The world’s first A.I. powered robot-rapper, FN Meka, releases his single “Speed Demon” via next-gen record label, Factory New. Virtual influencer, AR sneakerhead, and robot rapper – MEKA’s lifestyle blends eclectic with electric. When not flexing his augmented reality fashion sense, MEKA crafts his next Soundcloud single. His early tracks “Moonwalkin’” and “Internet” quickly gained hundreds of thousands of streams, motivating Meka to make music full-time.
FN Meka’s hyper-visual, unusual content has gained him 9 million Tik Tok followers and over a BILLION views. His custom gadgets like a Starbucks espresso-making PS5, or his Gucci Cybertruck are expressions of him living his best life. Sometimes his “hyper flexing” can trigger internet trolls, so FN Meka is no stranger to cyberbullying, which he uses his influence to fight against. Meka is also a fierce advocate for equal rights, believing that no being should be discriminated against because of skin color, or just because they’re a robot.
Meka’s latest single “Speed Demon“, is an ode to a custom PS5 supercar and will be the music bed for a 1 of 1 NFT collaboration with the virtual streetwear company RTFKT. “Speed Demon” was put on all DSP’s March 12. On March 15, an NFT was sold on Superrare.co.
Doja Cat was able to earn her third Top 10 single on the Hot 100 chart thanks to the SZA-assisted “Kiss Me More.” Plus, the Yeti Beats-produced track is now the highest-charting single in SZA’s career.
The two women will team up to present a live rendition of the current #5 song in America at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards. That will mark the first time Doja Cat and SZA perform their hit collaboration on television.
“I feel like I say this every time. She was in my heart when I wrote this, and I needed her to be on the hook, and I needed her to put a verse because she brings a depth to everything that she does,” said Doja Cat about tapping SZA for the “Kiss Me More” record.
In addition, Doja Cat is a finalist in five categories at this year’s BBMAs. She is competing for Top New Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Female Artist, Top R&B Album (Hot Pink), and Top R&B Song (“Say So”).
SZA is up for Top R&B Female Artist as well. The Top Dawg Entertainment vocalist won a BBMA in that same category in 2018. Three years ago, her debut studio LP Ctrl was also a finalist for Top R&B Album and she was up for Top R&B Artist.
After Hours album creator The Weeknd earned 16 nominations, the most for any act in 2021. Hip Hop star DaBaby was second among nominees with 11 nods. Pop Smoke (10), Juice WRLD (7), and Megan Thee Stallion (7) were among the leading finalists too.
Other announced performers for the ceremony include Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, DJ Khaled, H.E.R., Migos, Duran Duran, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Sounds of Blackness, and The Weeknd. “Jealous” singer Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers will serve as host for the evening.
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards are scheduled to air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on NBC. This year’s BBMAs are based on the chart period of March 21, 2020 through April 3, 2021.
Clifford “Method Man” Smith partnered with his manager, Shauna Garr, to start a new production company named Six AM. The enterprise’s first project will be the third installment in the High How film franchise.
According to Variety, Six AM has already sold How High 3 to Universal 1440 Entertainment. Blackout! album collaborators Method Man and Reggie “Redman” Noble are expected to reunite for the motion picture.
Director Jesse Dylan’s original How High was released in 2001. The stoner comedy made over $31 million at the domestic box office and went on to become a cult classic.
2019’s How High 2 was presented as a Bruce Leddy-directed television movie on the MTV network. It starred Quality Control rapper Lil Yachty and Wild ‘N Out comedian DC Young Fly.
The second High How received backlash from some fans of the 2001 version after Redman told the Grass Routes Podcast he and Method Man were not even aware the sequel was being made. Upon airing, How High 2 was met with mostly negative reviews from viewers.
After establishing himself as a Hip Hop legend with the Wu-Tang Clan and as a solo artist, Method Man began focusing more on his acting career. His filmography includes Belly, Oz, The Wire, The Deuce, Power Book II: Ghost, and other productions.
Method Man is also an executive producer for the Hulu drama series Wu-Tang: An American Saga, along with Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Alex Tse, and Wu member Robert “RZA” Digg. An American Saga was picked up for a second season.
Redman made appearances on television programs such as The Jamie Foxx Show, Chappelle’s Show, and Power Book II: Ghost. The single-camera sitcom Method & Red, which starred the two rappers playing themselves, ran for one season on Fox in 2004.
Lupe Fiasco is one of a limited number of Hip Hop artists that can claim they released back-to-back classics with their first two major label debut albums. 2006’s Food & Liquor was followed by the equally revered The Cool in 2007.
Attendees at this year’s Riot Fest in Chicago will get a special experience when Lupe Fiasco arrives to perform The Cool in its entirety. The Chitown native made the announcement on Twitter.
