Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins is presenting a limited-edition series of five animated and AR-enhanced NFT. The special release is called an ode to Jeezy’s Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 project which is associated with the Atlanta rapper’s iconic The Snowman logo.
Liquid Avatar Technologies Inc., ImagineAR Inc., and Qasis Digital Studios are teaming with Jeezy to offer the 3D “Snowman” non-fungible tokens via the INFINITE by SUKU Marketplace.
“We’re excited to finally roll out this signature piece of Jeezy’s brand to the public on this new, carbon-negative NFT marketplace,” states Liquid Avatar CEO/Oasis Digital Studios Co-founder, David Lucatch. “Jeezy has always pushed the envelope in Hip Hop, which has been defined by his sporting of the snowman.”
Lucatch adds, “I think his fans will appreciate how we’ve gone above and beyond to bring this symbol of his monumental career to life. With his signature twist on it, both fans and collectors alike will be rushing to get a hold of this NFT.”
The Snowman Logo
Each animated computer graphic and AR-customized Snowman will feature Jeezy’s famous ad-libs. 1001 NFTs are being sold for $101. Plus, up to 30 randomly selected buyers will receive an album personally autographed by Jeezy.
“As an entrepreneur, I’m always looking for new opportunities, especially ones that help me connect with my fans,” says Jeezy. “The Snowman seemed like the right place to start. He’s been with me from the start and on May 19th, he comes to life! Keep it locked, because we have more coming in the NFT space with Oasis soon!”
While The Snowman has become a staple of Jeezy’s brand, the image was very controversial when it was first introduced in the 2000s. School officials across the country banned shirts with the symbol for its supposed connection to the illegal drug trade Jeezy rapped about in his music.
Jeezy’s major label debut, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, came out in 2005. The 19-track studio LP included guest appearances by Mannie Fresh, Jay-Z, Trick Daddy, Young Buck, T.I., Lil Scrappy, Akon, Bun B, Lloyd, and more. Thug Motivation 101 is certified 2x-Platinum by the RIAA.
Dreamville Records boss J. Cole just scored his sixth Top 10 record. “Interlude” from The Off-Season album opened at #8 on the most recent Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After dropping on May 7, “Interlude” accumulated 26.6 million streams in its first week of release. J. Cole also gained his first #1 on Billboard‘s Streaming Songs rankings.
.@JColeNC's "Interlude" debuts at No. 8 on this week's #Hot100.
It's his sixth career top 10 hit, and first since "Middle Child" in 2019 (No. 4 peak).
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 19, 2021
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 19, 2021
According to industry predictors, next week’s Top 10 will likely be dominated by The Off-Season songs. “My Life” featuring 21 Savage and Morray is reportedly in a tight race for #1 on the Hot 100.
The Off-Season is also expected to top the Billboard 200 chart. Projections have the studio LP drawing 280,000-310,000 first-week sales units. This would give J. Cole his sixth #1 album.
Meanwhile, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s “Leave the Door Open” returns to #1 this week. The recently formed R&B/Pop duo, also known as Silk Sonic, first hit #1 on the Hot 100 in April.
Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” featuring DaBaby jumped two spots to #2. Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon remained at #3. The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Save Your Tears” slipped to #4. Doja Cat and SZA’s “Kiss Me More” closes out the Top 5.
Hip Hop is close to entering its fifth decade of existence. Mass Appeal investor/Grammy-winning recording artist Nasir “Nas” Jones and Mass Appeal chief creative officer/veteran journalist Sacha Jenkins are celebrating the culture’s history with Hip Hop 50.
The Hip Hop 50 series will run on the Showtime network for three years. According to Variety, the original programming will feature digital shorts, unscripted shows, documentaries, and more. Different directors are taking the helm for specific content.
“There are so many more stories. I’m opening up with this, but Hip Hop 50 is a multi-tier initiative, created by Mass Appeal [in partnership with CBS Viacom], and we built this platform to ensure the anniversary of Hip Hop is celebrated in a real iconic way, and that everybody should be involved with this,” said Nas.
The rap legend added, “This is something that’s coming up that we don’t want to just pass by like it’s small. This is the biggest birthday in the world. You’re going to see the stories from every element of Hip Hop, whether it’s the street stories, whether it’s the MCing. Whatever it is, we want to celebrate and push this birthday party to the max.”
Hip Hop 50 is set to launch later this year and run through 2023. While there is debate about the exact date Hip Hop started, Hip Hop 50 is pinpointing 1973 as the initial year the global cultural phenomenon was born in The Bronx, New York.
“’73 marks the party that [DJ Kool Herc] threw for his sister in the basement of a building in the Bronx. ‘77 definitely put a battery in some people’s backs who didn’t have the equipment,” stated Sacha Jenkins. “Still, a little before people were out in the parks, proto-Hip Hop was happening as early as ‘73, and that’s what is going to commemorate this 50th anniversary in 2023.”
