Lawyers for G Herbo continue to negotiate with the Feds to strike a possible plea deal in a nationwide fraud case involving the rap star.
G Herbo, born Herbert Wright III, is one of five defendants charged with buying credit card numbers off of the dark web and then bilking businesses out of millions of dollars worth of goods and services.
Investigators claim the ring used the stolen credit card numbers to book luxury jets, stay at posh resorts, rent luxury vehicles and even purchase expensive puppy dogs.
Last week, the Feds revealed they have a mountain of evidence the Chicago rapper’s lawyers are still sifting through.
In addition to seizing two of G Herbo’s cell phones, investigators turned over 108,335 documents for the defense teams to review.
Some of the evidence includes text messages taken from the rapper’s phones, as well as numerous social media posts and direct messages from the various defendants.
Investigators have also provided Grand Jury exhibits and testimony, search warrant applications, affidavits, warrants, and reports of interviews of the defendants.
Despite the amount of evidence the government has against G Herbo and the defendants, acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell admitted it was too soon to determine whether the case will be resolved with guilty pleas.
If the case does go to trial, the government expects it to last approximately four weeks.
The government claims G Herbo lied when he said he had never received any money from Strong, and that he had no relationship with him at all when the pair were allegedly running their scams since 2016.
G Herbo has pleaded not guilty to those charges as well. He is currently free on a $75,000 bond.
Kanye West has distanced himself from DaBaby after weeks of the North Carolina rapper making negative headlines.
Over the weekend, very quietly and before the release of his highly anticipated album Donda, Yeezy had his 2020 “Nah Nah Nah” remix featuring DaBaby and 2 Chainz pulled off of the major music streaming services.
Now, fans will no longer be able to listen to the song on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music, or Pandora.
The move is not shocking when you consider Kanye’s very carefully crafted rollout. With a few glitches around the project already frustrating fans (the album was pushed back twice), additional controversy doesn’t seem to rock well with the Chicago native.
Also, Kanye is friendly with Lil Nas X. He produced his new single “Industry Baby” featuring Jack Harlow.
Perhaps, in addition to protecting his project and ensuring he won’t alienate a certain population within his fanbase, Kanye also is showing solidarity by distancing himself from the rapper.
Kanye West’s new project is named after his mother, Donda West, who transitioned in 2007, after suffering complications from plastic surgery.
The album has had two listening parties that were held for his fans and supporters. Both of the experiences were held in Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz stadium.
The saying goes, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” and T’Melle does not take a second of her life for granted.
Born and raised in Philly, the singer, dancer, entrepreneur, and overall entertainer arrives with her own blend of R&B, soul, and modern-day trap, here to swoon audiences all over the world with her undeniable talents.
In describing herself, T’Melle states, “I’m from Philly so I have Philly all through my blood. I say Philly raised me, Atlanta made me, but I’m a R&B songstress that motivates, that had a lot of odds against her but I still stayed strong and I sing about that.”
A young T’Melle would get her start as part of a girl group, but in 2002 she fell victim to the car collision in Honduras that took the life of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, whom she called a mentor.
Having to overcome both mental and physical trauma, such as learning how to walk and dance again, T’Melle relocated to Atlanta to find herself as an artist and performer.
Now, she celebrates a partnership with Cinq Music, releasing her newest single titled “Work 4 It.”
The summer bop aligns perfectly with the launch of her own athletic clothing line called Tpantha Athletics, with a fire workout music video arriving in the near future.
AllHipHop discusses how T’Melle met Left Eye, the new single “Work 4 It,” her workout regime, studio essentials, forthcoming music, and more!
AllHipHop: I’m shook that you were in the car when Left Eye passed. Are you cool talking about that?
T’Melle: Yeah, it’s a part of my story. It was where I was, but I’m here now.
AllHipHop: On a positive note, how did you and Left Eye meet initially?
T’Melle: I met her when my parents split when I was 9. Me, my mother, and my sister moved into this apartment complex. We met this manager that was living in the apartment complex. Of course I’m a little singer so I was singing all through the building. He said “Yo, you need to be in my girl group!” Bam. To make a long story short, I joined this teeny bopper girl group. Shout out to Uncle Kyle, rest in peace he just passed away. Uncle Kyle was Left Eye’s uncle. They went to the same church and grew up together, the girl in my group’s uncle and Left Eye’s uncle.
We sang at the church one Sunday, Left Eye’s uncle said “You’ve got to meet these girls, oh my gosh!” She loved us ever since. She took us under her wing and we did some cool stuff.
At the time, we were shooting a reality, Making the Band type of thing. She definitely took the likes of us, that was an honor for her because she did what she did with Blaque. She was able to keep on doing what she did with TLC, then what she did with Blaque. It was going to all come down to us next, but unfortunately… that was definitely unfortunate.
AllHipHop: “Work 4 It” is a bop! When are you releasing the visual?
T’Melle: Very soon, very soon. I’m from Philly. If you know about Philly, you know about boxing, Rocky, you’re going to get all of that. You’re going to get a little twerking, you’re going to get some s### for sure with me. You’re going to get the swaggy, you’re going to get dancing. It’s a nice bop. It’s a nice vibe so stay tuned.
