Swizz Beatz’s eldest son is poised to break into Hollywood after landing his first movie role.
Nasir Dean will make his big screen acting debut in upcoming project “Charge It To The Game,” playing one of four best friends in the coming-of-age drama.
His mother and manager, Nicole Levy, told TMZ Dean was initially approached about moving into acting after appearing in Common’s 2019 video for “Hercules,” which featured his superstar father Swizz.
But he turned down various offers at the time to focus on his own music career under his stage name Note Marcato.
Now Dean is ready to try and make a name for himself in the film and TV industry, and recently auditioned for a role in the second season of hit teen drama series “Euphoria.”
He didn’t get the part, but has now signed on to star in “Charge It To The Game,” which is set to begin filming in Atlanta, Georgia later this month.
In addition to the 20-year-old, full name Prince Nasir Dean, Swizz also has a daughter and three other sons, including two boys with his wife Alicia Keys.
Willow Smith didn’t “believe” being a musician would bring so much “pressure.”
The 20-year-old singer – who was just 13 when she released her debut single “Whip My Hair” – admitted her famous parents, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, were apprehensive about her choice of career because it would be a “lot of work.”
However, she was too young and naive to take their warnings seriously, and eventually found she needed to “take a step back” and figure out her path.
Speaking to the digital issue of V magazine, she said: “I started dancing at the age of seven. I think that was around the time that I was starting to get into doing music.
“But I had made a GarageBand song on the set of ‘Karate Kid’ in China, and I brought it to my parents. I remember being so excited going, ‘Guys, I really think this is what I wanna do. I really think I want to sing.’ And the first thing that they said to me was, ‘Are you sure?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah. I’m sure.
“And they said, ‘Okay, we just want to make sure because it’s going to be a lot of work. We just want you to know that you’re really young. And most of the people who do this are much older than you, and you have to handle a lot more pressure.’ They told me right off the bat.
“I was so young that I just didn’t really believe them. And lo and behold, I got to a place where it was just too much. I just needed to take a step back and figure out what I wanted to do.”
Willow is now facing “an added pressure” because she’s following a more rock direction and she admitted her love of “metal culture” made her a target for bullies when she was younger.
“Being a Black woman in the metal crowd is very, very different on top of the pressures that the music industry puts on you,” she explained. “Now, it’s like an added pressure of the metal culture, the metal world, and just rock in general. I used to get bullied in school for listening to Paramore and My Chemical Romance.”
The cops arrested Dae Dae today (June 9) in Suwanee and charged him with aggravated assault after he flipped out on a 17-year-old employee who did not have the specific donuts he wanted.
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Dae Dae, born Marquavis Goolsby, left Dunkin Donuts in a rage. When he returned to confront the girl inside of the restaurant.
He’s accused of pulling out a knife and slashing the teenager, who suffered a minor injury after she was cut on the arm. Dae Dae fled the scene in his red Audi.
After months of investigating the incident, the cops zeroed in on the 28-year-old “Wat U Mean (Aye, Aye, Aye)” rapper.
Dae Dae denied he was the perpetrator of the attack inside of Dunkin Donuts and he maintains he was framed, but the teen’s lawyers believe they have the right suspect.
“The crazy thing about the entire exchange is that, I believe that he wanted a certain type of donut, or donuts, and they did not have those donuts, apparently,” the girl’s lawyer Kamau Mason told CBS46.
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“Anything To Slammer [sic] My Name Huh❗️ They Would Wanna See Me Dead Or In Jail,” Dae Dae wrote on IG. “It’s Crazy the Type Music I Drop Is Nun But Motivation Music They Treatin me Like A Mass Criminal 🤦🏽♂️ NOT EVEN Trippen Lawyer Paid Up And Ima Drop Faster On You Pussiess😤😤💡💡💙💙 Tell That❗️❗️ Stay Tune WATCHTHIS😶😶.”
Snoop Dogg must have read or heard American writer Mark Twain’s quote, “Behind every successful man, there is a woman,” because the West Coast rap-icon has just appointed his wife Shante Broadus as his official manager.
Shante’s company Boss Lady Entertainment (BLE) will assume the responsibility of management for all of Snoop’s businesses. This role won’t be new to her.
Back in the day, during the early years that defined her husband’s career, it was “The Boss Lady” who was steering the ship.
“Shante has been guiding my career behind the scenes from day one,” says Snoop. “She has always been my final gut check with all my decisions, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. I am grateful to have her as my official manager, helping to build the Snoop Dogg empire together.”
