That Taliban came to his house with guns and threatened his life. The terrorist group also beat up his brother and were targeting him because of his racy lyrics that seemed to taunt them.
On one of his songs he spit the lyrics that referenced kissing girls around the mosque and then telling his fans, “Don’t be scared of the Taliban.”
According to the Sun, he said from a secured safe house, “If they find me they will kill me.”
The Taliban will probably try to kill him, mostly because they considered him a criminal.
Between the years of 1996 and 2001, when they were last in rule, they had banned not just his music … but all music. When the Taliban came into power back in the day, they destroyed tapes, CDs and instruments.
Those rules, after President Joe Biden pulled the troops out of Afghanistan earlier this summer, were placed back into effect.
According Operawire, “Mujahid, Islam prohibits live music but the regime’s critics note that that is the Taliban’s interpretation of the religion.” The publication also shared that the only music that is allowed is Islamic songs.
Earlier this week, President Biden said, “Last night in Kabul, the United States ended 20 years of war in Afghanistan — the longest war in American history.”
“No nation — no nation has ever done anything like it in all of history. Only the United States had the capacity and the will and the ability to do it, and we did it today,” he continued.
“As a result, to safely extract American citizens before August 31st — as well as embassy personnel, Allies and partners, and those Afghans who had worked with us and fought alongside of us for 20 years — I had authorized 6,000 troops — American troops — to Kabul to help secure the airport,” he said. “As General McKenzie said, this is the way the mission was designed. It was designed to operate under severe stress and attack. And that’s what it did.”
He ended his comments saying, “As we close 20 years of war and strife and pain and sacrifice, it’s time to look to the future, not the past — to a future that’s safer, to a future that’s more secure, to a future that honors those who served and all those who gave what President Lincoln called their “last full measure of devotion.”
To be fair, Azealia Banks would know a thing or two about what hedge fund bros would like, given that she reportedly dated their Lord and Savior, Elon Musk. And based on what happened with that little disaster, Banks would also know a thing or two about wild garbage and a gospel…you know what, never mind. I’m trying to get right with God. Let’s move on.
In truth, some of Azealia Banks’ criticism is valid. Yeezy is a far cry from his 808s and Heartbreak days, and while no one will ever take his legacy away from him, he may be better off retiring gracefully from the game. With all his money and all his investments in things outside of the hip hop game, he certainly doesn’t need to go on tour and ugly-sweat to “All of the Lights” for the benefit of the screaming crowds. (It’s also worth mentioning that when Azealia Banks isn’t bull-chittin’…when she’s actually on her game…her mic sounds nice. Unfortunately, these days, she’s known for being sensationalist than a sensational rapper. Bah well.)
Azealia Banks is just the latest to proclaim her dislike of West’s latest album. Charlamagne Tha God, The Breakfast Club host, made clear that he doesn’t like the album, either. And Soulja Boy and Drake are all but work husbands with the Grammy-winning rapper, at this point, given that they’ve spent most of their time p##### off at Ye (when not promoting Certified Lover Boy, which leads you to believe that this is really all nothing but a clever bit of marketing…how meta, indeed).
Last week Kanye West released a new song titled, “Life of the Party” featuring André 3000 during a performance to promote his new album Donda while he was in Berlin Germany. On Saturday morning, Drake played the song on his SiriusXM mix show.
As reported by AllHipHop.com, he verse submitted was heralded as the best rhyme dropped the whole year by any artist. A touching tribute to his mother, who transitioned eight years ago, he rapped, ““Hey Miss Donda, if you ran into my mama, please tell her I said, ‘Say something’/I’m starting to believe ain’t no such thing as Heaven’s trumpets/No after-over, this is it, done/If there’s a Heaven, you would think they’d let you speak to your son.”
Both artists sensationalized the feature of one of Hip-Hop’s most genius but elusive creators, missing the intention, and including him a rap war that he didn’t want.
