homepage

Black Thought Planning To School Young M.C.’s In New Master Class With Carnegie Hall

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice. Practice. Practice.

Because of a new and innovative program within the New York landmark, a few millennial and Gen-Z spit kickers will not only get schooled by The Roots founder, Black Thought but will have the opportunity to grace that iconic stage with him.

Imagine sitting at the feet of the iconic Philly rapper and learning Hip-Hop music theory from the man that is heralded as one of the best lyricists in the history of recorded sound. Well, if you are a Hip-Hop head hoping to grow into a top-caliber emcee, this might be the opportunity for you.

The multi-GRAMMY winner, celebrated for his infamous Funkmaster Flex freestyle, will impart some of his hard-earned knowledge to the next generation of emcees through a program he has with the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) called “School of Thought: A Hip-Hop Master Class Featuring Black Thought.” It is the second dose of his free workshop series with the hallowed institution.

Ten up-and-coming emcees will be selected as finalists and will attend these sessions at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI) October 25-28, 2021.

The goal is to mold young artists and so the opportunity for talents between the ages of 18 and 35.

Those selected will have a chance to receive some of that history, instruction on lyricism & flow (private coaching), and wisdom from the pen behind albums like Phrenology, Things Fall Apart, and Undun.

These classes will include special guests who will help expose the students to various levels of hitmaking and cultural stake-holding.

Making the experience complete, there will be a showcase for the ten —headlined by Black Thought— on Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 6:30 p.m, open to the public in the Weill Music Room at Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing.

Tickets will be priced at $20 and go on sale on August 30.

After the showcase, Black Thought leads a talkback styled-discussion with more surprise guests on Friday, October 29.

If you don’t get into this class, no worries. In the Spring of 2022, the same opportunity will be opened in Washington D.C. at The John F. Kennedy Center. This will be a part of The Roots’ For the Culture Artist Residency.

Apply Here.

Dr. Dre’s Homeless Daughter Launches GoFundMe To Raise $50,000 And So Far The Results Are Pitiful

Dr. Dre’s daughter continues to struggle financially, as her wealthy father shells out hundreds of thousands of dollars each month in spousal support.

LaTanya Young recently launched a GoFundMe in hopes of raising $50,000 to help her get out of her financial predicament.

LaTanya, who is homeless, is trying to raise the money to benefit her and her four kids, so they can find a stable home. 

Last week, it was revealed she was living out of her car, while her children stayed with family members. 

“I think GoFundMe campaigns are for people in desperate situations and I’m in a desperate situation, LaTanya Young told The Daily Mail.

LaTanya Young has been estranged from her biological father Dr. Dre for over 18 years. She currently works a variety of odd jobs to make ends meet. 

But her gig as a Door Dash driver and warehouse assembler is not earning her enough to pay the bills.

In past interviews, LaTanya Young accused Dr. Dre’s estranged wife Nicole of driving a wedge in between them and blocking their relationship.

LaTanya also said Dr. Dre has never even met his biological grandchildren. 

Dr. Dre fathered LaTanya Young with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Johnson. The couple split up when LaTanya was just five years old. Dre, born Andre Young, also has two other children with Lisa Johnson named Latoya and Ashley.

In July, Dr. Dre was ordered to pay Nicole Young $3.5 million a year in spousal support, which breaks down to $293,306 per month.

LaTanya claims Dre’s lawyer confirmed the superstar producer, who is worth over $850 million, is ignoring her. 

‘His lawyer has said that my dad doesn’t want to help me because I’ve spoken about him in the press,” LaTanya Young claimed. 

As for LaTanya, her GoFundMe has raised a paltry $180 since being launched three days ago.

Da Brat Getting Married To Judy And Shows Off Her Ring

Da Brat, the first female rapper to go platinum, is getting married!

After years of hiding her sexuality from the prying eyes of the public, she is finally living and loving openly with her fiancé Jessica “Judy” Dupart.

Now she has the bling that is evidence that she is proudly out of the closet.

On Thursday’s Daily Blast Live show, the “Funkadafied” artist and her boo shared their “love story” on a promo run for the upcoming WEtv series, Brat Loves Judy.