Riot Fest: “Hey Lupe Fiasco you wanna come perform The Cool from front to back at our next festival?”
— CHECKIN’ Out Now! #APTMC (@LupeFiasco) May 20, 2021
The Cool hosts the critically-acclaimed tracks “Paris, Tokyo,” “Hip-Hop Saved My Life,” and “Dumb It Down.” The song “Superstar” featuring Matthew Santo became Lupe Fiasco’s first Top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first Platinum-certified single.
Additionally, The Recording Academy nominated The Cool for Best Rap Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Fiasco also picked up nods in the Best Rap Solo Performance (“Paris, Tokyo”), Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“Superstar”), and Best Rap Song (“Superstar”) categories.
In 2019, Lupe Fiasco was the main attraction for the Red Bull Music Festival in Chicago. The lyricist ran through every track on Food & Liquor. That show was attended by other individuals who played significant roles in the creation of the emcee’s first LP.
Ayesha Jaco, Fiasco’s sister, provided the poem for Food & Liquor’s “Intro.” She took the stage with him at RBMF Chicago. Photographer Chuck Anderson was inside the Riviera Theatre for the Food & Liquor celebration as well. Anderson shot the album’s famous cover art.
Lupe Fiasco will be part of the Riot Fest 2021 lineup that also includes other Hip Hop acts like Run The Jewels and Vic Mensa. Legendary Rock band Nine Inch Nails will headline the event which is scheduled for September 17-19 at Chicago’s Douglass Park.
Today (May 21), 42 Dugg dropped his latest body of work titledFree Dem Boyz. The fifth track on the Detroit native’s new project features a guest appearance by Future.
On the “Maybach,” Future namedrops the stepfather of his ex-girlfriend Lori Harvey. The Freebandz boss raps, “Magic City, I’m the owner. Tell Steve Harvey I don’t want her. One thing I never seen was a b#### that leave.”
The line about Steve Harvey appears to be a response to the comedian’s recent comments. During an appearance on the Ellen daytime talk show, he was asked about Lori’s current boyfriend, Creed actor Michael B. Jordan.
“You know what? I have tried not to like [Jordan]. I have tried to find something wrong with him. Because I got rid of all of [Lori Harvey’s ex-boyfriends]. All of them,” said Steve Harvey. “Some of them snuck in through the back door and lasted a lot longer than I wanted it to.”
Lori Harvey, 24, and Michael B. Jordan, 34, publicly revealed their relationship on Instagram in January. They became the talk of the internet during Valentine’s Day weekend after Jordan rented out an aquarium for the occasion.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLch7t-lXI8/
Harvey and Jordan became the topic of online conversation again that same month when Baton Rouge rapper Boosie Badazz decided to share his thoughts about the couple. The 38-year-old southerner suggested Lori Harvey had slept with a lot of men before Jordan.
“Girls keep saying it’s ‘goals’ but this is not goals. We gotta start giving the bachelors, the men, who are running through a beautiful woman like this the credit, who not housing her, running through her,” said Boosie.
He added, “A lot of rappers want [Lori Harvey] because a lot of big dogs want her on their wish list. You gotta start giving the bachelors credit. People act like they falling, but nobody’s stuck. You only gonna stuck cause once you been ran through like that, you’re only gonna catch a simp, you ain’t gonna catch no street.”
One of the hottest Hip Hop artists on the planet linked up with one of the most celebrated Gospel performers of all time for a new song. Lil Baby and Kirk Franklin’s “We Win” arrived on Friday.
“We Win” will be part of the upcoming soundtrack for the Space Jam: A New Legacy motion picture. Veteran rap producer Just Blaze crafted the single’s beat.
Lil Baby raps on the record, “We will be better than ever Made a promise we can do it together And I ain’t breaking my word. I just wish that I could fly like a bird. Get away from this Earth. Had to pray a prayer, felt I was cursed.”
Space Jam: A New Legacy stars 4-time NBA champion LeBron James. The cast of the live-action/animated sports comedy includes Don Cheadle, Sonequa Martin-Green, Khris Davis, Zendaya, and numerous professional basketball players.
The sequel to1996’s Space Jam will also feature Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Tweety. Last August, LeBron James revealed the Tune Squad uniforms for the first time.
“Tune Squad coming soon!! Glad all my @ljfamfoundation and @ipromiseschool families got to see it first. Thanks for holdin it down my brother @mavcarter #JustkidsfromAKRON,” wrote James on Instagram.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures in theaters and HBO Max on July 16. Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man, Girls Trip) directed the movie. LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Ryan Coogler, and Duncan Henderson are credited as producers.
After remaining relatively silent, T.I. has emerged vocal again with a new song addressing the sexual misconduct allegations being levied against him.