Rapper FF Rarri has recently released his latest single titled “With The Bros”. Featuring a melodic and joyful vibe, “With The Bros” is about having a good time with your friends.”I want my latest track to showcase my growth as an artist, as well as to delight my listeners”, says FF Rarri.
The Georgia-based artist is aiming for “Grammys” and “platinum plaques”, but his key goal is to “influence others to be great”. “I want to do that through my music, and the best way to do so is to create music that makes them play it over and over again”.
Today is the tragic day that “Black laughter” died.
Paul Mooney, the mentor, and hero to a generation of Black comics and the pen behind some of Richard Pryor’s funniest bits has died on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at the age of 79.
His daughter Spring was one of the first to confirm his passing.
She wrote on Twitter, “Give me a moment !!! My best friend just died and my world is forever SHOOK !!! I really can’t put into words right now my feelings .. know that I LOVE THIS MAN AND I AM
BROKEN.”
Give me a moment !!! My best friend just died and my world is forever SHOOK !!! I really can’t put into words right now my feelings .. know that I LOVE THIS MAN AND I AM BROKEN 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/XIXO36ug1i
Journalist Roland Martin also shared the news after speaking to another family member.
“Rudy Ealy, the cousin of @PaulEalyMooney, told me that Paul had been suffering with dementia for some time and had been living with him. Rudy said Oakland paramedics valiantly tried to save him after suffering a heart attack this
AM.”
BREAKING NEWS: Rudy Ealy, the cousin of @PaulEalyMooney, told me that Paul had been suffering with dementia for some time and had been living with him. Rudy said Oakland paramedics valiantly tried to save him after suffering a heart attack this AM. #RolandMartinUnfiltered
Still, it was the post from the unapologetically Black comedian that made this icon’s death real.
It read, “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World .. The Godfather of Comedy – ONE MOON MANY STARS! .. To all in love with this great man.. many thanks.”
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he became known for his cutting-edge comedy.
Gen Xers and Millennials may not remember him as the right-hand man to Pryor, but most certainly they recall him as Negrodamus on Dave Chappelle’s smash hit “Chappelle’s Show.”
He was a dear friend to Chappelle and the prototype of his socio-political humor.
“It’s a tough one [today]. I want to shout out to every comedian on earth … the best who ever did it died today and his legacy will live forever. He worked on everything from The Richard Pryor Show to The Chappelle Show. He was one of the first Black people let into the Writers’ Guild. Paul Mooney will be sorely missed and widely remembered,” Chappelle told TMZ.
Apparently, YouTube star-turned boxer Jake Paul has his limits when it comes to trolling.
The 24-year-old influencer is well known for trolling enemies like Conor McGregor, Jose Canseco’s and even Floyd Mayweather, who lost his hat to Jake Paul during a hilarious stunt.
During a Q&A he conducted on his TikTok he shied away from accepting a fight with Game – but there’s another rapper he would love to beat up – Tekashi69.
Jake Paul has his sights set on a boxing match with the rainbow-haired Brooklyn rapper, who is just as famous for mocking his enemies, and there’s a long list of them ranging from Meek Mill and Lil Durk to Lil Reese and now Jake Paul. When a fan asked him if he would be willing to fight Tekashi69 this is what Jake Paul had to say:
“I want to because he deserves to get his ass beat and i want to do it for all the people he’s disrespected,” Jake Paul explained.
According to Jake, Tekashi69 would be light work – much like his match against Ben Askren In April, who chaotic by his younger phone in the first round.
“It would be too easy and A 30 second fight+ he wouldn’t show up in the ring on the day of the fight but yes i would love to knock him out,” Jake Paul said.
Tekashi69 wasted no time replying come in offering up an incendiary reply, by mocking Jake Paul’s late security guard Shamir Bolivar, who died unexpectedly last month.
“I think he’s on steroids like his security guard who passed away @jakepaul,” wrote Tekashi69.
Tekashi69 appears to be getting in shape to do something. A few weeks ago, he was spotted training with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Cam Wallace is here to step out from behind-the-scenes and prove himself as a recording artist in his own right.
Hailing from Houston, the producer, singer, and songwriter was heavily influenced by DJ Screw and the screwed up movement, but that doesn’t limit his sound or genre in any way, shape, or form.
In describing himself, he states, “Cam Wallace is a creative for sure, all things music. I call myself the music man, I love all things music. I’m one of the guys in this business literally for music. All the other stuff is extra. The music is what really captures me and pulls me in. I love art, I’m an artistic creative. That’s really me.”
His all-star resume includes writing for the likes of Chris Brown, LeCrae, and Slim Thug, and producing Beyonce’s smash hit “Upgrade U” alongside Sevyn and Omarion.
Now, he steps into the limelight as Cam Wallace the artist, inking a deal with the legendary Motown Records. In addition to his most recent release, the “We Made It“ visual, Cam runs his own creative house company called Massive Sound — which he hopes to sign artists and producers down the line.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Cam Wallace:.My sound is a little bit of everything. I love jazz music, I love soul music, I love trap music, I love ratchet music. My sound is everything I grew up listening to rolled into one. It’s a lot of nostalgia, but done in a modern way. It’s very up-to-date, just cool music. Different vibes for different moments.
