in Louisiana from 2007 to 2019. 96% of the arrest for this crime were Black men according to the Shreveport Times. The website pulled its research from police records.
DaBaby’s team could be in trouble after physically assaulting a fan earlier this year after he came up to the rapper at a strip club.
According to The Sun, the attack happened at the Vida Club (renamed ‘Kandyland’ for the event) in Los Angeles, CA, on May 19 around 3:45 am in the morning.
The fan came up to the artist “asking for a handshake” outside of the gentleman’s establishment but was met with a surprising response. The entourage brutally beat down the poor man and a CCTV camera caught it all on tape.
The footage seems to corroborate what onlookers have suggested, the fan meant the troubled star no harm. In fact, the fan was chased away by one of the men with the “Rockstar” chart-topper. However, that was not enough.
The men associated with the North Carolina rapper followed the man as he walked away. It appears that DaBaby is also walking with them and just as he is about to get into his SUV, someone knocks the kid out.
It is reported by witnesses to this event that the group also attacked another person in the same fight after they tried to break up the fight. The footage shows the men running after the fight.
The onlookers also said that they thought both fights were escalated were by the fact that “DaBaby has that persona where he doesn’t want to be involved with anything without his permission.”
“The fan was simply that, just a fan who wanted to shake his hand,” the person further stated. “and the situation was escalated because the guy was a little bit drunk and belligerent.
“DaBaby said something and made gestures before he went inside the SUV for his goons to handle the situation forcibly.”
The witnesses said that after speaking to the person who was beaten up and obtained “lumps” on his face, that the man “didn’t understand why he was treated so bad when it was clear he was harmless and just wanted to praise DaBaby.”
He also said that his gold chain was snatched by DaBaby’s entourage and thrown over a fence. There is no word about whether or not, DaBaby or his team is being sued for this altercation.
Prosecutors in the R. Kelly sex crime trial want the jury to hear video of the singer allegedly threatening his victims with violence.
The contents of the video and audio recordings were detailed in a court document filed on Tuesday (September 14), in which the prosecution asked the judge for permission to use the tapes as evidence in the New York trial.
“The recorded excerpts show the type of physical and psychological abuse the defendant employed to exert and maintain control over women and girls with whom he was engaged in sexual relationships; and his regular
use of audio and video recordings to maintain control of females,” said Acting United States Attorney, Jacquelyn M. Kasulis.
On one of the tapes, from 2008, the singer and another defendant George Kelly, also known as “Uncle Junebug” can apparently be heard accusing an unidentified woman of lying to R. Kelly, before he then assaults her.
“There’s only one way you’re gonna get rid of this. For me to trust your ass again. You’re gonna do the f### I tell you to do. When you made the f##### tape for me and I looked at that s###, you was hiding your f###### face all over that s### because you didn’t want to be seen,” R. Kelly can be heard fuming. “I told you to f###### trust me. And here it is I can’t f###### trust you. You’re the one who’s f###### untrustworthy. I’m a loyal man. Shut the f### up. You’re gonna do that s### for me for f#####’ free. And you ain’t gonna hide your f###### face on me. You’re gonna do what the f### I tell you to do and you’re gonna do it f##### right. Then I’m gonna gain my f##### trust back with your ass. If I even detect you trying to hide on that s###, I’m gonna blow this s### the f### up. Do you hear this s### I’m telling you. I f###### raised your ass.”
Another recording hears R. Kelly berating another Jane Doe, from Florida, who he accused of stealing a Rolex watch from him.
“You better not ever … take from me again or I will be in Florida and something will happen to you,” he is said to have stated in the video. “You understand what I’m telling you?”
The judge has indicated that she will allow the tapes to be submitted as evidence in the trial.
Kelly, who is on trial on charges of racketeering and violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits the transport of people across state lines for sex, has pleaded not guilty to the allegations, as well as other sex-related charges in Minnesota.
Hardcore Hip-Hop fans are a pretty happy bunch these days. There is literally a revolution of sound sprouting all over the world, really putting the whole spectrum of vibrations on full display. RJ Payne emerges just when it seemed like The Griselda Crew were the only ones that could keep the underground game in a stranglehold. The Philly rapper has done what few have been able to accomplish in the overcrowded field of play.
There’s a lot to unpack with a rapper like RJ Payne. He’s dope enough for Eminem to profess his respect and love. He’s also big enough to solicit a response from goat MC Royce Da 5′ 9″ when the younger emcee proclaims himself to be the best, along with comrade Ransom. Bronx rapper Mickey Factz immaculately impersonated Payne in his highly-hyped Royce-diss “Wraith,” which threw everybody for a loop. On the rap side, RJ has churned out project after project after project, each full of dense, tightly woven, gritty lyrics that command attention from anybody in range.
RJ Payne is definitely new to many, but he is no rookie. Not only does he have the hustle and drive, but he also has a plan that is coming to life bar by bar. In this exclusive interview, Payne talks to AHH’s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur about how he managed to shine in the midst of a global pandemic. He talks about being in the middle of the Royce/Lupe/Mickey Factz rap feud, being used as a tool of violence in said beef and being inspired by Griselda. But, more than all that, the journeyman explains how it is time for a bar heavy figure to bring that DMX-type energy back to Hip-Hop.