AllHipHop: What is your workout regimen?
T’Melle: Well I have a trainer so it changes. I ain’t gonna even lie, it changes. He always keeps me on my toes. It changes, it varies.
AllHipHop: Who do you like to listen to when you work out?
T’Melle: Besides myself, I like to listen to Meek Mill. “Dreams and Nightmares,” then I like Championships. I listen to that, I like listening to Meek. I like listening to hype music.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
T’Melle: My candle, my wine and my purple light. The studio has to be completely purple, I have to have my candle and my wine.
AllHipHop: What’s the reality of launching your own clothing line? Was it difficult?
T’Melle: Actually easier than I thought. I did this during the quarantine so we were in the house doing nothing. That’s when I came up with it, I said “Look, I’ve got to be creative.” I’m in the studio, but fashion’s a big part of my lifestyle so how can I make all this come together? I can honestly say now a lot of my journey has been hard, but TPantha Athletics wasn’t too hard. I had the vision and I made it happen.
AllHipHop: What’s the best encounter you’ve had with a fan?
T’Melle: The best and the craziest was when I went on tour a few years ago. I was doing this dance with chairs and the dancers, this guy came on stage. He walked himself on stage to the point where I thought he’s security or something, then he started dancing on me. I started dancing on him, but then security got him off the stage. I’m from Philly so I wasn’t scared, but that was the craziest and funniest.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next from you music-wise?
T’Melle: I have another single dropping soon called “Where They At,” another female anthem. I have another song playing on the radio right now called “Do Me”, it’s picking up on it’s own so that’s been cool. I’ve been working man. You gotta follow me and see what wave I’m on because you might see me on TV soon. I’m talking to some movie producers right now, just working. I put in that work.
AllHipHop: What do you want to do in film?
T’Melle: Act. I took some acting classes, I learned some cool stuff.
Tired of streaming shows about space? Though most of us don’t have enough money to launch ourselves into the Milky Way (must be nice to be a billionaire), there’s still a way to guarantee you’ll make it to the moon.
Lifeship’s Moon Kit is the perfect gift for lovers of all things extraterrestrial, allowing you to preserve a piece of yourself on the moon for eternity. And right now the Send Your DNA to the Moon with Lifeship’s Moon Kit is available for $89.99.
Imagine being able to say that you’ve been to the moon. It technically won’t be a lie thanks to the Send Your DNA to the Moon Kit created by LifeShip, a biotech startup that has been featured on Digital Trends. Whether you want to attain immortality or you have a loved one who would love this serious flex, this kit provides everything needed to preserve someone’s genetic code easily at home, ship it to LifeShip, and then later watch it leave the planet on a rocket. It sounds like science fiction straight from a Netflix series, but this is a legit way to send your genes to the moon for less than $100.
Curious how it works? LifeShip’s DNA Kit gives you everything you need to preserve your genes in synthetic amber, which will then be stored in a time capsule with other people’s DNA. Just collect a saliva sample on a swab, send it to LifeShip in a prepaid return envelope, and they’ll preserve it in a capsule that will be launched on a rocket.
That rocket will sling the lander with your DNA onto the moon’s surface, where it will stay forever. And the best part? You’ll be able to watch the launch live, as you’ll get a VIP invitation to a live watch party for your rocket launch and lunar landing. You’ll also receive a collectible mission patch, boarding pass, and personalized certificate that commemorates your moon journey.
But three years since she dropped her debut Invasion of Privacy, Cardi told Cosmopolitan magazine that she wants to enjoy her new baby and not worry about releasing an album at the same time.
“I definitely want to put my album out,” she said. “After I drop my album, I automatically want to go on tour. I also want to be in the best shape that I can be and want to be mentally stable when I drop my album. I’m gonna have a baby and everything… it’s not that I don’t wanna rush, I just wanna be correct.
“I don’t wanna miss my baby’s first couple of months and be really stressed out. I don’t wanna stress myself out my first couple of months of having a baby because postpartum (depression) hit me really hard the last time, but I think I’m gonna be okay.”
Hit Hip-Hop/R&B producer Chucky Thompson has died, sources have confirmed to AllHipHop.com.
Unfortunately, the man behind hits like The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa,” Faith Evans’ “You Used To Love Me,” and Nas’ classic track “One Mic,” died after a fight with COVID-19.
Chucky Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment’s legendary “Hitmen” production team.
Thompson was one of the founding members of the squad, which included Easy Moe Bee and Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie.
The Washington D.C. native got his start playing the congas with Go-Go music legend Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, before finding his way to Bad Boy.
In addition to his hits with Diddy and Bad Boy, Thompson churned out hits for Tevin Campbell, New Edition, TLC, Busta Rhymes, Juvenile, and Mary J. Blige to name a few.
“My first real session with Bad Boy was with [producer] Easy Mo Bee. Puff asked if I wanted to go to the studio and hang out with him,” Chucky Thompson said during an interview with The Recording Academy.
“I’d never met him or anything. I showed up at the session; he had a guitar there, and I just started playing along with what Easy Mo Bee was doing. He heard it and immediately wanted to record it. That became the guitar parts on “Ready to Die.” That was always the energy,’ Chuck Thompson revealed.
