Kanye West continues to make headlines by trolling the ever-living s##t out of everybody.
DJ Akademiks recently got his hands on texts between the 808s & Heartbreak rapper and his (apparently now-ex) engineer. And while the texts were nothing if not savage, they were also — in typical Kanye West fashion — hilarious.
The first text, allegedly sent by Ye at 9:34 a.m. on an unspecified date, greeted the engineer with “Good morning. Let’s work.”
About two hours later, when no response was forthcoming, Kanye West texted the engineer again. “You’re fired,” he said. “Go home.”
This prompted a rather hysterical response from the engineer (whose name, apparently, has not been revealed — which is probably better for his sake, if he ever wants to find work again).
“I’m really sorry — I have no excuse — I set an alarm for 7:30,” he wrote. “And for whatever reason, my phone wasn’t alerting me. I woke up at 11:08 to missed calls, and got dressed as fast as I could. I didn’t call back right away cause I was in panick [sic] trying to find a ride. I know this is unacceptable. I’m sorry.”
Without missing a beat, Kanye West replied in typical deadpan fashion.
“Stop texting,” he wrote. “Go find God.”
No comment yet from Yeezy about the matter — but we’ll keep you posted if he does reply.
“Lovecraft just kicked the door off the hinges,” he said, adding that the role “awoke generational trauma.”
That prompted two film industry professionals to take to Twitter and question how well the industry handles actors’ pain and trauma — especially in the case of Black actors, who are given far less leeway than their white counterparts.
“I don’t like that [the] show didn’t give MKW [Michael K Williams] aftercare even after he made it so clear working on it broke him and he relapsed,” said TV writer Ashley Ray.
“An actor’s trauma should NEVER be a form of entertainment,” agreed film producer Bettinna J. “It’s dangerous. It really screws with your head. Acting is work. When I’m directing actors, I don’t want them to be in an emotional state recalling things they haven’t settled in therapy. The set and stage is for work.”
A thread on History of Method Acting and use of Actor's Trauma:
When I used to act, I attended both Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg Acting Film Institute. Two of the most world renown acting schools every serious actors know. Both had their methods.https://t.co/rXSiCdMzB9
While, ultimately, it is the responsibility of the addict to remain clean and sober, one can’t help but wonder if Michael K Williams would still be with us if his cries for help were taken seriously by those in charge. At the very least, he deserved to have a sober sponsor to talk him through his trauma and relapse. And the world at large is a whole lot less bright without him in it.
Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera are, reportedly, no longer together.
According to The Neighborhood Talk, the hip-hop power couple is still legally married, but living very separate lives and are on their way to divorce court.
“For months now rumors have been swirling on whether or not Tammy and Waka Flocka were still going strong. Well, I can confirm that the two have quietly broken up,” they said. “A source close to the couple confirmed the news with me. They have been broken up for close to a year now. The two are still married though, but likely leaning toward divorce.”
The Instagram account went on to confirm that the rapper didn’t cheat on his longtime girlfriend-turned-wife — rather, the pair merely grew apart.
The couple first sparked rumors of a split last month, when Waka Flocka posted a birthday shoutout to Tammy that seemed to be more than a little bit of a backhanded compliment. “With the whole world ahead of you, and I don’t see life slowing down no time soon,” he wrote. “Happy 35th, luv. Be free, be happy, and live today to the fullest.”
Of course, the couple has also been known to document their relationship troubles on such shows as Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta, Love & Hip Hop, and Waka & Tammy: What the Flocka. So, it’s entirely possible that this is all just more promotion for whatever show is coming up next.
A very wise man once said that as a president, Barack Obama represented what Americans thought we were, but Donald Trump represented what Americans really are.
And nothing could better illustrate that wise maxim than to watch Donald Trump’s audacious display on the anniversary of 9/11.
As we previously told you, the nation’s (thankfully) former president is hosting what a previous journalist dubbed “Evander Holyfield’s comeback fight.” There’s just one thing that was left out: the exhibition fight is taking place on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
Proving that he remains completely oblivious, Donald Trump told ESPN, “I love great fighters and great fights. I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won’t want to miss this special event.”
It was also announced that Trump’s former punching bag and namesake — Donald Trump Jr. — continues to yearn for his daddy’s approval will be co-hosting the event.
To be honest, I’m not sure why we’re really surprised that Donald Trump is honoring the 20th anniversary of 9/11 — an event that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people, injured more than 6,000 others and still has bodies being found in the aftermath to this day — in such a fashion. Four years of his presidency should have proven that the man gets off on being the lowest possible common denominator — and half of the country relishes in that same stupidity.
And if that didn’t convince you, I’m sure that his behavior on the day of the attacks should have been a clue. He was more concerned about the non-existent damage to his buildings — and bragging that his buildings were now the tallest in Manhattan (fact check: they weren’t, and they’re not) — than seeing what he could do to help.
But I’m sure, in typical Donald Trump fashion, that Reek Junior will probably tweet something about TEH STRENF OF MURKA or some other performative, pseudo-macho boolsheet on the actual anniversary day (bonus points if he includes something about “Sleepy Joe” and/or Hunter Biden, who — unlike Uday Junior — is genuinely loved by his father despite his various screw-ups).