“I met someone who made me feel fearless. She [Judy] has lived her life out loud, and I just felt like at this point, I’m so grown, and my journey has been so strong that I have built a coat of armor against anything that anybody has to say about me,” Da Brat confessed.

The So So Def artist admitted that the pressure of being on the low was getting to her. But now that she is engaged, and Judy is trying to make an honest woman out of her — Judy popped the question first!

“I have been gettin talked about for years, and I’m just like you know what, I’m happy,” she expressed. “I want to be happy, and I want to hold her hand in public. I want to kiss her in public. And she just made me feel like it was okay and oh my God, it was. It was the best thing that I’ve ever done. It feels like a weight is lifted, I just feel free.”

The show promises to give you bright flashes of this freedom and happiness. Hopefully, it will shine brighter than that rock she is sporting on her ring finger.

Marri Don’s Viral Hit “Dirty Sprite” Proves He’s Up Next

MarriDon is Mr. Boom himself, bringing nothing but raging energy to the music industry. Hailing from Mount Vernon, New York, it’s a Boom World Takeover! And Marri Don is taking over the city with the vibes of “Dirty Sprite.”

Marri’s story begins with his Carribean family background, transforming into the New York City rap artist he is today. The youngest sibling out of his family, the rising star began performing at the age of 9. Legends such as Beenie Man are related to Marri Don as an influence towards his music with a unique, melodic, futuristic flow of his own rhythm and sound. Marri Don goes off as “The Biggest Boom,” for his family and close friends.

He states, “Nah, I use my own s###. It’s my real story. I want a painting of how I got here. It comes with all 3 feelings, shot one inch from the heart. I was told I was gonna die in 15 minutes.” He thought he might as well execute if he had a voice in the music.

Marri stated that after he survived the bullet wound, he found his message and went all the way full throttle to becoming an official rap artist. He continues to innovate while being the King of his household and a father. While still making time for his loved ones, he provides for those in need by investing in his community as an advocate to assist in homelessness.

Marri Don has performed at big shows at K.O.D in Miami with artists, Ron Suno and Pooh Shiesty. He spoke up to his reality and his fans through his music, stating “I probably don’t fit the category for a singer or rapper, I see myself as an expressor.” He wants the people to remember his name and his voice.

Check out Marri Don’s new single titled “Dirty Sprite,” a track that makes you feel good wherever you are. 

Tom Hanks Rapping Son Chet Says There’s “More Evidence Of UFOs” Being Real In Anti-Vaxxing Rant

Tom Hanks’ son, Chet is in the news again. This time, he is taking a stand about his rights to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.

The controversial rapper, who goes by the name of Chet Hanx, took to his social media to spew his anti-vaxxing propaganda.

In an Instagram video he dropped on Wednesday, August 11, he said, “OK, I’m gonna keep this real simple for you guys. Real simple. OK. Just like you have the right to be mad at me because I said I’m not going to get the vaccine … I have the right to not get that s###.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CScbCu9pZrd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“I wanted to, but my immune system said ‘it’s good,’ and it doesn’t need to be tampered with” he shared. “Let’s be real … 99% of you m############ wouldn’t use a shampoo that is not FDA, but you are willing to get some experimental government injection.”

He also stated, “There is more evidence that UFOs being real, than that vaccine being healthy for you. If the aliens are out there, I am ready for you to come and get me … so we can get the f### out of here or am I gonna have to need my vaccine papers.”

This is not his first time making disparaging statements about the deadly virus and the various preventive measures that officials have recommended to help tame the plague that took the lives of 619,000 deaths in the United States since last year.

On Tuesday, August 10, once again on social media, he posted a clip stating that he lied about having the coronavirus and said that the sickness that actually rocked his parents was nothing more than “the fiu.”

“I’ve been on the fence about this for a while, that’s why I never spoke on it,” he says, seemingly sincere. “But with the amount of people I know recently that have gotten COVID, and with the numbers rising, I think it’s important for me to say I got the vaccine, I think everybody should. It’s really important that we all do this.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSYFISaFiam/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Then in a super sarcastic “SIKKKKKKKEEEEEE,” he says how he really feels. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I never had COVID. Y’all ain’t sticking me with that m############ needle,” he says. “It’s the m############ flu. Get over it, OK? If you’re sick, stay inside. OK, why we working around y’all? If you’re in danger, stay your ass inside. I’m tired of wearing a m############ mask.”