Most recently, Thompson helped produce tracks on Diddy’s upcoming album Off The Grid Volume 1 which is supposed to be released on September 24.
Off The Grid Volume 1 marks Diddy’s first album in 11 years and will be one of the first releases on his new imprint, Love Records.
Thompson made a documentary about the Tuskegee Airmen that aired on the History Channel and he was working on a film about his life and the Go-Go music scene in Washington D.C. titled “Chucky Thompson Presents D.C. Go-Go.”
Chucky Thompson’s official Instagram page is being flooded with somber messages.
“Please say this is not real,” one user wrote, while another said, “true legend…rest well.”
RIP Chucky Thompson it sounda awkward typing this great guy as well as musician pic.twitter.com/sp7Ngyw1k8
A music legend for the DMV and the world. Not only laced so many classic hits, but also continued to show so much love for the DC area. RIP Chucky Thompson. 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/1iOfEWrzts
R.I.P. to a great one, an iconic producer who created much of the soundtrack of 90’s #chuckythompson had him on #Bevelations about a month ago, glad I gave him his flowers! Listen as he reflects on the era while making My Life https://t.co/Yxxr2Aphad @RadioAndySXM
Tyler The Creator was thrilled to bump DJ Khaled from the top of the music charts in 2019 – after his rival claimed his music wasn’t real rap.
Speaking to U.S. radio show Ebro In The Morning over the weekend, Tyler recalled the pair competing for record sales when their albums, Igor and Father of Asahd were released around the same time.
And despite the diss from DJ Khaled, Tyler admits he still has “respect” for the star.
“Bro that Khaled thing was like, it was fun, it was just watching a man die inside,” Tyler said. “The weirdo was winning. I was moonwalking in a wig…
“For some guy like that to kind of indirectly be like ‘that ain’t real rap, that ain’t real black music.’ That’s what it felt like… I just let that number one speak. The ego had to deal with that.
“His whole identity is being number one. When he didn’t get that, that sat with him longer in real life time than that moment… I moved on, I did some shows, I went to London, cool. Didn’t think about it.
“When the underdog, to him, took that away from him, the ego was deflated. He’ll probably never admit it. And it’s no hard feelings towards him… I do have some sort of respect for him.”
Lupe Fiasco is tired of you all playing with his name.
The rapper, who recently came at Royce Da 5 ‘9 with the incredible “Steve Jobs: SLR 3 ½” diss, has just announced that he plans to release a 10 track album in 24 hours. He took to social media to share the news.
“Finna do an album from scratch in 24 hours… 1 song in… 9 to go… Last time I did this Stack was alive…” he said on Twitter at 3:34 A.M. (EDT).
This task seems to be an epic undertaking and folk are wondering if those plans include not only writing and production but having the project fully mixed and mastered.
Two hours after the announcement, he shared that one more song was completed.
“8 to go…” he posted at 5:13 A.M. (EDT) two hours and 19 minutes since the first one was completed.
The third track was completed at 8:32 AM (EDT), a little over three hours from the last track.
There are no words on whether or not these songs will have special guests on them or if he will include the Steve Jobs diss track on there.
However, it is clear he is inspired and can’t wait to translate that into hot fire. Earlier this weekend, he reviewed Nas’ King’s Disease 2 album on his Instagram Live.
He could barely get his thoughts out about Nas’ style of writing and how he has impacted several generations of rappers for at least three decades.
“That’s Nas!” he said. “He’s been doing that s### since he first started.”
“So, when you see n##### is doing all these gymnastics and theatrics and jumping all over the place, just know Nasir Jones,” he informs his followers.
He also credited Nas’ lyrical lineage — Nas was inspired by Kool G Rap and Rakim, who were inspired by Melle Mel. Lupe would say that he is a part of that same rap family tree. Do you agree?
Let’s see if this 24-hour project stacks up to his forefathers.
De La Soul has one of the most-celebrated album discographies in rap history. 1989’s 3 Feet Highand Rising, 1991’s De La Soul Is Dead, and 2016’s and the Anonymous Nobody… are often referred to as classics by Hip Hop aficionados.
Despite that critical success, Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo did not have ownership of their back catalog. Tommy Boy Records reportedly bought the rights to the Long Island group’s masters in 2017 which led to the trio revealing they would only receive 10% of the revenue generated from music streams while the record label would receive 90%.
A 2019 statement on De La Soul’s verified Instagram page read, in part, “We are fighting for our livelihood.” Numerous Hip Hop legends like Nas, Pete Rock, and Questlove began promoting the #TommyBoycott campaign in support of De La Soul.
Reservoir Media acquired Tommy Boy for $100 million, and the music company was said to be working with De La Soul to get their music on streaming platforms. In June, a rep for Reservoir Media stated, “We have already reached out to De La Soul and will work together to bring the catalog and the music back to the fans.”
There appears to be a major update in regards to the ownership of Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo’s intellectual property. Brooklyn-bred rapper/podcaster Talib Kweli took to Instagram to share some news about the “Me Myself and I” hitmakers.