AllHipHop: Talk about your roots in Houston and DJ Screw’s influence.
Cam Wallace:.Man, I’m from the Northside of Houston. A lot of what people know about Houston as far as mainstream is more on the Southside. Growing up here, we were surrounded by DJ Screw, the screwed up taste. I was more Swishahouse, DJ Michael 5000 Watts guy. Being from the Northside, that was really our person. DJ screw was more so the Southside, but he’s the originator of screwed up music. I was the kid that definitely listened to Texas music, but I always branched out. My ear was going beyond my hometown. I’m definitely influenced by all the legends here, literally all of them.
AllHipHop: At what point did you realize you wanted to try your hand in the music business?
Cam Wallace:.I’ve always wanted to do music. Even when I was a kid, my mom said she always knew I’d be the one that left the city, branched out and tried to achieve my goals. Professionally, my first placement was in 2006. That’s my first entry on a professional level in the music business. I’ve been doing music my whole life literally. Anyone who knows me from back in the day, they associate me with music. Music was my thing, even what made me popular in school. I didn’t play sports, I was the guy everybody came to for musical purposes.
AllHipHop: How was it producing Beyonce’s “Upgrade U” back in 2006?
Cam Wallace:.It’s so funny to say I was about to quit, because I’d been doing music for so long. Even back, I got to a point where “man this s### isn’t working, I don’t know what’s going on.” I had a friend of the family who’s an entertainment attorney named Kim Hadder. She met up with me at Greenspoint Mall out here. She said “meet up with me, don’t quit. Bring a CD with 20 beats on there, I’ll see what I can do. See how I can help you.”
She knew Matthew Knowles, Beyonce’s dad, and some people in the music world. That’s how “Upgrade U” really came about. I wasn’t thinking anything of it: “whatever, I don’t know what she’s going to do with it.” Literally a month later, she calls me: “yo, Beyoncé did 2 of your songs.” From there, “Upgrade U” was a door opener for me. A stepping stool because it’s how I was able to work and produce with so many other artists, from Sevyn Streeter and Chris Brown to LeCrae and Omarion. It would’ve taken me longer to get to these people if it wasn’t for “Upgrade U.”
AllHipHop: Best advice Ty Dolla $ign gave you?
Cam Wallace:.To be me, honestly. Have fun with it and never take yourself too seriously. Tap in, try to have fun and apply real life situations to your music. Even sitting back and watching how he works, he records himself. Really watching his whole process, even if he didn’t know he was teaching me, he was teaching me. Being able to watch him do his thing, he’s just a great person. He’s honestly one of the people I look up to in this industry: not just for music, but as a person.
AllHipHop: How is it transitioning into your own artistry?
Cam Wallace:.It’s crazy because I always wanted to be an artist. I started off as an artist, so I was making beats for me. Back in high school, I was always that guy. I was the dude passing out mixtapes, rapping on them. The production came secondary. Once I got a placement and realized “oh, I can get paid this much to do this?” Alright, let me do this real quick and build my name up. Get it to a point where I can transition.” It’s been pretty cool.
The cool part about it is that I got to work as a producer with so many artists, seeing how they move, now I’m in that position being in the forefront. Being the artist, now I’m getting beats from other producers. I switched roles which is dope because I have a front row seat by being a producer, seeing how artists move in general. I took all of the things I seen Sevyn do, Ty Dolla $ign do, LeCrae, I seen how they move. It has its moments, I’m still learning. Especially being signed to a major label, it’s a huge transition I’m literally in the middle of. You’re catching me in the very beginning, but i love It. It’s been very good and graceful, to be honest.
AllHipHop: What inspired your “6RINGS EP?” I know it’s essentially a self-directed pep talk, we all need that!
Cam Wallace:.That’s the perfect way to put it. It feels good to get all of the songs off of my computer. I have so many records, I’m excited. 6RINGS was literally the first installment. I have so many more EPs and tons of music I’m dropping. Anytime I can get music out there to the people., it’s great. It’s constantly showing the growth, I have so much stuff coming. 6RINGS is a starter pack to warm people up and get them ready.
I took inspiration from Michael Jordan and having that champion mentality, he had 6 rings. If you listen to the songs, everything’s really motivational. It’s really true to me. I want to be able to inspire other creatives, really anybody but specifically creatives to keep pushing. I want to give people music to live to, workout to, and get activated to. That’s me. As you can see, I’m literally about to go run after this. Everything I do is all about emotion and being in movement.
AllHipHop: How was it shooting the video for “We Made It?
Cam Wallace:.It was super dope. It was hot, [laughs] we shot it in LA. We’re literally on top of a mountain for a lot of the shots. I happened to have a hoodie on that day so it was super hot, but it was really fun. A super dope experience. The director Jay Mars, that’s my guy. Look out for more stuff from me and him. I’m building with him. It was great, I can’t wait to shoot more videos and get better. I’m trying to grow my relationship with the camera. It’s a process, those are the little things. The music part isn’t the issue for me, it’s the all other stuff around it. I’m learning as I go.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to sign to Motown?
