Fans will get the opportunity to see DMX for one last time on a cinematic screen after producers decided to use technology to complete his last project.
Tara Reid told syndicated columnist Allison Kugel she and the rap legend were tapped to co-star opposite each other in a film before he died.
Likening him to another rap multi-hyphenate, the “American Pie” party girl invoked Tupac Shakur’s memory while talking about the Ruff Ryder general.
She shared, “It’s a movie called Doggmen. It’s his (DMX’s) last film and it was really interesting because he didn’t get to finish the whole film. They had to do what they did with Paul Walker (in ‘Furious 7’, his last, posthumous, ‘Fast & Furious’ project),” Reid continued.
“They make these facial sculptures and they put it on a face, and it looks exactly like him. It’s crazy. The last couple of scenes that he has to film, that will be what they are doing. It’s incredible and it looks so real. So, that is how they are going to film his last scenes, and I’ll be in those scenes with him.”
“I think everyone was absolutely broken by DMX’s (death),” she said. “He wasn’t just a great rapper, but he was a poet. I think he was one of the best rappers of our time, and this movie explains that. The last person that really did that was Tupac.”
Reid also gave her opinion on what Doggmen will be.
“I think it will be a great film. He’s a great actor, he’s a voice, and that mattered a lot to him. I think he will be really happy about how this movie comes out and looks. It’s DMX, and just to be a part of that history with him is pretty much incredible.”
There is no release date for the Doggmen, but some details have been revealed. Written and directed by Antonio Simmons, the movie will be an action thriller — a genre of movie that fans love the beloved artist.
Rapper Pooh Shiesty has been indicted over an alleged shooting and robbery of two men outside of the Miami area hotel. The rapper, real name Lontrell Williams, is presently in federal custody.
Pooh Shiesty appeared in court Tuesday afternoon and was charged with a myriad of crimes including discharging a firearm during a violent crime, conspiracy and robbery under the law regulating commerce, according to the Miami Herald.
The 21-year old was initially charged and freed on bond, but he was soon put back in jail over an alleged shooting at the famed King of Diamonds strip club on memorial day.
“We have been in communication with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and we believe they have a federal detainer on him and are likely to file federal charges,” his defense attorney, Saam Zangeneh, told the Herald previously. “That doesn’t change our position as to his 100 percent innocence, in both state and federal matters.”
Bobby Brown and Jayden Darosa are also charge in the case, along with Pooh Shiesty.
In October, the trio sought to buy weed and expensive sneakers from two men at the Landon Hotel in Bay Harbor Islands. Something went awry and Shiesty allegedly shot both me, in the hips and the buttocks.
The whole thing was was captured on video surveillance.
It is considered a robbery because Shiesty did not pay for the weed or the pricey kicks.
Investigators have been able to strengthen their case through social media, reports say.
They reportedly found a Louis Vuitton bag that fell out of Pooh Shiesty’s rented McLaren, with a whopping $40,912 dollars in cash. In his stories, the feds say Instagram posts showed the rapper and “several long rifles and plethora of $100.00 bills.” On top of that, a $100 bill in the bag had the same serial number as seen on IG.
AllHipHop will continue to report on this as it develops.
Emcee, vocalist, and actress Nia Dinero received her start in the Hip-Pop duo Dreamz2Dinero.
Nia Dinero’s talent is one that reveals the uncovering of something special and long overdue. Nia’s raw talent has been expressed on many local and regional stages that gained the support of her peers and ultimately led to a college radio personality position on WNSB Hot 91.1 in Norfolk, VA.
All of her preceding opportunities paved the way for Dinero to become more than a rapper and a true artist and entertainer. Possessing an articulate flow, with a laid-back yet flirtatiously aggressive swagger, Nia Dinero brings a unique, cunning, and clever perspective to the art of rap that she calls Hip-Pop.
Merging genres of Hip-Hop, Pop, and R&B and preparing for impact, Nia Dinero is ready to leave the music industry thirsty for a female artist they’ve never experienced before.
From metaphoric punch lines to added comedy and sense of truth, Nia Dinero plans on taking Hip Pop to unprecedented heights.
Nia Dinero now offers love and self-care with her debut single “Meditate” produced by Mike WILL Made-It.