In a new track, Tip speaks loudly on “What It’s Come To,” a song produced by Villa Nova & Keepitphilthy.
“Now that I have your attention, let the music speak,” he told AllHipHop.com exclusively about the song.
In the music, he says a lot, most notably addressing the accusers, most of which have been nameless and faceless. “Go put yo face and reputation on it / These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don’t it?,” he says.
The lyrics to the song were included in an IG post put up earlier in the day. Check out the song exclusively below.
The song, slated for a wide release at midnight, is another chapter in a saga where several people have accused the rapper and his wife infractions of the sexual and drug variety. Tip and Tiny have maintained their innocence steadfastly through the ordeal, speaking outright as well as through their lawyer.
In the comments of the initial IG post, Tip got numerous fire emojis from the likes of Royce Da 5’9″, Kawan Prather, K Valentine, comedian Eddie Griffin and others. Others, mostly fans, pledged their support of the rapper, who has been embroiled in the scandal since January of this year.
The song comes on the heels of new allegations of sexual misconduct..
Attorney Steve Sadow, who speaks on behalf of T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris responded to the matter, which was broken in The Daily Beast.
“The Harrises have not spoken to or been contacted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) or, indeed, any member of law enforcement from any other jurisdiction in the country. Even assuming the story in the Daily Beast is close to accurate, it appears the LAPD “accuser” has chosen once again to remain anonymous, thereby preventing us from being in a position to disprove or refute her allegations – or even examine them. Meanwhile, although we now appear for the first time to have the name of an “accuser” who supposedly filed a police report with LVPD, we have absolutely zero details about her or her claim,” Sadow said in a statement.
The legal war between XXXTentacion’s family over the late rap star’s fortune has taken a nasty turn.
According to reports, XXXTentacion’s half-brother brother Corey Pack claims he’s been jerked out of his portion of the estate, which is worth over $50 million.
In court documents filed in Broward County earlier this week, Pack claims XXXTentacion’s mom Cleopatra Bernard cheated him out of his shares, by creating multiple shell companies to hide money the estate has earned.
The lawsuit claims Pack and his brother Aiden Kerr were both due to get a 25% stake in the estate, while XXX’s mom held the other 50%.
The lawsuit claims shortly after XXXTentacion was murdered in June of 2018, his mom allegedly cut Pack out of his portion of the estate.
Pack said his mom made a deal with Jenesis Sanchez and gave away his 25% after she gave birth to the rapper’s unborn son seven months after he was killed.
Pack’s attorney Robert Stok blasted XXXTentacion’s mom in a statement. Stok said the complaint seeks to “recover assets being transferred,” in order “to deprive Pack of his inheritance rights.”
Rap star Tory Lanez is set to release his next album as an NFT with Vinco Ventures, Inc.
Through the NASDAQ (BBIG) traded company’s subsidiary, Emmersive Entertainment, the Canadian will drop new music for only a select group of fans to enjoy.
You might wonder how did they connect with Tory?
He is an equity holder in the new company and is said to be excited at the business’s ability to work under a B2B model.
“Countless people have attempted to enter the NFT space after my success with the format but didn’t understand what it was. They treated it as a money grab instead of learning how best to utilize the technology,” Tory stated.
“NFTs are not a here today, gone tomorrow trend, but rather represent the future of digital distribution and beyond. After talking with Dr. George Tabi, Erik Hicks, Flo Rida, and David J. Kovacs, it became apparent that having the unique ability to push the boundaries of technology and advance the global NFT space, Emmersive Entertainment was the perfect platform for my next project,” Tory continued. “Furthermore, having confidence that their team has mastered the art of this new distribution method by integrating disruptive virtual and augmented reality, was beyond exciting. I knew the first time I saw the technology put to work that I had to be fully immersed from a business standpoint. Vinco Ventures’ various digital-based companies and platforms provide artists like me a unique cross-pollination, so the decision was a no-brainer.”
After a year of controversy, Tory Lanez is back to making business moves. Now the question is, who is going to buy it!
Roaring back onto the global rap game on a tank half full of raw rap energy and a boundless charisma-dripped style, That’s Trip’s latest smash single is a spectacle. It infuses tight, ferocious flows to a raw energy-drenched atmosphere as we are taken deep into a gritty world of outrageous bars and demonic delivery. It really grabs you right from the start and draws you right into the story which is based around the hip-hop hustle lifestyle.
Unlike his other songs, this track has more universal appeal than usual. It blurs the line between heavy trap and classical lyrical style in a furious flurry of fast flows. The genius world plays are intricately intoxicating as we feel every punchline with a fiery ferocity that puts the rappers presence center stage. It was written as a bold statement to always keep chasing your dreams and never stop grinding. That everything you’ve wanted for so long is within reach all we have to do is put in the work.