She will oversee Snoop’s partnership deals in various industries like cannabis, spirits, gaming, music, brand partnerships, touring, licensing, and TV/film space.
She will be running the media arm of their empire, diGGital doGG (which includes mobile apps, video games, and a proprietary animation pipeline).
“The industry at large is seeing a major shift in more representation of Black women in key executive roles,” Shante said in a statement. “I am excited to enter this official position, helping to further expand Snoop’s wide-ranging empire.
“I have been by Snoop’s side for over two so together with the rest of the team, our goal is to strengthen Snoop’s legacy as a brand with the loyalty and trust of our guidance that has made Snoop who he is today,” she continued.
The proof is in the pudding.
Her most recent projects included managing Snoop’s role in the Mount Westmore album supergroup featuring Ice Cube, E40, and Too Short.
She worked on the Snoopermarket, Snoop Dogg’s Triller Fight partnerships, the Snoop Youth Football League, and Snoop’s highly anticipated summer tour.
For her own business, she has been rocking the operations for The Compound (a Los Angeles music recording, production, and events space), the ADIDAS Rookie Symposium and her liquor brand, Boss Lady Spirits (which put out “Indoggo Gin” last year).
Shante also produced the 2012 Snoop documentary, “Reincarnated,” and other films.
Shante will also soon be releasing her first book, “Paid the Cost to be the Boss Lady,” which will be a guide and memoir chronicling her life.
Snoop Dogg and his wife, Shante are about to kill the game … again.
“Let the Bandplay!” Once you hear this producer tag, it’s safe to say the record is already a certified smash.
Bandplay is the genius behind the majority of Key Glock’s projects, most notably known for producing fan-favorite “Major” alongside Young Dolph.
Other standout records include French Montana’s “Water,” 50 Cent’s “Ngga Ngga,” and most recently Pooh Shiesty’s “See Me Comin” off his newly-released deluxe album.
The super music producer states, “A lot of people think I’m from Memphis because of the people I work with. Nah, I’m from Middle Tennessee by way of Cashville, Tennessee. Columbia is the hometown, but Memphis is where I really got my feet up and running.”
Bandplay, real name Krishon Gaines, is the definition of a music-lover, inspired by the likes of his brother (who taught him how to make beats), Drumma Boy, Juicy J, and people coming out of the South. His talents and versatility don’t just encompass the genres of rap and hip-hop, but extend to country and beyond.
When he’s not locked in the lab perfecting his craft, he’s spending time at home with his three kids.
AllHipHop: Growing up in Tennessee, did you always have these music aspirations?
Bandplay: Hell yeah, I always wanted to do music. For the most part, I didn’t really know how I was going to do what I wanted to do in the city that I was in, so I was doing other s### of course.
AllHipHop: How did you learn how to produce?
Bandplay: S###, my brother really taught me how to make beats. My blood older brother, he makes a lot of different s### too. He’s the one that taught me how. I really took it and ran with it. I was intrigued by the s###. After that, it was what it was.
AllHipHop: How did you learn though?
Bandplay: Really watching him, then going back and creating my own s###. My whole background and family, everybody does music so it’s in me. A lot of the s###, I picked up along the way.
AllHipHop: How’d you get your name?
Bandplay: Really, I came up with that s### myself. Up in the South, they got a lot of HBCU type bands. Historic Black College bands, I was f###### with they sound. I took the name Bandplay and ran with it. It’s what my sound’s inspired by, big band type s###.
AllHipHop: How did you tap in with Paper Route Empire and Glock?
Bandplay: S###, I was working with Glock at first. I met him through a DJ in Nashville after his first mixtape. After that, I was on. I’ve been on everything since. Everybody knows me and his s### now, me and his sound. When Glock drops, they expecting for it to be on a Bandplay beat.
AllHipHop: “Yellow Tape” is so damn hard. Fondest memories from creating that tape?
Bandplay: S### when we’re in the middle of making that tape, we’re on a European tour. We actually created 3 or 4 of the songs in Paris, France, and Amsterdam. That right there was dope, that whole experience and that being his biggest project to date outside of Dum and Dummer [with Dolph]
AllHipHop: Favorite you’ve done with Key Glock?
Bandplay: Man, “Word On The Streets.” That’s them slaps, for real for real. We did “Word On The Streets” in Paris. I didn’t even want him to rap on that beat. I was trying to get him to rap on another beat and he said “nah, I want to do that one tonight.” I said “f### it.” It went crazy.
