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.
“Queen s### b####!” Queen Key has officially released her highly-anticipated new project, Your Highness 3.
While the Chicago native may have her hands full being a mother to her three triplets (@keyplusthree), her love for music has reached even greater heights, proving over and over again exactly why she’s the Queen of this rap game.
Clocking in at 25 tracks, Your Highness 3 reels in all-star guest appearances from fellow Chicago natives G Herbo and Polo G, Yung Baby Tate, Tay Money, Kidd Kenn, and Lil Zay Osama. Serving as the third installment to her Your Highness series which came into fruition in 2017, the album is spearheaded by lead singles “Too Hot” and “Don’t Save Him,” featuring her BFF India.
To coincide with the album release, Queen also releases the official music video for “What I Do.”
Chicago is home to many elites in the rap game, and Queen Key is here to take her throne. Exploding onto the scene with her viral single “My Way” in 2017, which 4 years later saw a revival when clips of Kim and Khloe Kardashian dancing to the record surfaced on social media, Queen flexes her ability to spit bars and talk her s### over trapped-out production.
Best known for her Eat My P#### projects, Queen broke the internet when she revealed she was pregnant with triplets. And still, the grind continues. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Queen released her remix of Cardi B’s “WAP” titled “BAP,” which even saw the superstar posting Queen to her hundreds of millions of followers on Instagram.
In addition to the release of Your Highness 3, Queen is excited as ever to be making her debut in the acting world, starring in the movie “Loud Burger” slated to be released sometime this year.
On the business tip, she is gearing up to release her own cannabis strain called Keybo, a spin off Deybo’s character in the classic film Friday
Legendary Digital Underground founder Shock G will be honored later this month during a celebration in Oakland.
According to TMZ, a day long tribute will take place throughout the city on August 21.
The celebration will begin in the morning, when the rapper’s family and friends will take to the streets to feed 2,000 homeless community members.
After the event, a motorcade will ride through Oakland and make its way to City Hall, where Shock G’s Life and legacy will be celebrated.
A variety of speakers will be on hand, and there will also be live music and performances as well.
The night will end with a party at a venue called The New Parish in Oakland, where Digital Underground and Shock G’s music will be in heavy rotation throughout the night.
Last month, to Oakland City Council Members introduced a resolution to declare August 25 Shock G day in the city.
“Shock G’s creative vision and artistic brilliance was instrumental to Digital Underground’s success and an essential part of the historic legacy of Oakland hip-hop, which has achieved national and global significance. August 25th shall henceforth be known as ‘Digital Underground Day’ in the City of Oakland, California, and Shock G shall be paid tribute on this day in 2021,” the resolution said.
When country music is mentioned, what comes to mind is the image of cowboy hats, old worn out boots or guitar pickers accompanied by harmonies and melodies that imitate the Country Roots lifestyle. But, the truth about country music is the lasting appeal
making it one of the most popular and entertaining music genres that sounds sweet to the ears.
JD Hardy, a rising talent in country music from Bakersfield, CA, is a force to reckon with in the music industry. A songwriter and singer, JD Hardy started his music journey right from his childhood and has increased his reach to be where he is today. Drawing his inspirations from his father and grandmother, who were talented country recording artists, Hardy grew up surrounded by country music and country gospel. This kindled the passion in him, and when he hit his adult years, Hardy started writing his own music with a unique sound.
A crowd-pleaser, Hardy is highly recognized in the music scenes due to his distinctive voice, electrifying sound, and vibrant performances. In fact, his unrivalled sound opened doors for Hardy, and in 2005, he signed a deal with Sony Nashville courtesy of Ray Ruff, former Curb Records president and VP for Motown Records. Unfortunately, Ray suffered a heart attack that would end his life, an incident that adversely affected Hardy’s music career.
Despite this significant setback, Hardy, armed with determination, persistence and a never-say-die spirit, had to re-focus on his music career. He later got an opportunity to work with Castle Records and released his self-titled debut album. The album captured his fans’ attention, and they couldn’t wait to see and hear more of Hardy’s captivating tracks. The talented musician had more in store for his growing fan base, and in 2013, he released another single, “Rebels With A Cause”. Three years later, he released another dubbed “Country Saves Me”.