Cam Wallace:.Amazing, a dream come true. Right now we’re in this space where a lot of artists are talking ownership, independence, it’s the whole independence versus label thing. I grew up always wanting to be signed to a label. I came up in that Roc-A-Fella era, Def Jam, Interscope, you really knew what label these artists were signed. I always hung onto that. I didn’t know it was going to be Motown, but I’m so glad it is because it’s so legendary. The lineage behind that, so many greats. For me now to be a part of the Motown family, it’s crazy. It’s still surreal, I’m taking It all in. It’s dope.
Cam Wallace
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Cam Wallace:.Honestly, I’m not even that picky. I record myself and do everything at the crib. Candles because I like to set the vibe and mood, definitely some fruit, and great headphones. I go to a lot of studios and headphones be trash. I bring my own headphones. When I do hit a studio and I forgot mine, if they have a great pair of Beats headphones, I don’t like recording off anything but those headphones.
Good equipment, the regular stuff. I’m not picky. I don’t need is a lot of people. I don’t like a lot of people in the studio, don’t need all that extra. It’s not a party in the studio with me because I’m really trying to tap in. I’m really in there creating. I’m doing everything from producing the beat, writing the song, to recording myself and mixing myself, it’s such a process that once I get going, I’m locked in. I need space and opportunity to do what I do.
AllHipHop: Talk about your own creative house company called Massive Sound.
Cam Wallace:.Where I want to take Massive Sound is I eventually want to sign artists and be a safe haven for creatives. The reason I named it Massive Sound is because ever since I was young, I always had a big imagination. I always saw bigger. Some people are cool with your hometown and your comfort zone, but I always thought big because it pushes me. Sometimes too big.
It’s still building but it’s eventually going to be a label: sign artist and producers. I want to sign more than music people, I want to sign photographers and videographers. I really want it to be a creative safe haven to the point where if other artists need visuals, they gotta come talk to my people because we have all of the ill videographers and camera guys. I almost want it to be a university, to be honest. I want to sign artists, you do your 4-year plan, freshman year sophomore year junior year. By the time you’re a senior, you should be big enough to branch out and do your own thing. I’m not trying to hold anybody. I want to be that place where artists can come, grow, develop, then go do their own thing.
Cam Wallace
AllHipHop: Who do you want to work with?
Cam Wallace:.I want to work with Snoop Dogg. Snoop’s so dope. I made this Snoop Dogg playlist I’ve been riding around to for a month. What’s crazy is I’ve made other Snoop playlists in the past, this dude has so many cool records. I want to work with Pharrell. I honestly want to work with the Neptunes, it’ll be dope to work with Chad and Pharrell. Brandy, her vocals. What she does vocally is amazing. I want to work with a lot of the young new artists. I love Playboi Carti, he’s fire. Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean, the real artsy guys. The guys who keep it focused on the craft. We’ll throw Kanye in there.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do for fun?
Cam Wallace:.Honestly, I love running. I create while I run. From me being emotional, it helps me shift through my thoughts. I write a lot of songs while I’m running and hiking. I’m really learning more and more about myself. I’m an outdoors type of guy, that’s a part of my brand. I want to make music for the early birds. The ones who get up extra early, who’s going to put the extra work in. The routine guys, the ones who get up at 5:30am so that by 2pm, they can do whatever they want. They’ve already tackled all the stuff.
I love to shop. I’m always shopping. I love fashion, that’s another passion of mine. Film as well, I’m a big sitcom guy. I eventually want to branch off into writing sitcoms and episodes. I’d love to be a writer, there’s so many things I want to do. Music’s the catalyst, it’s my main passion. It’s going to be the main thing that branches me off into all these other arenas and areas I want to step into.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Cam Wallace:.Be on the lookout for more music, more vibes, more heat coming from me. Everybody can follow me on all of my socials.
More details are coming out in the shooting of Lil Reese, the beloved Chicago rapper that has already been beaten and shot in his throat. As you all know, and many witnessed on social media, Lil Reese was shot and was seen leaking profusely before being taken to a hospital facility where he was stabilized. The visuals of his shooting made people think that he was actually going to die, but that was not the case. However early reports suggest that he’ll probably lose sight in his left eye because bullet fragments went into that eye.
Anyway, Little Reese allegedly was sitting in a stolen car and a 55-year-old man and his son, the owner[s] of the car, found him by using a GPS tracker. Everything has a damn tracking device in it, people! The old days are over. When they pulled up on the car they didn’t waste any time, and they started dumping bullets into it.
Seems like Reese and whoever he was with, started to shoot back. By the way, they found them in a garage on the third level! Now the other person that started shooting might not have been in the actual car. Nevertheless, Lil Reese – still in the car – sped off and eventually crashed. The details are not completely clear on what actually occurred between the shooters.