Stormzy Immortalized in Madame Tussauds Waxwork

London’s Madame Tussauds has unveiled the latest star in their collection revealing a waxwork of London rapper Stormzy.  

The figure immortalizes Stormzy during his historic performance at the UK’s Glastonbury Festival. The waxwork is wearing a stab-proof vest emblazoned with a Union Jack flag.  Guerilla artist Banksy designed the vest for the Grammy award winning rapper. 

The outfit choice is significant, immortalizing one of the London rapper’s most career-defining moments. In 2019 the South London rapper became the first black British solo artist to headline the festival.  

Stormzy on stage at Glastonbury Festival

Stormzy attended a special unveiling at the waxwork museum in front of family, friends, and young #Merky Books competition winners. The waxwork has been placed in its Culture zone to reflect his profound impact on British culture.

The grime artist said: “I can’t lie, it’s one of my proudest moments. At school, we’d go to Madame Tussauds London, where you’d see staple figures in entertainment, history, and culture. So, for me to be there, it feels mad. Seeing myself in 3D was probably the creepiest, sickest, scariest, strangest, most surreal thing ever, but I feel so honoured to have my own figure.”

Stormzy added: “It was the easiest decision ever to have my figure styled on my Glastonbury performance and I’m so proud to be going into the Culture zone.

Last month Stormzy announced he would be providing scholarships for another 30 students.  

B.T.B Dezz Plays No Games In “Dangerous” Visual FT. YXNG K.A

B.T.B Dezz’s epic single “Dangerous” featuring YXNG K.A is giving all the vibes vibes. The record is a cautionary tale of the trap life, relaying the bleak outlook of coming up from a rough neighborhood into riches. Produced by BT Grin at a Brooklyn studio, the song carries a rich beat that starts off gradually. 

B.T.B Dezz uses his soulful voice to amplify the beat, showcasing a natural vocal melody that’s one with the tune. The piano which B.T.B Dezz uses to deliver his message is relaxing, then the beat drops and the song becomes a mood. Dezz states, “When the 808 dropped, I knew it was the beat for this song I had playing in my head within me. It was melodic but still has a trap feel, and I wanted to stick to my roots.” 

Creating the song in 15 minutes the lyrics are inspired by the trap star life, a new term used to describe major drill rappers in an alluring yet dangerous lifestyle. B.T.B Dezz used the track as an emotional release to describe his journey, opposite to the cynical, shared message of a trap. The new track excites and is optimistic, a feel-good hood anthem we can all relate to as we look towards the future. 

Dezz reminds us that some will lack self-respect, others will look to cast war. BTB is not only a rapper but a singer-songwriter who’s staying steady on his musical path. Detailing his accomplishments with swagger, Dezz remains focused on family.

B.T.B new single “Dangerous,” is out now on all major platforms. For more of Dezz follow @btbdezz_ on Instagram, on youtube at B.T.B Dezz.

Kanye West Moving “Donda” Production to Another Stadium

KayCyy Pluto, one of the artists collaborating with Kanye West on his latest project, has said that Kanye is moving to another stadium to finish the long-awaited Donda album.  

Kanye was living at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium while completing the album and held two listening events there. More than 40,000 people attended the first listening party in July. At the second listening party, the audience was stunned by the visual spectacle of the 44-year-old rapper ascending into the air.  

This latest update on the highly anticipated project comes from a now-deleted tweet from up-and-coming rapper, KayCyy Pluto who has been collaborating with Kanye on the project. “We moving to another stadium,” he claimed in the tweet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSPIZpTl_Ym/

The artist did not say where the project was relocating to but there are a number of other stadiums in Atlanta including State Farm Arena, Truist Park, and Russ Chandler Stadium. Kanye could however move to another city to continue work on the album and host further listening events.  