This, in turn, will prompt Donald Trump supporters to tweet performative MAGA YEW ESS AYE boolsheet, and Trump detractors to tweet performative Fight The Power By Voting for the Next Old White Guy boolsheet — all while forgetting that the point of the anniversary is to shut the f##k up and actually remember the victims.
Lather, rinse, repeat. America, get it together, please. We’re embarrassing.
After three decades in the limelight, Kanye West has established himself as one of the most famous recording artists on the planet. The Chicago-bred billionaire continues to keep his name in the news for his music, his antics, and his rants.
Kanye West’s “Devil In A New Dress” collaborator Rick Ross made an appearance on NBC’s The Today Show to promote his new book The Perfect Day to Boss Up: A Hustler’s Guide to Building Your Empire. Ross was also asked about Ye.
“I really feel like Kanye has mastered the art of manipulating media and making amazing music,” said Rick Ross. “And that combination – it’s no telling where it’ll go. And I feel like if someone really feels Kanye is insane, they’re crazy.”
In addition, Donda opened at #1 on the Billboard 200 rankings in the United States, giving Kanye West his tenth No. 1 on the chart. The 44-year-old entertainer/entrepreneur is now tied with Eminem for the second-most Number Ones by a rapper behind Jay-Z’s 14 chart-toppers.
Rick Ross found success in the music business too. The Maybach Music Group leader has earned five #1 albums during his career. His most recent body of work, Port of Miami 2, debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 in 2019. Ross is said to be working on another album titled Richer Than I’ve Ever Been.
Hip Hop trailblazer Antonio “Big Daddy Kane” Hardy is currently putting together a documentary titled Paragraphs I Manifest. Big Daddy Kane already let his followers know Jay-Z and Common were interviewed for the project.
Another big name is now attached to the forthcoming Netflix film as well. Big Daddy Kane posted a video of himself standing with North Carolina-bred emcee J. Cole.
“A lot of people out there right now are coming to people such as myself and many others, giving us our flowers and whatnot while we’re still here. But listen, damn that. I wanna give this young brother right here his flowers,” says Big Daddy Kane in the clip.
He continued, “I want this brother right here to know that he is my favorite MC out here right now. This is the brother right here that makes me feel like Hip Hop is still alive and it’s here to stay when I listen to this here brother spit and listen to his music. Love you, fam.”
The famous Juice Crew member praised J. Cole further in his IG caption. Big Daddy Kane wrote, “Amazing interview today with @realcoleworld. My favorite MC of this era. 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤. My son loves this Brother as well. We almost done! One more to go!”
The entertainment world lost Michael K. Williams on September 6. Condolences poured out from across the globe for The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and Lovecraft Country star.
Akon was asked to give his thoughts about the passing of his friend. After acknowledging that many people are dealing with mental health struggles, Akon went on to say the 1% actually have it tougher than people living in poverty.
“Dude, the famous and the rich go through more issues than the poor,” Akon tells a TMZ cameraperson. “They say, ‘More money, more problems.’ That’s a real thing.”
The Senegalese-American singer referenced The Notorious B.I.G.’s classic 1997 single “Mo Money Mo Problems” featuring Puff Daddy and Mase. Biggie’s posthumous Life After Death track was a #1 hit on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.
While the entire world has had to deal with the difficult ramifications of living in a global COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, one group gained a lot over the last 18 months. Billionaires got even richer.
The billionaire class increased its fortunes from $8.04 trillion to $12.39 trillion over the first year of the pandemic, an increase of 54%. The net worth of the world’s wealthiest individual, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, jumped 57% from $113 billion to $178 billion.
Kylie Jenner posted a 90-second video on Instagram announcing her second baby with Travis Scott. The Kylie Cosmetics founder shared footage of herself and her family finding out she was pregnant.
Over on Twitter, Kylie Jenner’s name has been trending for hours. Travis Scott reposted the pregnancy announcement video to his own Instagram Story along with multiple brown heart emojis [🤎].
Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner reportedly began dating in 2017. On February 1, 2018, Jenner gave birth to Stormi. The couple broke up in 2019 before reconciling.
“I love [Stormi’s] mommy and I always will. The hard part about relationships is just trying to be in one without a million outside voices interfering,” stated Travis Scott in early 2020.
The Astroworld album creator added, “I love being at the crib and I love spending time with the family. Now especially, because I just love hanging out with the Stormster. I just love watching my kid grow. It makes life so much simpler.”
Tyler, The Creator and Maxo Kream began the week by teasing an upcoming joint project. However, fans didn’t have long to wait as their new single “Big Person” dropped yesterday (Sept. 7) together with accompanying visuals.
On Monday (Sept. 6), Maxo Kream took to Instagram to share a hilarious text message thread between him and Tyler. In the conversation, the pair discuss their plans to work together with the “Odd Future” frontman trolling in his inimitable way!