“Meditate” from her visual album ‘Just For Now’ delivers ingenious sounds. Exclusively written by Dinero, the artist takes listeners on a journey of self-care using strategic word play, while asking her suitor if he is capable of being a stress-free partner. Take a listen to the single below!
Tyrese Gibson has reconnected with Dwayne Johnson following their long-standing feud.
The “Fast and Furious” stars fell out in 2017 after Dwayne announced plans to make a spin-off movie, based on his character Luke Hobbs, which eventually pushed back the release of the recently released “F9: The Fast Saga” movie.
Tyrese blasted the spin-off, “Hobbs & Shaw,” in several now-deleted Instagram posts and threatened to exit “F9” if Dwayne was still part of the franchise.
Johnson sat out the “F9” movie, but now both films have been released, it seems the two actors have set aside their differences.
Speaking to guest host Tiffany Haddish on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Monday, Tyrese said, “We’ve reconnected in a real way. I think we’re both better men on the other side of all that stuff that went down.
“To be honest, I did not know when or how the phone call was going to happen, but it did happen. We’re about 20 phone calls in, and we’re in competition right now on who can leave the longest voice note.”
Meanwhile, Dwayne previously spoke about their pair’s feud in 2018, revealing he hadn’t spoken to Tyrese since the actor blasted him on Twitter and blamed him for delaying “F9.”
“That whole thing with Tyrese, it was pretty disappointing because I’d been friends with Tyrese for a very long time,” he said. “I always feel like a beef requires two people to actually jump in it. It was really one-sided, and he had voiced his opinion a lot on social media and apparently he was going through some stuff too in his personal life, but no, we haven’t talked and I don’t see where we would. To me, there’s no need to have a conversation.”
The battle between Jay-Z and Damon Dash over Reasonable Doubt is getting nasty.
Jay’s lawyer Alex Spiro offered up some harsh words about Damon Dash, who is attempting to get the legal eagle disqualified from representing the rapper since Damon insists there is a conflict of interest.
Alex Spiro is representing Jay-Z over claims Damon Dash was attempting to mint and auction off his 1/3 copyright in Reasonable Doubt as an NFT.
Damon filed a response, claiming he was actually attempting to sell his 1/3 share in Roc-A-Fella Records, which was supposed to be minted as a “hologram.”
In Damon’s reply, he claimed Alex Spiro was out of line for sending a cease and desist letter to SuperFarm on behalf of Roc-A-Fella Records, claiming there was a conflict of interest.
Damon said he remained the CEO of Roc-A-Fella and that Jay-Z was just an artist/shareholder, along with their partner, Kareem “Biggs” Burke. Damon argued Spiro could not represent the label since he is Jay-Z’s personal lawyer.
Damon Dash did not object to the temporary restraining order. As he has previously stated, he never had plans to mint and sell his 1/3 of the copyright to Reasonable Doubt.
Today (June 29), Alex Spiro scoffed at Damon’s attempts to disqualify him as Jay-Z’s counsel in the dispute.
“Dash does not oppose RAF, Inc.’s request for injunctive relief. That’s no surprise: he was caught red-handed trying to steal and auction RAF, Inc.’s property, a NFT of the copyright to Jay-Z’s debut album Reasonable Doubt,” Alex Spiro said. “Dash tries to backtrack, claiming he intended to sell only his 1/3 interest in RAF, Inc, and for ‘reasons unknown’ SuperFarm misunderstood his intentions. That’s an obvious lie, but nonetheless it’s irrelevant here.”
Spiro said Jay-Z was not attempting to stop Damon from selling his shares in Roc-A-Fella – yet. It looks like that could be a problem for Damon somewhere down the line though.
“RAF, Inc. is not currently asking the court to prevent Dash from selling his interest in the company; that’s a fight for another day,” Alex Spiro said.
Spiro also addressed the “Special Board of Directors Meeting” on June 22 between Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem “Biggs” Burke.
Spiro said the meeting was called to schedule a shareholder vote about the bylaws of the corporation, and that Damon had no objections to Quinn Emanuel representing Jay-Z during the conference call.
“The board meeting lasted for about 10 minutes…it would have been even shorter if Dash didn’t explode in an angry, unprofessional, and incoherent rant,” Alex Spiro said.