Recently, Hardy has caused a stir in the music airwaves through his ten-track single, “Killer”. Based on the new album’s title, his audience has actually called the album an absolute ‘killer’. The lyrical prowess, high-energy commanding vocals and unmatched sound on the tracks have proved Hardy to be a promising country music star and an exceptional talent to watch out for. The album has enjoyed immense success on the country music charts.
According to Hardy, it is best to follow your heart and work with confidence. His style of country music is influenced by star-studded artists, such as Merle Haggard and Hank Williams Jr. Hardy had to create his unique sound and style to stand out from the rest.
“Killer” has seen massive crowds flooding his social media platforms to enjoy the fascinating country vibes.
Hardy is gaining momentum in the country music industry, and is prudently following the footsteps of the present icons, such as Mark Chesnutt, Trace Adkins, Easton Corbin, Randy Houser, and Tyler Farr. It’s only a matter of time for Hardy to blow out and dominate the country music arenas.
“Never give up! Stay on course even when everything seems stagnant. Don’t lose your focus. Be persistent, determined and work hard towards achieving your dreams, and you will appreciate the rewards.”
Kenneth Petty was arrested in March of 2020, after he moved from New York to California to be close to Nicki Minaj, who was pregnant with their first child.
According to TMZ Kenneth Petty agreed to deal with prosecutors and decided to plead guilty to one count of failing to register.
In return, a judge is expected to give Petty a lighter sentence for taking the plea deal.
The mandatory minimum for the crime is 5 years of supervised probation, but that’s better than the alternative he was facing which is up to 10 years in prison, and a lifetime of supervision.
Kenneth Petty is not out of the woods until the judge determines his sentence, which could include prison time.
In 1995, Kenneth Petty was convicted for felony attempted rape with a knife in Queens, NY and served four years in prison for the crime and he was ordered to register as a sex offender in the state of New York.
Petty also pled guilty to manslaughter charges in 2006 over the 2002 death of Lamont Robinson in an unrelated case which reportedly caused Petty to serve seven years in prison.
After dropping the sequel to his Grammy Award-winning album King’s Disease, a project (King’s Disease IIthat included Eminem, EPMD and Lauryn Hill, Nas has plopped into our laps another creative gem.
He will be partnering with the San Diego Symphony to present a new live version of his classic 1994 debut album, Illmatic on Tuesday, August 10.
At 32, Lopez-Yañez has established his name as one of the premier conductors that merges the beauty and robust nature of large orchestras with the common but popular spirit of commercial music.
His day-to-day job is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Nashville Symphony where he leads the Symphony’s Pops Series and Family Series.
Tuesday’s show will be held at The Shell at Jacobs Park at 7:30 p.m. and tickets will run you between $55 to $200.
This will not be Nas’ first time performing Illmatic live.
In 2014, he worked with the iconic National Symphony Orchestra to perform the classic project that included songs like “Life’s a B**ch,” “One Love,” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.”
This particular performance made history as Nas was the first and only rapper to ever perform with the National Symphony Orchestra, had it air on PBS as a “Great Performances” episode and produced a live recording for fans to purchase.
Nas will be turning 48 in a little over a month. So far, he is celebrating with a gang of amazing projects.
His King’s Disease 2 dropped on Friday, August 6 and he is one of the principal fundraisers at the Universal Hip Hop Museum, launching an initiative to help get other influencers to become patrons of the institution, created to honor the culture he loves so much.
The rapper, whose real name is Corey Miller, who is currently serving a life sentence at the the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center for a crime he said he did not commit, is now going to be represented by Benjamin Crump and Ronald Haley Jr.