At the same time though, That’s Trip doesn’t forget about all the good times. This is evident in the feel-good music video that takes us deep into a real-life party. It’s crafted in such a way that it feels like we’re right there with him. The authentically-drenched visual compliment the fiery track perfectly as he effortlessly flows over bass-heavy beats. It even features his cousin Trizzley that adds a certain magic to the track through his unmatchable rap style.
Pharrell Williams picked up the inaugural Webby Anthem Award for all the work he does for racial equity in education and entrepreneurship.
The “Happy” singer joined BTS, Dua Lipa, Kristen Bell, Trevor Noah, and James Corden who all picked up prizes at the 2021 Webby Awards, which were presented on Tuesday.
BTS’ “Carpool Karaoke” segment on The Late Late Show With James Corden won a Webby People’s Voice Award for variety & reality, general video, while the band’s virtual concert, “Map of the Soul ON:E,” picked up a Webby Award and a Webby People’s Voice Award for music, general virtual & remote.
Meanwhile, Dua Lipa’s “Hallucinate” claimed a Webby People’s Voice Award for animation, general video, and her Dua Lipa Has New Rules for COVID Dating took home the Webby for comedy: shortform, general video.
There were also big wins for Andra Day and Riz Ahmed, who were named Best Actress and Best Actor for their work on The United States vs. Billie Holiday and Sound of Metal, respectively, and director Ava DuVernay was the winner of film and video person of the year.
Dwayne Johnson received a special achievement award for connecting with people through social media and providing inspiration.
Yara Shahidi was also an inaugural Webby winner – for advocate of the year, while COVID-19’s voice of reason, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was named person of the year.
And Bell picked up multiple honors for her “The Motherly Podcast.”
Amir Shaheed will definitely be a part of your creative world of art. His background is colorful- Cherokee, Ghanaian and German, from where he found so much inspiration. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. People, beaches and art scene of California sparked his inner artistic abilities.
Amir joined an after school program in West Los Angeles to learn piano lessons at age five. At that time, no one knew how much impact these lessons would have on his life. Motivating others through art would be a passion that would persistently stay with him. He started to participate in school drama programs in high school and beyond, continuing to content his passion.
Amir’s ingenuity and talent have made Amir Shaheed an eminent name in the art community. He is a well-known American recording artist, songwriter and singer from Los Angeles, California.
Amir received an associate’s degree with distinction from College of the Canyons. Soon after graduation, he dropped his first single Grind. He released this single Grind under the label M.I.A Entertainment.
In 2015, he released his second single, ALL my life, also under the label M.I.A Entertainment. After making a name in photography and visual communication, Amir focused on his other artistic passion, recording music. In 2018, Amir became renowned to everyone with the release of his hit single “Bigger House” under the name Bravo. The song gained so much fame on Spotify and iTunes and fans of Amir excitedly wait for his next release.
Today Amir is a renowned designer, songwriter, media manager and a content producer. He is a maestro of visual communication. Art is a way of expressing his inner feelings and emotions. When ho does not have words to express him, he shares his perception with art.
He was fortunate to have a great role model to follow in his life, his father- an executive producer of so many media projects, including “The Big Break Show”. His father encouraged his interest in art and entertainment.
6th August 2018, a day of loss and deep sorrow for Amir Shaheed. His father passed away suddenly.
Amir could not bear this immense loss of his life, pause his life. He tried hard to make him accept this saddest reality of life but could not help him and ultimately went into depression. But his passion for liberal arts helped him to come out of this melancholy. EP “I Got Somethin to Say” released in February 2020, in which he deeply expressed his pain and feelings.
What got Amir through was the energy that his father imparted in him. One of his father‘s quotes was “our lives are similar to the trees you see. They shed in the winter and grow in the spring.” He wanted to make him recognize, life goes on, no matter what happens. Amir faced so many hardships in his life, decided not to surrender and emerged as an inspiration for the whole world.
Yung Xavi has been through hell and back, and now he’s turning that pain and sorrow into joy and peace of mind. Born and raised in Palm Springs, the rising star narrates his life through his music, telling his story through captivating lyrics that effortlessly touch the souls of all those who listen.
Losing his father is just one chapter in Xavi’s life, as he takes those unresolved emotions and feelings and turns them into a full body of work titled To Jonathan.
Inspired by the likes of Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, the forthcoming project serves as a love letter to his late father — which he describes as the first time he’s ever felt connected to his father.
The 19-year-old’s recent releases include “Take Me Home,” “Shawty Bumpin” and “Make the Cut,” two bangers that speak volumes to this current chapter in his life.
AllHipHop: I hardly interview artists from Palm Springs. What’s it like growing up there?