3Stacks felt used, and has since resigned from being on the Donda project. Saturday evening, he released a statement addressing his involvement.
The Atlanta native started his remarks as follows, “A few weeks ago Kanye reached out about me being a part of the Donda album. I was inspired by his idea to make a musical tribute to his mom. It felt appropriate to me to support the Donda concept by referencing my own mother, who passed away in 2013. We both shared that loss.”
André 3000 Statement on Donda (Screenshot InstaStory)
“I thought it was a beautiful choice to make a clean album, but unfortunately, I didn’t know that was the plan before I wrote and recorded my verse,” he wrote on social media. “It was clear to me that an edited ‘clean’ format of the verse would not work without having the raw, original also available. So, sadly, I had to be omitted from the original album release. The track I received and wrote to didn’t have the diss verse on it.”
“… We were hoping to make a more focused offering for the Donda album but I guess things happen like they are supposed to. It’s unfortunate that it was released in this way and two artists that I love are going back and forth. I wanted to be on Certified Lover Boy too.” he continued.
Perhaps, Dre thought that this song would be as special as their previous collaboration, “Everybody.”
He ended his remark by sharing other emcees that he wants to collaborate with in the future, “I just want to work with people that inspire me. Hopefully I can work with Kendrick on his album. I ‘d love to work with Lil Baby, Tyler and Jay-Z. I respect them all.
Since then, Tyler, the Creator has responded in a cryptic way.
Will the world be getting an André Benjamin album soon? If so, that would be one of the most special things to come out of the Yeezy and Champagne Papi war.
Kanye West appears to be looking to expand his billion-dollar empire.
According to reports, Kanye West is looking to get into the homeware business with a brand new line of products.
His company Mascotte Holdings Inc. filed for trademarks to put the name “Kanye West” on a variety of new goods.
In addition to selling sneakers and clothing with The Gap, Kanye appears to be getting ready to sell shower curtains, towels, blankets, bed blankets, throw blankets, golf blankets placemats, and more.
And, the rapper plans on making the finest of products.
Kanye’s new line will reportedly be made using cashmere, silk, and fleece.
His new venture with The Gap could bring in $1 billion in sales next year according to a Wells Fargo estimate.
Meanwhile, his partnership with Adidas, which produces his Yeezy sneaker line, raked in $1.7 billion in sales last year, netting the rapper about $191 million in royalties in 2020.
Jackboy and Lil Baby are teaming up to build a hospital in Haiti after the country’s devastating August 14 earthquake.
Responding to the damage the powerful 7.2 temblor caused to the island nation, Jackboy – who was born in Haiti – took to Instagram Stories, calling for volunteers to come together to help construct a new medical facility.
“I just walked through a hospital in Haiti and all the patients sleeping outside,” he wrote. “I personally handed every single last one of them a(n) envelope full of money but fr fr (for real) I feel like that ain’t enough. Who want to go to Haiti with me and get a hospital built. It’s not really that much especially if we use U.S. dollars. #PrayForHaiti.”
Lil Baby, real name Dominique Jones, responded to Jackboy’s plea and sent him a direct message, writing, “I’m in.”
Jackboy, real name Pierre Delince, replied with a series of messages, penning, “You just got a whole different type of respect for me. Ima set everything up and keep y’all in contact with the hospital director.”
Jackboy posted a screenshot of their exchange to his Instagram Story on Wednesday, with an additional caption that read: “Got my n#### on it with me we on God about to make something special @lilbaby.”
He also posted a video of himself to his Instagram page, driving around Haiti and interacting with locals, and another showing some of the island’s damage, soundtracking the clips with his own track, “Where I’m From.”
According to CNN, the earthquake killed at least 1,297 people and injured more than 5,700.
Rap star Lil Wayne recently flaunted his ever-increasing abilities as a skateboarder.
Wayne, who is easily one of the greatest rappers in the world, linked up with one of the best skateboarders on earth. Weezy kicked off his Labor Day weekend with Japan’s Olympic gold medalist skater Yuto Horigome.