According to the Javotti Media founder, the members of De La Soul are currently in “full control of the amazing music they have created.” Talib Kweli wrote:
Ladies and gentlemen, I spoke to @djmaseo from the legendary @wearedelasoul today and it’s official… after years of being taken advantage by the recording industry in the worst possible ways, De La Soul now owns all the rights to their masters and is in full control of the amazing music they have created. Let’s salute Plugs 1, 2, and 3 for sticking to their guns and showing us that we can all beat the system if we come together as a community. Let’s hear it for Black ownership of Black art! Congratulations fellas.
It has now become a running joke on social media that Kanye West’s Donda will never see the light of day, à la Dr. Dre’s mythical Detox. Fans of Ye expected the album to arrive twice already, but new music from the enigmatic emcee never made it to DSPs.
Kanye West did host two separate live extravaganzas inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in recent weeks. Neither the July 22 album listening event nor the August 5 album listening event served as a precursor to Donda making it to streaming services.
Now one of those streamers seems to provide some clues to the time frame for Kanye West’s Donda to finally be available for listeners. According to the pre-add page on Apple Music, Donda‘s new drop day is listed as August 13. However, Apple’s iTunes Store has the expected release date presented as August 15.
While the two websites have conflicting information, there is more weight being place on Apple Music and iTunes showing proposed release dates because the Donda listening events streamed live on Apple Music. However, an official release date has not been confirmed by Kanye West or his representatives.
Kanye West is apparently living in Mercedes-Benz Stadium as he continues to tinker with Donda. According to the Tidal streaming service, Donda will feature Jay-Z, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Jay Electronica, The Lox, Pop Smoke, The Weeknd, Lil Baby, and more.
Donda is set to be the tenth studio LP released by Kanye West. The Chicago-raised entertainer previously let loose Jesus Is King in 2019. That project won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Album. West currently has 22 Grammys, one shy of his The Throne partner Jay-Z’s record-setting 23 wins for a Hip Hop artist.
For a while, it appeared America was on track to put the COVID-19 pandemic in the past and society would get back to normal in 2021. Even sanctioned live events returned for the first time in over a year, but the coronavirus crisis is still affecting the music industry.
Organizers of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival called off this year’s edition scheduled for October 8-10 and 15-17 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. The Louisiana-based cultural event’s official website announced the celebration is looking to start back up in April and May of 2022.
An update from Jazz Fest reads:
As a result of the current exponential growth of new COVID cases in New Orleans and the region and the ongoing public health emergency, we must sadly announce that the 2021 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, scheduled to take place October 8 –17, 2021, will not occur as planned. We now look forward to next spring, when we will present the Festival during its traditional timeframe. Next year’s dates are April 29 – May 8, 2022. Ticketholders for both Festival weekends (including those that rolled over their tickets from 2020) will receive an email this week with details about the ticket refund and rollover process. All Wednesday, October 13 tickets will be automatically refunded. In the meantime, we urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials, so that we can all soon experience together the joy that is Jazz Fest.
www.nojazzfest.com
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2021 was scheduled to host Hip Hop and R&B acts like Wu-Tang Clan featuring The Soul Rebels, H.E.R., Lizzo, Ludacris, Jon Batiste, The Isley Brothers, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Ledisi, Big Freedia, PJ Morton, and more.
COVID cases in New Orleans are reportedly up 91% over the last fourteen days. Louisiana is said to be the fifth-least vaccinated state in the nation. Only around 37% of Louisiana residents are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
Most of the entire 2020 festival season was canceled as COVID-19 spread across the country, eventually causing more than 500,000 deaths in the United States last year. Festivals such as Rolling Loud Miami and Lollapalooza took place over the last few weeks with critics complaining the outdoor concerts could have been super-spreader events for the COVID Delta variant.
Did DaBaby walk back another mea culpa? The North Carolina-raised rapper has been in the hot seat ever since he made offensive comments about people living with HIV/AIDS and homosexual men.
“If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of [those] deadly sexually transmitted diseases, that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up,” said DaBaby during his performance at Rolling Loud Miami on July 25.
The Blame It on Baby album creator added, “Ladies, if your p#### smell like water, put your cellphone lighter up. Fellas, if you ain’t sucking a n####’s d### in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up.” He followed that up with an Instagram video where he claimed his LGBT supporters are not “nasty gay n##### or junkies.”
As a result of the backlash, the BoohooMAN fashion brand parted ways with DaBaby. Numerous festivals removed DaBaby from their respective lineups as well.
As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me— knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance— has been challenging. I appreciate the many people who came to me with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That’s what I needed and it was received. I want to apologize to the LGBTQ+ community fr the hurtful and triggering comments I made. Again, I apologize for my misinformed comments about HIV/AIDS and I know education on this is important. Love to all. God bless.
@dababy Instagram
However, that August 2 statement can no longer be found on DaBaby’s verified Instagram account. As of press time, it is not clear why the post was removed from his page.
Eleven LGBT-related and HIV/AIDS-related organizations drafted and signed an open letter directed at DaBaby. The groups requested a “private, off-the-record, virtual discussion” with the “Rockstar” performer.
