Armstrong Ransome (formerly known as BLAX), is thrilled to announce the release of his new 4AR produced single, “Straight Abused,” via The God Degree Media. Together Armstrong Ransome and producer, 4AR, have been highly touted in Wisconsin area earning both the 2018 Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hip Hop Artist of the Year and the 2017 Radio Milwaukee Album of the Year nomination for their collaboration Be Well. The new track Straight Abused” marks their first studio release in nearly four years and features Armstrong Ransome gliding effortlessly over the hard-hitting sounds from 4AR. Check the video for “Straight Abused” by Armstrong Ransome via YouTube below below
DaniLeigh – the former boo of DaBaby…is probably a really good person. But she got double tapped on social media for saying some nonsense! Here’s the thing, she is not in good standing with “The Blacks.” The Black Delegation is still not feeling DaniLeigh like that, but it has been mostly quiet on the western front. Until yesterday.
On social media, she decided to comment on “Snowfall,” one of the most popular show in all of Black America. I am not sure how DeWytes feel about it, but WE love it. DaniLeigh, the singer, decided to put her 2-cents on it and a star from the show caught a body.
Amin Joseph, aka the Snowfall that plays Uncle Jerome, clapped up the “Lil Bebe” singer’s yellow-bone body for all to see. “It’s a black thang you wouldn’t understand #SnowfallFX,” he said. DAG, BRUH!
Dani tried to say sorry, but it flopped. Folks are still mad about that “Yellow Bone” song she tried to out out earlier in the year.
Just the other day, she was crying brokenhearted and depression and maybe even suicide.
“I feel like i cry every other day..I jus want my life to change already..I don’t want to be here no more..I got no real love around me..”
Damn, Dani. It’s that time, love. Take care of yourself.
Imagine being one of the most hated villains in rap culture, and having the audacity to ask the world for grace.
Such is the lot of Eric R. Holder Jr., the 31-year-old man that allegedly murdered Nipsey Hussle in broad daylight outside of The Marathon clothing store.
The New York Daily News reports that Holder believes his bail, set at $6.5 million, is “extremely high” and unnecessary since he poses no real threat to the public.
On Thursday, March 25th his public defender Lowynn Young filed a motion for the bail reduction, stating that his prior criminal history was “insignificant” and that “based on the isolated nature of this case, Mr. Holder does not pose a risk of harm to the public.”
Young noted that his family is connected to the community, his father is a government employee and that Holder does not possess a passport.
According to Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John McKinney, Holder was a brutal killer who shot the rapper in cold blood like he was in Scarface: “Mr. Holder was firing with two different handguns, trading [shots] between his right and his left hand.”
YOX stands for YEAR OF THE OX, and this rap duo is here to put on for all the Asians in the music industry. Now amidst the tragic Asian American attacks across the country, their voice resonates more than ever, touching the masses of all those who hear it.
YOX is composed of JL and Lyricks, two Korean American rappers originally from Virginia, but now residing in Los Angeles.
Last year, they released their socially-conscious record called “Viral” right after COVID-19 hit, addressing the rise in hate crimes towards Asians stemming from the national pandemic.
Arriving during a time when political figures began unveiling their xenophobic thoughts while addressing the disease,” Viral” is paired with an equally powerful visual containing viral footage of attacks on Asian Americans.”
This was the result of then President Donald Trump calling Coronavirus the “China virus.”
Now in 2021, the record has resurfaced, speaking volumes to this new spike in Asian American hate crimes. The video was posted to YOX’s socials with the caption: “STOPASIANHATE.” Additionally the duo recently dropped their self-titled album, YEAR OF THE OX.
AllHipHop: You drove to Los Angeles from Virginia two years ago. How was that?
Rick: We drove out here, across the country. We took our time, we didn’t rush it.
JL: We didn’t drive too much. We switched off driving duties and apart from a minor vehicular breakdown everything went smoothly.
Rick: The personal bubble was definitely popped the third or fourth day, so we went to shoot guns. In New Mexico or Nevada, just to blow off some steam. The Korean saying: you can’t be in a long-term relationship unless you survive a trip across country. It was good.
AllHipHop: How did you guys come together?