AllHipHop: Beyond the music, what is the friendship y’all share?
Bandplay: That’s my guy. Even though Glock younger than me, he carries himself like a n#### that’s my age. I can call him, chop it up with him, do all that type of s###. Great relationship.
AllHipHop: How did you link with Pooh Shiesty on “See Me Comin”?
Bandplay: S### really, I had linked up with TP, his producer as well as his engineer. We had just made some beats and I happened to be in Atlanta one day. I was in a session 6 minutes away, I pulled up. That’s the first beat we played, he hopped straight on that b####. He put it out on the deluxe a week later. The deluxe just came out, we did a song a week before. I swear to God, that was the quickest turn around ever.
AllHipHop: How was it working with him?
Bandplay: S### was hard, bro knocked that s### out fast as well. He freestyles, he goes straight in the mic and goes in.
AllHipHop: You’re working with OT Genasis tonight. How did that play happen?
Bandplay: Hell yeah, that’s my boy. Me and OT got a good relationship. We got a lot of unreleased records that’s about to drop, hopefully this year. He got some little s### he’s about to put out, for real for real. Outside of that, we got a good relationship. Every time I come to LA, he pulls up on me whether we working or not.
AllHipHop: Talk about your new deal with Sony publishing.
Bandplay: I did that probably late last year, pretty much elevating myself to work with a bigger genre of artists. Moving around, trying to get my sound out. A lot of people think I just know how to make rap beats, I know how to do a little bit of everything.
AllHipHop: Like what?
Bandplay: I know how to do country s###. I did 5 albums with a country artist, his name is Ryan Upchurch.
AllHipHop: You like country though?
Bandplay: I mean, it is what it is. [laughs] It is what it is.
AllHipHop: When did you come up with the idea for Street Orchestra? That was early in your career.
Bandplay: Hell yeah, that s### right there was easy. Growing up in Nashville, being there you don’t have no choice but to run into an artist doing country music. Outside of that, Street Orchestra is my production team. I got 6 producers signed to me. We got that s### going on. They getting placements. They’ve been on the last couple Dolph and Glock albums, just working my moves. I’m trying to big homie their thang.
AllHipHop: Why the desire to help others?
Bandplay: Man s###, I know at the end of the day, I ain’t gonna be able to make all the beats. Why not f### with some people that I genuinely f### with?
AllHipHop: Talk about owning the Skywalker room in Deafstar Studios in Atlanta.
Bandplay: Hell yeah, got a studio with Dun Deal the producer. He owns a room and we own a second room inside of that building. That right there alone lets me meet a lot of people in Atlanta as far as f###### around with the producers and artists, because everybody be coming to that studio now.
AllHipHop: Do you stay in Atlanta?
Bandplay: Nuh uh, I stay in Nashville.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Bandplay: Definitely need some gas for sure. You know what type of gas I need, that’s for sure. Water, I drink a lot of water. And I need to be left the f### alone. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Really? There’s a lot of people in there.
Bandplay: I know, but they don’t be bothering me when I’m doing my thing. I was in there making a beat and everybody was quiet while I’m making the beat. It’s a respect thing. N*ggas aren’t talking like a m###########. It’s hard though. [laughs]
AllHipHop: What collabs are you most excited for?
Bandplay: Man, it’s a lot of s### finna come out. Course, working on a new Glock project. A new Dolph project, all that s### brewing. We got a new artist named Snupe Bandz we’re putting out on Paper Route, that s### finna be so hard. I got tons of bodies of work, poppin’ mixtapes. I’m excited.
AllHipHop: Goals for yourself?
Bandplay: I’m trying to get a Grammy man, that’s my main goal. I want to bring home some type of Grammy one day.
AllHipHop: Anyone you want to work with?
Bandplay: I gotta get me a Drake record, for sure. Gotta get me a Drake record. Really, anybody I know is gonna do my music right.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do when you’re not producing?
Bandplay: I like to be with my kids. I got 3 little babies. I got three kids. I really be in the house with them when I ain’t out working, moving around, taking care of the business.
AllHipHop: Do they know dad is this all-star producer?
Bandplay: I don’t think they know. They know I make music and I be in the studio, but I don’t think they know who I am.
Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Keanu Reeves will front the voice cast for the upcoming animated movie “DC League of Super-Pets.’
Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, John Krasinski, Diego Luna, and Natasha Lyonne will also be part of the project, which has a release date of May, 20, 2022.
Johnson and his production company partners at Seven Bucks are producing, while Jared Stern and Sam Levine are co-directors.
The film is based on characters from DC’s “Superman,” created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Johnson confirmed the casting news in a tweet on Tuesday, writing: “Ladies, gents and children of ALL AGES it’s my absolute pleasure to INTRODUCE our star studded @DCLeagueOfSuperPets cast playing our league of two and four-legged heroes and villains!
“Our @sevenbucksprods has again partnered with @dccomics and writer/director Jared Stern to bring you and your families SUPERHERO & SUPER VILLAIN FUN around the world. @kevinhart4real @vanessabayer @johnkrasinski @diegoluna_ @natashalyonne and Keanu Reeves! The hierarchy of power in the DC UNIVERSE is about to change.”
Beyonce’s mother has silenced speculation suggesting her superstar daughter suffers from social anxiety.
Tina Knowles-Lawson took to Instagram to silence the rumors, after a fan put together a collage of pictures of Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z at public events, where the rap mogul has frequently been caught on camera rubbing his wife’s leg, a move which has since been coined the “Jayonce leg rub.”
He was spotted doing the same on Saturday night as the hip-hop supercouple enjoyed a date courtside at the NBA playoff game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets in New York City, prompting gossip-mongers to claim it was Jay-Z’s way of easing the singer’s anxiety.
However, Tina insists it’s just their way of showing affection, as it’s something she and her husband, actor Richard Lawson, also do whenever they are together.
Reposting the collage on her Instagram page, Tina wrote, “When you love someone and like them you just want to touch them ! Me and Richard are always touching even if it’s just our feet ! Yeah!! That’s what you do!”
“For those of you who don’t understand , Try it sometimes it works !!” she shared. “Human Touch is how you stay connected!!”
She then addressed the anxiety rumors directly, continuing, “So comical people saying she has anxiety in public and that’s why he touches her ! Lord people !!!! Yal can turn something good and healthy into something That it’s not !!! Stop that!!!!!”
“BTW (by the way) if someone has anxiety then it is great for their partner to touch them to calm and reassure them. That’s a beautiful thing . It just happens to be not the case here (sic),” she added.
Beyonce and Jay-Z have been married since 2008 and share three children together – nine-year-old daughter Blue, and twins Sir and Rumi, who turn four on Sunday.
College-educated rapper Megan thee Stallion is showing her fans what it is by establishing a scholarship at Long Island University for students interested in the music business.
In addition to the scholarship, she will personally impact their education as a participant in their “Industry Expert Speaker Series,” where she won’t only be talking about “body-oddy-oddy.”
Students will have the opportunity to hear about Meg’s industry enterprise and various aspects of how she moves like a boss.
A student herself, she shares, “Getting an education is incredibly important to me. I still have academic goals that I want to achieve, so if I can use my resources to open doors and create opportunities for at least one student, then it’s a victory.”
“It’s important that we encourage our students to pursue their passions and put them in positions to become the next game-changer in whichever fields they choose,” she continued.
Megan leads by example, showing that you simply can’t give up no matter what challenges (good or bad). Despite her hectic schedule as a top-charting superstar, she is also studying Health Care Administration at Texas Southern University.
With her degree, she plans to open and manage assisted-living facilities in her hometown. She has stayed the course despite losing her mom in 2019, getting shot, a demanding recording itinerary, press, tours, and the thousands of other things that may distract her.
In 2020, Nicki Minaj (her O.G.) noticed just how hard she was working and gave her props.
Prospective students looking to get undergraduate degrees in applied music; music technology, entrepreneurship and production; sports communication and marketing; sports management; and vocal performance– can apply for Megan’s scholarship opportunity at apply.liu.edu/rn.
The first classes, which will also see producer 9th Wonder as a member of the faculty as a visiting professor and artist in residence, start in the Fall 2021 semester.
Hip-Hop superstar Drake has teamed up with Live Nation Canada officials to launch an intimate new concert venue in his Toronto hometown.
The “God’s Plan” hitmaker has helped to develop History, a 2,500-capacity event space which aims to play host to 200 concerts a year and offer music fans a more up close and personal experience with their favorite acts.
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“Some of my most memorable shows were playing smaller rooms like History,” Drake shared in a statement. “I wanted to take those memories and what I learned to create an incredible experience for both the artists and the fans.”