Donda has suffered numerous delays since it was first scheduled for release last year. A tracklist is yet to be revealed however, Grammy award winner The Weeknd, rapper Playboi Carti and long-time collaborator 2 Chainz are known to be working on the album. Streaming service Tidal has shared a list of features so far including Pusha T, Kid Cudi and Young Thug, amongst others.  

iTunes is now showing that ‘Donda’ will have a release date of August 13; Apple Music however has given the alternative date of August 15. Whether the project materializes on either of these dates, the fans will have to wait and see…

Jadakiss And Beanie Sigel Are Making Some Plans…While Remembering Their Battle

Jadakiss has the worlds going nuts! They recently did an interview with the Breakfast Club and it was great. So, let’s get a few things out of the way. Kiss refuted the idea that he ever wrote for Biggie or Cam’ron. Sites like Boxden had posted – post Verzuz – that Jada’s pen was even used with the actual GOAT – B.I.G. And it would have been more than ironic if he had wrote for Cam. Also, there is the idea that Kiss is an old school dude and would never reveal those old school secrets. Anyway, I do not think he did that. The interview is below:

Anyway, Beanie Sigel, the former Bully of Rocafella, posted the following and set the world on fire. It may not have been a big fire, but for some of us, it was.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSeWxP3rTkq/

Here’s some stuff to catch you up before I continue.

And here is a compilation somebody put together, not that it matters. Sigel always won that battle off of that freestyle alone IMO.

Beans and Jadakiss had a very tense rap beef that boiled over into the streets. As you know, Beanie was signed to Rocafella Records and Jadakiss and The Lox were signed to Ruff Ryderz. Anyway, the battle was so tense because these guys were two of the best at the time. And The Streets!

Also, we knew that Jay-Z and DMX were lying in the wings somewhere, for a potential mega fight. It definitely didn’t happen but it was borderline. Also there was a threat of actual violence happening is this rap battle starting to spiral out of control. Lucky for us, cooler heads prevailed and so did peace. They squashed the beef and it became just a legendary battle…that they smile about like old boxing rivals.

Now, all of these guys are touring together – Beanie Sigel and State Property, The Lox and Dipset. It almost seems as if Jadakiss and Beanie are trying to set up their own Verzuz battle, but I doubt it. It’s actually ridiculous. Jada has already taken out Fab and The Dips. Plus, Beans voice is messed up as a result of getting shot in the lung. Glad to see them all making a way in their older years.

Rihanna Celebrates Perfume Sales with Billionaire Breakfast in Bed

Everything about Rhianna screams style and her celebrations are no different. The superstar took to her bed in a luxurious picture shared on Instagram yesterday to mark her perfume selling out.

Clearly excited Rhianna captioned the post “how I woke up after #FENTYPARFUM sold out this morning!!!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri)

The Barbados-born singer looked stunning as usual with a fresh face and her hair in box braids. Dressed in an oversized hoodie and black shades the superstar can be seen eating caviar from a silver platter.

This is the first perfume from the singer’s much-loved line, Fenty Beauty. The new spritz called Fenty Eau de Parfum sold out within hours of its launch on Tuesday. In line with the brand, the fragrance is designed to be inclusive and wearable for everybody.  

Created in collaboration with LVMH Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, notes include magnolia, musk, and tangerine, alongside blueberry, Bulgarian rose absolute, geranium, and patchouli.

Rihanna details in a press release: “I wanted a rich color that really represented all genders from across all walks of life. Brown is my favorite color. Brown is who I am. Brown is what I come from. If I’m going to make a fragrance that represents me, even the body language of the bottle needs to marry that. So, I wanted something brown, but also transparent – so you could see the liquid and the fragrance you’re about to experience.” 

The fragrance has both sweet and spicy notes and is inspired by some of Rihanna’s favorite places, including Bridgetown, Barbados; Grasse, France; New York, Paris, and Los Angeles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA (@fentybeauty)

No details have been given for a restock however that is unlikely to affect the business mogul’s pockets. Forbes last week declared Rhianna to be the richest female musician in the world.