See how RJ Payne holds it down, but also moves decidedly up.
Jamal Shakir is only 24-years-old and already living out his dreams on the daily. A true creative, the South Central Los Angeles native is an author, filmmaker, producer, director all in one, using his keen sense of storytelling while simultaneously highlighting the nitty gritty reality of life in the streets.
From doing music videos with high-profile artists such as Young Thug and T.I. to now releasing his own television series titled “Land of No Pity,” Shakir is ready to showcase his talents for the rest of the world and beyond. Taking place over 8 parts, the show is inspired directly by the “Land of No Pity” novels written by Toni T. Shakir — showcasing both the tragedies and triumphs of families who reside in these impoverished, underprivileged communities. As the son and nephew of the founders of a segment of the Rollin’ 90s, Shakir has endured a tremendous amount of loss, losing family members to incarceration and gun violence.
Currently being shopped to networks, “Land of No Pity” reels in all-star appearances from T.I., Baron Davis, Ving Rhames, CJ McCollum, Trevor Booker, LaRance Dopson & 1500 or Nothin.
Gang culture of South Central Los Angeles is definitely not a topic for the faint of heart, digging deep into the various characters involved from their personalities to their motivations to their fate.
Jamal Shakir discusses his background in production, roots in South Central Los Angeles, his family calling victim to incarceration, shooting music video, what inspired “Land of No Pity,” the takeaway message, a situation that happened during a protest downtown with his uncle that’s LAPD, who he looks up to, and more!
AllHipHop: You’re so young, how did you get your start in all this?
Jamal Shakir: Really, the story is my family’s story. As far as the media production side of things like TV and film, I started off doing music videos in college. Once I started doing the bigger budget music videos, I said “okay, it’s time to take it to a more narrative level.”
AllHipHop: How was it being born and raised in South Central?
Jamal Shakir: My parents were part of the longest ongoing federal death penalty case in US history. I wound up moving to Georgia. I went to middle school, high school, college, everything, then came back.
AllHipHop: How did that impact you as a child?
Jamal Shakir: It definitely impacted me because my father was sentenced to 24 life sentences and my mother was sentenced to 44 years, so I was bouncing around with my grandma. It was definitely a motivating factor, that’s where Land of No Pity is derived from. That family history, being able to tell the story of adolescence, how we came to the decisions we made and what led us on the path.
AllHipHop: How did you end up in this space where you could direct?
Jamal Shakir: It was more so mainly music videos. I started getting on bigger budget music videos with T.I., Young Thug, etc. in college. I was going to college playing football, and one of my friends was a graphic designer for him. They invited him to a music video shoot. I had to take a Fine Arts elective in college, so I took my camera because I was in photography. Everybody said “Oh you shoot music videos too?” I said “Yeah.” I’d never shot one before, but then I wound up getting an internship based off of that. From there, I was able to work hard, get into more music videos. It was smaller tier artists which is who I was working with first in the internship. Once I graduated from that, it was onto the bigger budget music videos.
AllHipHop: How did you get the idea for “Land of No Pity”?
Jamal Shakir: It is based off of my family’s history, it’s something we’ve all been working on in our own sense by just living it. In 2017, we wrote the first novel, which is “Land of No Pity 1.” We released “Land of No Pity 2” May 31st of this year. It’s our family story, so that’s where it all originated from.
AllHipHop: How impactful is that title?
Jamal Shakir: The title is very impactful. A lot of people in South Central know or coined the term “Land of No Pity,” even before now. Because the story itself instead of following main characters or multiple characters that we’d consider main characters, but the main theme is the setting. South Central, Los Angeles is the actual Land of No Pity. It’s basically this story that gives insight into children and adolescents, why they make the decisions in the paths they wind up going down. Whether it be doctor, lawyer, prison, whatever the case may be, the settings and environments that you come from have a large part to do with that.
AllHipHop: What do you want people to take away from your films?
Jamal Shakir: I want people to take away the redemptive aspect of it. Though my family did come from these circumstances, there’s a silver lining in it all. Eventually, the “Land of No Pity” story leads into my story of being able to have a brick and mortar business, and have a publishing company while also doing TV and film. The silver lining of it all is being able to create more opportunities for people in these situations, the things we’d like to be able to hand out to the rest of the world.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite part in “Land of No Pity”? I know there’s 8 of them.
Jamal Shakir: What we’re doing now, we’re actually shopping it. I shot a 20-minute test pilot, 20 minutes of the first episode, so now I’m shopping it to networks to get it funded. I attached two Emmy-award winning EPs, Milan Cheylov and Markuann Smith from “Godfather of Harlem,” they’re trying to help me gear it up. That’d be the funnest part of it: going into meetings with execs and trying to drive it home. We slowed down due to COVID, a lot of stuff hasn’t been opened. But being able to get the eyes and the credits of Emmy-award winning EPs is pretty dope.