Live Nation Entertainment President and CEO Michael Rapino says: “We saw an opportunity to bring Toronto a great new venue, and we have so much gratitude and respect for Drake teaming up with us to bring it to life in the best way possible.”
And Live Nation Canada Chairman Riley O’Connor adds, “History will offer guests up-close experiences with their favorite artists that are unrivaled in Toronto. We take pride in and expect History to become an important part of the community.”
Construction on History, which has been in development for more than three years, is expected to be completed this summer, and the space is due to open later this year.
Kim Kardashian has vowed to love Kanye West “for life” after paying tribute to her estranged husband on social media.
The superstar couple is currently in the midst of a divorce, but that didn’t stop the reality TV beauty from expressing her feelings about the father of her four children as she celebrated his 44th birthday online.
She posted an old photo of the pair during happier times, as Kim and Kanye posed with their three older kids, taken when now-three-year-old daughter Chicago was an infant.
“Happy Birthday Love U for Life!” she captioned the image.
Kim, who pulled the plug on their 2014 marriage in February, also uploaded a full family photo on her Instagram Story timeline, as well as a Polaroid picture of the Stronger hitmaker from 1987, adding, “Happy BDay.”
Her social media tributes emerged shortly after sister Khloe Kardashian proved she, too, still had love for Kanye as she wished him well on his special day.
Posting a photo of Kim, Kanye, Khloe, and her on/off boyfriend Tristan Thompson posing in the middle of a clear, blue sea, she wrote, “Happy birthday to my brother for life!!! Have the best birthday Ye! Sending you love and endless blessings!!”
Meanwhile, the rapper and designer marked the occasion himself by dropping the first item from his new Gap collection online.
He unveiled the Round Jacket, a blue puffer-style jacket without any zippers, buttons, or snaps, online on Tuesday.
The unisex outerwear, priced at $200, is made from recycled nylon and features a Yeezy Gap logo tag, and is set to ship out to customers this autumn.
Kanye first modeled the coat during an outing in Los Angeles last week, despite the hot temperatures, a year after announcing his new deal with Gap retail bosses to provide “modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points”.
It’s not yet known when further Yeezy Gap pieces will be released.
“Tmrrw” is a new album by the Hip Hop collective known as “Chairmen of the Bars”. Consisting of 13 tracks with a runtime of roughly 43 minutes, “Tmrrw” is a concise project which touches on several topics ranging from Black empowerment, to historical injustice & inequality, even down to the current pandemic the world faces. Over sonically sharp production, the conglomerate of MC’s in the group share social commentary which addresses the plight of the Black Race in this country while giving jewels of thoughtful content for the consumer to digest.
On this particular project, each MC in the group approaches the material in a conversational type of manner to convey the message of the songs they are trying to get across. While the MC’s in the “Chairmen of the Bars” each have their own distinctive style & approach, each contribute equally to the streamlined mission of the album. Comprised of lyrics, concepts & ideas to make one think, “Tmrrw” achieves it’s goal over the course album in doing just that. As an appetizer, the album opens with “Watch”, a track featuring a single verse which accurately and succinctly touches on the state of black affairs in the world today. This ultimately bleeds into the eerily reflective “The Silencer”.
Through verses and narration, “The Silencer” touches on the topic of racism in various forms and the recent acts of police brutality & murder of unarmed black people. On “Contagion”, the Chairmen speak on the coronavirus and the general level of distrust often shared in the black community regarding vaccinations due to historical actions against us: “We need repair, slavery ain’t our inheritance, don’t trust their science or Presidents, trust the evidence, Tuskegee Experiments…”. Other tracks like “Earth Seed” and “Crack a Book” respectively share messages of uplifting our Black Queens and give encouragement to learn & educate ourselves on issues that affect us. “Rhythm Blues” targets the various hardships & struggles of the Black Race and essentially declares how the world “Loves the culture but not our traditions”. “Black Colossus” closes out the album on a strong note and focuses on empowerment, motivation and being self-sufficient with a catchy chorus that you may find yourself reciting over and over: “I’m feeling good ya’ll from my pain and losses, come to find out? I’m the Black Colossus!”.
Overall, this is a nice project that is definitely worth a listen if you are looking for more thought-provoking Hip Hop to consume. As previously mentioned, the album’s themes and messages are designed to educate and make you think. The MC’s in the group all complement one another and deliver their verses over production that ranges from drum filled, boom bap beats to more melodic & jazz inspired selections. At 13 tracks, “Tmmrw” is a very easy listen that doesn’t overstay its welcome and features a group of passionate MC’s with potent messages to share. This underground gem can currently be found on streaming sites such as Spotify and Apple Music – Enjoy!