G Herbo Gets Bloody For His “Cold World” Music Video

Herbert Randall Wright III recently dropped his latest album titled 25. The Chicago-raised recording artist better known as G Herbo tapped his own son, Yosohn, to appear on the body of work.

Yosohn showed up in the new “Cold World” music video as well. The visuals also stand out because G Herbo channeled the late DMX’s Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood album art for the presentation.

Like the famous image of DMX coated in a blood-like substance on the cover of his sophomore studio LP, G Herbo put on a crimson mask for the “Cold World” MV. The visuals are currently trending for music on YouTube.

Besides three-year-old Yosohn, 25 also features Polo G, Lil Tjay, 21 Savage, The Kid LAROI, Gunna, and Rowdy Rebel. The project debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 which is G Herbo’s highest-charting album to date.

Previously, G Herbo peaked at #7 in 2020 on the Billboard 200 rankings with PTSD. The 25-year-old rapper’s catalog also contains 2017’s Humble Beast and 2019’s Still Swervin. Plus, he teamed up with producer Southside for the collaborative effort Swervo.

Throughout his career, G Herbo dropped the Welcome to Fazoland, Pistol P Project, Ballin Like I’m Kobe, Strictly 4 My Fans, and Sessions mixtapes. This year also saw Herbo contribute to Polo G’s former #1 album Hall of Fame. The two Chicago natives linked up for the Kid Culture-produced track “Go Part 1.”

Big Sean Takes Viewers Into His Home On ‘MTV Cribs’ [VIDEO]

The MTV network brought back MTV Cribs last night (August 11). The long-running program that focuses on spotlighting famous people’s living spaces features celebrities from music, television, and social media.

Hip Hop recording artist Big Sean made an appearance on the rebooted MTV Cribs. His home tour included Sean revealing he bought his house from a certified Rock legend.

“This is Slash’s, from Guns N’ Roses, old crib. When I bought the house, Slash had this whole club down here,” revealed Big Sean on the Cribs season 18 premiere.

He continued, “They were like, ‘You can turn this into whatever you want. I’m like, bro, are you f###### kidding me? This is Slash’s club. I’m gonna keep it the same.”

Big Sean’s in-house nightclub features skull lamps, a stripper pole, and a disco ball. The Detroit 2 album creator said, “The first time I deejayed was at the party we threw here. If you were here, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

MTV Cribs is also expected to present episodes with Rick Ross, Tinashe, Jordyn Woods, Marsai Martin, Nick Young, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Scott Disick, Tia Mowry, Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross, and more.

Cribs didn’t simply introduce the celebreality genre, it created a blueprint for how we engage on social media,” stated Nina L. Diaz, President of Content and Chief Creative Officer, MTV Entertainment Group. “We are thrilled to usher in a new era of this iconic franchise for audiences around the world.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CScP9f4jq1E/

Learn How to Create and Profit From Your Own Shopify Store for Under $25

Whether we like it or not, the future of shopping is online as we continue to browse from our iPads and phones. If you have a million-dollar online store idea but aren’t sure how to get started, The Complete Shopify Store Creation Course Bundle schools you in how to start, promote, and manage your brand online. There are over 48 hours of content packed into this bundle, all available for just $24.99. 

Kick things off with Shopify Empire Masterclass: The Complete Shopify Course, taught by 4.3 out of 5 star-rated Leon Chaudhari. Leon is an entrepreneur and bestselling Udemy instructor who is ready to take you from a beginner to advanced Shopify business owner. He’ll break down the process and teach you how to master the skill of online drop shipping and navigate the software Oberlo, while also showing you how to identify products that have high profit margins on Aliexpress. He’ll also tackle product marketing and how to build your beautiful store. 

Want to focus on clothing? Yassin Marco, a video producer and graphic designer with a 4.2 out of 5 star instructor rating, teaches Shopify Guide: Start Your Own Clothing Brand with Shopify and Shopify Bootcamp: Increase Your Sales and Conversion Rate, which both have scored 4.3 and 4.2 out of 5 stars, respectively, with former students. These courses are perfect for those even with zero Shopify experience, turning them into experts with the program.  