It seems like there was someone else involved that was trying to get Reese as well. It’s very ambiguous at best. At any rate, Tavares Taylor, professionally known as Lil Reese needs to tighten up completely or else he is going to be murdered. Some speculated that this was some kind of a weird transaction, but it does not seem to line up well with the attempt on his life. Weed is also very legal, or at least decriminalized in Illinois so that doesn’t really lineup either. Yes, The whole thing is just strange. I think it’s time for a Lil Reese to become Big Reese and leave Chicago.
A lot of us live and die by the drama. The streets are predicated on in most instances, criminal activity or protecting those that are doing criminal activity. And if someone violates that, well, then things get complicated. Casanova has been one of the most thorough Dudes in hiphop presently, and he’s made a career of being that super-sturdy BK dude.
Now Troy Ave is testing everything we ever knew or thought we knew about Casanova. Clearly he’s promoting a new project, but he is doing severe damage to his incarcerated adversary. But it seems like Casanova may have talk to the cops in Troy is re-posting a report from the New York post. Definitely don’t love the New York post but we have to look deeper into the situation. It certainly does not look good. After a relatively fast Google search, I couldn’t find the story that Troy is referring to, so I’m not going to suggest it Casanova is a whole snitch but it just seems like there’s a whole lot of smoke!
Here’s what Troy said on social media.
“Caswell #Casanova Senior” cooperated with the police and snitched on his “Friend” Classik about a murder investigation. He foolin the crowd, I never 🧢 even against people ion f## wit. That’s called Integrity these clowns wouldn’t know nothing bout it! check the NY post for details 📝 ✌🏾This why I’m 1 of the realist to ever go from the streets to music. I DONT LIE not even on oops! I only deal in facts I came in this game looking like everything I rap about. I never started no issues, I NEVER HATED! I jus put on for my city & kept it authentic. My real fans know Wsup and that’s why y’all ride 4 me! But we outnumbered by these frauds, They talk tough but join gangs for protection, they Dick ride instead of standing on they own two. They the users not the dealers! They talk about being rich off trappin but u can see they broke or have rented apartments & cars! Troy Ave own everything ! Unfortunately other fake ones is in positions of power and they block people like Us! they try to assassinate my character and destroy my livelihood and a lot of so called “real n#####” let them! All cause they wanted to be accepted! They called me a rat every chance they got, knowing damn well my case is on camera and it’s self defense. I guess if somebody break in ya house kill ya family and u fight for the gun but police see u shooting at them u pose to say “I killed my family i don’t know who that person is y’all saw me shooting at” man FOH! I sat in jail, lost my money and almost lost my kids behind a hater … I’m done being a “Real N####” cause I was THE REALIST and they ain’t appreciate it ima jus continue to be a “REAL MAN” I jus dropped arguably “THE RAP ALBUM OF THE YEAR” may not get the credit but ima take the cash long as y’all feel it and spread the word! #StreetsIsAMyth I Bully the Bullies I’m a Soldier Of GOD! #GODisGreatPaperStraight#RIPCLASSIK
PS (MADE UP RAPS IS EASY BUT ITS HARDER TO MAKE REAL LIFE LYRICAL) SO IMA NEED EXTRA POINTS ON THE BARS FOR THE TRUTH FACTOR 🤯
So look below and you’ll see the post that Troy Ave made and you be the judge.
Massachusetts-raised rapper Joyner Lucas established himself as one of the most lauded visual artists of his generation. He previously went viral thanks to creative content such as “I’m Not Racist” and the Will Smith-inspired “Will.”
Joyner Lucas is back with another visual. This time, the Tully App co-founder recruited actor Mark Wahlberg, comedian George Lopez, and Hip Hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs for appearances.
“I’m getting too big for this S#!t @diddy,” wrote Joyner Lucas in the caption of a “Zim Zimma” clip posted on Instagram. He also commented under another brief vid, “Thanks to @markwahlberg, nobody is ever driving my cars again. 🤷🏽♂️.”
The “Zim Zimma” music video was directed by Joyner Lucas along with Ben Proulx. They shot the visuals on location in Los Angeles, California and Miami, Florida.
At the moment, “Zim Zimma” is trending at #6 on YouTube. The MV has racked up more than 650,000 views and 73,000 likes on the platform in 19 hours.
“Zim Zimma” is a track on Joyner Lucas’s 39-minute Evolution. That project was the 32-year-old performer’s second full-length effort of 2020 following the release of the 18-track ADHD.
Evolution also hosts the singles “Snitch,” “Fall Slowly” featuring Ashanti, and “Like A River” featuring Elijah James. Last month, Lucas dropped “Ramen & OJ” with Lil Baby which peaked at #67 on the Hot 100 chart and #24 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Joyner Lucas’s “I’m Not Racist” earned a Best Music Video nomination at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019. He also picked up a Grammy nod for Best Rap Song as a feature on Eminem’s “Lucky You” that same year.
ADHD debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart with 39,000 first-week units, giving Joyner Lucas his first Top 10 album. The LP is now certified Gold (500,000 units) by the Recording Industry Association of America.