The pair skated together, and Wayne showed off some awesome skills on a halfpipe with Yuto.
Lil Wayne started skateboarding around 2010 after he did a stint in Rikers Island for possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol on his tour bus when he was in New York for a show.
The rapper even has his own private skatepark in Miami, Florida where he has skated with professionals like Torey Pudwill, Chaz Ortiz, Raymond Nina, and others.
R. Kelly’s trial continues to astonish anyone paying attention.
The most recent atrocity committed by the Chicago native involved a teenaged girl walking another underaged girl like a dog for kicks. Reluctantly, a witness named Alexis who is now 31 testified, “I walked a girl around on a leash. I put the collar on her and she was on her hands and knees and I was walking her.”
She shared that it was Kelly’s suggestion to demoralize the child. While she didn’t remember exactly how old she was when this happened, she did remember it was at his Olympia Fields, Ill. home’s garage.
This garage is the same room where another strange act was performed.
In the testimony from the witness John Doe, R. Kelly snapped his fingers three times and a naked girl emerged from under the boxing ring in the garage to perform felatio on the star in front of him.
Alex shared with the Brooklyn court that she met the “Bump N’ Grind” singer when she was 15-years-old in 2006. She attended his concert in Jacksonville, Florida.
She also shared that she was honest when she met him and shared her actual age. That did not seem to bother him at all. She shared that Kelly told her, “There’s nothing wrong with platonic friendship and if it turns into something over time then so be it.”
Something did come of their friendship, however, Alex could not remember if she started having sex with him after or before she turned 18. She did remember that when she first visited him at the age of 17, they didn’t have sex.
To make the decision even more controversial, private citizens have the option to sue or be paid a $10,000 bounty to report abortion providers or anyone assisting a woman who may need to get an abortion.
Rap star T.I. is not with it.
T.I., who has four lovely daughters, made a simple yet powerful statement.
“Men shouldn’t be making laws about women’s bodies,” read a meme T.I. posted to his 13.7 million followers on Instagram.
T.I. ran into some controversy of his own in 2019, after revealing he went to the gynecologist with his daughter Deyja Harris, who is 18-years-old at the time.
The rapper jokingly said he went to the visits with her to make sure that her “hymen was still intact.”
The comments drew immediate backlash and outrage. T.I. decided to apologize for what was dubbed “Hymen-gate” by the media.
The rapper eventually went on Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk” to clarify his remarks, where he said he had “a deeper appreciation” for women’s rights after the incident.
Unfortunately, Republicans in six other states have not received the memo.
According to reports, North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida, Indiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi are looking to implement similar bans as Texas on abortion.
Believe it or not, but the firecracker from Destiny’s Child is now celebrating 40 years on this earth the BeyHive has gone in full buzz mode honoring the “Irreplaceable” artist’s life.
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter was born on September 4, 1981, and is one of the most successful singers in the history of music. With over 200 million albums sold, she is not just an amazing vocalist and actor. Queen Bey is also a businesswoman and philanthropist worth more than $440 million.
Her partnership with Adidas yielded her own sportswear line called Ivy Park one of the most successful clothing releases from a female celebrity.
She also has made history as the first Black woman to headline the music festival Coachella in 2018, performing a set that also made history as it was the most-streamed Coachella video on YouTube in its history at the time.
She packaged that performance into the “Homecoming” live album and Netflix documentary. On the doc, she proved to be a typical Virgo, working harder than everyone else around her. That’s why fans love her so much.
Check out the birthday wishes and accolades fans are giving her online!
“Beyoncé Experience Formation World Tour Any questions? Precious Lord, Take My Hand That day when y’all were arguing and she dropped Bow Down SuperBowl Coachella When her hair got caught in the fan Somebody gettin’ fired Performing Bad Girl w/ Usher”
Beyoncé Experience Formation World Tour Any questions? Precious Lord, Take My Hand That day when y’all were arguing and she dropped Bow Down SuperBowl Coachella When her hair got caught in the fan Somebody gettin’ fired Performing Bad Girl w/ Usher https://t.co/PhH4MrExuw
Drake mysteriously acquired the full song featuring the ATLien, but why?