The letter read, in part, “We heard your inaccurate and harmful comments at Rolling Loud and have read your Instagram apology. However, at a time when HIV continues to disproportionately impact Black Americans and queer and transgender people of color, a dialogue is critical. We must address the miseducation about HIV, expressed in your comments, and the impact it has on various communities.”
Top Dawg Entertainment emcee Isaiah Rashad dropped his third studio LP, The House Is Burning, on July 30. The project managed to open among the best-sellers of the week.
The House Is Burning debuted at #7 with 41,000 first-week units, giving Isaiah Rashad the first Top 10 album of his career. Previously, 2014’s Cilvia Demo peaked at #40 and 2016’s The Sun’s Tirade peaked at #17.
For The House Is Burning, Isaiah Rashad recruited Lil Uzi Vert, Duke Deuce, Smino, Jay Rock, Jay Worthy, SZA, 6LACK, and others as guest features. Production was provided by Devin Malik, Kal Banx, Rory Behr, Kenny Beats, and more.
“This album was difficult,” said Rashad prior to the project dropping. “I love music, but I don’t like to say s###. It’s almost like a game for me. It’s like working out. I don’t want to be redundant. Redundancy in general bothers me. Any song that I make, I usually make it in about 30 minutes to an hour, and that’s it. My ideas come to me immediately.”
The Tennessee native added, “Music is where I go to express myself. It’s what I do to close a chapter. You know what’s crazy? I’m not even ashamed to say it… I really think my albums aren’t different from each other. Eventually, one of my albums will become a classic. I just love this s###. It’s me.”
This week’s Billboard 200 chart was led by 19-year-old Pop performer Billie Eilish with her Happier Than Ever album (238,000 units.) Last week’s champion, The Kid LAROI’s F*ck Love, slipped to #2 in the rankings (65,000 units).
Prince’s Welcome 2 America debuts at #4 (55,000 units), Doja Cat’s Planet Her dropped two spots to #5 (55,000 units), Lil Baby & Lil Durk’s The Voice of the Heroes dropped two positions to #8 (30,000 units), and Polo G’s Hall of Fame fell two slots to #10 (27,000 units).
Lil TD Baby better known as “TD” is a new Hip-Hop/R&B artist from the “Boogie Down” Ville of New Brunswick New Jersey. He just released a highly anticipated single titled “Move It Groove It” on August 8th on every streaming platform, along with a music video! Nice vibe and hook, you can dance all day to the track and everything. This song is really dope. You can hear his crisp vocals and change of tones, he’s really a young talented artist. You will love his energy on this track and all of his other ones!
You guys are in for something special in 2021 with Lil TD Baby, he has a lot of songs in the works and ready to be released. He hasn’t released a song since May 2020 titled “Mama” which is a nice smooth song for whoever lost a loved one, he made that for his mom. He was featured on Hot.97 w/ Miabelle a host on the radio station. He won multiple showcases in New York. His best single to date is “Real Nasty”. The song was released in July 2019 with over 20,000 streams! Not a huge number but something to gain from because it’s hard to even get 100 streams on a song. You can follow him on all social platforms @liltd_baby.
Ludacris and Sevyn Streeter will join the city of Atlanta to raise awareness for the AIDS virus.
The two stars are set to perform at the 30th annual AIDS WalkAtlanta & Music Fest – a yearly celebration that was suspended in 2020 due to the onset of the coronavirus.
Last year, organizers had to put a halt to this very important event in compliance with the city’s COVID-19 restriction.
However now, with the support of AHF Pharmacy, the advocacy work is back in full swing. Or should we say “full high-step,” as the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the producers of the event, hopes to raise $1 million.
AIDS/HIV education is deeply needed in Atlanta, a city that has a whopping 70% of all Georgia HIV infections.
Out of that number, 79% of those diagnosed with HIV are men, 19% are women and 2% are trans. It is more than telling folk about strapping up all the time … it is about getting real information to the communities most at risk.
And that cost bread … and people are willing to help.
With misinformation being spread by people like DaBaby, who have connected AIDS/HIV with being gay, getting real facts out is paramount, especially since the numbers are starkly high.
The money raised will support ten organizations that are actually doing the work of AIDS/HIV advocacy and service in Atlanta. The funds will be unrestricted, to be used in the manner that best fits the needs of the group.
Those groups benefiting from the walk and music fest are as follows: AID Atlanta, A Vision for Hope, Center for Black Women’s Wellness, Center for Pan Asian Community Services, Jerusalem House, National AIDS Education & Services for Minorities, Open Hand, Positive Impact Health Centers, Someone Cares, and Thrive SS.
Dawn Averill, AHF Atlanta regional director said in a statement, “This annual event offers a time to create a greater awareness of the impact of HIV and AIDS on the local Atlanta community, as well as an opportunity to bring together thousands of individuals from across the region to raise critical funds for these 10 worthy organizations.”
“AHF is proud to present this event as one of the many ways that we educate and empower the local community to join the fight against HIV and AIDS,” she concluded.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.6 million individuals in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe.
Barack Obama was not only America’s first Black president but is considered the nation’s first Hip-Hop top executive.
And to commemorate his 60th birthday, old Barry O threw a bash that rivaled any Diddy extravaganza.