After over a year-long COVID-19 pandemic caused most of the entertainment business to shut down, sectors of the industry are starting to open back up to the public. For example, Black Entertainment Television is set to have a live crowd for its flagship award show this summer.
The 2021 BET Awards are scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 27 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Organizers for the event plan to have a vaccinated audience present for the ceremony.
Beginning May 27, vaccinated individuals can register to be in attendance for the BET Awards. The network is said to be working closely with Los Angeles County in support of community vaccination efforts and in adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, BET has been at the forefront of recovery efforts for our community, turning entertainment touchpoints into opportunities to empower our audiences and help combat the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19,” stated Scott Mills, BET President.
Mills continued, “Vaccination rates among Black Americans are significantly lower than other communities. We are committed to using our signature programming event – The BET Awards – to encourage vaccination in our community.”
The 2020 BET Awards was among the first live televised events to air during the coronavirus crisis. The three-hour program featured socially-distanced “artist-generated content” such as pre-recorded performances and packages.
Scott Mills said at the time, “Recognizing the unique role the BET Awards plays for so many, and the challenging times we find ourselves in, we know it was more important than ever to deliver the BET Awards in 2020.”
Over 3.7 million viewers watched the 2020 BET Awards via a multi-network simulcast that included CBS. In addition, the show generated a reported 31 million views across BET Digital and 30 million views on BET Social.
DJ Khaled’s “Higher” featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend was named Video Of The Year. Best Female Hip-Hop Artist went to Megan Thee Stallion. Best Male Hip-Hop Artist was awarded to DaBaby. Queen & Slim won Best Movie.
You don’t have to enroll in a school, or travel to a new country to learn a language today. In a world where anyone can access lessons on just about anything online, certain apps have zeroed in on the art of language teaching, and ahead of them all, there’s Babbel. A lifetime subscription to this top-rated program is available now for $199, 60% off its list price.
Rated 4.5/5 stars by nearly 300 verified purchasers, this fantastic software is more accessible than ever. Users can prepare to learn Spanish, French, Italian, and German among a breadth of other languages. The top-grossing language-learning app in the world, Babbel is developed by a team of over 100 expert linguists, and it has helped millions learn to speak and understand a variety of languages.
We all spend more time than we’d like to admit on our phones, and sometimes it’s good to use that screen to learn a new skill. The benefits of taking on a new language are broad: some examples include getting by easier in foreign countries, connecting with more people, making yourself qualified for more jobs, and being able to absorb a wider variety of art.
Subscribers of the Babbel Language Learning App can take advantage of lifetime access to all the tools they need to learn 14 different languages. You can practice with 10-15-minute, bite-sized lessons, which you can plug into the pockets of your busy schedule. In these lessons, you’ll learn words that apply to a bunch of real-life situations. Gear up for all of your travel, family, business, and food conversations with this game-changing piece of technology.
Subscribers can also benefit from Babbel’s speech-recognition technology, which helps a lot for working on developing proper pronunciation. Personalized review sessions, synchronized profiles across all of your devices, and an offline mode for learning on-the-go all combine to make Babbel the most advanced language-learning app around.
Chris Rock is currently on a press tour to promote Spiral: From the Book of Saw. While the entertainment legend is pushing the new Darren Lynn Bousman-directed horror film, he also took time to tease another potential project with two fellow comedy greats.
Apple Music 1’s Ebro Darden caught up with Chris Rock to discuss the Spiral movie and its 21 Savage-led soundtrack. The conversation also included the actor/executive producer mentioning Dave Chappelle and Adam Sandler while referencing Dr. Dre’s infamous never-released music project.
“There’s this movie – the Holy Grail with me, Dave [Chappelle], and [Adam] Sandler that I’m working on. That’s the Holy Grail,” Rock told Darden. “That’s the Detox album we’ve been waiting for it. You know what I mean? It’s like, ‘Is Detox ever coming out?’”
21 Savage eventually joined the discussion to talk about his role in creating the 4-track Spiral: From the Book of Saw Soundtrack. The Grammy winner is a big fan of the Saw franchise, and he got the stamp of approval from Chris Rock’s daughters to curate the accompanying music collection.
In addition to a 21 Savage single, the Spiral soundtrack hosts songs by Young Nudy, Gunna, Young Thug, and more. 21 Savage filmed a music video for the title track “Spiral.” The visual accumulated over 2 million views on YouTube since it was published on April 30.
“It’s the craziest s### I ever did in my life in a video. Blood rushing to my head, I’m hanging upside down. I’m like, ‘Man, hurry up. Let me down. Let me down.’ That’s s###’s crazy, bro. I ain’t even going to lie,” said 21 Savage about his experience shooting the “Spiral” video.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw was released in theaters on May 14 via Lionsgate. The cast includes Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, Zoie Palmer, and Genelle Williams. Mark Burg and Oren Koules of the original Saw team are credited as producers for the ninth installment in the series.