Bryan Guerra, a digital marketing expert who has amassed a 4.3 out of 5 star rating, teaches the 4.4 star rated How to Start and Scale a Shopify Dropshipping Store Quickly, giving you the skills you need to sell other people’s products right from your own website easily, no inventory or startup money needed. And ShopifyX SEO V2: The Comprehensive Shopify SEO Course can help you improve your organic search rankings using SEO in this 4.3 star-rated course taught by 4.1 star-rated eCommerce and SEO expert Jono Farrington. 

The Complete Shopify Store Creation Course Bundle gives you the info you need to launch your very own successful online store. And right now you can get access to all this valuable, potentially big-money-making info for just $24.99

The Complete Shopify Store Creation Course Bundle – $24.99

See Deal

Prices subject to change.

<d## data-sc-widget data-publisher-id="469" data-utm-source="allhiphop.com" data-utm-content="in-article-dealfeed"></d##>

Offset’s Son King Kody Earns Praise From Cardi B & Quavo For His New Rap Song

Back in 2019, Offset celebrated fatherhood with his debut studio album, Father of 4. It appears the Migos member’s youngest son, King Kody Cephus, is looking to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

Offset recently posted an Instagram video of King Kody rapping. The Quality Control Music representative captioned the clip, “Kids flexing they new song ‘lamb truck’ 😂.”

King Kody’s performance earned praise from his stepmother Cardi B. The Invasion of Privacy album creator commented, “This song is getting stuck to my head 😩.”

In addition, fellow Migos rap star Quavo shared his thoughts on six-year-old King Kody’s rhymes. The “I’m the One” hitmaker simply added, “😂😂 🔥.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSW55-nnFeL/

King Kody also got positive feedback on Instagram from Rich The Kid and Jas Prince. The “Lamb Truck” video collected more than 2.6 million views and more than 580,000 likes on Ig.

Offset uploaded other videos of King Kody in the past. Last September, Set shared footage of the elementary school student “freestyling” while riding a four-wheeler.

That 2020 performance by King Kody collected over 2.4 million Instagram views and 440,000 Instagram likes. Offset also has a son named Jordan Cephus, a daughter named Kalea Marie Cephus, and a daughter named Kulture Kiari Cephus. Set’s wife, Cardi B, is Kulture’s mother.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE4UVWKpyMM/

Jay-Z and Will Smith Accused of ‘Predatory’ Lending Practices — Are They Exploiting Folk Living a ‘Hard Knock Life?’

Jay-Z and Will Smith’s latest investment says that it has a plan that will help poor people become homeowners through a unique and innovative rent-to-buy model. However, a top Black academic says that she has a “reasonable doubt” regarding the venture, claiming that they are offering a Rags to Riches (ala “Fresh Prince to Bel Aire” level) dream that will ultimately exploit those who currently are living in a “hard knock life.”

Nikole Hannah-Jones, the new Howard University Knight chair in race and journalism, took to social media to blast Landis Technologies, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Will Smith’s Dreamers VC homeownership program, calling it “predatory” in nature. 

“Credit counseling is not what will take low-income renters to homeowners, wealth will,” Hannah-Jones tweeted. “All this program does is charge struggling people additional fees for being poor, which is what every other predatory lender does.”

However, the CEO of Landis Technologies says that she is misinformed about the program that the two rappers dumped $165 million into. Cyril Berdugo stated that in defense of the initiative, “A lot of the things that were said are not true.”

“We really care about financial literacy and financial inclusion for our clients … we are the company that makes people reach homeownership,” he continued by stating that the firm had already “made the decision to never charge for coaching or counseling or anything like that.”

But is this just a quick cover-up statement to protect the two Hip-Hop moguls?

According to the website Landis Technologies’ principal aim “helps renters transition to homeownership.”

Under the “About” section, a page that says at the top “We’re here to help,” the company lays out its plan.

It explains that Landis allows its “customers to select their dream home and rent it for up to 2 years while they get ready for a mortgage,” further stating, “We also offer tools and incentives to our customers to improve their credit and build up their down payment.”

house, garage, driveway-1867187.jpg

Further down it states that it makes money from the rent that is paid to them on the dream home “and the appreciation of the house during the rental period.”