Originally, 44 had a guest list of 600. However, with the resurgence of the COVID-19 virus (prompted by the Delta variant), he had to scale back his Martha’s Vineyard soiree a little bit.
Barack Obama hosted a comfortable 500, entertaining only a few of his close friends and families.
Some of the guests included Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Oprah Winfrey, Don Cheadle, Stephen Colbert, George Clooney, and Trap Beckham.
The rapper posted some of the party to his social media feed, before deleting the images due to the event’s photography ban.
But if you think, Obama only kicked it with celebrities … you are wrong. There were even some politicians there. Former senator and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry was also spotted with attendees.
But where are they partying?
The Obamas have set up series of beautiful tents behind their waterfront property.
Photographers raced to get pictures and used every tool available (paparazzi, drones, etc.) to zoom in on the money shot. In good humor, the former president saw one earlier while he was playing golf at the island’s Farm Neck Club and said, “Just make sure you get a good picture of me!”
Another member of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation and associate of Casanova has decided not to take any chances with the government and has opted for a plea deal.
In December of 2020, the feds unsealed a RICO case against 18 members of the gang, including Brooklyn rap star Casanova.
The members of gorilla Stone were charged with racketeering conspiracy, large-scale narcotics distribution, firearm offenses, fraud, and murder.
Earlier this week, alleged Gorilla Stone member Shanay Outlaw decided to reverse course and cop a plea.
The government says Outlaw, AKA “Easy” was responsible for managing Gorilla Stone’s finances.
The gangs highest ranking member on the street, Christopher Erskine AKA Beagle frequently turned to Outlaw with questions about the gang’s financial resources.
Through wiretaps, the government figured out outlaw managed the sophisticated financial operations, and that she had access to and knowledge of the collective resources of the gang.
Outlaw also participated in a scheme to file fraudulent unemployment applications, and she also helped run a phony non-profit organization called determined adults exceedingly motivating peers into responsible entrepreneurs (D.A. E.M.P.I.R.E.).
Investigators maintain that “D.A. E.M.P.I.R.E.” is actually a common greeting amongst Gorilla Stone members.
The nonprofits purpose had nothing to do with community service, but was designed to take advantage of nonprofit grants to benefit gang members, including the gangs leader Dwight “Dick Wolf” Reid, and his wife.
Shanay Outlaw the schedule to enter into a guilty plea on September 13, 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
So far, Outlaw is the third member of the gang to accept a guilty plea.
Jordan “Flow” Ingram is scheduled to plead guilty next week at a White Plains, New York courthouse in hopes of receiving less than the mandatory minimum of 22 years in prison, for assaults and operating a large scale crack distribution operation.
If you haven’t heard of Lil Kari, prepare to fall in love. The definition of a “Down South Baby,” the rising star serves as the next hottest artist to come out of Pompano Beach County, Florida, living out his dreams at only 18 years old. Arriving on the scene with a fresh new sound to the rap game — influenced directly by his peers from Kodak Black to Rod Wave — Kari flexes his talents and versatility with each release.
In describing himself, Kari states, “I’m taking on different things, letting people know my experiences, different flows, triple entendres, cadences. Really a new sound from Florida, but also taking on what’s already been established from the people before me.”
Kari has had one hell of a year, with his current single “Down South Baby” gaining traction daily and he even had numerous tracks synced on ESPN, with “The City” becoming one of theme songs for the NBA draft. Gaining notoriety on TikTok as well, Kari is here to swoon audiences all around the world with his catchy sound, loveable personality, and heartfelt lyrics.
AllHipHop: You’re from Pompano Beach County, what was that like growing up?
Lil Kari : It was the same as any other place, any other hood. We different in our way because we all have our own different style. Growing up just working, coming with that mindset of kill or be killed. Gotta maintain, gotta gain, some people by any means necessary. Really establishing myself because I was always able to work as a youngin’, getting it any type of way I could. Whether that be working at Norman’s Photoland or working with the church, doing different things to get money. Selling candy, that’s how I grew up.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences growing up?
Lil Kari : I listen to a lot of artists growing up honestly. I’m really an old soul so I listen to a lot of old rappers. Not even just rap music, but New Edition. I’m really into them. Isley Brothers, DMX of course, Run-DMC, Biggie Smalls, Tupac obviously. West Coast rap was definitely hard growing up. Ice Cube, everybody setting their milestone. As far as new age rappers, I really was into Kodak back in middle school, blasting that on the way most def. Kodak Black from elementary going into middle school.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite Kodak song?
Lil Kari : That’s hard, there’s a lot. Yak comes with it boy. It’s so many Yak songs that slide, I don’t even know. I could say the best album, a body of work. Probably Lil B.I.G. Pac. If not that, then his Institution album or Project Baby. It’s a lot, it’s so much. Dying to Live: “Testimony,” “From The Cradle”… that boy Yak be coming with the heat for sure.
AllHipHop: I feel like Florida has been having a moment in the rap game.
Lil Kari : Definitely, we coming real hard. Florida definitely has some stuff coming, we’re coming like Atlanta. We’re the new Atlanta. We’re becoming the mecca for this.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel hearing yourself back?