Yung Xavi: Definitely not a lot to do. My mom made the most of what I could do activity-wise. I was involved with as many sports as I could be: tennis, soccer, horseback riding, dance. I did baseball for a year, did volleyball, did track, cross country, golf. [flutters lips] Besides that, putting in many musical things and in the arts. Had me in acting, had me in theater, bands in and out of school. I really was all over the place and got my hands on as many things as I could.
AllHipHop: When did music come into play for you?
Yung Xavi: I’ve been a musician for most of my life honestly. My mom gave me the wonderful opportunity of signing me up for piano and drums at an early age. I started piano when I was 3 years old, drums at 8. Same as sports as well. A kid with a lot of dreams, I was all over the place. I really wanted to do whatever I put my mind to. If one thing didn’t work out, I was hard on myself at times. I did lose myself at times. It wasn’t until I really decided to focus on music when I found this was going to be my ultimate dream. I stopped doing everything and focused on one thing, something that I loved.
AllHipHop: When did you discover you could rap over your own piano loops?
Yung Xavi: I learned classical piano for the longest time, until I was around 6th grade when I started to switch it up. It wasn’t until I saw or heard “Changes” by Tupac and the classical spin: hip hop mixed with the Bruce Hornsby composition over Tupac’s lyrics, then the hip hop base. I was inspired to learn that song, inspired to learn the lyrics and rap over that. It wasn’t until I discovered I could do that cohesively that I was inspired to write my own piano samples and write my own lyrics.
AllHipHop: What was the inspiration behind your name?
Yung Xavi: Xavi had been a nickname of mine for the longest time. I joined a soccer team at 12 or 13, I started getting more into soccer. There’s this soccer player named Xavi who I reminded them a lot of because I was really fast. All I really had was speed, I had no really any ball control. I was really fast, I could beat everybody to the ball, and I could shoot a little bit. [laughs] It stuck like that. I didn’t want to think about it too much. I wanted to be like everybody else, so I put a Yung in front of it. Lil Xavi sounded weird, so I’ma put Yung.”
AllHipHop: What inspired your new record, “Take Me Home”?
Yung Xavi: Throughout my life, I really struggled with a lot of addictions. I always ended up coming back to something. Right now at this point in my life, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been in my entire life, just with everything going on. I have a wonderful relationship with my girlfriend, I have a wonderful relationship with music. All I do is hope and pray that I won’t let these addictions get the best of me again.
That’s what the hook is describing: hoping and praying I get home and keep on doing everything that I do. Keep on letting the days go over and not let the little things get to me, or I get myself back into the hole I was once. Focus on the wishes in the verses. The first verse is talking about my relationship with my girlfriend, the second verse is talking about my relationship with music. Using those outlets to the best of my ability and to always hold them near and dear, never let them go.
AllHipHop: What were you struggling with, if you don’t mind me asking?
Yung Xavi: So many things to be honest. I started smoking weed at the age of 13, that’s never been the drug of issue. Honestly, weed’s really brought me out of a lot of other addictions, especially when I’m getting cravings or I’m feeling that s###. Besides that, I definitely had a phase dabbling with coke for a minute, Adderall, lean, Percs, Narcos, bars. I used to do a lot of psychedelics, Salvia, a lot of acid. I did acid one too many times, shrooms as well. I still do a little bit of microdosing here and there, I’ve honestly gotten my best ideas from microdosing. Besides that, with the help of weed and everything else now, I’m down to weed and nicotine. I’m still trying to get off nicotine right now.
AllHipHop: How did losing your father affect you? Your new project To Jonathon is inspired by him.
Yung Xavi: The entire body of the album is all the things I was holding onto for my entire childhood that I couldn’t move on from. For the longest time, I felt stuck being 8 years old. This happens to a lot of people who deal with passing and losing someone near and dear to them, they try to understand and comprehend what that person was thinking and what they were going through. I honestly did exactly that, it was really stupid of me to do that. I unintentionally went down the same drug road my dad went down, Trying to figure out why he felt that way or what mindset he had.
I may have felt the same numbness he felt, the same addictive feeling he had, but I never understood the way he was thinking and I never could. It wasn’t until I put that out through my lyrics, I physically saw it and put it into song. I physically heard it, it all really make sense to me. It took that and going to 2 rehabs, OD-ing a bunch of times as well, but finding something positive I could connect to him with and share certain experiences I wanted to share with him. I was never going to be able to understand, I’m not trying to understand anymore. I’m trying to forgive and cherish what I did know. I’m trying to honor him, rather than disrespect him and go down the same road he did.
AllHipHop: Is this the most vulnerable you’ve been with your music?