In a statement, the two attorneys both said, “the Louisiana Department of Corrections and the warden of Elayn Hunt are not enforcing mask mandates or requiring correctional officers to get vaccinated despite the fact that people who are incarcerated continue to endure some of the worst conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the lack of social distancing practices, not getting access to proper hygiene and disinfectants, and not receiving adequate medical care.
“No one in the State of Louisiana is sentenced to contract COVID-19 nor die from it. There are far too many people who are unreasonably compromised due to existing medical conditions and older age who will suffer or die due to the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. There is no form of justice that should allow this level of neglect for the health and safety of those who are incarcerated.
“Mr. Miller maintains his innocence and we are diligently working with his legal defense team to free him, but in the meantime, we are monitoring the conditions at Elayn Hunt and are considering taking legal action.
“We stand with Mr. Miller and everyone who is incarcerated who are in fear of losing their lives due to the pandemic and inhumanity of the correctional system. We demand that the Department of Corrections act immediately.”
With these two titans of courts behind him, freedom seems in his grasp. Hopefully, C-Murder will get to see his friends, family and fans soon.
While fans are waiting for Frank Ocean to release some new music, the Queer creative is launching new businesses — shifting his creativity to other mediums like fine jewelry.
The “In My Room” chart-topper is known for being revolutionary.
And his company Homer takes a huge leap, hoping to revolutionize lifestyle culture.
Described as an “independent American luxury company,” the first collection is over the top pop art jewelry pieces. He is currently selling silk scarves, different types of diamond-encrusted bracelets, cartoon-colored enamel pendants, and gold “OK” rings.
“Frank cites “Childhood obsessions” and “Heritage as a fantasy” as the inspiration behind the designs,” Pigeon and Planes reports.
Frank Ocean announces new luxury company, Homer.
The first collection consists of "fine and high jewelry pieces, plus printed silk scarves." Frank cites "Childhood obsessions" and "Heritage as a fantasy" as the inspiration behind the designs.
Each piece is made in America (New York) and created by hand overseas in Italy, hoping to insure premium quality to justify the $435 to $1.9 million price tags connected to various items.
One of his partners on this enterprise is Prada (a piece not yet released).
For three years, Ocean has been working on bringing this to life. Now, his dream is a reality. He is planning to open a store in the Jewelry Exchange.
Once this store is up, customers will be able to purchase uncut gems — and will push the brand to compete with popular jewelers Ben Baller and Jacob the Jeweler.
He might not be off his square. Rihanna took the leap into lifestyle and beauty brands three years ago, and now she is a billionaire and the richest female musician in the world.
She is the second richest female entertainer in the world. She is bested only by Oprah Winfrey.
A Philadelphia judge has finally sentenced rapper Dark Lo (whose real name is Charles Salley) in a case that linked the rapper to gang violence and drug smuggling.
The federal court hit him with 7 ½ years, stating that the emerging artist should have known better.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, U.S. District Judge Mark A. Kearney acknowledged that the “A Cold Dish” rapper had too much to lose teetering in the music business and in the streets.
However, he still handed down almost a decade long sentence, after convicting Dark Lo of threatening a witness in the case. Earlier this year, Dark Lo pleaded guilty to these charges.
The artist apologized to the court for insinuating to a government witness that he could get “stabbed up” if he testified against his friend and labelmate Abdul “AR-Ab” West, during that rapper’s criminal case in 2019.
The rapper mailed a threatening letter to a member of the crew named Donte “Taz” Stewart, who flipped and cooperated with government.
The letter threatened violence against the witness and the witness’ girlfriend if the witness told the truth during his testimony.
Dark Lo showed up in court during AR-Ab’s 2019 trial, on the day of Tez’s testimony. The feds caught wind of the letter, and arrested Dark Lol at his home in Delaware and charged him with witness tampering for sending the letter.
Dark Lo shared that he didn’t mean to intimidate anyone.
The judge, after viewing all of this evidence, noting how he changed his life from hustling drugs on the street and addiction to having a real chance at being a commercial rapper, said: “You’re the wordsmith. You chose those words. …You know how to write words to create an effect.”