JL: We were already in a group/trio. We’re friends met through our mutual friend Manifest. We started doing our own thing. He moved to New York, I followed him there. We decided to become a duo when one of our songs we put out together went viral on Facebook. It’s called “SEVEN RINGS.”
Rick: There was a platform called TeamBackPack on Facebook. It’s super bar heavy, lyrical. The video got over 17 million views. We were such a boom bap heavy group, that was a different sound. It was trappy, we’re trying something new.
JL: It was good timing, TeamBackPack did a good post with a nice caption.
Rick: The caption was, “These two Korean rappers can take on Kim Jong-un in North Korea,” something wild. People click because they see two Asian faces, they’re like, “How nice are they?” Just the curiosity. Once they hear it, they share it. It was a good move.
AllHipHop: Talk about your guys’ roots in hip-hop.
Rick: Coming from Virginia demographically, it’s right between East Coast Hip Hop. We also have some bounce to it because it’s considered Southern. We have the combination of super lyrical boom bap, New York hip-hop, then we have the Southern bounce. He’s from Virginia Beach so he listened to a lot of Missy, Pharrell, Timbaland, that trifecta.
JL: I didn’t listen to them a lot, but I was around their music because they’d play it a lot on the radio. My parents own a hip-hop clothing store, I heard it everyday because I’d have to work there.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences coming up?
Rick: My favorite rapper of all-time is Black Thought from The Roots. That explains a lot, my name is Lyricks. [laughs] I like the substance in the lyrics. Listen to a lot of Nas and Eminem. Being that it’s predominantly black music, seeing him be victorious was encouraging for us too like, “Damn, we could do it too.” Seeing the Ruff Ryder chain during the battles was epic.
JL: My biggest influences as far as the way I rap are Wu-Tang, Bone thugs, Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas and also Lyricks and Manifest in my early stages. I would try to mimic all of their styles until eventually I found my own.
AllHipHop: Talk about your love for Wu-Tang Clan and being able to open for them.
Rick: That was crazy. Wu-Tang was almost like a religion to people. We were all drawing the W’s, it was bigger than hip-hop. A few years ago, my friend was managing a tour for them. It was Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa. They were departing for their 24-city tour from D.C. That same day, their driver got hit by a car. My friend was scrambling, he said, “Yo Rick, do you wanna go on tour with Wu.” I said, “F### yeah.” He said, “Okay well you’re driving everyday for 12 hours.” The fine print was after, “Do I wanna go on tour?” I went and it was legendary. Being in the van with them, rolling up and smoking. Having them playing their music, they’re silent. They’re masters of their craft. They didn’t need to practice or anything. I said, “Yo I’m driving, f### it.”
AllHipHop: Were you nervous? That’s wild.
Rick: I was nervous, but it was more, “Yo, I’m here right now.” My main mission was, “I want to be remembered by them. I want this to resonate somehow.” While I’m driving, they don’t like listening to loud music too much. They’re doing their own s###, on their phones. I’d write an acapella verse, a freestyle about something that happened that day that only they’d know at every venue. Just to flex, to let them know I could do that. We’re good friends till this day. They invited me back for another tour. It was good, I felt like I was paying my dues.
JL: I was in Korea that year, it was 2011. He hit me up, I said, “I can’t leave Korea.” [laughs] I was out there for a year with our other homie, we’re out there rapping. I was out there teaching English.
Rick: He said he was going for a couple months.
JL: I was supposed to only be there for 3 weeks, ended up staying 11 months. It’s really fun out there. I ran out of money, that’s why I started teaching English.
AllHipHop: Being Asian American, is a lot of your fanbase Asian?
Rick: It used to be when we were separate. As YEAR OF THE OX popped off, we’re garnering a more diverse crowd. A large chunk of our fans are predominantly Asian for sure.
AllHipHop: Do you feel any struggles or pushback being a minority in hip-hop?
Rick: I don’t let that s### get to me to be honest. The only thing that irks me really is I remember asking my friend who his favorite rapper was, he’s like, “You mean like a real rapper or an Asian rapper?” I’ma punch you in the face, what’re you talking about? That prefix, I get it because it explains who we are — we’re Asian rappers — but I don’t want to be in the loser bracket. “Oh yeah, the Asian rappers.”