Yung Xavi: I’ve honestly always been vulnerable with my music. I don’t really know how else to write. Nothing else really comes to me, music really does it for me. It really helps me breathe and move onto the next day, everyday. For the longest time, I was stuck on the same day. I could never move on, I had so many thoughts going through my mind. It wasn’t like I could choose one thought and focus on it, really figure everything out I was feeling behind it. It really wasn’t until I put it on paper and wrote it out. I put everything, all the feelings out onto it. I laid it out in the studio and cried my f###### heart out. All that was hard.
AllHipHop: What do you do now for self-care?
Yung Xavi: I definitely try to focus on the relationship I have with my girl, focus on the music. That’s really all that’s helped me. I’ve had therapists and therapists, I’ve talked to so many people. I’ve been to rehabs, there wasn’t anything the rehabs did for me. It wasn’t until I made the dumb realization that I had music as an outlet I could’ve been using my entire life. Why didn’t I tap into at all whatsoever? I sat down and tried to write something in rehab, that’s where I found my refuge and I coped.
I wrote everyday. From then on, never stopped writing. Never stopped thinking about wanting to do more songs. It wasn’t even so much really having a career, I was addicted to making songs. It came to a point where I didn’t really want to do anything else with my life, didn’t see myself doing anything else. I did it all my junior and senior year, with the homies going to local studios. Wherever I could go to get as much experience, because I wanted it to sound better. I wanted it to sound clearer to me. I wanted it to sound more professional. It wasn’t really for anyone else at the time. I wanted it to sound the way I wanted it to and I needed more experience for that.
It didn’t get more serious until the end of my senior year. We had this senior year internship/project thing where we go intern at a future job we’d want to do. I sat down with the head person directing the whole thing for the senior class, I asked him “I’ve been saving up some money, I’ve always wanted to do it. Would it be possible to have my senior project be a music video? I’ll set up the production, get a camera team. I’ll write a report and everything,” because that’s one of the things I’ve always wanted to do. They were so down. They said “Yeah that’s so cool, you could show it to everybody.” That was the plan so I did that. A lot more people were impressed than I thought there were going to be. My mom especially was really excited, she sent it off to a bunch of her buddies from high school that grew up to be musicians in the future. A new couple of A&Rs and I got in touch with Ruben’s record label, it was game over from there.
AllHipHop: Really?
Yung Xavi: Yeah, literally game over. I flew out to New York half a week later. Ruben’s an amazing dude. There’s very few people in the music industry really looking out for the benefit of the artist. Honestly, to get somebody that’s such a huge juggernaut in the radio industry is a blessing to me at the end of the day. Look at me now, I’m f###### talking to you. I’ve been seeing you all over the place. I really appreciate you taking the time talking to somebody like me.
AllHipHop: Thank you so much. Talk about using your music and life story to want to help others.
Yung Xavi: I want to help people make the same realization. Every solution to everyone’s problems are different. It’s up to you to really find it, to make that self-discovery and to take that step to not be afraid. Especially with me, I want to make it almost challenging for myself and choose hip hop as the genre. I know it’s a dominant genre at the time-being. I want to push myself and really show the world that hip hop can be something that’s universal, because everybody loves hip hop.
At the same time, anybody who loves music can be an artist if they really want to put their heart, mind, and work into that. It’s up to you to find whatever you love, put your work into it, and you’ll find your way. The path is a line. I didn’t even think about it so much, it just happened. I buckled down, grinded for 2 years on my own, creating piano samples and writing lyrics by myself. It went on to finding little studios I could go to. One little phone call, one little opportunity and you’re there. Keep on believing, you’re doing it for something that’s positive and something that you love. It’s going to show true. That path is going to come clear and right for you like how it did for me, and I want to show that.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your fashion sense?
Yung Xavi: Honestly, I didn’t really have a fashion sense. A lot of people ask me about the bandana. That’s a huge thing: “Oh, you’re trying to act like a gang member.” No bro, I honestly ran track a lot and I always either wore headbands or bandanas. It turned into an athlete thing, to more of a fashion statement later down the line. It was weird to not have one on. I was always running, always doing some athletic thing. It’s always stuck on my head ever since 6th, 7th grade. I like how it keeps everything out of my face. I might have my hair up. I always sweated a lot so it keeps everything clear up on the forehead area.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Yung Xavi: Your dreams aren’t for everybody so keep your head up no matter what, whatever dreams you set yourself up towards. Don’t let anybody bring your head down because that’s something you love and enjoy, there’s nobody else who should take that away from you because they’re not there. Being alone, we might let social media and certain things control us more. We might not have as big of a support system as we want right now.
All the people we want around us, but none of those people matter because they weren’t there since the beginning. Definitely if you’re struggling with your dreams, you’re struggling with anything right now, keep your head up because if you love and enjoy it, keep on running with it. Nobody should tell you anything else.