Spiro is asking the judge to dismiss Damon’s motion to disqualify him from representing Jay-Z in the battle over Reasonable Doubt as frivolous, “warrantless speculation.”
Chicago rappers Zona Man and G Herbo have recently released their uniquely blended album “How I Started.” The single is already dominating the summer airwaves across their fan base through their beautiful collaboration. Their intense rap through the tracks has already built them a national reputation, and their talent is simply irresistible.
Their rap journey to the top has not been a walk in the park. Through the “How I Started” album, you can undoubtedly tell they have had their down moments, but this did not hinder them from pursuing their visions. Instead, they had to do all it takes to ensure that their dreams are achieved despite the odds.
Zona Man had a great passion for music as a young man. However, living with his grandmother didn’t make life easier for him. He started his rapping talent back in 2013, and two years later, he met Future through the streets and immediately linked up. In no time, Future signed him into his Freebandz, and his musical journey started to open up. Since then, Zona Man has launched his own label called No Advance. Even though Zona Man is now an independent artist, he is still in touch with Future, who he considers like family. Zona Man has recorded several albums and has featured star-studded artists like Future, Tory Lanes, and Young Thug. He has also had Southside, Lil Mexico, and C-sick as producers and sound managers.
G Herbo had to drop out of school at the early age of 16 after attending high school. He was so passionate about music through the influence of powerhouse artists such as Meek Mill, Jeezy, and Lil Wayne. Today, G Herbo is closely associated with Lil Bibby, and they have done some collaborations on several hits. G Herbo started his music career between 2012-2014, and together with Lil Wayne, did a thrilling collaboration on the song “Kill S###,” which has over 42 million youtube views to date. Herbo has also collaborated with top rappers, including Nicki Minaj, Common’s, and Chance, the Rapper.
Zona Man and G Herbo are currently having the best of their music moments and have an impressive potential to dominate the rap scene in the coming days. From “How I Started” recent release, it’s evident that they have already overcome their past and are working tirelessly to build their future in the industry.
Zona Man and G Herbo’s journey to their musical success, as expressed through their latest single, “How I Started,” draws a lot of inspiration, especially to upcoming artists. Your present circumstances should not dictate your dream or vision, but you should remain focused and pursue your passion. The two rappers’ fan base is already raving and growing day by day, and they can’t wait to see what the future holds for their exciting collaborations.
Their talents have already been recognized by starring artists such as Drake. Such compliments from starring artists have fanned their popularity, setting the stage for a successful music career for Zona Man and G Herbo. They have already built a fantastic reputation through their previous successful albums. With impressive skills, the two budding rappers’ influence on the rap scene is growing far and wide and are headed for a major breakthrough in the future.
Tekashi 69’s baby’s mom Sara Molina is getting into the legalized drug business.
Sara, who has a young daughter with Tekashi 69, is cashing in on her Fame from being associated with the rapper. She has teamed up with Higher Life CBD to launch her brand Sara Molina Higher Life.
Sara’s full line of products includes edibles, CBD tinctures, skincare, and wellness offerings to her hundreds of thousands of followers across social media.
Sara Molina Launches New Line of Edibles
“We at Higher Life are excited to create these new offerings in conjunction with Sara Molina. This is a big step for us into the social media influencer sphere. We look forward to creating products that serve our customers with Ms. Molina far into the future,” said Higher Life CBD CEO Brandon Howard.
Higher Life CBD is a fast-growing company located in Indianapolis, Indiana, that offers high-grade CBD and Hemp products
The new deal should be good for Sara financially.
In a previous interview with AllHipHop, Sara blasted Tekashi 69 for abandoning their young daughter, both physically and financially – to be with his current girlfriend Jade.
“I mean, as hard as I go for my daughter, I go that hard because she deserves it. But it still has no effect – my daughter doesn’t know any of what’s going on,” Sara Molina told AllHipHop.com. “I feel like me and my family do that to the best of our ability to make sure she’s not thrown in the mix with she feels at odds with what the situation is. You know, feels like [the Tekashi 69 situation] is her fault or whatever. Kids go through their own feelings, kids, you know, they see what’s going on. But luckily, you know, it’s not so much out of the ordinary to where it’s affecting her. So, she’s good.”
Safaree Samuels and Erica Mena are celebrating the birth of their second child together. Safaree took to Instagram to reveal the “Love & Hip Hop” stars welcomed the new baby earlier this morning.
Safaree dubbed his baby boy “another me” in a doting Instagram post, where he lovingly held the swaddled newborn in his arms.
Erica Mena is also going after full legal custody of the new baby and their toddler Safire, which Safaree has already contested by requesting joint custody of their children.
However, Erica said Safaree Samuels attempt for joint custody was nothing more than a ploy to gain “good publicity” since Erica is the only parent “ensuring the parties’ children’s safety and acting in their best interest.”
For now, Safaree, 39, is in “paradise.” Check out the picture of him cradling his new baby boy below:
The Recording Academy has been under fire from certain sectors for several years. The organization behind the annual Grammy Awards ceremony faced accusations of sexism and racism in its decision-making process. In addition, the Academy is sometimes viewed as an out-of-touch cabal of elites that do not actually appreciate Hip Hop as an art form.
Last year, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye gave the Grammys another black eye when the R&B/Pop megastar was completely shut out of nominations for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. The After Hours album creator called the Academy “corrupt.”
The Recording Academy is attempting to add more diversity to its membership body. The 64-year-old music-based association extended membership invitations to 2,710 music professionals.
“I know that music can connect people, and this is what I hope to bring not only to the Academy, but to the world,” expressed two-time Grammy-nominated Jamaican artist Skip Marley.
AllHipHop‘s own Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur was among the new members of the voting class of the Recording Academy. In an Instagram post, he said, “I am proud to announce I am one of the newest members of the Recording Academy. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate, represent, and give back to the music and its creators.”
British singer-songwriter Tiana Major9 stated, “It’s such an honor to receive an invitation to be a Recording Academy member. What I’m most looking forward to is being a part of conversations that drive progression within our industry as well as advocating for the rights of my fellow musicians.”
The Recording Academy’s Peer Review Panel of music creators evaluated new member submissions by considering criteria such as craft, genre, and overall diversity. The 2021 New Member Class is reportedly 32% Black/African American, 13% Hispanic/Latinx, and 48% women. 56% are under the age of 40.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to join the Academy and play a part in accelerating change, progress, and evolution within the music industry,” said Kelley Purcell, Vice President of Membership and Industry Relations at the Recording Academy.
Purcell continues, “Our membership body is the driving force behind our actions, and we value the contributions of our members that help ensure the Academy’s practices authentically represent the current state of music. We’re excited to see what this new group brings to the table as we enter a new era at the Academy.”
According to the Recording Academy, 55% of the new 2021 members are from “traditionally underrepresented groups.” Additionally, 44% of the invitees are vocalists, 34% are songwriters/composers, 28% are instrumentalists, 11% are producers, and 6% are engineers.
When it comes to specific genres, creators associated with rap comprise 15% of the Recording Academy’s new class. R&B is at 23%. Jazz and Alternative are at 18%, respectively. Rock is at 16%. Pop leads the way with 29%.
“Membership is the Academy’s change agent — our members drive everything we do,” said Ruby Marchand, Chief Industry Officer at the Recording Academy. “I’m inspired by the potential for each invited music creator and business professional to lend their creativity and passion to our organization.”
Marchand adds, “We are immensely proud of our accomplishments and the strides we’ve made toward equitable representation. We look forward to welcoming our new invitees as they help us shape the future of the Academy and the music industry.”
In order to participate in the process for the upcoming Grammy Awards in 2022, new members have to accept their invitations by September 15, 2021. The first nominations voting ballot runs from October 22 through November 5. The 64th Grammy Awards are scheduled for January 31, 2022, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
We’ve all been shut inside for longer than we hoped. Luckily, travel restrictions are finally loosening up, and you probably have your eyes on the best and cheapest places to visit this summer. But whether you’re traveling to your hometown, a new city, or to the mountains, you shouldn’t have to deal with bulky, cumbersome luggage.
That’s where the Rolo comes in handy. It’s a new, premier tool that’s ideal for both short-term travel and long trips. The Rolo works as a compression bag, wardrobe, organizer, and suitcase all-in-one, and it’s currently 30% off at just $34.99. The Rolo is durable enough to make through a trip to the backcountry, to the coast, or your favorite posh hotel.
Separate your shirts, pants, underwear, and socks easily inside the bag’s mesh compartment, roll it up to compress all of your clothes down, and use the hanging hook to conveniently keep your bag virtually anywhere. Closet? Check. Tree branch? Check. Bunk bed? Check.
Then grab it again and take the Rolo on the go with you. Its waterproof shell gives you an extra layer of protection for your most ambitious adventures, too. It’s 15 times smaller than a typical rolling suitcase when it’s empty, helps keep you organized while on the road, and can be worn as a backpack if you prefer.
This product has a 4.2 out of 5-star average on Amazon and is built to last with strong fabric, quality zippers, and military-grade mesh and buckles. Not to mention, the metal hanging hook and fiberglass rod that reinforce the Rolo when it’s hung make it even more reliable.
While the Rolo isn’t meant for long-term travel, it has a four-day capacity — it’s perfect for a quick weekend trip or to accompany a larger suitcase for months-long expeditions. Grab one now for $34.99, or 30% off.
The social media influencer/recording artist claimed to have insider information on the longstanding beef between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. The feud between the two musicians came to a head at a Harper’s Bazaar party in September 2018 when Cardi threw her shoe at Minaj over alleged tweets about Cardi’s daughter. Jesse Woo suggested Cardi and her backers’ mission was to bring down Nicki from the beginning.
“I’ll never forget, years ago – four years ago – I met someone on Cardi’s team, back in 2017. They literally told me, this is something that was told to me – that yeah, putting Cardi out, our goal was to knock Nicki out,” claimed Jesse Woo on social media.
She added, “That was the first time I heard that topic. Then not too long later, the whole Nicki and Cardi thing happened. And I remember thinking to myself like, ‘Yo, so-and-so told me that this is what they were trying to do.’ And then you have these two women who just want to be artists, but then you have all these people behind the scenes who are pitting them against each other.”
Cardi B got wind of Jesse Woo’s accusations. The Bronx-raised rapper fired back in the comment section of The Neighborhood Talk Instagram account.
The former Love & Hip Hop: New York star wrote:
The lies!!! I hate that I gotta address s### that is so irrelevant. Jessie Woo is the same person that I got on my dm [asking] me [advise] because she [signed] to my old record label and she felt like my old manager played her.\If anybody ever told you that about another woman then why would you go and sign with them as well? No matter how stressful my 3 years of litigation when with my old manager was I know he will never say that since he a Queens nikka and the last thing in our head was another woman when we [were] just trying to make it which we did. And yes I got the dms!”
Cardi B via The Neighborhood Talk
Cardi B then backed up her statement by providing screenshots of direct messages and voice memos from Jesse Woo. The DMs and audio were posted by the Instagram blogger known as KenBarbie.
“I’ve been quiet & at peace while I’m working & preparing for my blessing & I refuse to let ANYONE interrupt it. I’m not addressing any of these narratives the way I’ve let them distract me in the past. If anyone wants receipts head over to @officialKenBarbie on IG NOW. Byeee!” tweeted Cardi on Monday afternoon.
I’ve been quiet & at peace while I’m working & preparing for my blessing.. & I refuse to let ANYONE interrupt it. I’m not addressing any of these narratives the way I’ve let them distract me in the past. If anyone wants receipts head over to @officialKenBarbie on IG NOW. Byeee!
The DMs, some of which are from 2019, allegedly show Jesse Woo reaching out to Cardi B in order to get recommendations on possible legal actions against KSR Records founder Klenord “Shaft” Raphael. Cardi and her manager Shaft were involved in a years-long lawsuit that was settled in 2020.
Plus, Cardi B supposedly directly contacted Jesse Woo after she went on IG Live to accused one of Cardi’s associates of plotting to end Nicki Minaj’s career. Woo then pointed the finger at a man named B. Hop as the person caught up in the so-called plot to take down Minaj.
KenBarbie also uploaded DMs between Cardi B and B. Hop where the road manager flat out denied Jesse Woo’s allegations. Cardi then apparently contacted Woo again and told her that B. Hop refuted being her source. In the midst of the drama, Woo began promoting a new song.
With the announcement of Jesse Woo dropping “Can’t Catch Me” next month, many of Cardi B’s fans began referring to the Grammy winner’s verse on Offset’s “Clout” single. On the track, Cardi raps, “I should run a whole blog at this rate. They using my name for clickbait. B###### even wanna start fake beef. To sell their little weave and a mixtape.”
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is a recording artist, businessman, and philanthropist. The Brooklyn-raised emcee is also a playlist curator for the Tidal platform.
In March, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey announced his Square company bought a majority ownership stake in Tidal. The deal was worth a reported $297 million.
Jack Dorsey tweeted, “It comes down to a simple idea: finding new ways for artists to support their work. New ideas are found at the intersections, and we believe there’s a compelling one between music and the economy. Making the economy work for artists is similar to what Square has done for sellers.”
It comes down to a simple idea: finding new ways for artists to support their work. New ideas are found at the intersections, and we believe there’s a compelling one between music and the economy. Making the economy work for artists is similar to what Square has done for sellers.
This week, Tidal and Twitter Spaces presented “Talk: A Conversation with Jack Dorsey and JAY-Z.” The streaming service posted a 150-second snippet from the discussion to its Twitter account.
At one point, Jay-Z talked about curating special playlists for Tidal. For example, the Roc Nation boss created the 18-track “March 4” collection which includes songs by acts like Nipsey Hussle, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Drake.
“I found so many songs. My playlist game is A++. I challenge anyone out there,” joked Jay-Z. The 4:44 album creator added, “I’m definitely in the top tier of playlist creators.”
“Talk: A Conversation with Jack Dorsey and JAY-Z” also featured the two billionaires discussing the future of Tidal. In addition, Jay-Z told the listeners that the streamer is combining AI with IRL elements in order to offer a good product.
“In the beginning, there was a lot of content we were pushing. We did a lot of work with the engineers and now the algorithms have caught up to what we were doing. But we’ll always maintain a human element because that’s where it comes from. You can’t duplicate the heart and spirit,” said Jay-Z.
Tidal also hosts other Jay-Z-curated playlists such as “JAY-Z: Songs for Survival 2,” “JAY-Z: Vibes,” and “JAY-Z: F*ck the Summer Up.” The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class member organizess his “Year End Picks” lists as well.
Can Tyler, The Creator claim to be one of the best rappers alive today? The 30-year-old California native showed off his lyrical skills on his new album Call Me If You Get Lost.
“I just love rap so g###### much… listening to [The] Dedication with [Lil] Wayne, and ‘We Got It For Cheap’ with Clipse, they really shaped me into who I am,” Tyler toldBillboard.
He continued, “I think a lot of people forget that I’m a rapper because I’m so multifaceted. I just had to remind everyone, ‘Don’t let the wig get it twisted, y’all n##### can’t f### with me.'”
Tyler added another layer to Call Me If You Get Lost by having DJ Drama host the project. Drama’s contribution gave the LP the feel of a Gangsta Grillz mixtape.
DJ Drama and Tyler worked on the album in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Generation Now label co-founder explained to Billboard how the union came together.
“Tyler reached out to me last summer,” said DJ Drama. “He always said it was a dream of his to do a Gangsta Grillz.”
Call Me If You Get Lost is projected to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. According to HitsDailyDouble, Tyler is on pace to pull in 175,000 first-week units which would be the best opening of his career.
2019’s Igor launched at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 165,000 album-equivalent units. It was Tyler, The Creator’s first Number One. Igor went on to win Best Rap Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
For Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, The Creator recruited 42 Dugg, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Domo Genesis, Brent Faiyaz, Lil Uzi Vert, Pharrell Williams, and others. All tracks are written and produced by Tyler.
R&B songstress H.E.R. will present the second Lights On Festival in Concord, California. This year’s event is scheduled for two days at the Concord Pavilion.
H.E.R. announced the return of the Lights On Festival at the 2021 BET Awards. The singer/songwriter won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist at the ceremony.
Erykah Badu, Bryson Tiller, Ari Lennox, Ty Dolla $ign, Keyshia Cole, Arin Ray, Blxst, Lucky Daye, Masego, Tone Stith, and more acts were tapped for the 2021 Lights On Festival.
H.E.R. will headline her own showcase. A special H.E.R. & Friends set is also planned for the night. The Lights On Festival will take place on September 18 and September 19.
Tickets for the 2021 Lights On Festival are available at livenation.com. Partial proceeds from the ticket sales will go towards the Grammy Museum and MusiCares.
Jhené Aiko, Daniel Caesar, Summer Walker, Ari Lennox, Kiana Ledé, DaniLeigh, Melii, Lucky Daye, and other artists were part of the 2019 lineup. H.E.R. said, “Concord Pavilion is the ultimate venue. It is the perfect place to bring people from all over the Bay.”
Tafia comes off the presses of signing a partnership deal with Roc Nation, DreamChasers record label and looks poised for an industry takeover. The Miami native’s drive has gotten him quite far in life unexpectedly. Meek’s first signing out of prison is now looking to step and take the Philly buwl’s label to new heights. Fresh off his recently released DJ Drama hosted Gangsta Grill mixtape named “Street Clarity,” Tafia pays a visit to AllHipHop, and sits down with our correspondent Slops.
He reveals how he connect with Meek Mill. “A mutual friend put him on to my music while he was locked up and when I met him he was rapping one of my songs word for word” The North Miami product himself has faced prison time which is where he learned how to rap. “I always had an ear for music and there’s nothing else in there to do so I decided to try rapping.” He honed his skill through prison battles so much that when he came home he already had a considerable amount of buzz. With Meek now passing the torch and features already from his Miami brethren Rick Ross, Tafia and the rest of the Dream Chasers are looking to have an impact all 2021.
For those that don’t know, there’s a successful, dope and popular rapper in the New York City area named Ransom. Ransom, who claims Jersey City since he started rapping, is now one of the most lyrical cats out and he’s still making tremendous waves. This is his second act in a lot of ways because his first act was when he was closely affiliated with Joe Budden, DJ Clue and in a group called the A-Team. He and Joe had a falling out and it seemed like Ransom might fall off as well. That didn’t happen.
Now we have seen Ransom doing collaborations with the likes of Lloyd Banks and Royce Da 5′ 9″ and others such as the Griselda Records Crew. He’s really doing it big now and has found a way to signing with 38 Speech. Anyway, something weird really happened that I can’t speak on in tremendous detail but I can speak on in general. Ransom actually has a person going around impersonating him. The man is a splitting image of Ransom and he goes around getting in various VIP situation in New York and posting up as if he was Ransom. The only thing is it’s a dead ringer for the rapper, a proverbial doppelgänger. Can you believe it? Ransom has a whole doppelgänger out here in these streets!
I can’t believe I’m even writing this! Anyway, he is getting events and even beats from people! Maybe he is a real rapper that just happens to look like one of the best rappers out.
By the way, it would seem like Joe Budden is flirting with rapping again. I can only imagine he sees the exploits of his peers and wants some of the action!
Former Bad Boy Records rapper Shyne has found a new career in Belize and this one allows him to rap to the public but in a different way.
Now, when he drops bars, he is not (necessarily) using rhymes and there is no music in the background. He is attired in a suit and his audience is the Central American country’s public.
According to Slate, the 90s chart-topper is now “one of Belize’s most powerful politicians.”
The publication shares that this week, he has been appointed as the official leader of Belize’s conservative opposition party, the United Democratic Party.
The “Bad Boyz” rapper rose to the high position after serving for less than a year in the country’s House of Representatives.
See, Shyne, born Jamal Michael Barrow, is a Belize native. His dad, a few years after the nation gained its independence from the United Kingdom (in the 80s), served on the Belize City Council.
Cool trivia that was also revealed is that his dad also was the Belize House of Representatives opposition leader. Even cooler trivia, serendipitously tying everything together is that he took the post the same year that his rapper son connected with Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, in 1998.
Rap star Jay-Z is serious about his takeover of the marijuana business in California because he just bought another dispensary.
The Parent Company, which is backed by Jay, just closed a deal worth $11.5 million to acquire Calma West Hollywood.
The rap mogul, who also serves as Chief Visionary Officer of The Parent Company, shelled out $8.5 million in cash and $3.0 million in shares of his business to Calma’s founders.
The strategic acquisition of the 3,250 square foot dispensary gives The Parent Company control of one of only ten stores in the West Hollywood area that is licensed for both delivery and storefront retail.
Calma’s prime location in West Hollywood also gives The Parent Company access to over 18 million residents and tourists who live in and frequent the area.
“The Calma team is thrilled for the next phase of its growth as part of The Parent Company,” said Cobby Pourtavosi, Founder of Calma. “The Parent Company shares our relentless belief in prioritizing consumer experience and will be a contributing member of the West Hollywood community for years to come.”
The acquisition of Calma gives the Parent Company ownership of four marijuana dispensaries, and they are going to need those outlets to sell their products.
The business bought a huge stake in a company called Mercer Park Brand Acquisition Corp., which is in the process of merging with a business called Glass House Group in a deal worth over $500 million.
After the acquisition is completed, The Parent Company is planning to produce 900,000 pounds of marijuana for their growing portfolio of businesses, which include the dispensaries, as well as the retail brand, Monogram.
Rounding out National Pride Month, it has been announced that So So Def recording artist and radio personality, Da Brat will be launching her own reality show titled, Brat Loves Judy.
The show will follow the everyday life of the “Funkdafied” rapper and Jesseca “Judy” Dupart (her girlfriend), documenting their love for all of their fans to see.
She revealed this news to her fans even before she told her sister, LisaRaye McCoy, an act that further strained their relationship.
However, this show, will not only explore the dynamic between the couple but share the progress with that relationship — yes, McCoy will appear on the show.
Other family and friends who will fill out the cast throughout the series are Judy’s adult daughter, Deja and Deja’s infant daughter Kenzie; Bella, Brat’s manager and confidante; Brat’s friend Montana and his wife Rhonda; and all of the couple’s six dogs – Staxx, Rockie, Fat Boy, Loyal, Fendi, and Rebel.
Lauren Gellert, EVP of Development and Original Programming for WE tv says, “These two powerful and successful women are sharing their brand-new relationship with audiences for the first time ever, bravely inviting viewers to experience all their emotional ‘firsts’ alongside them.”
Brat Loves Judy will premiere on August 5th at 9pm ET on WE tv and will round out their Thursday night schedule including the popular Hip-Hop shows like the Growing Up Hip Hop franchise, Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, and Waka & Tammy: What the Flocka.
Lil Nas X gave the world a little sum-sum to kiss goodbye National Pride Month and it seems that a lot of people on social media (and probably in their homes) had something to say about it.
Well, he also had something to say, taking to his profiles and gathering up a few people’s edges.
After kissing one of his backup dancers during his performance of his single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at Sunday night’s BET Awards, it seems that the few homophobes and other uptight types had issues.
But when one person tried to come for him wearing an Egyptian costume and displaying same-gender-loving PDA, he had to set the record straight.
“It took me a lot of time to mentally prepare for this performance. while on stage i was trembling knowing that i was performing something like that in front of my straight peers,” Lil Nas X revealed. “Even during the performance i was having a hard time calming my nerves. thank you guys for the love.”
But the rapper still had to respond to a massive wave of homophobes after the performance.
Kudz (@ghettogod9) tweeted, “DONT USE AFRICAN CULTURE FOR S#### LIKE THIS!!!!!!! RESPECT OUR ANCESTORS” and he responded, “y’all really like to pretend homosexuality didn’t exist in African culture.”
y’all really like to pretend homosexuality didn’t exist in african culture https://t.co/mGmah0CbP9
People had his back on that … cause of course people are and have always been gay in the Motherland.
“Homosexual stigma in African culture was almost entirely due to Christian missionaries. African culture has a rich history of sexually fluid practices”
Homosexual stigma in African culture was almost entirely due to Christian missionaries. African culture has a rich history of sexually fluid practices pic.twitter.com/FUwtf7JcyF
While Lil Nas X has the luxury to celebrate being of African descent and gay, pointing to the existence of the LGBTQIA+ community on the continent, people are actually being killed for living a truth that he sometimes takes for granted.
The HBO film, The Legend of The Underground, explores the challenges and discrimination that people face in Nigeria when they chose to express their true selves as gay people.
The documentary, produced by John Legend, also explains that in 2013 Nigeria enacted the anti-LGBTQ law- the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill (SSMPA).
Since then, the law has been used to “harass, imprison, extort and commit violence against anyone seen as not conforming to Nigerian societal and cultural norms.”
The Legend of The Underground will be debuting on Tuesday, June 29 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT) on HBOMax.
Hopefully, people will watch and change their feelings about same gender loving in Africa, and join in the fight to ensure cultural freedom for everyone.