One theory is because of Kanye’s lyrics: the rapper mentions Drake by name.
“I put Virgil and Drake on the same text and it wasn’t about the matching Arc’teryx or Kid Cudi dress/Just told these grown men stop it with the funny s###,” Kanye raps, “Thought we was the new Abu Dhabi/Told Drake don’t play with me on GD and he sent that message to everybody/So if I hit you with a ‘WYD,’ you better hit me with, ‘Yessir, I’m writing everything you need.”
3 Stacks’ verse was a little less confrontational, appearing to take the Jay-Z route by addressing Donda West, Kanye’s mom.
“Hey Miss Donda, if you ran into my mama, please tell her I said, ‘Say something’/I’m starting to believe ain’t no such thing as Heaven’s trumpets/No after-over, this is it, done/If there’s a Heaven, you would think they’d let you speak to your son,” he raps.
On the show, Drake also shared other songs that were previously unreleased, including his remix of Playboi Carti’s “One Day.”
The Dinner With Jay-Z crowd strikes again, and this time, one of its members has been mercilessly dragged for his insolence.
In a tweet posted at about 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 3, self-proclaimed “side hustle king” @ProfitWithAnt proved why you shouldn’t take financial advice from people on Twitter.
I’ll explain since most can’t comprehend
Dinner with Jay-Z is the better option over $500K because of the knowledge & expertise he has. He’ll give you the blueprint on being wealthy and successful. His knowledge will be worth more long term than the short term $500K.
The right mentor will guide you to success shortening your losses and learning code. The right mentor is a cheat code leveraging their experience and expertise and that is PRICELESS!
And of course, Struggle Hustle King wasted no time in dropping a link to his “trading group,” which we’re not going to share here because there are far better ways to get investment advice (like this book, for instance, or this financial adviser), and we hate seeing working people part with their hard-earned money.
Exactly. Why I would rather have lunch with Shohei Otani than $1 million. Otani would tell me how to be both a major-league pitcher AND batter, knowledge worth far more than $1 million! https://t.co/bZhJMtiexa
Here’s a bit of food for thought, people: there were rappers all around Jay-Z during the Roc-A-Fella days. Do you know how many of them are broke today? I mean, Dame Dash still has money problems all these years later. You really think Hova — who just met you at this mythical, never-gonna-happen dinner — is going to give you all the ingredients? And even if he did, you couldn’t make his sauce.
Second, it bears noting that Jay-Z, himself, has no financial expertise. He has a team of investors, financial advisers, wealth managers, lawyers, and accountants that have that financial expertise — y’know, actual experts in their fields, which is what all wealthy men and women do when they want to stay wealthy men and women.
So dinner with Jay-Z is going to involve that man telling you, “you should’ve taken the money, idiot.”
After dropping his Certified Lover Boy album today, the hitmaker broke Apple Music’s 2021 record for the artist with the most-streams in one day. He broke the record in 12 hours and the streams of course will continue to rise throughout the day.
This is not the first headline that Drake has made with his new album.
One headline, as reported by AllHipHop.com, was around his song “7AM on Bridle Path.”
The media instantly picked up that he was dissing his musical rival Kanye West. Several verses within the song took aim at Yeezy’s desperation and constant running to social media to air out their personal differences.
Another headline, from the recently released album, revolved around another song titled, “TSU.”
It appears that that he sampled “Your Body’s Calling” from R. Kelly’s 12 Play album. When fans saw that he sampled and credited Kelly, they instantly took to social media to question how he could include the troubled singer on the project.
RIP Baby Girl…in my ear at every show letting me know the next move I should make. Love you.