Following the death of one of his first cousins, KILO PARI7 really had a lot he needed to get off his chest. His pain ran deep from the incident and he needed a way to authentically express how he felt without bounds. The end result of this pain was “Hectic”, a part emotional piece, part motivational floor-filler that reminds us of the importance of life’s shortness. It touches on the pain he went through from his loss, as well as the current struggles we are going through in society.
In this timeless track, he truly pens up to his audience in a way he’s never done before. Normally known for his heavy hip-hop anthems, this track drags us deep into a world of pure raw emotion. One where we can feel his pain in vivid detail and are really brought directly into his world. The visuals only amplify this. The breathtaking music video showcases the pain and struggle of our current times as the rapper tries to maneuver them the best he can.
Like with much of his music, the song came quite naturally. He hit the studio with his Brother Ghost and the two started crafting the song on the spot. It started with some freestyle melodies straight from the heart before developing into a full track. The end result is something that is deeply authentic and highly original. The kind of song that sweeps you off your feet emotionally and makes you coming back for more every time.
Hip-Hop star T-Pain is helping fans serve up a variety of new cocktails with his own recipe book.
The “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” hitmaker has teamed up with beverage professional Maxwell Britten to publish mixology book, “Can I Mix You a Drink: 50 Cocktails From My Life & Career,”.which will hit retailers in September.
T-Pain reveals the idea for the book has been years in the making.
“Years back, I got up with my friend, (author) Kathy Iandoli, and told her I wanted to do some innovative s###, so this was a concept we had in mind for a while, where I could combine my music with my love of drinking,” he told Billboard.com.
“She and I worked on this for a while, and then we both were busy with other stuff, then we came back together and finished this up.”
And T-Pain was relieved to have Britten on hand to help complete the release, because he quickly learned “mixology is complex” as he tried out new flavors and combinations.
“Thank goodness for Maxwell Britten is all I gotta say,” he said.
T-Pain insists he can’t choose a favorite from the 50 cocktails offered up in the book, but added: “I think all of the drinks speak to all sides of who I am and what I’m all about. Take a sip of them all and you let me know your favorite instead.”
Irish pop star Sinead O’Connor was once allegedly “chastised” by Prince for her swearing and thumped during a pillow fight after she was invited to his Hollywood home.
The singer, aka Shuhada’ Sadaqat, claims she was summoned to Prince’s “macabre Hollywood mansion” back in 1991, a year after scoring the biggest hit of her career with a cover of the Purple Rain icon’s song, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but the meeting was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Sinead details the encounter in her upcoming memoir, Rememberings, and according to an excerpt obtained by The New York Times, she alleges Prince “chastised her for swearing in interviews, harangued his butler to serve her soup though she repeatedly refused it, and sweetly suggested a pillow fight, only to thump her with something hard he’d slipped into his pillowcase.”
She was so shocked by the way she was reportedly being treated, Sinead “escaped on foot in the middle of the night” only for Prince to stalk her with his car, ultimately leaping out of the vehicle and chasing her down the highway.
Recalling the purported experience with Prince, who died in 2016, Sinead told the newspaper: “You’ve got to be crazy to be a musician, but there’s a difference between being crazy and being a violent abuser of women.”
Although the two didn’t get along, Sinead is proud of her version of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and takes full ownership of the track’s success, stating, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s my song.”
However, she believes the single’s huge popularity actually harmed her music career, because it turned her into a pop star when she considered herself to be a punk protest singer.
The musician, who famously tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II when she appeared as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live in 1992, writes in her book: “I feel that having a No. 1 record derailed my career and my tearing the photo put me back on the right track.”
Explaining how she felt after topping the charts, she told the Times: “The media was making me out to be crazy because I wasn’t acting like a pop star was supposed to act.
“It seems to me that being a pop star is almost like being in a type of prison. You have to be a good girl.”
Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky has captured the cover of GQ magazine and gave maybe one of the most interesting interviews that anyone from his generation has for the heralded publication.
Mostly, because you see the Mob member’s evolution as a man and it is riveting and he finally spoke about Donald Trump’s outreach to get him sprung from a Switzerland jail in 2019. His reaction was purely all-Harlem after hearing the news in his sleep while lying in his jail cell.
A$AP Rocky told GQ, “Even though it was in Swedish, I heard ‘President Donald Trump’ and ‘A$AP Rocky,’ and I woke up out of my sleep. I was like, ‘Oh, f###!’”
While Trump was trying to use the “Fashion Killa“ rapper to gain traction with American Blacks, he kept himself busy by designing a “collection on spec” for a French designer named Marine Serre.
Inside the article, he talks about spending time in the Swiss jail and his brief time on Rikers Island. The author of the piece talks about the death of A$AP Yams and how at 23-years-old he signed a $3 million major-label deal. After being released from jail, that collection he was working with actually got to the designer.