JL: It’s always a couple comments, culture appropriation talk. We get a lot of our supporters that say, “These guys are nice, it shouldn’t matter.” That’s a good thing to say.
Rick: We always pay our respects. We aren’t out here doing wild s###, we still pay our respects, give our thanks to the OGs of course. Touring with Wu, I’ve toured with Kool Keith as well. A lot of the underground legends. Humbly take over, you’ve got to know your role but also know your worth. We let our music speak for ourselves. Especially now, you have to tip toe what to say and how you say it. I’d rather let our work resonate.
AllHipHop: YEAR OF THE OX album out now! How are you feeling?
Rick: S### it is the Year of the Ox, there’s some pressure. It’s YEAR OF THE OX, dropping AllHipHop: YEAR OF THE OX, during Year of the Ox. The managers are like, “Wassup? Let’s juice it.” We have to wait another 12 years. People ask us, “Yo, did you plan this?” We’re like of course! [laughs]
JL: It’s also the fifth anniversary of us forming our group. It all came together nicely, we’re making the most of it.
Rick: It works well too because even coming up with the name and our approach, we wanted to let people know we’re Asian but we didn’t want to turn it into a gimmick. That’s the hardest thing, finding that balance of not neglecting your upbringing, your culture, but also not turning it into a gimmick. We’re definitely ready to make a lot of new music, put out a lot of merch. I started livestreaming on Twitch.
AllHipHop: “Quarantine” has quite an angry and aggressive sound to it. What‘s been the most frustrating part of the pandemic for you?
JL: Like everyone else as a performing artist, not being able to perform on stage is a bit frustrating. As far as making music, we live together so not a lot has changed in that aspect. I picked up producing so I’m learning how to make beats. I’m trying to work on that.
Rick: There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to performing live. Where’s this going? We still don’t know. The hardest thing for me honestly was the inability to see our family when we want to. My parents are older, so being worried about their physical health.
JL: We still haven’t been back to see them. Hopefully soon, we’ll be able to head back to Virginia.
AllHipHop: This album has been two years in the making. What ‘s been the most difficult aspect of bringing this body of work into fruition?
Rick: S### we wanted to talk about what’s going on, but so much happened. When Donald Trump said it was a “Chinese virus,” there were these assaults happening on Asian people. We’re like, “Okay, let’s stand up for them. Let’s stand up for our people.” Then George Floyd got killed, the world went on fire. What do we do? Do we take a backseat? It’s funny, you put something out and the comments can be very incendiary. They could be fighting hatred with hatred. We didn’t want to pick a side. We’re on the brotherly love side, we want to help everyone out.
JL: The biggest issue with this album is we wanted to address what was going on in a way where it wasn’t offending or going on someone’s bad side. This whole album is therapeutic for us. There’s anger in it, we’re frustrated but there are light moments where there’s love. It’s definitely mood music for the claustrophobia we’re all feeling right now.
AllHipHop: Talk about “Love Bites” being about relationships.
Rick: It is what it is. [laughs] Relationships are hard right?
JL: That song we made a while before the pandemic hit. It’s relevant because we live in a loft together where we don’t have rooms. We always have those boundary situations happening. That song had to do with our girlfriends at the time. It came together that we’re fighting with each other, also fighting with our girls.
Rick: The whole thing is if you care for something, there will be emotions to it. True lack of love is a difference, when you don’t give a s###. “Love Bites” is we’ll have good moments, we’ll have our highs and lows but that’s what it is. It’s about working through it, finding the middle and compromising with each other. If you guys have the same finish line which is we want to be together, this is what we want to do and have the same outlook, that’s the only way the relationship works. It’s cliché, they’re not really used to hearing YOX talk about love on a track. We wanted to let them know that we have a heart.
JL: I never sang like that before.
Rick: It’s liberating. This guy got a perm once we got to Cali. [laughs] Once the curlers got into his head, he definitely graduated. He leveled up.
AllHipHop: “Viral” and “Captain America” are about attacks on Asian Americans and Black Lives Matter. How do you feel about the uptick in reports of violence against the POC community?
JL: We made that song “Viral” a year ago, obviously it’s still happening now. It might be even worse now. It’s pretty discouraging.