“We know that Saw fans, as well as those experiencing their first Saw adventure, will be on the edge of their seats with this thrilling new film. We are proud to support the exhibitors with one of our most eagerly awaited films. We are confident this film will kick off a robust summer moviegoing season,” stated David Spitz, President of Distribution for Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
The RCA Records website no longer lists a contracted recording artist named Mulatto. That’s because the Atlanta-bred rapper born Alyssa Michelle Stephens has officially changed her stage name to Latto.
Many rap fans were hoping Latto would decide to drop the Mulatto moniker. Back in January, The Rap Game reality show winner hinted at possibly switching her alias from the slur used to describe mixed-race children.
“So now I’m like, ‘Okay, my intentions [were] to never glorify being mulatto.’ So if that’s how it’s being perceived and people think I’m saying, ‘I’m better because I’m mulatto’ or ‘my personality trait is mulatto’ – that’s how they’re taking it? That’s not my intention then I need to change the matter at hand which is the name change,” said the biracial “B#### from da Souf” performer.
The new name is apparently coming with new music. Latto took to her social media accounts to reveal the cover art for an upcoming release set for May 21. The 22-year-old also posted a separate video on Twitter and Instagram where she talked about the name change.
“You got to be strategic with the word choice because it can come off a way that you don’t mean. That’s how I got in this predicament in the first place with the damn name,” admitted Latto in the clip. “That’s why you got to be proactive with the word choices.”
She continued, “You got to think ahead. Don’t think right now in the booth, going crazy. Think like when the song drops, how is that reaction gonna be? Are they gonna understand my intentions? Because that’s what happened with the name, that’s why I’m here right now because my intentions weren’t for the backlash.”
Latto’s next project will follow her 2020 debut studio LP Queen of da Souf. The extended version of that album featured appearances by Gucci Mane, City Girls, 21 Savage, 42 Dugg, Saweetie, Trina, and Lil Baby. Production was provided by J. White Did It, Murda Beatz, Hitmaka, and more.
Since her arrival on the music scene, Latto has also collaborated with other acts like NLE Choppa, G-Eazy, Chloe x Halle, Queen Naija, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Young Thug, Rich The Kid, Rubi Rose, and Flow Milli. Plus, the 2020 XXL Freshman Class member made a cameo in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s record-breaking “WAP” music video.
The anonymous accuser is one of at least 30 women that have named the Harrises as abusers who supposedly took part in drugging, kidnapping, and rape. Attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn is representing a number of the alleged victims.
Rachelle Jenks reportedly hired Blackburn as her legal counsel. The 41-year-old woman filed a police report on T.I. and Tiny in Las Vegas, alleging the Atlanta-based couple spiked her Patron shot before they engaged in sexual acts with her without proper consent.
Steve Sadow, an attorney for T.I. and Tiny, provided the following statement to People:
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.
Sexual assault allegations against T.I. and Tiny began spreading on the internet in January. Former Harris family friend Sabrina Peterson accused T.I. of holding a gun to her head years ago which led to multiple women claiming the 40-year-old entertainer was involved in sex trafficking with the help of his wife.
The Harrises have insisted all the accusations of sexual abuse leveled at them are untrue. In January, T.I. posted an 8-minute Instagram video where the Grand Hustle Records co-founder denied he and Tiny were involved in any sex-related crimes.
All took the music industry by storm, chart-topping early on in their lives, growing up right in front of our eyes, and now their new ABC show “Queens” allows the musicians-turned actors to play out their own growth experiences on television.
Now the ladies are grown and are called to come back and give a reunion show…will they even feel comfortable singing those old songs or are they super grown and past that.
We will lock-in.
While the concept seems outrageous, it is actually not too far from reality. Check out how it kinda resembles their lives.
Eve was known in the 90s as the “Pitbull in the Skirt” repping for the Ruff Ryders camp that gave us Drag-on, The Lox, and DMX. Now, she is married to a gazillionaire, splits her time between the US and Europe, and a talk show host on a major network called The Talk.
Brandy was (and is to a certain extent) America’s sweetheart and after dropping hit after hit from the time she was 12 up until today, has started in tons of hit shows like* The Game* and Star and knows something about revamping her image.
And Naturi seems to have flipped herself from the lead singer of 3LW, became a Broadway star, killed it as Lil Kim in the movie Notorious, and now is one of the most well-known women on TV as the super-powerful Tasha St. Patrick in Power franchise.
These ladies will be joined also by Nadine Velazquez and are sure to be a hit with Gen Xers. After all, we get to see them paws on Eve again!
People are used to Lil Jon doing just about anything that he wants to do.
The one-time DJ turned music executive turned producer turned artist turned influencer seems to wake up and decide who he will be that day.
Welp, the GRAMMY-Award winner must have woken up a few months ago and decided that he wanted to share with the world his love for home renovation. According to his team, fans will get to see his skills on his new HGTV show “Lil Jon Wants To Do What?”