The last headline, that AllHipHop.com reported on was in relation to his dedications.
The Toronto rapper dedicated the highly anticipated album to the deceased Instagram influencers Nadia Ntuli and Jenae “Miss Mercedes Morr” Gagnier.
The Apple Music description written by Drake for Certified Lover Boyread, “A combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth which is inevitably heartbreaking. Executive produced by me, Noah ’40’ Shebib, Oliver El-Khatib, and Noel Cadastre. Dedicated to Nadia Ntuli and Mercedes Morr. RIP.”
Can’t wait to see what the end of day numbers will be.
First getting into making music on his own just three years ago, Jacob Sinawi, better known as Big Juicy is looking to move up the ranks quickly and cement his spot in the hip hop music industry. He has come a long way since he started doing freestyles at college parties and is ready to show the world, he has what it takes to be a top artist in the game today. En route to proving he has what it takes he recently released his latest full-length project on Tidal titled “Real Recognize Real.”
“Real Recognize Real” is a collaboration album with DJ Kingpin and it is a great step in the right direction for Big Juicy. Showing off his vocal range and ability to find the pockets in any beat, Big Juicy bodies each and every track, leaving no room for people to doubt his ability. Through this fifteen-song project, it becomes clear that Big Juicy has the talent and it is only a matter of time before he catches his big break.
Until he gets his big opportunity, Big Juicy plans to keep his head down and get to work. He knows that he has a long journey ahead of him for the heights he wants to reach, but it will all be worth it at the end of the day. Be sure to keep your eye peeled for Big Juicy as he is sure to one day be a household star.
Stream Big Juicy’s “Real Recognize Real” on Tidal here.
Dr. Dre claims his wife is still stealing money from him. This time, the producer says Nicole Young stole from his recording studio business.
The superstar producer filed new paperwork in court claiming Nicole targeted his Recording One studio, which is located in Sherman Oaks, California.
Dre says Nicole did have the authority to write checks and transfer money in and out of Recording One. But she didn’t have the right to withdraw over $350,000 from the account which “decimated” the account, according to Dre.
Dr. Dre accused his wife of embezzling and stealing money from Recording One and using the loot for her “personal obligations” in breach of her fiduciary duties.
Nicole, who allegedly stole the money while they were married, was barred from having anything to do with the business.
According to reports, Nicole returned the money, but Dre is still going after her for the theft.
And Nicole should not have any issues paying the money back.
Dr. Dre claims Nicole signed an ironclad prenup agreement when they were married in 1996.
Nicole maintains that she signed the agreement under duress and that Dre ripped up the agreement because he was “ashamed.”
“Andre acknowledged to me that he felt ashamed he had pressured me into signing a premarital agreement and he tore up multiple copies of the agreement in front of me. Since the day he tore up the agreements, we both understood that there was no premarital agreement and that it was null and void.”
However, Dre’s lawyer Laura Wasser presented the document in court and said Nicole signed the agreement voluntarily.
Lil Nas X posted some weird pictures of himself on social media pretending as if he’s expecting a baby.
Lil Nas X added the flicks on Twitter yesterday (September 2) to commemorate his forthcoming album, Montero. The rapper came up with the concept after his stylist labeled his debut album his “baby.”
In the picture, Lil Nas X rocks a flowing, white robe, while his head is adorned with a flower crown with a bouquet of white roses. He lovingly cradles his pregnant belly in the hilarious picture.
SURPRISE! I can’t believe i’m finally announcing this. My little bundle of joy “MONTERO” is due September 17, 2021 🦋💕🥲 pic.twitter.com/dry8lAhpPr
“SURPRISE! I can’t believe i’m finally announcing this. My little bundle of joy ‘MONTERO’ is due September 17, 2021,” Lil Nas X said.
Lil Nas X elaborated on the photoshoot, which was inspired by a line Megan Thee Stallion dropped on the song “Dolla Sign Slime,” which is one of the tracks on Montero.