Lil Kari : Hearing myself back, “hold on, that boy slides!” When I first heard me on the track, I said “okay, that b#### hard low key.” Everybody in the studio said “damn!”, because I had freestyled it off the head. I didn’t expect to rap when I went there, this isn’t my session. They said “boy you slide!” That b#### definitely became pressure.
AllHipHop: What was the inspiration behind your name?
Lil Kari : From my actual name, I just put lil in front of it, KarI is a variation of my first name.
AllHipHop: Why are you the “DOWN SOUTH BABY”?
Lil Kari : “Down South Baby” is one of them records! It’s good. You can hear it in the song, it’s going crazy. It’s showcasing down South and where I’m from. It gives people a different perspective. Most of my music, you’ll hear perspective. I tell a lot of stories in my music. When I’m telling people about my life, what I go through on a day to day basis, what I went through on my down South experience, it’s different types of perspective you’ll hear. It’s doing real good, I’m getting a lot of feedback. A lot of people are messing with it down here in Florida.
AllHipHop: Bring us back to when you shot the video.
Lil Kari : It was a good day, but certain stuff doesn’t go the way you want it to go. All in all, the video was lit. We definitely made it happen, it came together the way it’s supposed to. There’s always going to be hiccups, but definitely lit.
AllHipHop: Was that all your family in there?
Lil Kari : Not all of them, but my grandmother, my cousins, and my little sister.
AllHipHop: Highlight from shooting that day?
Lil Kari : The best one in that video was when we went to the park. We went to Oswald Park, from park to park shooting content. Everybody was showing love, people came out for me. All in different cars that came out, everybody that came into the video, but the best part is when we went into the park.
AllHipHop: What’s Rod Wave’s influence on you and your art?
Lil Kari : Rod Wave is a big influence as far as Florida period. Rod Wave grew a melodic sound that a lot of people didn’t hear from Florida artists. He really paved the way for melodic rap, he made a lot of people want to do that. Rod Wave’s gonna make that sad music, that pain music you’re going to feel. That’s why I say “I get in my feelings, Rod Wave is what I’m playing.” That’s really what we on.
He definitely was an influence as far as melodic rapping. I was always a melodic rapper, but he’s the one that brought it to light out here. He’s definitely a big influence in every album. I get that comparison a lot with him and Kodak, but I’m trying to be in my own lane. I respect it though.
AllHipHop: That’s a compliment!
Lil Kari : Yeah it’s a compliment but when you’re an artist, you want to be your own person. I respect their craft, they definitely know what they’re doing.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel to land your song on ESPN?
Lil Kari : It feels good man, that’s really one of the big significant factors that played into me moving as an artist. Shout out to them boys at ESPN. It’s definitely a good feeling especially since I’ve been working so much. When you finally see the pay off and where it goes, it definitely gives you a good feeling at the end of the day. I’m actually moving and progressing a little bit!
AllHipHop: What was your reaction?
Lil Kari : To hear it in real time, wow. I was in the studio when I first heard “Stressin,” it was on the drive. When I heard it, dang that’s crazy! That’s me. This ain’t no TV show that’s local or nothing, it’s the real deal. It’s national TV. I was shocked like “wow that’s crazy,” we moving forreal. It definitely was an eye-opener to keep going.
AllHipHop: How much of a role does TikTok play in your career?
Lil Kari : TiktTok’s definitely a big factor, it makes me who I am. I first started out on TikTok doing pranks and reactions, now I had to transition into music as well. TikTok’s definitely a good factor for me and my audience and I definitely appreciate all the supporters who make everything possible as far as the people who tune in to what I got going on. TikTok’s definitely a big factor because it helped me move at a greater pace than a lot of other people when I gained an audience. Gaining notoriety with things I was doing, people said ”oh okay, he’s funny.” They start seeing I have music, they said “let me check him out just because he’s funny or his content.”
That’s when you translate into “oh okay, this joint raw!” It just so happened when I did “Down South Baby,” I had put a snippet on TikTok. The snippet got 100K views and almost 20K on instagram. I said “okay, they want this.” This was back in April before I even dropped the song, 2 months before I dropped it. When I finally came with the record, it was June 22nd I dropped the music video. I started promoting. I did different things with my mama, getting her reaction got a million views. It started driving the streams up. The music video was going at a constant pace because it was already high demand going with the song. That’s why I dropped it, so dropping the music video was only up from there. The video has passed 114K views on Youtube after a month.
AllHipHop: How does your mom feel?
Lil Kari : She feels good. We’ve been working so much, doing different trips. She definitely sees it. She likes the pay out, she’s here for a ride. I was featured in King Cid’s talent show video in Broward, he’s a Youtuber down here. Shout out my boy King Cid, he’s always showing love.
AllHipHop: How was that whole experience?
Lil Kari : It was good, the experience is dope. King Cid and his people always come with good energy. I had performed at one of his events a while back, he hit me up for the talent show so I said “cool.” It was all g. Everybody was showing love, people were definitely tuning in. Definitely a fun experience so y’all go watch that. It’s a talent show he did at Broward, we all went crazy. It definitely was a dope experience to be in.
AllHipHop: How’d you find your way to Steve Rifkind’s new label, Spring Sound?