Google has partnered with thirty Atlanta-area organizations as part of the technology company’s Google Arts & Culture platform. The Trap Music Museum is one of the city’s cultural institutions highlighted via the “Explore Atlanta” online project.
Atlanta is the fourth American city to be featured in Google Arts & Culture, following Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Charlotte. The European hubs of Milan, Naples, Lyon, and Hamburg were previously selected for the initiative.
“We are thrilled to showcase Atlanta’s rich culture and historic art scene for everyone to explore and enjoy online at Google Arts & Culture,” says Hetal Joshi Gordon, Director, Global Client Lead and Site Lead for Google’s Atlanta Office.
Gordon adds, “From the city’s historic museums to global cuisine and innovative spirit, Atlanta is unique and joyful. We want to give a special thanks to our 30 local partners, without their support the world would not be able to experience this vibrant and charming city.”
The Trap Music Museum was founded by Trap Muzik album creator Clifford “T.I.” Harris in 2018. Unique artwork of Hip Hop stars such as T.I., YG, Pusha T, Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Future, Rick Ross, Migos, Young Thug, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, and Boosie Badazz is displayed in the gallery.
Google Arts & Culture allows internet users to virtually browse Trap Music Museum exhibits like Brian “BK The Artist” Kirhagis’s Nipsey Hussle Tribute as well as Shawn “Stu” Stewart’s Migos installation. Pieces by Mirage Vanguard, Michael “Jiggy Korean” Coleman, Michael Johnson, Brittany Horne, Demetrius Clements, Olajawaun G####, Ruby Chavez, William “KingPop” Floyd, and other artists are also showcased on the site.
“Art and culture are essential to Atlanta’s overall landscape; Trap Music Museum is proud to celebrate Atlanta’s creative scene in conjunction with Google while moving culture forward and highlighting the heartbeat of creatives everywhere,” says William “Bam” Sparks, VP of Strategic Partnerships for Trap Music Museum.
Google Arts & Culture’s virtual Trap Music Museum interactive experience is available at artsandculture.google.com. The Trap Music Museum, located at 630 Travis ST. NW in Atlanta, is open Thursdays 4-10 pm, Fridays 4 pm-12 am, Saturdays 12 pm- 12 am, and Sundays 12 pm-10 pm.
During the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, people forced to self-isolate in their homes were in need of diversions to pass the time. Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and D-Nice stepped up to provide that essential entertainment.
All three Hip Hop legends are being recognized for their cultural contributions over the last 16 months. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers announced Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley, and Derrick “D-Nice” Jones will receive the ASCAP Voice Of The Culture Award at the 2021 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
Swizz and Timbo’s Verzuz battle series presented some of the most iconic musicians of all time in hits-for-hits contests. What began with the two superproducers in a friendly deejaying competition on Instagram, grew to include Teddy Riley, Babyface, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, DMX, Snoop Dogg, Brandy, Monica, Jeezy, Gucci Mane, and other artists.
D-Nice’s Club Quarantine was a must-attend virtual function where the Boogie Down Productions member used music as a way to help his followers cope with the coronavirus crisis. The online parties were attended by notable guests like Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Janet Jackson, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, and Mark Zuckerberg.
D-Nice won the 2020 Webby Artist of the Year in the Special Achievement category and the Entertainer Of The Year at the 52nd NAACP Image Awards. Verzuz also received an NAACP Award for Outstanding Variety Show (Series or Special). Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and D-Nice were all named honorary recipients of the Shine A Light Award at the 2020 BET Awards.
The 2021 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards is scheduled to take place on social media from June 22-June 24. Top Hip Hop, R&B, and Gospel songwriters, composers, and publishers from the past year will be honored at the event. A special 2021 ASCAP Experience conversation, Voices of the Culture: How Swizz Beatz, Timbaland & D-Nice United the World Through Music, is set for June 22.
Hip Hop will be represented at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival’s Association du Cinéma Indépendant pour sa Diffusio section. The world premiere of writer/director Diego Ongaro’s Down With The King will take place at the annual sidebar event in Cannes, France scheduled for July 6-17.
Down With The King stars Grammy-nominated rapper Freddie Gibbs in his feature film debut. Gibbs is also credited as an executive producer for the motion picture. The Indiana native shared the news of the movie’s ACID Cannes selection on his social media accounts.