Meg says “B**ch I do not do labor” on a leaked version of the song.
“I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing,’ so I immediately called my stylist,” Lil Nas X giggled to People magazine. “She was like, ‘Wow, this all comes together. Your album. Your baby.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, this is my baby, huh?’ As a joke, she was like, ‘Yeah, you should do a pregnancy shoot.’ I was like, ‘You know what? That’s actually brilliant.'”
The photos drew an instant reaction on Twitter, where users had both positive and negative reactions.
Dan Folger, normally known for plugging people in the music industry with jewelry, recently diversified his personal brand by dropping music on all streaming platforms.
The artist channels his energy on “Cold Heart”. Lasting just over 3 minutes in run time, “Cold Heart” offers a soft, yet emotional instrumental. The track features a series of interesting musical components that all come together to deliver one unique overall vibe.
“Cold Heart” marks the third track Folger has dropped so far this year.
After dropping his new Certified Lover Boy album, Drake called Kanye West “jealous.”
In lyrics from his song “7AM on Bridle Path,” the Champagne Papi blasted the man that has emerged as his musical rival for posting the address to his Toronto home.
He rapped, “Give that address to your driver, make it your destination / ’Stead of just a post out of desperation.”
In addition to that slight jab, he also noted that Kanye was busy checking for him and what he was doing, instead of worrying about making his project, the belabored and highly-anticipated Donda album, great.
Drake dropped in the song, “This me reachin’ the deepest state of my meditation, While you over there tryna impress the nation. Mind’s running’ wild with the speculation.”
Later he said, “Told you I’m aimin’ straight for the head, not aiming to please/ I could give a f### about who designing your sneakers and tees/ Have somebody put you on a Gildan, you play with my seed/ Trust me, there’s some s### you really gotta come see to believe.”
This is a direct reference to Kanye’s lucrative Yeezy collaboration with Adidas. Ironically, Drake has just dropped the design to his own lucrative deal with Nike.
Drizzy also called the “Jesus Walks” rapper “jealous,” stating that he used the media and their personal beef to gain attention.
“That’s why you buyin’ into the hype that the press feedin’ ya/You know the fourth level of jealousy is called media/ Isn’t that an ironic revelation?”
He also broke down how disingenuous for Kanye to act like he wanted to make peace, when all of his actions was to cause chaos.
“Why the f### we peacemakin’, doin’ the explanations/ If we just gon’ be right back in that b#### without hesitation? But let me digress on behalf of the association/ I’ll play it cool with you, then mark a n#### like Copenhagen.”
Bu Thiam said that they really did want peace, but if Drake dissed Kanye on his album, all bets are off.
The NBA superstar is stuck in the middle of his parents’ divorce, and now, there’s some speculation that Dell Curry — his beloved father — may not really be his father.
And according to this anonymous source, it’s all going to come out in the gossip rags in the coming days.
“Shocking allegations are about to hit the public from various tabloids. Alleged stinky rumors of long-standing infidelities which will vindicate Dell Curry in the divorce saga that has shocked the sports world,” said an anonymous source. “So-called close friends of Ms. Curry, allege Steph Curry, conceived prior to the marriage, is not really Dell’s child and Dell was the best financial prospect in her stable of men at the time. These “friends” promote sweaty thigh unfounded gossip that Ms. Curry’s body count includes males and females over the course of her three-decade marriage to former NBA player Dell Curry?!!? You don’t see Dell at all when you look at Steph Curry like you see him in Seth and Sydel. Stephen is a blend of Sonya and someone else allegedly according to confidential sources.”