Dark Lo was down with Original Block Hustlaz, a gangsta rap label founded by AR-Ab, who was sentenced to 45 years in prison for running a drug empire.
Because of this case and others, the promise of Hip-Hop gold is dulling for these Philly emcees.
Lizzo is teaching fans all about twerking in a new TED Talk about the history of the sexy dance move.
On Tuesday, the “Good as Hell” singer gave audience members at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California a full history of the booty-shaking dance that has its origins in West Africa.
In a preview clip shared by TED Talks bosses on Instagram, Lizzo begins her chat – which she dubs a “TED Twerk” – by noting her “ass” has been a “topic of conversation” for many years.
“My ass has been in magazines, Rihanna gave my ass a standing ovation,” Lizzo quips during the monologue.
And though she used to consider it the “least favorite part” of her body, she’s come to realize her butt is actually her “greatest asset” – thanks to her twerking expertise.
Lizzo’s full TED Talk is expected to be released this autumn.
Miley Cyrus has reached out to embattled rapper DaBaby to offer education and compassion following his homophobic outburst at the Rolling Loud Miami festival.
DaBaby hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons after poking fun at AIDS and HIV sufferers during his set last month.
Miley posted an Instagram message urging the rap star to reach out to her, offering “love, acceptance, and open-mindedness” instead of “canceling” the star.
“As a proud and loyal member of the LGBTQIA+ community, much of my life has been dedicated to encouraging love, acceptance, and open-mindedness,” she wrote.
“The internet can fuel a lot of hate & anger and is the nucleus of cancel culture,” she wrote in her post, “but I believe it can also be a place filled with education, conversation, communication & connection… It’s easier to cancel someone than to find forgiveness and compassion in ourselves or take the time to change hearts and minds.”
“There’s no more room for division if we want to keep seeing progress! Knowledge is power! I know I still have so much to learn!”
She also tagged DaBaby, asking him to check his DMs (direct messages).
“Would love to talk and see how we can learn from each other and help be part of making a more just and understanding future. She also tagged the non-profit organization Greater Than Aids as a “great resource” as well as her own Happy Hippie Foundation.
Megan Thee Stallion is creating a “wild” virtual reality (VR) theatrical experience for fans.
Meg has signed an agreement with AmazeVR to create a one-of-a-kind immersive show set in an imaginary world and it will be available to watch in theaters, through headsets at home, and pop-up events.
“Creativity is limitless in the world of virtual reality, which means the concepts and ideas I have can also be limitless,” Megan said in a statement.
“I am so excited to work with AmazeVR to take my wild ideas and make them into a virtual reality for all my fans to see. Get ready!”
Ernest Lee, co-chief executive officer of AmazeVR, added, “Megan Thee Stallion is a true artist. We are putting together a show unlike anything that’s been done before. It will be an epic, yet personal, performance that allows anyone to feel like they are right there with Megan for a shared experience.”
Creative director Lewis James, who will oversee the new venture, is known for his work with artists including Post Malone, Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Travis Scott. He will work closely with the star’s team to design all aspects of the show.
Kids, back in the day, Kanye West and Jay-Z released an album called Watch The Throne. The album dropped 10 years ago this month, on August 8, 2011. This is nearly to the day! Well, you saw the headline! Here is the big reveal: they are going to do it again. Now, the moment I heard Jay on Kanye’s album the first time around, I could see this coming…it wasn’t hard to put two and two together. But there’s more…
They are supposed to be dropping this bad boy by the end of the year. Are you not entertained?
Well, the rumors are starting to have rumors these days. The fans are not pleased with Mr. West right now. Donda, his highly anticipated album, did not drop a expected today (yet). I wonder if he did a reverse Jay-Z and decided not to drop music on the same day as Nas. Also, there’s the Jadakiss factor. Most Hip-Hop heads are tuned into the dismantling of Dipset and overanalyzing Jadakiss. Kanye may feel a way about eyes being on somebody else despite all the pomp and pageantry of floating in the sky. LOL!!! That was nuts!