“My primary desire with Down with the King is to collide two unlikely worlds: rap and farming, and to share the improbable story of a rap star who falls in love with the countryside and the refuge that it offers him from his own reality and fame,” stated Diego Ongaro. “Many films that feature the Hip Hop community tell underdog ‘success stories,’ whereas Down with the King does the contrary.”
The French-born, Massachusetts-based filmmaker added, “Mercury is at the top of the Hip Hop world but desperately seeks a simpler life. Freddie Gibbs and I worked intimately together to craft Mercury’s character and backstory; some of it pulled from Freddie’s experiences and values, much of it invented. It was an absolute thrill working with someone as sharp and multi-talented as Freddie in this collaborative way.”
Freddie Gibbs revealed on Showtime’s Desus & Mero that he studied Hollywood legend Samuel L. Jackson as an inspiration for his turn to acting. Besides the Alfredo album creator, the Down with the King cast also includes Jamie Neumann, David Krumholtz, Sharon Washington, and Bob Tarasuk.
Diego Ongaro wrote on Instagram, “A dream come true: My new film Down With the King is going to Cannes – in the ACID section!!! This film that I thought would never see the light of day. I couldn’t be more proud to be there and can’t wait for the world to discover the film.”
Fast forward to June 2021, Almighty Jay and Nahmir are calling each other out on social media after apparently falling out over money and other personal issues in 2019. The Atlantic recording artists now want to go head-to-head inside a boxing ring.
Almighty Jay posted an Instagram video saying he is inspired by the recent celebrity/exhibition boxing matches and wants a match between himself and Nahmir. The IG caption read, “Tag @socialgloves set the fight up. @ybnnahmir let’s get in the ring and settle our differences and make a bag 💰💪🏽.”
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Social Gloves is presenting “Battle Of The Platforms” on June 12. The boxing event, taking place at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium, will feature YouTubers versus TikTokers. Jay’s “Red Light” collaborator DDG is set to face Austin McBroom.
YBN Nahmir responded to Almighty Jay’s request for a bout. He went on Instagram Live to say, “Cuz gonna know, everybody gonna know too, I’m nice. So when y’all see cuz hurt with all them blackeyes and all that b####### that cuz got on his s###, I’m nice, n##### ain’t hit him with no bottle this time.”
Almighty Jay was hospitalized in 2019 after being attacked with a Hennessy bottle in New York City. The Texas native was also reportedly stabbed, stomped on, and robbed of his chain that night.
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After Nahmir’s Instagram Live session, Almighty Jay reposted a clip of the Alabama rapper’s comments to his own IG page. Jay wrote in the caption, “I HOPE HE KEEP THE SAME ENERGY WHEN WE GET IN THE RING 😂😬 HE BETTER TAKE THE FIGHT HE NEED IT… THAT ALBUM WENT DOUBLE CARDBOARD 😭😭😭💔.”
YBN Nahmir dropped his debut studio LP, Visionland, on March 26 of this year. The project failed to chart on the Billboard 200 with reports claiming it only moved 4,000 units in its first week of release.
YBN Almighty Jay’s Battling My Spirit debut solo mixtape came out on March 5. Jay, Nahmir, and Cordae were the centerpieces for 2018’s YBN: The Mixtape which peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 and is currently certified Gold by the RIAA.
Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset are releasing the third installment in their Culture album series this Friday (June 11). The long-awaited project will host several high-profile guest features.
Migos tapped Drake, Cardi B, Polo G, Future, Justin Bieber, and NBA YoungBoy for Culture III. The trio also secured vocals by Juice WRLD, who passed away in 2019, as well as Pop Smoke, who passed away in 2020.
“Light on the features. It’s straight us, bro. At the end of the day, we made all these records in the lab together. No verses were sent, and we took time out to be at every session,” Offset told Billboard in a recent interview.
Almost exactly a year later, Migos released “The Process Of 3” teaser video which included footage of Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the January 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol. That was followed by the “Straightenin” single in May.
Previously, Migos topped the Billboard 200 album chart with 2017’s Culture and 2018’s Culture II. The Quality Control-signed crew also reached #17 with 2015’s Yung Rich Nation. Their No Label 2 mixtape peaked at #175 in 2014.
Each member of Migos also dropped a solo album between 2018 and 2019. Quavo’s Quavo Huncho, Takeoff’s The Last Rocket, and Offset’s Father of 4 showcased the southern rhymers’ respective musical styles.