Rick: Our manager came to our house and showed us 4 back to back videos of people being assaulted. If people look at my catalog, I’ve always touched base on injustice. Especially when Eric Garner passed away, the “I Can’t Breathe.” I made a song about that. I enjoy taking things happening such as current events, putting my twist and putting it out. When he showed as these clips back to back, what the f###. We’re not going to stay silent, we have to say something. We wrote that song that day, it was an overflow of the heart. Then “Captain America” is wow. We understand this is going on, but it’s deep-rooted. It’s a systemic situation. We wanted to let people know we aren’t Korean pride only, that’s not 100%.
JL: Now we’re right back to where “Viral” started.
Rick: We didn’t want to be the social justice warriors, vocalizing it and talking about it. What happens is people tend to fall in love with their own voice, that becomes their mission statement. We went to the protests, we went to the march to walk the walk.
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from this project?
Rick: Because it’s our full-length LP, our first album, it’s an introduction. Let them know who we are, what we stand for, let them know we’re nice. There are rappers out there that’s not doing what everyone’s trying to do. We’re trying to stay in our own lane, keep the integrity, and also let people know our versatility.
AllHipHop: JL, you’ve been on the producing grind. How does that flow into your synergy as a duo?
JL: I’ve always put it aside. Finally I decided to watch some tutorial videos and talk to my producer homies to get insight on it. It’s very fun to do. It feels like I’m making music now. It did before, but writing verses and making the beat is a whole different thing.
Rick: I can’t wait till he’s in an arena and we are just rocking to his joint. It’s a different feel when we’re riding his beat. It’s crazy, you can tell when someone’s really into it because they do it everyday. It started off with him doing it a couple of days then once he got the tools. This guy’s been leveling up every day.
JL: We’re hoping to use some of my beats on the next upcoming project. We’ll see what happens from there. It’s been definitely fun learning how to do it.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
JL: Definitely weed obviously. I don’t necessarily need drinks there, but it depends on what kind of song, the mood or what the vibe is. Some drinks could bring energy for our verses.
Rick: I need honesty in the studio. We can’t have any yes men in the studio. That’s one thing J and I are really good at, we critique each other. Because we represent each other. Anytime I come off weak or could do better, we have that little passive aggressiveness. I love that.
Rick: We’re definitely going to drop another project this year. We want to do as much music as possible, whether that’s new tracks, performing online, whatever it is. However we can connect with our fans again during these separated times.
JL: We‘re going to be dropping a lot of merch, this is our first hoodie. These are the logos, we’ll have graphics stuff coming out soon.
Rick: I know getting to the bag, we always talk about artistic integrity, but it’s the Year of the Ox. We’re trying to get this bag. I want to give my mom a fat envelope at the end of this year and say, “This is how we did.”
AllHipHop: How are parents responding?
Rick: When you give them that stack, they’re silent. Even at our age, I know a lot of people that can’t live their own life because they’re thinking about their parents’ expectations.
JL: They’re more worried than anything at this point. They don’t really get the industry, they just know what they’ve heard and seen on TV.
Rick: I told my dad I’d dropped an album he’s like, “Yes, but what does that mean?” [laughs] It’s cool, doing interviews authenticates things. We have a movie on Netflix called Bad Rap too so having my mom be able say, “Yeah, my son’s on Netflix.” To them, you know the Asian newspaper? That publisation that’s so important to them. It’s balancing out, we know what’s required for them to feel comfortable and happy with our decision. We meet in the middle, that’s what we have to do.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
The up and coming artist DANNY JAI is entering the scene with an established fanbase and years of performative credibility under his belt. He packs a heavy punch — and his most recent release “You and I” (featuring Tory Lanez) is a hypnotic, midtempo mix that unveils the rapper’s innermost thoughts and desires. Though Lanez is a favorable addition to the track, Danny Jai holds his own, proving that his gifts are fit to box with the best of them.
“When I was creating this song, I really thought about how I wanted people to feel when they were listening to it,” he says. “I’m all about positivity and good vibes, so that’s the mood I was going for. Tory Lanez is one of the hottest artists out right now. Having him on it just made it all come together.”