J.R. Mckee, the reputed Streaming executive and a songwriter himself, has announced an update to his first course. The Streaming Business 101 Masterclass will teach recording artists the best way of marketing songs to the masses and help them start the process of building a loyal fan base and revenue.
“We are happy to announce The Streaming Business 101 Masterclass for entrepreneurial recording artists,” says J.R. McKee, the respected A&R and marketing executive. “In this complete course, I teach my entire system. streaming executives like myself use to consistently blow up new artists on digital streaming platforms. The course reveals everything you want to know about DSP’s & record labels that no one else would ever reveal.”
The distribution part of the music business course includes information about the different DSPs and how each works and how to run as an independent artist and self-distribute your music. It also offers information about label services, what to look for in them, and the inner working process of major labels.
The Streaming Business 101 Masterclass is an extremely impactful course and can really help artists and labels break new grounds and increase revenue.
The DSP’S part of the course covers topics like hacking the streaming platforms. Artists are provided an insider view about the working of the various streaming services and how they can be utilized for success.
A valuable piece of information offered in this segment is the algorithm processes of top streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Pandora, Tidal, Amazon, and how artists can leverage this information to boost the chances of success for their music.
They can also learn how each platform has different pitch tools to get albums prioritized for play-listing.The Streaming Business 101 Masterclass streaming business course decodes the working of the streaming cycle to remain consistent in rankings.
It unveils the ’52 Songs a Year’ strategy and shows why this strategy is vital for the success of any album. J. R Mckee also reveals how to use project and song rollouts to get major pushes from DSPs.
Recording artists can learn valuable information about critical areas of the music business such as streaming revenue and how artists get paid. They can know more about DSP payouts and learn tricks to maximize their revenue. The course helps them identify the KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) they must focus on boosting revenue.
The course offers exclusive free bonuses in the form of additional information such as Fan Base Hacking, Content Secrets, Home Studio Guide, Dream Team Guide, and more.
The biggest bonus is The Streaming Business 101 Masterclass – 202 upgrade which comes with a host of features such as identifying the target audience, 90-day marketing roadmap, building a brand, marketing budget, pre-release checklist, and post-release tasks.
New Event Alert! :
“If you market music and you want $10,000 put into your song. Listen closely. Artists managers labels, pay attention, Atlanta, Georgia August 28 at the Sheraton Hotel on 165 Courthouse Street NE, I’m putting on the first ever streaming seminar showing you everything you need to know to turn your streams into dollars.
I’m bringing my guy Spitty from supreme marketing, he’ll be showing you everything you need to know when it comes to digitally marketing your record, and I’m bringing expert CJ to cover how to run ads on your music. If you make music, you need to be here.
We’re doing a music review, and the winner will get $10,000 put into them on the spot. Space is limited so sign up now for the first ever streaming seminar. And if you’re really serious about your business. Don’t miss the roundtable I’m doing afterwards. Only 30 seats, so I can get to know you and we can strategize on how to blow your streams up” says J.R. McKee. So if your interested, just log onto his website below!
For more information about the course and to enroll click here: https://www.streamingbusiness101.com
For more information about J. R Mckee, visit http://jrmckee.co
About J.R. Mckee:
J.R Mckee is a respected A&R and streaming executive, a sought-after manager, and a hit songwriter in his own right. He is blessed with the ability to visualize outcomes before any move he makes which has helped him contribute, either creatively or executively, to songs that have sold close to 40 million records. McKee has also emerged as a pioneer in the developing DSP/Label Relations space.
The online Masterclass Streaming Business 101 was launched in 2020. The course makes use of case studies from McKee’s own career to teach students the opportunities available in the Steaming Business, including valuable tricks and hacks to grow streaming numbers organically and maintain a fanbase that leads to steady and sustainable numbers.
K-Chrys does it again with his new mind-blowing EP titled “A Brooklyn Story” which includes the blazing hot new hit single “Love Me Never” featuring OneRPM label mate Jared Dylan along with “Pedal Work” as recently heard on the radio globally on Sirius XM’s Shade 45 along with New York City ‘s #1 station Power 105.1.