“This is three years of creativity and sitting back, because we felt like the fans deserved that. We didn’t want to make nobody upset, but our main thing was creating the best project we ever created,” said Offset about Culture III in his Billboard interview.
The 29-year-old rapper/actor continued, “We gotta top Culture and Culture II and that’s not even about first-week sales. A lot of people get lost in that but it’s about the creativity and the records and what they mean when you talk to me.”
Last night, the Philadelphia 76ers were able to defeat the Atlanta Hawks (118 to 102) in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The series has featured several Hip Hop stars, like Quavo of the Migos, appearing inside the Wells Fargo Center.
Fellow Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby was at the NBA playoff matchup in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Philly emcee Meek Mill was sitting courtside at the game as well.
At one point, Lil Baby had a lighthearted exchange with an unidentified, diehard Sixers fan. Meek posted a video of their courtside trash talk on his Instagram Story.
“He with the Hawks,” joked Lil Baby about the man sitting next to him wearing a 76ers hat, mask, and jersey. The Philadelphia representative then said, “Oh yeah? Sixers are gonna kick your ass.”
Joel Embiid’s 40 points and 13 rebounds helped the Sixers beat the Hawks, tying the series at one game apiece. Atlanta won Game 1 in Philadelphia (128 to 124) off the back of Hawks guard Trae Young’s 35-point performance.
“1-1 series next game In Atlanta!! They Got Me In Philly I’ll Get Em In Atlanta 😤 IYKYK #cantbefuccedwit,” wrote Lil Baby on Instagram. He was photographed with Meek Mill, Sixers partner Michael Rubin, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Michael Rubin also posted pictures of Lil Baby, Meek, and Kraft on his own Instagram account. The tongue-in-cheek caption for the photo read, “Voice of the Sixers!! @lilbaby.”
I did not know that Lil Wayne had an alleged sidepiece, but that is exactly what the streets are saying about Baby’s boy. OK, let’s give this a shot. We all know that Wayne has a women we have assumed he’s going to marry. Well, there is supposed to be aNOTHER woman. This one is white and seems to be considerably older. Anyway, agism is not my thing.
Kimberly Rose, the alleged sidejawn, said he was going to buy her a house, but he ghosted that JAWN! He even had her meeting with people, but he never even showed up. He showed her his a$$ to kiss! So, she apparently moves to Miami to get this house Weezy allegedly promised her…and then she had to sleep on the BEACH. Sleeping on the beach lead to her being sexually assaulted, allegedly.
She blasted the rapper dude.
This is just weird. She looks like some sort of fiend to me. I wish Wayne would do better if this is his sidepiece, back piece, front piece…anypiece! She Ain’t IT!
It looks like T.I. is about to call it a day as a rap artist.
Before I go on, check out “What Its Come To,” the new video where he addresses the allegations against him. As I have said in the past Tip and Tiny feel they have done NO wrong. My source tells me that he’s going to fight back as long has he has air in his lungs.
It seems like Tip is taking a page out of the book of his accusers to use his art to combat the allegations against him. He portrays the woman as weaving an elaborate web against him, looking to set him up in a myriad of claims. If you are still reading this…go watch. He even has a faux lawyer in there…this is wild. Wait until you see the end of the video…he addresses Sabrina Peterson DIRECTLY.
If you can see…it looks like T.I.’s final album is to be called called Kill The King! It says: “Kill the King — the final album. Coming soon.”
This means his 12th album will be his last. Last year’s opus, The L.I.B.R.A., was really dope and he brought 21 Savage, Rick Ross, Young Thug, Rapsody and more on that bad boy!
So the question is…is he really retiring? I do not know. I do not see Tip as the retiring type, especially when we see Nas, Jay, Royce and numerous other dope OGs pushing forward into the uncharged waters of great rap music! Tip has managed to spread his wings on so many fronts that I suspect he’s pump faking for the haters.
We shall soon see, but he’s the living legend of the south….nah!
Troy Ave sure knows how to hold a grudge! The whole basis for his new album is pushing the beef with Casanova, a man in jail. He definitely wasn’t silent when Cass was out of in the world. BUT, he wasn’t going this hard. I wish Cass was out and about so they could be more evenly YOKED.
BUT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What is the true roots of this beef? It is so mired in street stuff and beef that I cannot remember.
But, Taxstone and Cass are both in the bing, while Troy living his best rap life.