“To make sure we’re always on your side, we don’t talk any commissions or fees from our agents. We also never sell your data to anyone,” the site says. This is probably where the double talk begins for critics like Hannah-Jones as the company never shares how they will make money on the rent.

Traditionally companies with the “rent-to-own” payment structure are considered to have what is called predatory lending practice, believing that they offer an “unfair or abusive loan or credit sale transaction of collection practice. New York State Department of Financial Services considers these programs as no better than payday loans, title loans, and refund anticipation loans, a practice that it doesn’t currently allow. It also has a warning about “Home Equity Programs” and “Rent-to-Own” models.

The Landis website also notes that this program is not in New York, a state with more rigid laws about exploitative rent-to-own models.

Hopefully, Berdugo is right, and more conversation needs to be had.

T.I. Delivers A Message To His “Minions” About Stealing His Style

Clifford “T.I.” Harris is one of the most successful rappers to emerge from Atlanta over the last 25 years. The self-proclaimed King Of The South has been an influential force on Trap music and Hip Hop culture in general.

According to T.I., his influence has led to other artists stealing his style. The Hustle Gang leader addressed those alleged swagger jackers with a message on Instagram.

T.I. posted:

Message to all my minions.
1st. Don’t forget who taught you it was OK to be KING👑
2nd. Replicas can NEVER replace REAL…
But go off tho👑
3. If we being honest…Y’all can’t even f## wit a picture of me👑

@troubleman31 Instagram

With a discography that includes 2003’s Trap Muzik, 2004’s Urban Legend, 2007’s T.I. vs. T.I.P., 2008’s Paper Trail, and 2020’s The L.I.B.R.A., T.I. has racked up multiple Platinum and Gold plaques. He also starred in films such as ATL, American Gangster, and Ant-Man.

T.I. made headlines in recent weeks for news coverage not related to his music career. The 40-year-old Grammy winner faced backlash for his comments about Lil Nas X in defense of DaBaby, and Tip was recently arrested in Amsterdam following an incident with a police officer.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TIP (@tip)

Kanye West’s Second ‘Donda’ Listening Event Breaks Apple Music Livestream Record

On August 5, Kanye West held his second Donda listening party in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The presentation was streamed live on Apple Music.

According to Billboard, the second Donda event was the most-watched live stream in Apple Music history. 5.4 million viewers reportedly watched the show.

Kanye West also hosted a Donda listening party in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22. Many of his fans expected the album to drop the day after each event, but the project is still unreleased at the moment.

Respectfully Justin talk show host Justin Laboy originally tweeted Donda would arrive the week of July 18. Plus there were reports the album would be released on August 6.

A pre-add page on Apple Music suggested August 13 is Donda‘s release date. However, Apple’s iTunes Store presents August 15 as the expected day listeners will get to finally hear Kanye West’s upcoming tenth studio album.

While Donda has yet to land on DSPs, a list of features was revealed. Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Jay Electronica, The Lox, Jay-Z, The Weeknd, Lil Baby, and more acts are expected to appear on the LP.

Lil Nas X Will Not Talk About Homophobia In Hip-Hop Because He Could Get Killed

Lil Nas X believes that he might get killed if he speaks on “Gay Hate” in the Hip-Hop community.

Does he have a legitimate fear or is he feeding into a narrative of Black toxic masculinity put forth by the LGBTQIA+ agenda makers?

During an interview with Variety magazine the Lithia Springs native refused to talk about backlash, bigotry, and hate that he has received because of his sexuality.

He also didn’t want to talk about other rappers who spew hateful rhetoric regarding queer people.

He said, “ The honest truth is, I don’t want to speak on a lot of the homophobia within rap because I feel like this is a very dangerous playing field.”

“It’s more for my own safety rather than anything else,” he added.

Statistics do say that he is unsafe as a flamboyant gay Black man in the hyper-masculine rap culture, a space where he could be mocked, teased, or beat down.