AllHipHop: How was the premiere in Los Angeles?
Jamal Shakir: We had the LA premiere on October 5th of 2019, it wound up being super dope. But the thing is, we’re not able to fully show what we shot because it is currently being shopped. As long as it’s being shopped: the less eyes that have been on it, the better. We have trailers on YouTube but as far as the 20 minute-test pilot, that was a secure link.
AllHipHop: How did it feel getting T.I., Baron Davis, all these people in your project?
Jamal Shakir: That part of it is dope. Being able to bring big names, LA stars and culture to the film to give me more validation is amazing to say the least. We have people like Baron Davis, Trevor Booker who is another ex-NBA player, CJ McCollum who plays for the Trailblazers right now. T.I. of course, he’s one of the first ones on board, then the two Emmy-award winning EPs and directors. We have a good amount of people that’s known in the industry, have done work and are helpful players that are attached. We’re waiting on the right opportunity right now. Like I said, it’s been hard to get into a ton of meetings because of COVID. Now, we’re looking to drive it home once we get those opportunities.
AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for next?
Jamal Shakir: Definitely trying to get into the Director’s Guild of America. I’m working on another feature film, which is based on slavery in the late 1800’s. I shot a trailer for that as well, it’s called “Lynched By Treason” and it can be seen on my Instagram @TheJamalShakir. I’m finishing up the full feature script for that. Hopefully within the next few months or so, I can start pre-production on that.That will be a full-independent budgeted film so I wouldn’t need funding or have to go to any of the majors or anything. I’d fund that one completely, and go a complete independent route.
AllHipHop: Who do you look up to in this space?
Jamal Shakir: Cary Fukunaga is extremely dope. He did “Beasts of No Nations” and “James Bond.” I like his versatility, not just as a director but he can camera op. He can DP. He’s basically a Swiss Army knife, he’s able to wear a lot of hats on set. That’s what I admire because with my being independent, I have to wear a lot of hats on set as well.
AllHipHop: Anything else people should know about?
Jamal Shakir: I have a pack and ship candy store on Pico and Redondo. We’re here every day, Monday through Saturday, from 8:30a, to 6:30pm.
New Orleans and Detroit connect as 504Yung enlists Motor City standout Icewear Vezzo for the visual to “Directions.”
Released as a single earlier this year, “Directions” is listed on 504Yung’s latest EP titled ‘Rich off Profit.’
The single serves as the perfect introduction for the fast-rising newcomer to new audiences worldwide.
With Icewear Vezzo’s Detroit-infused bars peppering the upbeat track, the song is surely something that listeners will be putting on repeat. Furthermore, it’s the perfect song to showcase 504Yung’s authenticity, vulnerability, and raw energy – something that defines each and every song he creates.
Watch the visual below and check out ‘Rich off Profit,’ which is currently available on all streaming platforms.
NFL star Kevin Faulk, best known for his work with the New England Patriots, has suffered an unspeakable tragedy.
People Magazine made the announcement earlier today. Kevione Faulk, who was only 19 years old when she passed away, worked at Louisiana State University. It was the acclaimed college that made the announcement of her passing.
“We are heartbroken with the passing of Kevione Faulk, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Faulk family,” a statement from LSU reads. “She was a part of the LSU family, and we mourn the loss of a daughter, a sister, a friend, a classmate, and a colleague.”
A cause of death for Kevione Faulk, the daughter of Kevin Faulk, has not been released. However, condolences poured in from all over the sports world.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Faulk and his family as we mourn the loss of his daughter Kevione. Her smile and personality will be sorely missed in our building. May she Rest In Peace.
The 19-year-old was a student worker for the football staff at LSU, where her family has deep ties. Kevin Faulk is the team’s all-time rushing leader and was an All-SEC player for three of his four years at the school.
Our thoughts are with the Faulk family as they navigate what is, undoubtedly, the most difficult time in their lives. May Kevione Faulk rest in peace, and may her family find comfort in our prayers.
DJ Iceman could have simply rested on his laurels. After all, he is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliate. But with more than 300,000 streams on his last two projects on Spotify, he really doesn’t want to. In fact, the man born Robert Anderson in Brooklyn, NY, is a testament to the power of hard work and dedication to the craft.
DJ Iceman has a 30-year resumé in the music business to back up all of his claims, of course. He says that the shift from DJing to beat-making was the biggest transition he had to make, especially when he was first starting out.
“I had to do everything times 10. as well as learn about trademarks, copyrights, licenses, split sheets, and owning the content I put out,” he told AllHipHop.com exclusively. “So it went from simple promo to running full campaigns, pitching to playlists and sound libraries and artists.”
That lesson inspired DJ Iceman to launch Big Boss Entertainment, where he provides a myriad of services to clients ranging from promotions, marketing, and publicity, to Spotify and YouTube services. He even shows artists how to use Google to optimize their search engine results.
In short, Anderson is nothing short of a force to be reckoned with.