This seems like a bit of a stretch, to be honest. And anybody can really say anything they want on the Internet. But what do you think of this bit of news? You be the judge.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com
By Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur
I recently had the joy and privilege of visiting Forest Hills, Queens. I was headed to the last leg of the Universal Hip-Hop Museum Homecoming concert series featuring the impeccable talents of Mobb Deep, EPMD, DMC, Dres of Black Sheep (who lives in the area), Too Short, Yo-Yo- Sweet Tee, and an assortment of other legends. The whole event was capped off by a 2-hour performance of George Clinton and his P-Funk All-Stars. It was an amazing affair. I could not get over how clean, and nice this particular area of Queens was. Without knowing, it reminded me of places hostile to people of color with high property taxes, out-of-this-world real estate prices, and the quiet killer racism. But, that was not my experience as we were treated respectfully and there was somebody ever 10-20 feet making sure we did not stray from the path to the concert and fro..back to where we came from. It was all love on the surface.
Forest Hills, Queens gave birth to rapper-turned-actor Awkwafina even if Nora Lum, her government name, was born somewhere in Long Island. Awkwafina came to prominence in the early 2010s, as a rapper that was quickly able to leverage her unique traits, comedy, and freedom from Hip-Hop’s cultural norms. She didn’t have to “keep it real” and honestly, don’t think anybody cared if she did/didn’t. But she did represent her brand of New York unabashedly and without shame on songs like “NYC Bitche$.” As a rapper, she never gave a hint that she would make her comedic bones in Hollywood as an actor that employs a “blaccent.” Wiktionary calls this Blackaccent as one “that is “characteristic of African-Americans.”It is a form of cultural appropriation.
As Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hits theaters, the controversy swirls – once again – around another comic character -Awkwafina! First of all, Shang-Chi is so beloved to us comic nerds that I once crudely drew him in my youth. Yes, I have the receipts! So, I am concerned for the movie, because nothing degrading to Black people can exist within the MCU (Marvel Comics Universe). Stan Lee wouldn’t have it. And yet, here we are. Shang-Chi, the first Marvel movie starring an Asian, is partially marred by one of the actors’ penchant for mocking Black people. But, honestly and respectfully, there is nothing I can see that suggests that Awkwafina was ever Black-Adjacent or even “Hip-Hop.” Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like she just used rap to get ahead.
Black people and Asian people have a very unique relationship, historically and culturally. There are numerous parallels and intersections. There are so many, that I will not try to run them all down. But, I feel that Hip-Hop has been very respectful, by and large of Asians in the culture. Wu-Tang, as a movement, is largely rooted in Asian imagery, principles, and lifestyles. Folks like The RZA uplifted the culture even as Ice Cube wrote polarizing songs like “Black Korea.” Awkwafina, who is has a Chinese father and Korean mother, is no Sophia Chang, who used to manage the likes of Ol Dirty Bastard. She’s not like my Aquarian brother Bobby Yan or Aiko Tanaka, whom both have deep, respectful roots in African American culture. Hell, me and hardcore street rapper China Mac respectfully discussed his use of “the N-Word” in his rap songs. Respect slices in many directions.
Violence reared its despicable head last year, amid the ignorance and confusion around Covid-19, and we witnessed horrific acts of violence perpetrated against Asians. This spawned #StopAsianHate. Black people were often the media’s face of the heinous acts splashed across the various screens we watch. Then-President Donald J. Trump repeatedly, maliciously, and irresponsibly called it the “China Virus.” The accusations flew back and forth and Black and Asian communities clashed once again. To make matters worse (I’ll explain shortly) and better, Asian Americans saw both chambers of Congress and President Biden quickly passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. “My message to all of those who are hurting (Asian Americans) is: We see you and the Congress has said, we see you. And we are committed to stopping the hatred and the bias,” President Biden said.
I know you are thinking, “What does all of this overly thoughtful pontification have to do with an Asian American rapper-turned-comedian-turned superstar actor?” Bring it home, Chuck, connect the damn dots.
Awkwafina, you are hurting Black people. Awkwafina, you are offending Black people (at least the ones that know of you). Awkwafina, you are using Black people. I think you have an idea why folks feel so strongly about this.
“I refuse to do accents. I’m not OK with someone writing the Asian experience for an Asian character. I make it very clear, I don’t ever go out for auditions where I feel like I’m making a minstrel out of our people,” you reportedly told VICE. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is stuck in the political mud as a host of other pressing issues have taken precedence. Black folks: used and abused all over again.
I don’t know if you employ a “blaccent” in this movie since I have not seen it as if this writing. I suspect you won’t be so blatantly “ghetto” even though one review described you as a “street-smart hustler” and another, a “street-savvy sidekick.” The social media outrage has been pretty loud for years, but the conversation reignited over the refusal to feed stereotypical Asian accents. Why don’t you say something, even if you all have nixed the so-called African American intonation? I talk to my Asian friends in productive ways and the dialogue is beneficial to us all. I seek to understand and to be understood, mutually respected. To my knowledge, you’ve ever addressed the community or culture that breathed life into your now spectacular career. And this writing is not out of hate or in the spirit of cancel culture. I am only writing because I listened and heard – over and over – the cries of the people that simply want the minstrel you have perpetrated to stop. Maybe you’re just a tool of higher forces, but it is still your body of work that ultimately will bear a stain.
Like, why’d you go and use the word “minstrel,” when that term is a decidedly racist-descriptive word that specifically refers to white actors in blackface? The term quite literally has no relationship, historical or otherwise, to Asian culture. This does not suggest that American culture has not been racist or sold horribly bigoted images of Asians. You may not be white and you may not wear blackface, but you’ve closely resembled those actors peddling stereotypes forward with little regard for the ongoing harm it causes. Your shtick isn’t from kicking it with the whole 2% Black population of Forest Hills, Queens, is it? Or did you travel to Queensbridge, Hollis, or Lefrak to pick up the streetwise slanguage? So many questions.
Next time there is an amazing Hip-Hop event in your “hood” like the Universal Hip-Hop Museum’s concert, pull up. Our culture is incredibly inclusive and forgiving. As “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” goes in the book of Marvel history, similar to “Black Panther,” envision an African American character “acting stereotypically Asian” for comedic effect. Ew…I am disgusted already.
Be well, Awkwafina, but show a modicumof respect while you do it.
awkwafina is so strange for saying this. In one instance you don’t want Asian ppl do be stereotyped in film which is great but then you go on make a mockery of what you depict a blaccent despite having a normal speaking voice? It just doesn’t add up https://t.co/I5tAZh65OG
I’m glad people are finally calling this out. Awkwafina has never had to answer for using a blaccent to blow up and then it disappeared somehow overnight once she made a lil money. And then to have the nerve to say what she said below? F### off https://t.co/Ip1GvIZblo
Boosie has opinions about Lil Nas X‘s pregnancy shoot, and they’re exactly what you’d expect they are.
In a tweet posted yesterday, the “Wipe Me Down” rapper feels that this is only the beginning of the “Montero” rapper’s “reign of terror,” and it’s time to hide your wife, hide your kids…you know the rest.
NAS X WTF U JUST DONT STOP 😡I THINK HES GOING TO TURN AROUND N SUCK ONE OF HIS BACK GROUND DANCERS DICK ON NATIONAL TV #protectyours#godturninoverinhisgrave
Not that anyone expected Boosie to issue a Harvard Business School-worthy dissertation, but his tweet raises a few questions.
First of all, “God is turning over in his grave”? Is God dead, Torrence? Maybe you meant Jesus — no, wait, he came back after three days. Which God is in his grave, Boosie? Were you watching Avengers: Infinity War and mourning the death of Thor? (Not that I blame you if that’s the case. I mean, have you seen Chris Hemsworth’s luscious locks?)
Second, “protect yours”? From what, sir? Little boys and girls have been sticking basketballs under their shirts pretending to be pregnant since time immemorial. Are you suggesting we protect “ours” from the threat of basketballs? Or maybe you’re suggesting we “protect ours” from men who hire sex workers to sexually assault our underage boys? Nah, you couldn’t be saying that, could you?