The thread begins with Tyler sharing a selfie of himself asking “hey dad. when you back?” followed by “MAXY!” The exchange is made funnier by the fact that Tyler is stored in Maxo’s phone as “Crazy Ass Tyler.” Maxo, a crip from Houston’s Alief neighborhood responds with a cool, “Lol it’s Maxo wassup bro.”
Tyler continues, “I aint forget you gone get a beat pack,” and then follows up with a winking memoji sticker wearing a headscarf, a pierced tongue poking out! After confirming a time to meet Tyler asks “can I wear a dress.” Maxo doesn’t feed the troll however and tells the rapper that he’s got him covered. “I got sum persona for yu instead,” he says, referring to his “Persona” brand of merch. Persona also has another deeper meaning; it’s a way to honor his late brother who passed away last year.
Despite the fact that the pairing might seem unlikely on paper, the two managed to get it together to produce a single we never knew we needed so badly!
Maxo Kream’s follow-up to 2019’s critically-acclaimed “Brandon Banks” LP “is titled “Weight of The World” album is expected to arrive in October.
Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the night Pac was killed. Pac was a passenger of the 1996 BMW 750IL that Suge Knight was driving that night in Las Vegas.
Pac was in Vegas that night to watch Mike Tyson fight Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand. Following the bout Pac, Suge, and their entourage stopped at a red light and their car was fired upon by an unknown shooter in a white vehicle. Tupac was hit four times and six days later it was announced that the beloved emcee had passed away.
Speculation has swirled ever since as to the identity of the person or persons responsible for Pac’s murder. Various names have been raised over the years but tragically, the murder remains unsolved over two decades later.
TMZ reports that the car has been restored to its original condition, the bullet holes repaired. The BMW is for sale and on display at the Celebrity Cars Las Vegas showroom, which is not far from where the Pac was killed.
It’s not the first time the vehicle has been on the auction block. Back in 2017, it was being sold at an asking price of $1.5 million going up to $1.7 million in 2020.
Sept. 7/1996 – Singer & actor Tupac Sukar was shot when the car he was riding in was involved in a drive-by shooting. He would pass away on Sept. 13/1996 due to his injuries. pic.twitter.com/go2fyWxUIJ
Hip-Hop mogul Master P recently spoke about his relationship with Tupac, sharing an exclusive story on the “Allison Interviews” podcast. He recounts penning up an event back in the day, saying, “It was crazy because everyone was there to see Tupac. They didn’t care about me,” he laughed. “I was happy to have just one person [in the crowd] jump up. One guy was just going crazy for me in the audience.”
It was announced yesterday (Sept. 7) that former President Donald Trump will be hosting a boxing match between Evander Holyfield and Vitor Belfort.
The “The Triller Fight Club” event marks Holyfield’s comeback to the ring after an absence of over a decade. Ex-UFC champ Belfort was initially lined up to face Oscar De La Hoya in LA but the event was moved to Florida after De la Hoya contracted COVID-19.
Dubbed as “The most anticipated heavyweight card of the decade,” in the press release, Holyfield’s return to the ring will see Trump giving “No holds barred…unfiltered boxing commentary,” as well as taking on hosting duties.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTh_lvFL9jg/
“I love great fighters and great fights,” Trump stated in a Triller press release. “I look forward to seeing both this Saturday night and sharing my thoughts ringside. You won’t want to miss this special event.”
According to the press release, former Heavyweight UFC Champion Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort still holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history. The bout against the former champ marks only the second-ever professional boxing bout for Belfort after a 2006 debut.
Former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tito Ortiz also switch disciplines and go head-to-head into the boxing ring. Ortiz was a very outspoken supporter of the former president before and during his time in office.
Also on the card are David Haye who makes his return against Joe Fournier and Andy Vences taking on Jono Carroll.
Meanwhile, it is being reported that Donald Trump is “99, 100 percent” likely to run for president in 2024. Back in May Politico reported that “Trump is confiding in allies that he intends to run again in 2024 with one contingency: that he still has a good bill of health.”
In an interview with controversial Conservative pundit, Candace Owens that same month Trump hinted that he would be running. “As you know, it’s very early,” Trump told Owens. “But I think people are going to be very, very happy when I make a certain announcement.”
Earlier this month Trump senior aide Jason Miller claimed the chances of Trump running in 2004 are “somewhere between 99 and 100 percent. I think he is definitely running in 2024.”
T-Pain is feeling some type of way about Kanye West, coming for him twice this recently! He was seemingly spurred on by other artists being vocal about their Kanye gripes following the release of “DONDA” revealing a double standard, according to T-Pain.
The Tallahassee, Florida rapper was recently streaming on Twitch when he opened up about being on the receiving end of some hefty backlash for speaking out publicly against Kanye.
“When I said that Kanye treated me like s**t a couple years ago, everybody was calling me a p***y and everyone was laughing and s**t like that, but now Soulja Boy and Chris Brown are saying it and now it’s like ‘oh s**t, he must really..’ nah f**k y’all ******,” he said. “Nope. Do that same s### to them ****** that said Kanye took me off a song!”
He seemed pretty good-natured about the situation laughing throughout the clip but in another clip from a different Twitch stream T-Pain brings up the topic of Kanye again. He claims that Ye played down a bar of his, telling him it was “corny” only for Yeezy to take the line and pass it off as his own!