The network also dropped the good news on their Twitter account:
“ GRAMMY Award winner, Lil Jon, reveals his passion for renovation in “Lil Jon Wants To Do What?” Follow Lil Jon & expert designer/builder Anitra Mecadon (Mega Dens), as they win over home DIYers with a not-so-typical vision for their renovations. Coming this
summer!”
<New Show> GRAMMY Award winner, Lil Jon, reveals his passion for renovation in "Lil Jon Wants To Do What?"
Follow Lil Jon & expert designer/builder Anitra Mecadon (Mega Dens), as they win over home DIYers with a not-so-typical vision for their renovations. Coming this summer! pic.twitter.com/HcUJ0xOD0r
The leader of the East Side Boyz will team up with the DIY Network’s Mega Dens’ Anitra Mecadon and give homeowners unconventional renovation ideas to transform their homes.
“I love walking into someone’s house and turning it upside down,” Lil Jon shares via a statement. “When people hear my name, they automatically think… fun! That same energy goes for my designs as well. I don’t love following design trends—I would rather be the trendsetter.”
“We are pushing our content strategy forward with the kind of unexpected shows and talent that will surprise and excite viewers across the audience spectrum,” added the president of HGTV, Jane Latman. “‘Lil Jon Wants To Do What?’ is one example of upcoming shows that have all of us rubbing our hands together with excitement. Who doesn’t want to see Lil Jon’s creative talent traverse the world of Hip Hop into the world of home renovation? We expect fans to say, ‘Yeah! Yeah!'”
You think this is gonna be hot? We sure do.
Absolutely everything single thing Lil Jon touches turns into gold.
50 Cent is telling singer and reality star Teairra Mari, “Times Up! Pay what you owe.”
Recently released court documents obtained by RadarOnline reveal that Curtis Jackson’s representation filed a writ of execution against the “Love & Hip Hop” star for the $37,733 that she owes him.
This legal dispute goes back about three years when Mari filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend Akbar Abdul-Ahad for allegedly releasing an explicitly pornographic video of her on social media.
She claimed that he hacked into her Instagram account to post the video on her personal/ professional profile to embarrass her.
She also named 50 in this filing because he reposted the video, tagged it with his hashtag “Get the Strap” and edited the image for his 20+ million followers in a manner that sharply showed color contrast to the semen on her face and skin.
She further stated that she thought that “Get the Strap” was a threat for people to hurt her. We were with you until you said that, Shorty.
These recently filed court documents show that the judgment has been adjusted with an additional $4,492 and has accrued $2,597 in interest.
50’s camp has tried to squeeze some blood out of this proverbial rock. His team has reportedly even reached out to VH1 to see how much she makes.
Still, he contends that she has not paid anything since the ruling was given in 2019 and he is tired of waiting. He hopes this new lawsuit will make her cough up the bread.#PayHimShorty*
What is the ultimate trophy signifying a successful rapper is not his car, his jewels, or his chart-topping hits? Some would say that it is the beautiful woman on his arm. What signifies that they are not only successful but probably gonna use their money to nation-build and create generational wealth … is their ability to settle down with that beautiful woman on their arm, empower her to walk in her genius, run her business (and in some cases their business) and make her the queen of their lives.
In 2020, there was a whole uproar about rappers and their Black wives (that their wives didn’t respect them, that they were too rooted in colorism to see their beauty and that if they did have them those women didn’t bring anything to the table. Welp, here is a list to prove all of that wrong.
Check out these rappers who have drop-dead gorgeous wives who are more than just eye-candy.
After being accused of sexual harassment, budding entertainment mogul Joe Budden apologized to DJ Olivia Dope for his inappropriate actions perpetrated toward her during her time as a co-host on the podcast, See, The Thing Is.
“As a podcaster, it is my job to address topics and create dialogue around them. During the conversation on the See, The Thing Is podcast I didn’t handle the topics with the sensitivity they deserved. I recognize my words and power in that situation created an upsetting environment for Olivia. Upon reflection, both the network and I take accountability for this,” he noted in a statement.
“I apologize sincerely to Olivia, her former co-hosts, our staff, and the public. In an effort to not further any trauma, the episode will be removed from all platforms,” Budden continued. “We support all women’s rights to feel comfortable and protected in the workplace. We fell short of that in this instance. We support Olivia in her quest to heal, applaud her for finding the strength to share her experience, and wish her the best in all her future endeavors. I am taking the time to listen and learn; we have already begun to make the necessary changes to ensure this is a safe environment for all moving forward. We at the network endeavor to continue to elevate Black women’s voices and create opportunities to have constructive conversations to impact change.”
DJ Olivia Dope released a video on her social media detailing why she quit and how upset she was by Joe’s antics. Watch it in totality below.
Joe Budden has been in the spotlight for unethical business practices for the last few weeks, only months after launching his Joe Budden Podcast Network.
It seems that his brash and borderline misogynistic banter is coming back to bite him in the butt … or maybe is the setup for a very interesting return to “Love & Hip Hop.”
After all, his storyline was super corny during his last season.