The project also features the hit song “Lost Boyz Anthem” in which he performed on Nick Cannon’s Wildnout season 15 that recently aired on VH1 in April of 2021 . A Brooklyn Story by K Chrys simply has a fresh new feel like no other and it’s definitely a project we’d recommend everyone to stream with the volume all the way up ! So check it out & tell us what you think .
Over the last week, homophobia has been a major topic in music-related news. “Thot S###” performer Megan Thee Stallion was asked to share her thoughts on LGBTQ acceptance in Hip Hop culture.
“It is about time,” Megan Thee Stallion toldPeople. “Representation is important, and it is really crucial for us all to have compassion and acceptance of every human.”
Megan Thee Stallion’s “Cry Baby” collaborator, DaBaby, was widely criticized for making perceived homophobic comments at the Rolling Loud Miami festival. After first apologizing, DaBaby then spent days doubling and tripling down on the idea that he did not do anything wrong.
“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 at Rolling Loud Miami on July 25.
The North Carolina native continued, “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.”
LGBTQ and AIDS/HIV organizations condemned DaBaby’s statements. Dua Lipa, the Pop singer who released the “Levitating” single featuring DaBaby, expressed she was “horrified” by what the rapper said at Rolling Loud Miami.
Numerous festivals dropped DaBaby from their respective lineups after he reportedly failed to record an apology video. The 29-year-old Interscope signee eventually apologized again on his Instagram account.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFMMBbpc3F/
DaBaby’s on-stage comments about HIV/AIDS and gay men led other heterosexual rappers like T.I. and Boosie Badazz to convey questionable thoughts about the LGBTQ community. However, rap icons like Nas and Jay-Z have shown support for LGBTQ musicians over the last few years.
Nas appeared as a featured act on a remix of Lil Nas X’s “Rodeo” track in 2020. Six months prior, Lil Nas X publicly came out as gay. The “Old Town Road” hitmaker became both a target of homophobia and an inspiration for the LGBTQ community.
Megan Thee Stallion was also caught up in an anti-gay controversy at one point. An old tweet with the word “f#####” attributed to the Good News album creator resurfaced after she became famous. She addressed using the homophobic slur as a high school student.
“I grew up [and] learned how to not be insensitive. I don’t judge anyone I accept everyone as they are no matter their color or sexual preference,” tweeted Megan Thee Stallion in 2018.
I grew up& learned how to not be insensitive. I don't judge anyone I accept everyone as they are no matter their color or sexual preference
Rumors are flying about the possibility of Jay-Z and Kanye West reuniting for a second collaborative album. The two musicians/moguls dominated Hip Hop conversations back in 2011 thanks to the Watch the Throne album.
Are Hov and Ye ready to put out a sequel to Watch the Throne? According to Justin Laboy, fans could see the duo drop the highly-anticipated, follow-up project prior to the calendar switching to 2022.
“Watch The Throne 2 coming end of the year. Kanye & Hov [are] about to make history AGAIN. #Donda #Respectfully,” tweeted the host of Revolt’s Respectfully Justin talk show on Thursday night.
“Hold up, Donda, I’m with your baby when I touch back road. Told him, ‘Stop all of that red cap, we going home.’ Not me, with all of these sins, casting stones. This might be the return of The Throne. Hova and Yeezus, like Moses and Jesus,” raps Jay-Z on an unreleased Donda track.
August 8 will mark the ten-year anniversary of Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne. The album saw instant commercial success in 2011 when it opened at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 436,000 first-week copies sold.
The Throne tapped Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé, and Mr. Hudson as guest artists for the Def Jam/Roc Nation release. Additional vocals were provided by Kid Cudi, Swizz Beatz, and others. The late Soul legend Otis Redding was credited as a feature on the Top 20 hit “Otis.”
Watch the Throne was also critically acclaimed. “Otis” won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 2012. A year later, “N##### in Paris” won Grammys for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild” also won for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2013.