“Kanye stole one of my corny lines after he told me it was corny. I don’t think he said it better,” he began. “I was showing Kanye my s### to be like, ‘Is this good rap?’ I really wanted his f###### opinion. It’s f###### Kanye bro, you know what I’m saying? I got a chance to show Kanye my f###### raps?”
He continues saying, “It was either Prevolver—it was one of the Pre mixtapes before I released it. And on one of the songs I said, ‘I got beef like two burgers, you n##### win slow and I’m smarter than Steve Urkel.’ Now, keep in mind the Winslow family, right. Corny as f###. I knew it was corny when I said it.” Pain’s line references the 1990s sitcom, Family Matters. He claims Kanye agreed with his take saying, “Don’t ever say anything like that.”
However, listening to Ye’s “Dark Fantasy” from his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album he heard the line: ‘Too many Urkels on your team, that’s why your wins low.’ And I was like, ‘Did this n#### try to get me to not say my s### so he could say it? Bro, that’s my bar.’”
Pointing out what he perceives as a double standard he explains, “So this is why I say corny lines ’cause in my heart, I know they’re corny. But if the right person says it, it’s not corny anymore apparently.”
Referring to Kanye’s recent “DONDA listening events he says “When a n#### getting lifted to the f###### ceiling like a God with a light shining down on him, and y’all n##### is paying $50 for f###### chicken fingers to listen to a f###### unfinished album. Twice. All of a sudden, I’m hating because ‘You can’t fill up the stadium.’ Yes, I can, I’ve done it. But I’m also letting people hear f###### finished songs.”
Hip-Hop and R&B artists are some of the most gluttonous artists in the world, capitalizing not just on their musical talents but the “lifestyle of the rich and famous” that drives their image.
Many scientists are analyzing the music industry and asking if there is a way that their extraordinary wealth and flossing is contributing negatively to climate change.
And if so, “What can they do to reduce their toxic footprints?”
According to the BBC, artists will have to do some small shifts to help.
One that will kill so many of your favorite stars is to stop taking private jets and charter buses or train cars.
Researchers at the University of Manchester also recommend that touring agencies and artists management also “include travel by public transport in the ticket price” for shows or maybe “offer incentives to fans who choose to travel by public transport.”
But will artists like Diddy, Jim Jones, Drake, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Beyoncé or Rihanna do this?
Probably not, even if it will save the environment or add a few 100 more years to the earth.
One of the researchers, Professor Carly McLachlan says that there are a lot of ways to reduce decarbonize the world and musicians have an advantage that scientist don’t.
“Particular artists have a really amazing platform to talk about these issues,” she said. “They have to be able to demonstrate that they are doing all these things themselves [whether it’s] reducing the amount of aviation or working with partners to decarbonize the venues they play in.”
According to reports, the rapper was busted in Los Angeles after police found him with a concealed firearm. The cops stopped a vehicle carrying Polo G as a passenger. A search of the car turned up the firearm.
A male juvenile who was also riding in the vehicle was charged with weapons violations as well.
He was taken into custody following a police stop at the intersection of South Biscayne Boulevard, following his record release party for his album Hall of Fame.
During the search of his vehicle in Miami, police found two handguns.
The rapper was eventually charged with threatening a public servant, resisting an officer without violence, criminal mischief, and using violence to resist an officer.
He was eventually released on a $20,000 bond. Polo G maintains the police are targeting him for unknown reasons.
1 of the officers told us they was on us since we got Off our Jet…..
“1 of the officers told us that they was on us since we Got off our Jet….,” The rapper said adding that “they playin foul in Miami.”
The rapper’s mother Stacia Mac also blasted the cops after the arrest following his record release party.
“None of these charges would be possible if the POLICE did not make contact with my son Polo G!!! He was NOT the driver. He was a PASSENGER and a professionally licensed vehicle with security,” Stacia Mac said.
None of these charges would be possible if the POLICE did not make contact with my son Polo G!!! He was NOT the driver. He was a PASSENGER in a professionally licensed vehicle with security. He was moving smart and correctly. What more could he have done. https://t.co/pXSgxP0ukz
African American Rapper 76 Chain is currently working on his upcoming project, which will be released soon. Known for the popular and catchy single ‘OBeast Gang,’ 76 Chain has a loyal fan base waiting eagerly for his next release. His next release is going to be unique and musically experimental.
From a very young age, 76 Chain was musically inclined and was extremely talented. Around 2008, 76 Chain decided to showcase his talent as a rapper. He found a mentor in Ju-Marino who inspired him to focus on the lyrics and work on his writing. With his guidance, 76 Chain started writing his music instead of just free-styling, which led him to his first actual studio session and recording around 2009.
76 Chain is from Muskegon, Michigan and his real name is Saul which was mispronounced growing up as ‘Saw.’ His childhood best friend started calling him ‘Chain Saw’ then decided to switch it to “Saw Chain” because it sounded better. So that’s how his rap name came into being.