Lil Kari : Steve found me through Alex, his son. Alex heard my music about a year ago now, through my uncle. My uncle sent him one of my songs. He didn’t even tell him he’s my uncle because my uncle used to train Alex in basketball. He knew Alex was into music so he sent it to him. Alex said “who is this?” He said “that’s my nephew.” They set up a call with me and we talked, it was up from there. That’s when I met Alex’s dad when I went to LA, we had talked it out. He’s telling me about the label he might start, he wants to continue because of his dad. That’s how I got introduced to everybody. Me and Steve have been locked in ever since, making music. He signed me to the label and here we are.
AllHipHop: What’d it mean performing for Master P?
Lil Kari : It was dope man, that boy Master P showed mad love. Me and P had a one to one conversation before I even performed for him. Talking about all different kinds of stuff: NFTs and cryptocurrency. He’s definitely knowledgeable, he definitely showed love. Shout out to P, it was a dope experience. It was fun. It’s in the moment, you can’t recreate stuff like that. It taught me a lot, he definitely taught me a few things I didn’t know. P one of the biggest people in the industry period, when it comes to music, just a businessman. To be able to pick his brain was unmatched.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CP82kHyA2cG/
AllHipHop: You graduated college already?
Lil Kari : Yeah, before I graduated high school. I’ve always been ahead academically. When I was in middle school, I was doing high school classes. When I went to this school and did this program, I was doing college while I was doing high school. I graduated with my Associates then 2 weeks later, I got my diploma for high school.
AllHipHop: You’re heading to Florida A&M University in the fall on a full academic scholarship. What are you studying?
Lil Kari : I’m planning to study Business. I’m going to FAMU in the fall. I plan on studying Business, doing a minor in Marketing and Sports Agency.
AllHipHop: Being only 18, what do you like to do for fun?
Lil Kari : Me personally, I like to chill. I like to vibe, I like to make moves. I never like to feel I’m in the same place. Personally, kick it with my dawgs. Rap obviously when I’m doing it, but I be chillin’. Go out with my dawgs, get money and have a good time.
AllHipHop: What are those convos with Tory Lanez?
Lil Kari : I had met Tory at Yak’s birthday party, we’re chopping it up. I was telling him about my music. Tory had checked me out, he’s telling me he likes the music. Tory’s real solid too, he’s definitely showing love. When I got to conversing with him and he’s telling me about everything, he’s telling me “keep it going, stay consistent, and you’re bound to make something shake.” He’s telling me the music was there, you gotta stay consistent and make sure they feel you on each track. That’s what I’ve been doing. Tory was definitely spitting game and knowledge, definitely some good conversation between me and him.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next?
Lil Kari : Next I should be having a record out called “Glock in the Party.” Stay tuned for that, you guys can follow me on @likari_36 everywhere.
G-Unit boss 50 Cent claims Young Buck is still technically an artist on the famous record label, and he is making moves in court to get his money or some music.
In addition to supposedly owing a whopping $250,000, 50 Cent says Buck still owes G-Unit Records two albums that were never delivered.
50 Cent booted Young Buck from G-Unit in April of 2008 reportedly due to his excessive spending habits, and claims that he had not been paid royalty checks.
Fif’s claims seemed to be accurate when Buck filed for bankruptcy in October of 2010 and had his assets seized by the IRS over back taxes.
In 2014 the G-Unit collective featuring 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Young Buck and new member Kids Kidd reunited during a performance at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert.
50 claims Buck signed a 2-year agreement which was supposed to last for two years, after the delivery of the first album.
Because of their ongoing feud, Young Buck never produced any music under the 2014 agreement with G-Unit, which 50 Cent maintains is still valid.
50 Cent also says Young Buck has been recording singles and mixtapes and further violation of the recording agreement.
Last month, Buck dropped a banging new album titled 40 Days and 40 Nights on his own imprint, Cashville Records
According to reports, 50 Cent is gearing up for a civil suit against Young Buck to address the violations, as well as the outstanding $250,000 the Tennessee rapper owes.
New Jersey’s Real Sikh is the future of the state’s lyrical legacy.
The Garden State is one of the most fertile soils in the world to grow true emcees, pulling from the muddy waters for New York for its grit and the Schuylkill for poetic penmanship. While naming all of the top pens from New Jersey would be exhaustive, some of the top rappers who can boast that this is their native land are Redman, Joe Budden, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill, Naughty by Nature, Joe Budden, Tsu Surf, Nu Jerzey Twork and Arsonal da Rebel. Sikh, with his culture as his banner, fits comfortably in this rich tradition.
As a battle rapper, he has done his homework. In each round, he infuses the history of classic Hip-Hop and charged himself to learn the roots of rap. This respect for the craft speaks more about who he is as man, than any of the gifts he has as a rapper.
And he has many …
It is no hyperbole that he is greatest Indian battle rapper to ever touch mic in history.
His meteoric rise on the Ultimate Rap League and his recent win over one of his mentors in the game, Ars, has more than solidify him in the Hip-Hop sport. Now, he has paused from taking people’s heads off in on the stage and linked with journalist writer and beat journalist Kershaw St. Jawnson of AllHipHop.com to share 15 things that he believes all rappers need to know.