“I was not expecting anything,” says Serre who also was interviewed by GQ. “He brought me some scarves that he did himself, and I liked the fact that he really knew how to stitch and how to understand the material. And then basically it was just an exchange—ego was not really there.”
Serre decided to work with A$AP Rocky and continued. “It was quite natural and easy, and clearly not all collaborations are like that today.” The collection includes tight nylon tops bedazzled with upcycled chains, an oversized puffer made out of deadstock leather, and some frilly dresses made from 11 different vintage graphic tees. These dropped last year.
A$AP Rocky was locked up for a few weeks and broke out a whole collection, much more than some who were locked up for an entire year (confined by COVID-19 restrictions).
Another new thing in his life, outside of his new clothing collection, is his new girlfriend. HE IS DATING RIHANNA!
When describing her he says, “The love of my life” and “My lady.” He dotes (the same as Chris Brown and Drake did) saying when asked about this relationship compared to his other ones.
“She amounts to probably, like, a million of the other ones. I think when you know, you know. She’s the One,” A$AP Rocky said.
The long-awaited Culture III studio LP finally has an official release date. Migos will present the third installment in the Quality Control Music group’s album series on June 11.
Four months later, the trio will head to Sin City for Culture III weekend. Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset are headlining an itinerary of events that will include pool parties, club takeovers, and more.
This will be the first time Migos curated a Las Vegas experience. The Platinum-selling Atlanta natives are partnering with Pollen Presents to propose travel packages that include four-day, three-night stays at Vegas hotels.
Pollen Presents is also offering a “COVID-19 Money Back Guarantee.” The event is 100% refundable if it is canceled or rescheduled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Monthly payment plans are available with a $30 deposit and at no additional interest.
The centerpiece of “Pollen Presents Culture III” will be one of the first live performances of the Culture III album. The forthcoming collection follows 2017’s Culture and 2018’s Culture II as well as the Migos members’ respective solo efforts in 2018 and 2019.
“We just had come off the tour and we were also doing other records and featuring on songs. So, we just started getting pulled away and just started grinding solo,” explained Quavo in a recent interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music’s New Music Daily.
The Quavo Huncho album creator added, “It was like for a good cause, because we already knew like, ‘Okay, cool. Maybe these records can fit the three, but if it fit one of us, we could go to the moon, and we still going to pull each other, and still bring us to the top, and once we get together and do our records, it’s going to make it just even bigger.”
Migos gave fans a preview of what to expect on Culture III by dropping their new single “Straightenin” on May 14. Last year saw Takeoff, Offset, and Quavo let loose “Give No Fxk” featuring Travis Scott & Young Thug, “Taco Tuesday,” “Racks 2 Skinny,” and “Need It” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
“Pollen Presents Culture III” is scheduled for October 14-17. Some of Hip Hop’s hottest names will join Migos for the celebration in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information about the event visit the Pollen website.
Some of the most legendary names in Hip Hop history are scheduled to be part of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Universal Hip Hop Museum. The event is scheduled for today (May 20) along the Harlem River waterfront in The Bronx, New York.
LL Cool J, Nas, Lil Kim Fat Joe, Naughty by Nature, Grandmaster Flash, Slick Rick, Michael Bivins, EPMD, and more acts are expected to make appearances. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Council Member Diana Ayala will be in attendance as well.
The ceremony will also serve as the official launch of the Universal Hip Hop Museum’s capital campaign. The $349 million mixed-use building in the South Bronx is being developed by L+M Development Partners and Type A Projects.
In addition to being the future home of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Bronx Point’s first phase will also provide the Lower Concourse neighborhood with 542 units of permanently affordable housing. Around 2.8 acres are being dedicated to public open space.
Plans for the Universal Hip Hop Museum were first announced back in 2014, and a pop-up version of the institution was introduced in 2019. However, the initial 2020 date for the groundbreaking was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Preserving the history of Hip Hop, celebrating the cultural contributions of the pioneers who paved the way for today’s Hip Hop generation to thrive and flourish, and promoting the positive economic and social aspects of Hip-Hop have been the sole focus of the UHHM for the past decade,” said Universal Hip Hop Museum Executive Director, Rocky Bucano.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum website lists Rocky Bucano, Kurtis Blow, Shawn LG Thomas, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Mickey Bentson, Joe Conzo Jr., and Grandmaster Melle Mel as Founding Members. Dallas Austin, Marq Hawkins, Ralph McDaniels, and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis are among the individuals on the UHHM’s Advisory Board.
Commentating on society, interviewing an interesting person, and putting together a well-produced audio program are all as accessible as ever today, thanks to podcasts. A DIY artist’s medium, this seemingly simple world of storytelling contains more facets and angles than one might think. Luckily, these are all easy to navigate with The Complete 2021 Start Your Podcast Bundle, available now for $29.99, well below its total value.
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