76 Chain’s first music video, ‘Getting Dis Cake’ was released in 2011. Directed by Jordan Towers, the music video was a huge hit. Unfortunately, in 2012, Chain had to take a break from music as he was indicted on a distribution charge. In fall 2016, he was released from the State & Federal Prison systems. Chain was working in a few factories while he was still on Federal Probation.
After he was off probation, Chain returned to the studio to make a comeback in music. Since then, he has been dropping one hit single after another. His first single was ‘OBeast Gang,’ which was very catchy and was loved by his fans. His single was played all over West Michigan, gaining him new fans. His successful single was followed by his first EP, “Dog Talk.” While working on his music, 76 Chain has also created his own entertainment company called ‘OBeast Gang Entertainment LLC.’ His new project will surely be a treat for all his fans.
Superstar Rapper/Afro-Artist Vudumane releases a hit record with household award-winning artist Davido. Vudumane from Ghana is a versatile threat in the music industry and has done huge things as an independent artist.
This New face is no rookie to the game, Vudumane has been an active artist for 28 years now and when talking with Vudu he had this to say, “I’ve never had a problem working hard, I know I have what it takes I just need people to tune in.”
Vudumane has successfully achieved 600k followers on Instagram and has hinted that he is working with a major artist in the industry on a record soon to come out. It is only the beginning for this superstar talent, with the will to win and the grit to sustain the tough road of the music industry, Vudumane is well on his way to stardom.
When you’re under the pressure of the spotlight, it can be tempting to change who you are to please the crowd or your peers. After all, the whole world is watching, so the last thing you want is to lose fans or displease them. However, although this is sadly the truth of the music industry, one artist is proud to maintain her individuality since she became involved in music as a young teenager.
Olivia Penalva is a 21-year-old artist who began her singing career when she was just 13. Her fame started after her first single debut, which became a hit on Canadian radio achieving the top 20 hits. This also led to her winning an independent music award for the top holiday song, as the single was a Christmas-themed track.
Olivia Penalva has since established herself as one of Canada’s successful pop stars, accomplishing other top hits with succeeding singles on Canadian radio. She now has a YouTube channel, Instagram account, Twitter profile, and a website where fans could follow her musical career.
Besides being known as an amazing singer, there is something more unique than Olivia’s fans know and love about her. This is also what she wants the whole world to know, which is that her personality is authentic. In everything she does, whether it’s in her personal life or her music career, she always wants to maintain her true self.
The music industry is a very competitive space, so it can be hard to have integrity. Olivia reveals that there were many people who wanted her to change for the sake of her career. Fortunately, she was the kind of person who was not easily swayed by the people who didn’t have her interest at heart.
As a result of these negative experiences, she developed a strong desire to help others know how to avoid these situations. Olivia understands what it’s like to be in the music scene, so one of her personal goals is to help others not be afraid to express their true feelings. One of her primary advice to upcoming artists is to keep those people who have been with you right from the beginning. These are the individuals that will show their full support and whom you will need in times of personal difficulties.
For Olivia, hard work and passion are her driving forces that get her through her professional struggles. Although she has gained great success, she still has her fair share of challenges. Without hard work, you wouldn’t know how to push yourself, and without passion, you would quickly lose the motivation to press forward. Oliva explains that in order to maintain your integrity and stay true to yourself, you must stand firm in your original beliefs.
In the future, Olivia hopes to one day play at a stadium to her beloved fans. For her, this would be a dream come true. She thoroughly enjoys writing songs and creating lyrics that connect all kinds of people. She also hopes to have her own podcast and company that will expand her talents into the beauty and fashion industry. Not only does Olivia love the idea of spreading individuality through her music, she also wants to reach people through her other interests.
Beloved actor Michael K. Williams will surely be missed by Hip-Hop heads far and wide. His untimely death, despite him not being a musical artist, has left many in the culture heartbroken.
News about his death is just as tragic and shines a sympathetic light on the effects of addiction during COVID.
The New York Post was descriptive in their reporting on his death, coming a hair-strand short of stating that he died of a heroin overdose. However, they did not talk about the struggles the Brooklynite had had before with drugs and how open he was in speaking about his addiction.
Earlier this year on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Williams talked about his career journey, specifically his role as Omar on “The Wire,” and how working has helped him with his sobriety.
On the podcast, he spoke about what it was like to self-quarantine and wrestled with his demons (along with getting sick) in isolation by focusing on hobbies.
“You know, I’m in the club as well,” Williams said on the “WTF” podcast. “And you know, anybody that has heard me speak before, I’m not shy about it. You know, relapse to me is part of my story and, you know, but I’m living good today, you know. All’s we got is today.”
Later he said on the show, “Being sober doesn’t take away the craziness.”
“Drugs are the symptom of a lot of the problem,” Williams said. “You know, once we put the drugs down, that’s when the work begins because we’ve got to clean up this house, all this garbage.”
“It’s not all roses, and once you put the drug down, it’s happily ever after and life is going to be great,” The Boardwalk Empire star said. “No, there’s a lot of stinking thinking that we need to get rid of and bad bad habits and bad thought processes.”
To Maron, he further revealed that he had contracted COVID-19 but worked through it by cooking for himself, “I truly believe that because I put (exercise) in my program and my daily routine that it gave me a leg to stand on to fight them off.”
According to the American Psychological Association, COVID is particularly difficult for those struggling with addiction and their sobriety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated, “13% of Americans reported starting or increasing substance use as a way of coping with stress or emotions related to COVID-19. Overdoses have also spiked since the onset of the pandemic.”
This was true for rapper DMX, who Williams paid tribute to this spring on the BET Awards.
In 2012, he shared with NJ.com, that his newfound fame had him partying away his newfound wealth “in scary places with scary people.”
“I was playing with fire,” Williams continued. “It was just a matter of time before I got caught and my business ended up on the cover of a tabloid or I went to jail or, worse, I ended up dead. When I look back on it now, I don’t know how I didn’t end up in a body bag.”
“I was broke, broken , and beat up. Exhausted. Empty. I finally said, ‘I can’t do this no more.’ I didn’t want to end up dead,” he prophetically said.
HD4President is a viral phenomenon, and he’s here to take over the music industry once and for all. Exploding onto the scene with his breakout single “Can’t Stop Jiggin’” featuring Boosie, which first blew up on TikTok before spreading like wildfire on the internet, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana native is here to bring love and spread nothing but good vibes for audiences all around the world.
But things didn’t pick up for HD overnight. A walking testimony of someone who’s grinded for over 15 years, a young HD4President was putting paper in cassette tapes to record himself at 7 or 8 years old. At just 11 years old, he was presented with a record deal… but turned it down. While “Can’t Stop Jiggin’” is his biggest song to date, “Touch Down 2 Cause Hell (Bow Bow Bow)” is a close second, with millions of TikTok creations using the audio.
Now, he inks his new major label deal with Motown Records, excited as ever to be releasing his forthcoming album aptly titled Ta Da Max.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
HD4President: I have an unorthodox sound, but a relatable sound. I got 10 different styles in one. I made a song that a majority of the world would have never made, and we still blew up around the world. What song have you heard that sounds like “Touch Down”?
AllHipHop: Who were you looking up to? Who were you aspiring to be?
HD4President: Juvenile and the Hot Boys. When I first started rapping, I was rapping all the Juvenile raps. My cousin used to play the piano so he used to remake Mannie Fresh beats, we was rapping on a lot of them. I started to rap my own s###. It was weak at first. I mean I was 7, you can’t rap no hard s### at 7.
AllHipHop: The guy who signed KHIA presented you a deal at 11 years old, why’d you turn it down?
HD4President: I didn’t feel like it was my time then. I should’ve blew up when Lil Romeo was f###### with me. It should’ve been me, Lil Romeo, and Bow Wow, the biggest 3 artists in the world. I played football with Romeo in Baton Rouge.
AllHipHop: Oh wow, really?
HD4President: Yeah, I played against him in football so I used to see Master P and him all the time. I seen him a year ago, we was talking about it. He’s like “I remember that s###!”
AllHipHop: How’d you get the name, HD4President?
HD4President: My nickname is HD, like Hop Dawg. It was early 2000’s when Lil Wayne and them had a group called Sqad Up, he had Mack Maine and Gudda Gudda, etc. Mack had a line that said “Mack Maine for president, I probably paint the White House black with my residence. I kept saying HD4President from that day, and it stuck with me.
AllHipHop: How did LSU catch wind? They danced to your song ”Bow Bow Bow” every game.
HD4President: We in Baton Rouge, so the students was already going crazy over the song. OBN Jay had a big fanbase, me and him on the song together. His following plus my following, it had no choice but to skyrocket. You watch ESPN and you see the coach listening to “Bow Wow Wow,” that was way before “Touch Down.” They been saying “Bow Bow Bow.” After that, I dropped “Mouth Fulla Golds.” People fell in love with that, the streets fell in love with that one.
I got a song called “Turn Me Up A Little, it’s at 300K views. People love that song too but I never got behind it because I was so busy still moving along, trying to push the other songs. When I dropped the “Touch Down” song, it was icing on the cake. So I went from having 3 labels trying to sign me, to 14 labels. I talked to 12 labels in one day.
AllHipHop: What was the vibe when you made “Touch Down 2 Cause Hell (Bow Bow Bow)”?
HD4President: Just having fun, vibes. It was some random s### to say and I said it. I recorded it at my house in my room in Baton Rouge, then it blew up! I record all my songs in my room, I got my own little home studio. I had that studio for 15 years, probably longer.
AllHipHop: You shot the video in Houston. Houston’s where you’re living now?
HD4President: Yeah, I just got a big ass house in Houston. I love Houston. I lived in Houston 3 years prior to now, from 2016 to 2019. Then I ended up moving back to Baton Rouge, but I always said I was going to come back to Houston when I settled down.
AllHipHop: You knew Fredo Bang early on, were you guys in the streets together?
HD4President: We’re always in the streets, but they’re younger than me. okay. They’re way younger than me. I’m 31, they’re 20 something. Him and his friend G Money, I was the first person to ever record with him. I used to record with him and his little brother every day. way before all the fame. Nobody had any fame. They opened up for me at a show, at a pool party. I said “yeah I like these dudes.” I ended up getting in contact with their uncle, we started working together. I used to have them with me all the time, but they were young. When they got older, we’d lock in when we see each other but we weren’t really together like that because everybody’s doing their own thing. Plus, I was in a different position than them. But we’ve been locked in.
AllHipHop: Do you guys talk now about how far you’ve come?
HD4President: He gave me some advice when I was first getting ready to sign. He’s giving me some advice on how to collect my money from the internet. The guy who I’m using to collect my money from the internet, I got it from him. Because I had $10K to $20K floating around on the web that I didn’t know how to collect, he linked me with these guys. So even in my sleep, I’m getting money. On my phone, I could show you where they’re getting it from.
AllHipHop: What’s it from? Like SoundCloud?
HD4President: No, the internet period. They got YouTube money out there. People who put my songs on Youtube they collect all that. Instagram, TikTok, all that. They collect all of that. That’s my little designer bag.
AllHipHop: Collaborating with Boosie, what does that mean for Baton Rouge?
HD4President: That was big because it’s 2 GOATs. Coming out of Baton Rouge, you gotta do a song with Boosie. You ain’t got to, but it means something because Boosie’s a legend. He’s the rap god of Louisiana. If you coming up out of Louisiana, you gotta get at least one in with him. I’m blessed to have more than one with him, we got plenty of work together.
AllHipHop: Best memory from that video shoot?
HD4President: The vibes were lit. They had forgotten his clothes,he was so mad. “Man, they forgot my clothes?! Y’all got me waiting…” [imitates Boosie] He was so mad at first, then when they finally got back with the clothes, I’m like “Boosie it’s cool. Don’t trip.” He said “I might as well turn up,” I said “yeah!” As soon as the song came on, his whole vibe changed. His leg still halfway messed up from the shot so he’s limping around, but he’s still dancing though. The video didn’t show all the fun we had at the shoot. It was so fun, it was lit. He was lit.
AllHipHop: Describe the moment you first heard your song on the radio.
HD4President: I’ve been on the radio for a long time. I had 4 songs running on the radio before I dropped “Touch Down.” I knew “Can’t Stop Jiggin’” was going to be on the radio because the DJ hit me up for the song. My first time hearing “Can’t Stop Jiggin’” on the radio, I heard it right before Lil Baby’s song. It was Moneybagg Yo, me, then Lil Baby. They mixing their beats with my beat, I’m like okay!
AllHipHop: You got 2 watches?
HD4President: Yeah, the time is not right on that one. I don’t even know what time it is. I never set the watches I just bought them. I really just wear this one [shows right wrist], but I’m in LA and I gotta look like a rapper.
AllHipHop: You got chains too?
HD4President: We got the HD4President chain. I got the Jesus head. I got a little cross. I had a chain that said the GOAT, but my daughter jacked me. Last week, she took it. I used to let her when I’m with her, I get it back when I leave. Last week, she said “I’m keeping this chain.” It’s a $3500 to $4K chain, don’t lose that chain! I told her mama if she loses that chain, I’ma kiss her ass. I paid $4K for that chain. She took it from my Saturday, I was going to wear it in LA. I got a chain that says the GOAT, she took it.
AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for next?
HD4President: Showing people my versatility in the music business, not labeling me as the TikTok rapper. I’m really a real artist. A lot of people say “That’s the dude from TikTok.” TikTok made me a very wealthy man so I’m not trippin’, but I gotta show them I’m not just a TikTok rapper. A lot of people know and a lot of people don’t know me. Some of them come back, “Oh, I thought you’re a TikTok rapper, you’re really a good rapper.” So it works itself out.
Big Krimmy is the “Hood Star” as evidenced in his newest single and visual.
Hailing from New Jersey, the rising star spits “I got a choppa in the car. Throwing coke on the stove, we gon’ whip it til it’s hard. I’m not a star, but she treats me like a star… Big Krimmy, hood star. I’m pulling strings like a guitar. I cannot f### on no nggas like who is this ngga, that’s hanging out with y’all?”
In describing himself, Krimmy states, “I’m a dude who grew up in the slums, trenches. Came a long way, survived plenty of things. I’m from the streets, but I’m a good dude. I’m from the streets though, definitely.”
Krimmy may be a product of his environment, but thankfully, music would be his saving grace. Going on 9 years strong in making music, the rapper got his start as a member of the rap group Designer Boyz before shifting his focus to his solo career.
Most recently, he released his newest project called Bounce Bacc Baby, a testimony to the hard times and getting right back on your feet.
AllHipHop: What was it like coming up in Jersey?
Big Krimmy: It was crazy, terrifying. There’s some good things in it too, but I lost a lot of friends down there. I was caught up in the streets and all that dumb stuff.
AllHipHop: What was the turning point when you decided to do music?
Big Krimmy: I ain’t gon’ lie, in all my years I had all my lit times in 2014, 2015. But really it was 2020 when I went crazy, there was no turning back from that. Because before I was in a music group so there were a lot of people to focus on. Now since I went solo, it’s just me. I’m straight focusing on myself and straight taking myself to the top. [laughs] Rejuvenated.
AllHipHop: How many people were in Designer Boyz?
Big Krimmy: It was at least 9 of us. Producers, rappers, cameras, everything.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences coming up?
Big Krimmy: My biggest influence is my dad because he used to do music too, so it runs in my blood. Listening to his voice and how he was flowing inspired me. Then it’s the Meek Mill’s, DMX’s, the rappers that made it, people like that.
AllHipHop: How did you get your name?
Big Krimmy: From my father. His name was Kriminal, so I switched it up to Krimmy. Big Krimmy.
AllHipHop: You just released Hood Star,” bring us back to that studio session.
Big Krimmy: I was at one of my boy’s studios in Jersey. In my city and in my state, I feel like I’m big, but I haven’t made it to the super superstar level. I’m on my way there, but I haven’t made it there yet, so I’m a “Hood Star.” Everybody that sees me that’s from the hood or knows me, I’m famous to them. Really in reality, I didn’t make it to my full potential yet.
AllHipHop: What’s it going to take to get there?
Big Krimmy: Just more grind, more work, more money.
AllHipHop: How was it shooting the visual?
Big Krimmy: Fun, I be having fun in my videos. Especially acting out my bars, the music and the beats, I have a passion for that. When I’m doing it, I really like doing it. [The best memory was] being on the fire escape. We were 6 or 7 stories up in the warehouse building, we had the whole New York view behind us. It was dope.
AllHipHop: What is it that you want fans to get from your story?
Big Krimmy: That you can make it from anywhere. Whatever you want to do or whatever you want to be, you can be that or do that as long as you put your mind to it and do it. If you don’t want to be in the streets for long, you can put your mind to not being in the streets. Or if you want to be a doctor, you can put your mind into being a doctor. You gotta put the time and effort into it and it can happen.
AllHipHop: What’s the reality of the independent grind?
Big Krimmy: It’s real good because you can see all your money and you could have fun with your creativity. You do what you want, so it’s fun to me. A lot of struggles come with it too because you gotta pay for all your own stuff. You gotta hustle for your own stuff, you gotta get your own money. Especially with your reality of living, you gotta pay bills and stuff still too.
AllHipHop: Did you work at all before the music?
Big Krimmy: Yeah, I used to work. I used to have little jobs. I used to be a security guard for Fendi and I used to work at Armani Exchange.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Big Krimmy: Weed, my right people that gas me up when I’m going in the studio, and munchies for between time. Some chips or some s###. Cheetos be good sometimes, that’s all that’s there. [laughs] Regular Cheetos, not the Flaming Hot s###.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSIJI0dFTCB/
Seen you with Fatboy, what’s your relationship with him? I know y’all both from Jersey.
Big Krimmy: That’s my brother. We go way back, at least 15 plus years. We both were on the come up. I was rapping, he was doing his thing with music and his skits. We heard each other, we’re both interested and we ended up linking one time. Stuff happened, but me and him held it down. Showed Jersey that we really have love for each other, wasn’t no fake things. Since then, it’s been love.
AllHipHop: How was it seeing his career pop off?
Big Krimmy: His motivation. It’s real motivation, I tell him that all the time. I say “Yo, you motivate me every day.” Especially with him showing me love, I appreciate it the most because people don’t do that in Jersey. Once people get in the spotlight in Jersey, they don’t look back for people or they don’t care for nobody else. They do their own thing and worry about themselves. He says he’s the Biggest Heart, but he really is that. He shows hella love.
AllHipHop: A lot of people are coming up out of Jersey, how does it feel?
Big Krimmy: It’s good because it just started happening. Jersey ain’t always been on the map. You have people here and there, but nobody was known from Jersey. You got some people that know, but you gotta really know that person to know they’re from Jersey. Now, it’s different because there’s mad artists coming. You could probably say “oh I’m from Jersey,” but back then, everybody looked at Jersey as New York. No, it’s not that. Jersey is Jersey.
AllHipHop: What can we expect music-wise?
Big Krimmy: More visuals. I’ma drop some singles soon. I just dropped a project called Bounce
Bacc Baby in July, it’s on all streaming platforms.
AllHipHop: Why did you call it that?
Big Krimmy: Because I bounced back from all the losses I ever took.
AllHipHop: What do you want people to take away from that project?
Big Krimmy: Don’t let nothing bother you, stop you, or distract you from your goals. If you take an L, as long as you’re breathing, you can get a win sooner or later.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do when you’re not doing music?
Big Krimmy: I like to focus on my next business stuff, what I’ma do business-wise. If I really have downtime, I’ll play the game like Xbox.
AllHipHop: Anyone you want to collaborate with?
Big Krimmy: A couple people: my boy Herb, Durk, Meek, and Fivio. I’m actually cool with Fivio’s brother, so I got ties with them.
AllHipHop: What goals do you have for yourself?
Big Krimmy: I got mad goals: get a house, buy my mother a house. Buy my sister cars and houses, just do a whole bunch of rich stuff. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Big Krimmy: Nah, just tap in! It’s going up. Don’t hop on the wave later, tap in now.