According to a study done in 2013 by the University of Michigan “According to the theories of Gerbner et al. (2002), adolescents are most likely to adopt opinions on LGBT identity and individuals from mass media, due to the paucity of information, they receive about alternative sexualities from other sources. Moreover, 58% of African-American young adults (aged 15-25), 45% of Latino young adults, and 23% of Caucasians in that age group listened to rap every day in 2007 (Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, 2007), suggesting that young adults are particularly susceptible to the influence of messages contained in this genre.”

“Within the young adult age group, homophobic messages may be particularly influential for men, due to the fact that men are more likely to hold negative views concerning homosexuality than women (Herek, 2002),” the report further says.

“Furthermore, heterosexual men generally view gay men less favorably than they view lesbian women, possibly because they view gay men as a threat to their masculine status (Herek, 2002). Indeed, Pascoe (2005) found that the threat of homosexuality or the threat of being labeled as homosexual is a strong force in the masculinization of adolescent men. The author explains “‘Fag’ may be used as a weapon with which to temporarily assert one’s masculinity by denying it to others” (p. 342).”

To make it worst, hate crimes targeting Blacks and gays was on a rise in 2020, and Hip-Hop is a vacuum that often celebrates violence (intellectually, emotionally, and physically through its music).

Lil Nas X knows this and told Variety why he feels unsafe.

“… A lot of times, absolutely,” he says. “Especially after [‘Montero’]. There was literally someone who chased my car a few days after that video came out, yelling, ‘F### you!’ or something. And that’s when I actually started getting security.”

He concedes that this might be connected, he said, “I feel like it couldn’t be a coincidence.”

This comes after fellow Southern rapper and “Panini” collaborator DaBaby made headlines for making derogatory statements about gays and misinformed comments about HIV and AIDS.

While the “Old Town Road” rapper has not addressed it, his dad has.

Nas X’s dad said something on an Instagram story, captured by @amadijuana. He said, “Bruh sit down you had your time.”

https://twitter.com/amadijuana/status/1419890758476312608

The image that Daddy X posted was of his son with Da Baby and played a song that the two artists made together.

DaBaby apologized for his rant, but not after losing millions of dollars in concerts, endorsements, and fans. AllHIpHop.com reported earlier this week, another venue canceled his show.

Breakthrough the Stratosphere with Foletown’s “Atmosphere”

containing three amazing songs. One of the more popular songs among these was “Atmosphere” which can help set a calm and chill mood. The song uplifts the mood of any place, at any time.

Upon its initial release “Atmosphere” was trending on the internet as the following for it kept rising slowly. It represents the unique style of Nick’s music and puts a twist on it with its mellow beats and tunes. Nick is an upcoming artist but there is no doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with. 

“Atmosphere” is nothing short of a masterpiece from Nick. The song launched him into the limelight. It was truly a masterful composition of sound that just made sense. With flawless production and mastering from Rumor Records, no wonder “Atmosphere” was an instant hit. 

So, if you are on the lookout for a new artist with a song that will blow your mind, look no further. Nick’s unique style and catchy tunes are sure to satisfy you and your music needs. With his talent and skill, we believe that in the coming years, Nick is sure to stir up storms with his tracks. We are eagerly waiting for it.

Listen to Atmosphere below:

8 Ball’s “Can’t Stop Me Now” has made him unstoppable

“Can’t Stop Me Now,” 8 Ball’s#### single, upon its release, broke records on all streaming platforms across the world. Overnight, the song became a major hit, catapulting 8 Ball’s career to new heights.

“Can’t Stop Me Now” was released a few weeks ago. No one saw it coming. Fans were caught off guard. When you listen to it, it actually makes you feel invincible, as you believe you can accomplish anything.

8 Ball is a talented musician, as his music demonstrates. His one-of-a-kind compositions, musical arrangements, and vocal stylings all come together to produce masterpieces. He is also a great remixer. He remixed Mahalo’s#### single “Got That Love”.  “Can’t Stop Me Now” is a song that hooks you on, as you won’t be able to stop listening to it once you’ve heard it.

The success of “Can’t Stop Me Now” can be felt all across social media. Everyone who’s anyone is talking about it. It’s almost as if the release of “Can’t Stop Me Now” is a declaration of 8 Ball’s reign that is coming soon. 

Listen to the song here: