“Before I retire, to show my thanks and my appreciation to all my supporters, I’m gonna drop an EP every month this year, titled after the current month,” he tells Billboard.
January, February, and March EPs have already dropped and his April release will come before the end of the month.
During his interview, Papoose also addressed his hero DMX’s death, stating, “This guy came from nothing and made himself, he became larger than life.
“Every time I ever ran into that brother, it was a teachable moment, enjoying laughter together, he dropping jewels on (me). I came up listening to X, so to finally meet him and I’m trying to explain to him, ‘Yo, I came up listening to you, I respect your work’. This is a brother who’s not cocky. He’s telling me, ‘Nah, man. I respect what you’re doing, dog. And I wish you the best blessings on your career’. He’s giving it right back to me.”
Chris Brown is facing more legal woes over an alleged dog attack at his home in California.
Patricia Avila claims she and her sister were hired by the singer to clean his Tarzana home twice a week and all was well until one of his dogs, a large Caucasian Shepherd, wandered into the back yard and attacked while the maids were emptying a vacuum cleaner.
Avila alleges the dog tore into her sister, ripping several inches of skin off her arm and biting her face.
Brown, who was home at the time, called for emergency services and the woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for days.
She has since been left with severe anxiety and panic attacks, according to Avila’s legal documents, obtained by TMZ.
Avila is suing Chris for damages, claiming he failed to protect her from his dog. It’s unclear if her sister – the actual victim of the dog attack – is filing a separate suit.
Take a look at our sit-down with Syndicate Radio’s Nick Ospina, Justin Muzack and Kent Mulato as we dig deeper into the world of underground radio and how they built their rapidly rising radio show in Los Angeles.
Ask anyone in world of entertainment and media and there’s no doubt that Los Angeles is one of the largest markets in the world. With over 12 million people residing in the current metro area and with new dreamers moving to LALA-land every day, if you’re in the world of music and entertainment, Los Angeles is the perfect testing ground to launch your entertainment dreams.
While there’s a host of Podcasts and Youtube channels dedicated to covering artists and their music, Los Angeles based radio station 101.5 and their radio show Syndicate Radio has continued to break new talent and prove that FM radio is nowhere near dead, shining a light on underground music across the world.
Despite Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Sirius XM radio dividing listeners, Syndicate Radio is drawing a real following on FM with listeners not only in LA but across the globe as the show is also available for fans on the streaming services. New to FM radio but OG’s in the game of online Hip-Hop radio, Syndicate Radio digs deeper into the music, solidified by a motto of “no genre left behind.” While championing for artists on the rise and underground talent Syndicate Radio is a model that remains true to focusing on good music, not ads and hidden agendas backed by payola.
Despite LA’s Power 106 and 92.3 dominating the Hip-Hop airwaves for years, 101.5 is making huge strides in the market for underground acts and artists that otherwise wouldn’t fit the programming model for iHeartRadio stations. Also rivaling 92.3’s KDAY as an alternative avenue for classic Rap music and deep cuts, 101.5 has carved out a niche in the L.A. market that deserves the listener’s ears.
Born out of garage and first starting off as DJ class for LAUSD students in the San Fernando Valley, Nick Ospina, Justin Muzack, Kent Mulato and Ashley Ramirez developed Syndicate Radio into one of LA’s fastest rising shows. While they are still in the early stages of their new deal with KQBH, Syndicate Radio has been in the works for nearly a decade highlighting dope music from classic rap songs to new rising underground talent.
Check out more info below and follow Syndicate Radio on 101.5 to support real underground and classic rap music:
AllHipHop: So talk to me about the inspiration for this show and how its developed to what it is today…
Justin: I always knew Nick was naturally smart and super organized and we came together on the booking side of things. We’ve had other members that came along for the journey but the three of us have always stuck together because I think our skill sets are different but we are always able to come together – that was the first thing.
Syndicate Radio
Kent: It really started because I’ve been DJing since 2009 and I had a homie who was a drummer and he started teaching and he asked me to teach him how to DJ. I was a teacher at LAUSD and there was an update to this program called Traktor that I used and so on the upgrade with Traktor Pro there was this update with broadcasting and I thought it would be cool to start a show and teach people how to DJ.
We always recorded the set but with the live set as a teacher you have to do everything right and I always wanted to broadcast it. Yes I was teaching them to DJ, but everyone would just hang out and it just kind of morphed into us putting a show together. As we started learning to mix sets and blend based off of that, we started a show and that’s when Justin came and he never left. He brought Nick with him, it was organic, we never tried to get on the scene, since day one it’s always been no genre left behind and then just having people come over and just hang out it’s been an open door policy since we started.
AllHipHop: Seems like you guys have that family kick back vibe and then you mix in the music too. Nick I know you do a lot of admin work and you are a man of many hats, can you talk about your role?
Nick: Most of it is administrative, but for the last five years, I’ve started taking over social media stuff and I do the posting and what not. The administrative stuff in the past was just booking artists and making sure everyone was ready for the sets and the venue, make sure the guys are on point and if ever there was a situation where we need a more business face and I’m usually the one that sets up and takes on that role, but mainly its been making sure these guys are all ready and we know what we are going to talk about and we have all our equipment or whatever.
Kent: He’s really been the facilitator, if something goes wrong its like, “Nick can you figure this out?” Thats what it’s always been and he’s always been flexible with that. Like Justin said it’s always been a cool dynamic that the three of us have because we all three have different skills and all the boxes are checked. Nobody really has a lot of egos, nobody is worried about their spot and it’s all about how we move forward and accomplish the goals. It was always about “we” and “us” and it’s about the team.
AllHipHop: You guys are definitely filling a void, LA has several radio stations but you guys seem to play lots of underground records and classic stuff that nobody else does. Who are some artists that you guys have been playing on the show that the fans need to check for both locally and worldwide.
Justin: Between Kent and I, we do play more local artists and a lot of the people I end up playing are people from the Great Late Show – my other show on KQBH. Rucci is dope, Blxst, Papa J Ruiz a kid from Colorado, there’s this cat Dom like Snob, Broken Mogul from Alabama. Not so local but people from LA. Katori Walker, the Elephant in the Room camp we support them also and have been for a while.
Nick: I would say to the void part, we definitely started something back in 2011 that was not being done anywhere else. We were rusty and were beginners but the sound quality was on point and I don’t think we capitalized on it like we could have. We had like 500-1000 average listeners every episode early on, but the difference back then was we were the only ones to really just interview local artists.
Kent: I’m too honest and if the music is wack I’m like nah, but Justin is the one that handles that now and he has an ear for picking out and finding new talent. The show evolved but it felt like we had a bunch of local artists and we had a bunch of the same artists that were trying to get on the show. You start getting the same kind of DJ’s coming through there are still some gems out there but we are still featuring guest DJs but because of COVID we haven’t been able to feature that higher echelon of artists and DJS
AllHipHop: Talk about COVID’s impact on the radio show and the station as a whole:
Justin: It’s really impacted us, just thinking back on what Kent said and the relationships that Ive built over the years, but the times make it so difficult to execute and with the guest DJs it’s been cool at Norms studio with the lights but there’s nothing like when you have a DJ come drop a set. Whether its Nathan To It or Starchild and Alchi we were building it out and getting people to know it more and its becoming a spot where DJs can come. But it’s def been harder to facilitate – it just sucks that we can’t do it the way we want to do it.
Nick: We had to shut the show down after our mix cloud technician got COVID and that was too close for comfort so we had to stop. Like Justin said its definitely changed everything but we have found ways to adapt and adjust to the changes, thats the only thing that really sucks. Within all these years everyone has honed their skills whether its hosting, DJ ing and administrating but when things open up, it will be all good.
Nick: Its like hold up we are finally on FM and its’ like things are going in a good direction
AllHipHop: So from the Traktor program in a garage to online shows to FM. You guys are now on FM radio. Can you speak about what that means to you guys?
Kent: I cried, I could not believe it. We all knew that it was happening but this is all Justin and Nick’s connects and their networking and all that stuff. But that day when we finally put the notification out there, there was a dramatic trailer that people saw and we got a lot of love.
Justin: Yea we have held your shows from a bunch of places but to have a home on FM is crazy!
Nick: First thing that comes to mind is its real, its no longer a hobby or a way to kick it with the homies, it’s a legit job and it means that these 9-10 years now have all lead to something. Validation. It’s like the one thing that I actually ever stuck with in life that ever went somewhere beside my friendship with these guys. It sounds funny but its real. I’ve never had a job for longer than 3 or 4 years.
I was booking DJ Quik, Rakim, Dogg Pound, Merkules, Blacc Youngsta, Chris Webby and so transitioning to all this it just makes sense. It puts into perspective like we are here and we can do more. There is so much that we have evolved into and we still haven’t even reached our full potential. I’m anxious for whats next. With FM it doesn’t feel like we made it but its like we got our foot in the door and we are still going.
Justin: For me it was a beautiful thing, Even though I was already on KQBH but I felt it more when we announced it because it was like now my team is here and I always felt like if we stuck together the sky is the limit. It put things in perspective for me. This is the one thing that I have and its one thing to have with Pharcyde TV and working two jobs. But KQBH allows us to really do what we want and we have control of our intellectual property. Now we are on Spotify to monetize what we are doing and it’s the ideal situation to where we can really live up to our motto of “no genre left behind.” I think it allows us to be our real selves and we are true to ourselves. I just say its a beautiful moment in a pandemic and we made our dreams come true. Even when I’m tired and need to edit.
Nick: The whole COVID thing was almost a blessing because it made it so we could really focus on this and do it right and now we are on FM. No going out and gigs and parties and now we’ve figured it out – we were all unemployed and it allowed us to come together.
Kent: To me aside from the money not being right and not being able to go to Disneyland COVID has actually been kind of tight. Before we even did the first episode we were weighing our options and just off the strength before. We were like, “we could take this to 3 places” and just off the strength we weren’t’ thinking FM because we cuss and other stuff like that, but they didn’t tell us that we could be on later and play explicit stuff and then they told us about the late show.
Justin: It makes a big difference on radio edits and stuff like that. Right then I told them and we locked it in because the director of the station and I have a good relationship. We are one of the shows that has the consistency that’s something I think she recognized – it was perfect time because the fourth member Nick’s girlfriend Ashley is a big part of the show. To be honest it works out beautiful because we all host and Kent and I DJ, but it is dope to have one person that is solely focused on topics and it’s a female voice, Ashley.
Kent: It gets even realer than that but she will call me out every time and it’s valuable because it adds a dynamic to a show – the show we put up tomorrow – we go back and forth a lot and she has a real authenticity that goes back and forth.
Nick: It comes to her so naturally and it just flows so well, the dynamic she adds is perfect.
Justin: We’ve had other female hosts, but she works so well, we had an open door policy and going back to what Nick said, she is a key player who is dynamic on the mic and now we have that focus and being able to pre-record. I don’t have to focus too much on DJing and hosting at the same time. There’s an A, B, C and D mic and I’m the C mic and I’m ok with that because she is so good at what she does – it just makes sense.
For more information on Syndicate Radio check them out via the link below and tune in to 101.5 if you’re in the Los Angeles area.
Lucci is accused of being involved in the shooting death of 28-year-old James Adams who was killed on December 10, 2020. A second victim, 32-year-old Kevin Wright, was also reportedly shot during the violent incident.
The 30-year-old rap star was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, participation in street gang activity, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Following his arrest, Lucci was released on a $500,000 bond.
According to TMZ, Fulton County prosecutors claim YFN Lucci violated the conditions of his bond when he visited a recording studio and a local strip club. The particular strip club in question is apparently the same establishment connected to the supposed gang-related shooting.
Prosecutors are also alleging that Lucci’s mandated ankle monitor was altered in some way that caused missing and irregular data on his location. Plus, the government is also accusing the Wish Me Well 3 mixtape maker of violating his bond by failing a drug test. A judge could force Lucci to remain behind bars until his trial begins.
In response, YFN’s lawyer Drew Findling, told TMZ, “This attempt to revoke his bond is without merit and is replete with factual and legal inaccuracies. We will zealously fight this motion as we will with every aspect of this legally flawed prosecution.”
Previously, Findling said, “Our review of the initial evidence made available to us indicates there is no basis for any criminal charges against Rayshawn Bennett. We will continue our own independent investigation on his behalf.” Two other suspects connected to Adams’s death, Ra’Von Boyd and Leroy Pitts, were reportedly apprehended in Miami in January.
YFN Lucci appears to be occupying his time by playing video games such as Call of Duty: Warzone. For the last week, he has been posting multi-hour-long gaming sessions to his YouTube page. The videos feature titles like “Demon time,” “Cant sleep,” and “House arrest flow.”
The minds behind Top Dawg Entertainment built the brand into one of the most prolific record labels of the 21st century. Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith’s company is responsible for producing several classic albums since its founding in 2004.
With a roster that includes acts like Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, and SZA, TDE is stacked with musical talent that has dominated radio and streaming services. Even 4-years-old projects continued to leave their mark on Billboard.
This week, Damn by Kendrick Lamar charted at #85 on the Billboard 200. The Pulitzer Prize-winning project from 2017 has remained on that tally for four full years (208 weeks). Damn originally debuted at #1 with 603,000 first-week units.
SZA’s Ctrl also reached a major Billboard 200 milestone. Her 2017 debut studio LP currently sits at #54 which marks its 200th entry on the weekly album rankings. Ctrl peaked at #3 upon its release by amassing 60,000 first-week units.
Damn went on to be certified 3x-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Ctrl presently holds a 2x-Platinum certification. Both Damn and Ctrl were critically acclaimed. Many music publication’s end-of-the-year lists for 2017 had either album placed at #1.
Lamar picked up five Grammy Awards for his Damn era, including Best Rap Album as well as Best Rap Song and Best Music Video for “Humble.” SZA scored five Grammy nominations for Ctrl, but she was controversially shut out by the Recording Academy at the same 2018 ceremony.
Throughout their respective careers, Kendrick Lamar and SZA collaborated on songs together. 2018’s Black Panther: The Album hosted their Top 10 hit “All the Stars.” That single would earn the two Top Dawg Entertainment representatives a Best Original Song nomination at the 91st Academy Awards.
Last November, Chicago rapper Dayvon “King Von” Bennett was shot and killed outside Atlanta’s Monaco Hookah Lounge. The gunfire was said to be the result of an altercation between King Von’s crew and Quando Rondo’s crew.
Timothy “Lul Timm” Leeks was charged with murder in Fulton County, Georgia. Sources connected to Lul Timm claimed the 22-year-old associate of Quando Rondo was acting in self-defense. Leeks was released from jail on a $100,000 bond.
Quando Rondo (born Tyquian Terrel Bowman) recently spoke about the ordeal with veteran media personality Angela Yee. Part 1 of that Rondo interview was published on April 12 and quickly became a top trending video on YouTube.
Yee promoted her conversation with the Savannah-raised rapper on The Breakfast Club radio show. Her co-hosts, DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, reacted to the viral Q&A. Envy claimed people contacted him about his safety because The Breakfast Club could now possibly be seen as supporting Quando Rondo and Lil Tumm.
“It’s just a very serious game so just be careful. I got a bunch of texts like, ‘What’s going on? You good in Chicago?’ I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I guess you released your interview,” Envy told Yee. “Just be very careful.”
Charlamagne responded, “Yeah, but you can’t get mad at the reporter or the journalist or the personality because they did an interview.” Yee then explained her intention was to just give Quando Rondo an opportunity to tell his side of the story.
Part 2 of Angela Yee’s interview with Quando Rondo was published on the Atlantic recording artist’s official YouTube channel on April 13. The “Angels Wings” rhymer has been promoting the Q&A to his 3.2 million Instagram followers.
Montero “Lil Nas X” Hill found himself at the center of controversy after dropping the visuals for his new single “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” The track skyrocketed to the top of the charts, but it was also met with backlash for the music video’s satanic imagery.
Following that legal loss, Lil Nas seems to be dealing with another situation involving the removal of his art from the public square. The 22-year-old Georgia native claims “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” is no longer available on many streaming services.
Some of LNX’s fans shared screenshots and screen recordings seemingly showing that they were unable to listen to the record or watch the video on platforms like Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. In response, Lil Nas promised to upload “Montero” to a pornographic website.
“Since ‘Call Me by Your Name’ is no longer working on many streaming services I will be uploading the audio to Pornhub at 3 pm est,” tweeted Lil Nas X on Tuesday morning. That tweet garnered more than 19,000 retweets and 276,000 likes by Wednesday.
LNX later added, “Not even joking. Everybody stream ‘Call Me By Your Name’ hard today because it may no longer be available tomorrow and there’s nothing I can really do about it. Thanks for all the support tho!” The 7 EP creator’s record label then backed up his claims.
Columbia Records posted, “Thanks for all your comments regarding @LilNasX ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name),’ It’s unfortunately out of our control but we are doing everything possible to keep the song up on streaming services. We will keep you up to date as we hear more. Thank you for understanding.”
Several hours later, Lil Nas X returned to Twitter to write, “Thank you to everyone for using your voices. I’m not placing any blame on the streaming services. Most people have said they are able to go and redownload. Please let me know if you guys still have a problem.”
not even joking. everybody stream call me by your name hard today because it may no longer be available tomorrow and there’s nothing i can really do about it. thanks for all the support tho! 🤍
Thanks for all your comments regarding @LilNasX “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” It’s unfortunately out of our control but we are doing everything possible to keep the song up on streaming services. We will keep you up to date as we hear more. Thank you for understanding.
thank you to everyone for using your voices. i’m not placing any blame on the streaming services. most people have said they are able to go and redownload. please let me know if you guys still have a problem. https://t.co/pjGd1CP2tw
Bobby Brown is one of the most acclaimed R&B performers of all time. From his stint in New Edition to the commercial success of his solo career, the Boston-bred singer cemented his name among the greats.
Unfortunately, Brown’s personal life has been troubled by drug and alcohol addiction. He also lost his ex-wife, Whitney Houston, and his son, Bobby Brown Jr., to complications from substance abuse.
An upcoming edition of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk will feature a sitdown interview with Brown and his current wife, Alicia Etheredge-Brown. The musician spoke about overcoming addiction on the talk show.
“Alcohol, I started losing bodily function. My body started shutting down because I was drinking that much,” Brown explained to Red Table Talk hosts Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris. “My body just was giving out on me.”
The 52-year-old New Jack Swing pioneer continued, “Even with alcohol, I got to the point where I needed it. I wasn’t getting drunk anymore. I wasn’t getting a little tipsy anymore. I needed it to wake up. I needed it to stop the shakes, to function on a day-to-day basis. For me, it wasn’t recreational.”
In another Red Table Talk clip, Brown discussed the dangers of modern-day synthetic drugs. Etheredge-Brown also joined him on set to share their experience of having to tell their son about the death of Bobby Jr. The full episode of premieres Wednesday, April 14 at 12 pm ET.
Hip-Hop mogul J. Prince has done bought himself a whole tropical island.
The Texas native used some of his reported $50 million to acquire land in the middle of a crystal-clear ocean, and in his typical Rap-A-Lot way, noted how he has made the impossible, possible.
While pushing a wave-runner, on his Instagram he shared what haters told him in the past, “They said it couldn’t be done.”
“They told me I was dreaming too big,” he continued. “They told me I was crazy.”
“They said it was impossible. I done made the impossible possible … Prince Island #1. Loyalty for life.”
The video showed the island off in the distance, not allowing fans to see the landscape of his new investment. But the move is a power flex for sure. He is not the only influencer from the culture to own an island.
The first billionaire couple of Hip-Hop, The Carters, copped a nice slice of earth in the Florida Keys. Jigga reportedly dropped a light $20 million on the 12.5-acre island for his wife’s 29th birthday.
“BIG CUZ” is a single that will form an anthem on empowering minds. The song is a tribute to anyone who lost a cousin that they were close to. It is an R&B track that is bringing authentic lyricism and heartfelt messages and emotions back into the mainstream. It’s a creative and vibe single with nuances of musicality that is immersed in cultural diversity.
A song for the world to grasp the importance and beauty of family Play, Download and stream this conscious banger! King Sump, Nancie B and Pastor Troy are here to change the game. The single was produced by King Sump and is available on all streaming platforms.
King Sump Productions Announces the Brand New Single “Big Cuz” by Nancie B Ft. Pastor Troy
Rapper Black Rob has been left without a permanent home after his latest stint in hospital for a series of long-running health problems.
The “Whoa!” star, who rose to fame in the late 1990s as an artist on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Bad Boy Records label, drew concern from fans over the weekend, after sharing a tribute message from his hospital bed following the death of hip-hop legend DMX.
In the footage, Rob appeared gaunt and frail, six years after suffering a stroke, although he didn’t share any details about his current health status.
He has since taken to Instagram to assure fans he is OK and has been discharged.
His message read: “I thank you all for your prayers & concern. I wanted to let you know from myself that I’m good. I’m home now…!”
However, in a separate video message which has since surfaced online, Rob admitted his living situation has been far from ideal, and he’s trying to work with a friend to sort out more permanent accommodation as he continues to struggle with pain issues after a series of other strokes in recent years.
“Oh man, I’ve been dealing with this for five years,” he says in the clip. “Four strokes (to date)…
“I don’t know what to tell you man. S### is crazy. This s### is hard. I don’t got no house to live in – except maybe an apartment. Me and my man be trying to get together. I’m telling you, man, this s**t is strange. It’s hard, you know what I’m saying…?
“I need some rest, man. Really, man. I need some rest. My side is killing me. Oh s**t. I don’t want to talk about it no more (sic).”
Now his friend and fellow former Bad Boy rapper Mark Curry has been providing updates on Rob’s situation on his own Instagram page, expressing his gratitude for the outpouring of support for his pal, who he reveals has been undergoing dialysis, a treatment typically used to deal with kidney failure.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNkdAUch4ej/
“First, thank you for all the support,” he said in a post.
“Also know that it’s not a sympathy case or nothing like that; he just needs that support, that love, that aid to get through during these hard times, cause you can imagine what it’s like going through dialysis and stuff and have to worry about where you’re going to put your head…”
Curry then directed fans wanting to help to a GoFundMe page set up by producer Mike Zombie to raise some funds to help Rob in his time of need, which had collected more than $15,000 towards its $50,000 goal.
Curry also revealed Diddy has been reaching out in an attempt to help the former Bad Boy artist.
Former D12 rapper and Eminem collaborator Denaun Porter, aka Mr. Porter, is among the generous donors, contributing $1,000 to the cause.
If you’re a fan of television shows that reel you in and have you glued episode to episode, then you are most definitely a fan of “Snowfall.”
Currently knee-deep in their fourth season, the FX series chronicles the life of Franklin Saint (played by Damson Idris), as he navigates the crack epidemic in the 80’s.
Growing up in South Central Los Angeles is a battle in itself, and Franklin Saint paints the picture of someone doing whatever he can do to survive and make it out. While business is booming, it’s hard not to see the downsides of hustling crack cocaine, with addiction and violence at an all-time high.
With Season 4 specifically, there seems to be outright war.
Walter Mosley, the genius who wrote “Snowfall” and executive produced the show alongside the late great John Singleton, is an established author who has written screenplays, poems, articles, and over 60
critically-acclaimed books.
He is a true writer if there ever was one.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to have “Snowfall” take off the way it did? From my peers alone, they say it’s the best show out right now.
Walter Mosley: I love “Snowfall.” It’s a great show, I’ve been working on it for the last 5 years. It’s been a great deal of fun. Really, five years ago, John Singleton called me and says “Walter listen, I’m doing this television show. I need you in the room.” I said “well John, I don’t know how to write television.” He goes, “that’s okay you don’t have to write, just sit in there. Back me up.” [laughs] I said “okay.” I sat around long enough, the head writer said “as long as you’re going to be here, why don’t you write something?” So I started writing for them. It’s fun, and it’s a good show. It’s a show where people want to hear what they believe is going on in the world. Since most things, most places, most events say the opposite, it’s nice for people who either experienced it or who have relatives that experienced it, to hear about that life. That world.
AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for, approaching the Season 4 finale?
Walter Mosley: Oh my gosh, it’s almost over already. It’s fun, I think it’s great. It’s wonderful to have the development of the characters, to see where they’re going, to see where they end up. It’s like regular life, so many shows where people do the same things continually. Even though they’re either drug dealers or fighting drug dealers, their lives are continually changing. Their understanding of the world is continually changing. Most people, that’s how they live. Our lives are changing all the time.
AllHipHop: The “Snowfall” text changes colors and textures as the seasons go on. What’s the significance?
Walter Mosley: I know! It’s funny because there’s so many people. To make a television show, hundreds of people work on it. I look at that, I don’t have anything to do with the text. I’m always really happy when I see them. I just saw Episode 8 and went “wow, that’s so interesting!” That’s the way it is.
AllHipHop: Do you relate to being around during the crack epidemic?
Walter Mosley: You know, that’s what John asked me. When he called me, he said “you were here then?” I said “no I wasn’t John,” I was on the East Coast. In northern New England, I was in the woods. Because I’m 10 years older than he was, so I missed the crack epidemic. What I know is South Central L.A, being born and raised there. I spent a great deal of my time there before going off into the world.
AllHipHop: Did you know a lot about the CIA’s involvement before writing the show?
Walter Mosley: Oh yeah. You know the CIA were involved. I wasn’t there but you knew there’s no way all of this cocaine all of a sudden found its way into South Central. That’s not a mistake, all these weapons finding their way into South Central. That didn’t just happen. That didn’t happen in the Mafia, certainly not going to happen in South Central L.A. It’s so interesting now. There are certain people when I talk about it: “so we’re talking about how the CIA was involved…” Then I go, “CIA?! No, they work for the government. They don’t deal drugs.” [laughs] It’s fun to bring up to people, even if they feel like it never really happened. There’s still a tiny touch of suspicion.
AllHipHop: How was it developing the characters from season to season?
Walter Mosley: The characters, it’s almost from episode to episode. There’s Season 1, 2, 3, 4 to see what’s happening with them, but for us sitting in the writer’s room, every day we’re thinking something new, something different, something more advanced or evolved for characters. Deciding this character’s going to die, and that character’s going to whatever. The hardest thing certainly is Franklin, to understand who he is because his nature is hidden. Who he is, is really an enigma. It’s been a great deal for him dealing with that.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite thing about Franklin?
Walter Mosley: There’s the actor of course, and my favorite thing about him is that he’s English, which is wonderful. The idea of the character is how lost he is. For me, he’s really a lost character. He’s powerful, he’s intelligent, he’s beautiful, but through all of that, he doesn’t really know how to put things together. In his head he knows, but in the world he doesn’t. In a way he’s kind of helpless, and I love that about him.
AllHipHop: Talk about the growth of Franklin from asking his cousin for advice to being the boss himself.
Walter Mosley: He was always going to be the boss, even when he’s asking advice. Even when he goes to his uncle and his aunt, they help him get into the business, but just like that he’s beyond them. Even the fact he’s thinking about doing it, is beyond them. He’s one of those people, you meet him and say “oh, this is a leader. This is a person who’s going to make things happen, he’s not going to follow events.” From the beginning, from the three creators of the show, were always going to go in that direction so it wasn’t so much of a surprise. The surprise is what he’s willing to do, who he’s willing to go up against, who he’s willing to fight, who he’s willing to kill. Really, it’s a crazy world. You have a part of Los Angeles that’s not really governed by the police, certainly not then. You try to make your own way and all of a sudden, the police don’t like you. You didn’t mind when I was fighting in the street or killing somebody over my girlfriend, but now that I’m making money, you’re mad at me. What’s up with that?
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite part of all Season 4?
Walter Mosley: The fact that the whole season is a war. There’s a war going on here, there’s a war going on in South America. There’s a war in between different cultures and the gangs, it hasn’t been that before. It’s been individual gangsterism, but this is an all-out war and it’s hard to understand who wins. Maybe even nobody wins. You keep on working, you keep on struggling, but it’s a hard life.
AllHipHop: How was it filming after the passing of John Singleton?
Walter Mosley: John’s a really interesting guy. He was very concerned about his community, that part of Los Angeles, his culture, Black people. He wasn’t the guy who needed to own things. He didn’t need to remind people: “I did this, I did that.” He wasn’t really that guy. The writers in the room, he was happy to pass on to us from the very beginning what we’re doing. He said “well listen, what did you write about today Walter?” I said “well you know, I got to Episode 6 or 8.” He goes “so you got some sex and violence in there? I need some of that.” I said “yeah John, I think I got it.” He said “okay, that’s good.” He’d read it and come to me the next day: “look, this is really good. I didn’t really understand this or that.” But it wasn’t like he needed me to somehow have him lead and I’d be in darkness. When he died it was really sad, but this show was going to go on anyway because we knew what we’re doing.
AllHipHop: Favorite episode this season and why?
Walter Mosley: Hmmm, we haven’t seen my favorite episode this season. I can’t tell you about it because it’s a secret. [laughs]
AllHipHop: What’s going to happen Walter?
Walter Mosley: Things are going to happen, that’s all I can you. It is my favorite. It usually is tense, we usually build to a crescendo. It’s really nice.
AllHipHop: How do you feel about Freeway Rick Ross saying you guys stole his story?
Walter Mosley: Listen, I know other people do know who he is and what he did, but it hasn’t been a part of my experience. A lot of people worked in drugs and did a lot of stuff in LA. We’re telling a story. We talked to lots of people, not him, but we talked to lots of people about what their experience was. John was there, John brought a lot of people in that we talked to. Of course, we’ve been dealing all over the place. In the Barrio, talking about the CIA and all that stuff. So I can’t say.
AllHipHop: I’m actually interviewing Amin and Michael, do you have any questions for them that you might think would make for an interesting story?
Walter Mosley: That sounds great, that sounds wonderful. They’re really wonderful actors. They have their characters, so you can ask them about that. You can ask them about anything. One of the interesting things, not Michael but most of the actors were new to big-time performance, and they’ve been great. They’re really interesting, really intelligent people, you’re going to have great fun. I don’t know how you’re going to talk to 2 people in such a short period of time, they have so much to say.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Walter Mosley: No, I keep everything a secret as you know. The show’s going really great and it’s going to continue. I know it’s going to continue into a fifth season, I’m very happy about trying to talk about Los Angeles then and there.
DJ Funkmaster Flex has added his tribute to the ever-growing list of friends and fans to salute DMX in an article for Rolling Stone, remembering his late “Do You” and “We In Here” collaborator as a “good guy”.
“(DMX’s close friend and former labelmate) Swizz Beatz put something on his Instagram that was very true, though maybe I didn’t realize it until Swizz said it: He said DMX ‘lived for everybody else but him.’ He did,” agreed the DJ.
“Do I think he was happy while he was doing it? I’m not sure. I always wondered what was troubling him. But you can tell when somebody has a good heart, from conversations, interactions, how they move. I always felt that from him. He was a street kid with a good heart.”
After three years of holding her personal #MeToo experience to herself, TikTok star Justine Paradise has finally come forward to name YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul as an abuser.
In fact, she identifies him in a video as a calculative predator that used a nondisclosure agreement as a means to silence her from speaking out about her sexual assault.
She also said she didn’t want to say anything because she didn’t want to ruin anyone’s career.
She stated in the 20-minute video that in 2019, while visiting him at his California mansion, Paul systemically laid out a scenario that would “protect” him from any wrongdoing.
Paradise shared that as she entered his home, the popular influencer had her sign an NDA before they started hanging out.
“If you sign an NDA,” she noted. “You’re signing away your rights to talk about anything basically.” At least that was her understanding back then.
Once the agreement was signed, one that was supposed to keep her quiet, she alleges that he forced her to perform oral sex on him.
The TikToker shared that she was conflicted. Despite being attracted to him, she didn’t want to be intimate, and she also felt that because she was friendly with him, she was stuck.
“One of those days, I was in the studio — some people were recording down there — and Jake pulled me into this little corner area in the studio and started kissing me. I was fine with that. I did think he was cute.”
He guided her to his bedroom. She then remembers that this was a signal in his mind that she was open to having intercourse. He was mistaken, according to the video.
Paradise says that she moved his hands off her to express her limits. To this act, he said, “If nothing’s going to happen, what’s the point?”
She explained, “Sex is very special and very important to me. Normally, everybody respects me when I don’t want to do sexual things, so I thought that it was fine if I went in his room.”
“I thought it would be fine to kiss him because I thought he would stop if I didn’t want to do anything else.”
It was then that he forced himself on top of her, making her give him f#######.
“He didn’t ask for consent or anything. That’s not okay. On no level at all is that okay.”
After that, he never called her back.
“I never got an apology or anything like that,” she concluded.
In a different video, she noted that she has been traumatized by this and was afraid to share her truth.
“I’ve kept this to myself for a long time,” she revealed. “ … Making this decision to share it publicly is terrifying because I know I’m gonna have a lot of attention on it — and I know that a lot of that attention is gonna be hate.”
“But also, I know it is necessary to share this information with everybody, so it could maybe like, it could save someone that could be in my position in the future,” she continued.
Jake Paul denied all of the allegations through his lawyer, Daniel E. Gardenswartz.
“While others have already begun to debunk the claim alleged against him, our client categorically denies the allegation and has every intention of aggressively disproving it and pursuing legal action against those responsible for the defamation of his character,” Gardenswartz told TMZ in a statement.
“Our client believes that any false allegations diminish the credibility of those who have truly been victims of misconduct.”
Kanye West’s Yeezy shoe prototypes are set to go under the hammer at a Sotheby’s auction.
The item, considered “one of the most prized and sought-after sneakers in existence”, is expected to sell for over $1 million.
The rapper wore the sample of the Nike Air Yeezy I shoes in February 2008 during his performance at the Grammy Awards. They helped him launch his multi-billion dollar Yeezy brand the following year.
West eventually split from Nike in 2013 and partnered Yeezy with Adidas.
Sotheby’s bosses insist the Nike Air Yeezy I and Air Yeezy II are “some of the most coveted sneakers by collectors”.
West’s prototype pair on sale are the most valuable sneakers ever to be sold by the auction house.
“This pair is critical to the development of the Yeezy franchise, which has become one of the most important sneaker and lifestyle brands in history,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear & Modern Collectables, said in a statement. “Debuted on-stage at the Grammys in 2008, the sneakers set off waves in the sneaker community as people tried to identify the mysterious pair.”
The sneakers will be available to view at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from April 16th-21st before the auction.
Breaking into the music industry is a daunting experience as the industry’s legends hardly lose their market share or fans. However, Mari Baby made it through the New York music scenes and released hit songs one after the other. He stands by great principles and slogan that has got him this far. His breakthrough came with his hit song “Range Rover.” He has also made it big with songs like Water, Love Ain’t S###, and Pillow Talk Anthem. And, it can’t get more exciting, especially to his fans, as he is about to release a new single, ‘Beethoven by July.’
Mari Baby’s Roots
Mari Baby has gone through a harsh childhood where he went through bullying in school. He was not the smartest kid, but he surpassed all the undermining. Mari Baby acknowledged himself and stood up for what he wanted to be; a splendid musician.
He goes through this career journey being well aware of what it takes to be great. He believes in hard work, determination, and authenticity. He also is aware that there is a journey in every dream and has embraced it from the very beginning. He does not mind not being the best as he knows that it takes time. At 23 years, following his attitude, he has already made waves in the New York music scenes and beyond its borders.
Mari Baby’s Leverage
Mari Baby has created a robust social media presence on Instagram that he uses to boost his career. He is the guy known to get ladies to act all wild on his Instagram Live. Additionally, several celebrities support him on Instagram, and some ask for collaborations. All these supports have greatly enhanced the success of his Eps. Another leverage is researching his craft and learning from the greats. Research is an integral part of success. You can become more aware of what is needed to perfect your skills and gradually gain a following. Mari Baby is also a result of hard work and winning authentically.
Mari Baby is gradually and steadily making it big in the music industry. And for him, there is no turning back, for he lives by great principles. His songs are his most considerable leverage as they are hits after hits. And he is not letting you hold your breath as he is to release a new single, titled ‘Beethoven by July,’ and just from its name, I am sure you can already judge its taste. You can connect to Mari Baby on; Instagram. https://open.spotify.com/artist/02FMFmzfbyFKZoLKyRc8MB?si=Ncka-Ej-SCCJwgx8lffuTQ https://instagram.com/realmaribaby?igshid=6y1dskrimak3
The 1990s was an amazing period of time, in fact it is widely regarded as the Golden Age of Hip-Hop. At the end of the 1980s, a new form of rap music began to develop, largely regarded as gangsta rap. However, simultaneously another slice of the genre was burgeoning as well – New Jack Swing. This form of rap melded R&B, pop, Hip-Hop and more melodic sensibilities. Uptown Records, the iconic label founded by mogul Andre Harrell, was a hotbed of talent that spawned the careers of Heavy D, Al B. Sure, Mary J Blige, Jodeci, and an incredible assortment of talents that included a young A&R Sean “Diddy” Combs. One of those talents was Father MC, the Brooklyn-born, Far Rockaway-bred lyricist.
Father MC, helped launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Jodeci, but also left his indelible smooth impression on insatiable population of Hip-Hop fans. Songs like “Treat Them Like They Want to Be Treated” (1990), and “I’ll Do 4 U” (1990) offered a young Father with an incredible chance to change his life after coming up as a battle-ready rapper. There is so much more to him than what was presented on video music shows and album covers. He’s actually a lot more, especially when you get to know the rough path he’s traveled.
A frank conversation with CHUCK “JIGSAW” CREEKMUR reveals a lot. Father talks about his relationship with Uptown Records’ Andre Harrell and Sean Combs, revealing what it was like to see the Biggie / Tupac beef spiral out of control. He also explains for the first time why he was kicked out of Brooklyn by a judge. He also expounds on his decision to go from native New York roughneck into a suave, stylish rap icon. Not to be trifled with, he talks about his looming beef with BET as well as his brother Markuann Smith, who created “The Godfather of Harlem” series for the Epic network along with a whole assortment of other topics.
All of this…AND Father MC is planning his come back, thanks to the global pandemic. He’s not playing games with the bars. This frank and candid conversation is not to be missed as Father MC holds nothing back.
M.I.A. has launched a volcano relief campaign online to raise $137,000 for the people of St. Vincent in the Caribbean.
The La Soufriere volcano on the island began a series of explosive eruptions on April 9th, which sent clouds of hot ash into the air, causing water and electricity outages.
The latest and biggest eruption so far took place on Monday.
There are no reports of deaths or injuries, but over 16,000 residents living near the volcano have been evacuated amid warnings the explosions could continue for weeks.
The “Paper Planes” hitmaker has stepped in to help those affected, explaining the area is “very special” to her.
“I WROTE MY FIRST SONG IN BEQUIA AND THESE PLACES HAVE BEEN MY ISLAND AWAY FROM MY ISLAND FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE DEVASTATION IS UNBEARABLE,” she wrote on Twitter.
“WE WANT TO RAISE £100,000 TO IMMEDIATELY BUY ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES, PROVIDE EMERGENCY TRAVEL AND TO GET PEOPLE TO SAFETY NOW. THE MONEY RAISED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO HELP THE 16,000+ PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES AND POPULATION OF 100,000 WHO ARE NOW AT RISK OF SEVERE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS DUE TO THE EXTREME AMOUNT OF ASH FALLING…
“100% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL GO TO THE CAUSE.”
As of press time, the GoFundMe campaign had reached over $27,000, with The Weeknd’s manager donating $10,000 to the cause.
Snoop Dogg has paid tribute to his friend and fellow rapper DMX following his death on Friday (April 9th), insisting God wanted his “angel” close at hand.
The “Gin & Juice” star, who teamed up with his pal for a Verzuz battle royale last year, offered up his thoughts about DMX’s passing during a taped appearance for the Today show and explained the Ruff Ryders MC was trying to “glorify his relationship with God” in the final months of his life.
“He was always pushing the right thing, and he was always trying to help other people,” Snoop said. “And that leads me to believe that’s why God chose his angel to come back home with him.
“He did his time out here. He did what he was supposed to do. He influenced, he inspired and he represented. So, DMX, his soul will live on and his music will live on, as well. We thank you, brother, for what you brought to us.”
Snoop’s interview on Today will air on Friday (April 16th).
Before his latest TV appearance, Snoop took to social media over the weekend to honor DMX, stating: “Love u brother. C u when I get there.”
He also posted footage from the pair’s Verzuz battle and added: “What they thought was a battle ended up being a family reunion. Of 2 Doggs who loved everything about each other thank. U. X for loving me back (sic).”
And Snoop took to Instagram on Monday to heap more praise on the late rap star, adding: “DMX did NOT wait to be perfect for God to USE him. He taught people that u can be flawed and still be a vessel.”
“No one has bought Earl’s masters,” a family statement provided to Billboard reads. “Additionally, we are not selling any merch (merchandise) or raising money for Earl’s funeral. If anyone is requesting for money for his funeral please be aware the person is a scammer. We will keep the public posted on funeral/memorial service arrangements.”
The situation with Quando Rondo was heating up. As you already know, Quando Rondo‘s boy Lul Tim got out of jail on bail recently, after being incarcerated for allegedly shooting and killing King bone. All of these guys are from Chicago, and they are well known in the streets. Unfortunately, they all ran into each other down in Atlanta. And that encounter resulted in the death of King Vaughn and the charge of murder being levied against Lul Tim. Well, Quando Rondo is now talking, in the streets or respond.
The whole situation is strange, because the streets whisper but this is another level. So here’s what folks are saying. First of all, Quando Rondo did a full blast interview, two parts and on the list with journalist and host Angela Yee. Now Angela Yee is a reputable person, and a celebrity. She’s also a good interviewer. With peoples lives on the line and such, what would make Quando Rondo jump out and start doing interviews. I think it’s similar to the reason why people do press before they go on a trail kind of like TI and tiny. They want to get the word out and start to skew perception of it. So we have Quando Rondo doing community service work with Big U out in California even though we know that he even most recently said he would urinate on somebody’s grave, which people think is King Von. But I digress!
This new interview has Rondo talking very pensively about the situation with King Von. And, people are saying basically that he is trying to clear the air around the situation and absolve himself as well as Lul Tim of being complicit in the murder. What we know is these guys had beef, but Rhonda makes it sound like he didn’t know about it. When they met it was definitely smoke, and King Von put the pause on Rondo which allegedly prompted Lul Tim to pull out his burner and shoot the app. He didn’t hesitate he just blasted King Von to the other world. Most people feel like Rondo is lying and this is his attempt to “testify.” Some would call it snitching, because quite frankly, nobody involved in a murder case or crime would be talking so soon to the press. But, again, I digress!
They are saying that he is simply lying and he knew that there was beef with King Von but they just didn’t think they would bump into each other, much less in Atlanta. But the street say he knew there was beef with King Von and NBA YoungBoy, and others. I guess we’ll see how this all plays out but check out the interview with Angela Yee and you be the judge.
Heads up his man said “understandment” several times.