Danny Jai
Born Danny Padilla in a small town of Donna, Texas, the twenty-something former athlete holds a kinesiology degree, balances the duality of being deeply loyal to himself and his family, and is a dedicated, focused entertainer. Once a member of the local group Swag Fam in the Rio Grande Valley Danny Jai’s earlier days would lay the foundation for his solo career. While the lively rapper performed and developed creatively, his following, and work ethic, began to grow. He basked in the musical influences of some his favorite artists including Lil Wayne and Chris Brown, and his personal love for Michael Jordan sneakers would show up as part of his professional image and stage moniker.
NBA YoungBoy has been recklessly moving in these streets, fancying himself as invincible (or at the very least untouchable).
But the long arm of the law tapped the 21-year-old on the shoulder and now it seems that he has been indicted for playing with guns.
The Baton Rouge rapper, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, was indicted on March 10th by a federal grand jury on the following charges: possession of firearms by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
His lawyer, James Manasseh took offense to the manner in which very publicly and embarrassingly he got knocked.
“What happened to him in California was a travesty,” he said in a written statement to The Advocate. “Every law enforcement agency knows we represent Kentrell and no one told us of his warrant. Had they told us he was indicted, we would have voluntarily surrendered him at our office in a safe and non-public manner.”
Manasseh continued, “The surprise tactic of arresting him in California was unnecessary. It was simply a show of force and power upon an individual by the Government.”
Though he is just old enough to drink, this is not the first time the rapper has been locked up.
He once served three months in the summer of 2019, after a state judge put him on temporary probation hold linked to a 2016 shooting. Prosecutors moved to “revoke his probation” because he was somehow connected to a shootout in Miami on Mother’s Day 2019. This would’ve left him with a 10-year bid, as that occasion left a bystander dead.
Fans might believe that Griselda rapper Benny the Butcher first got inspired to rap by listening to other street rappers in the Golden Era of Hip-Hop.
With Benny’s slick tongue, names like Kool G Rap might come to mind. With his ability to spit the real, Sean Price might be a name to check.
How he carries his city on his back with the eeriness of RZA-inspired tracks from the 90s, it would be easy to think of the Killer Bee movement of the Wu-Tang Clan that first pushed him to get on the mic.
But you would be wrong.
The Buffalo, New York rapper told GQ that the first time he realized he wanted to be a rapper was sparked in his childhood from the light-footed overweight lover and a bunch of Atlanta kids with oversized overalls.
He said that he knew he wanted to emcee “after seeing Another Bad Creation and Heavy D And The Boyz.”
He continued, “I was seeing kids my age on TV doing what I wanted to do, so that had the right impact on me.”
Benny also mentioned that he was introduced to legacy acts from the Golden Era, like EPMD, Rakim, and Boss, as a kid vibing in the back of his dad’s car.
His father did the responsible thing and put him on to classic music and cultural movies like “Beat Street” and “Krush Groove.”
When asked what were the first Hip-Hop albums he bought (with his own money) he answered: Warren G and Mobb Deep .
“I got two. The first album I ever bought was Regulate… G Funk Era, Warren G, but it was a bootleg. The first real one I bought from a store was Mobb Deep, Murda Muzik.”
Benny the Butcher just dropped to rave reviews nine-track EP, “The Plugs I Met 2,” a follow up to his last joint Burden Of Proof.
According to TMZ, Nipsey’s estate filed a lawsuit against Crips LLC in October over the rights to use the slogan.
The “Last Time That I Checced“ rapper’s brother, Samiel “Black Sam” Asghedom, let the Los Angeles courts know that Nip’s estate is settling up with the organization — and essentially the conflict is over.
Asghedom and his brother Nipsey Hussle created the Marathon franchise (store, merch, music, etc.) well before his death. Many were confused as to why the gang (or those that represent them corporately) would try and monetize off the artist after his demise.
Therein, fans get a chance to see how the Los Angeles rapper became connected to the Rollin’ 60’s, one of the largest urban street gangs in the United States.
There are no public details on the settlement — Black Sam just made sure everything was good.
Nigerian rapper/singer AcebergTM (Aceberg for short) releases his new single “Danca” today, the perfect blend of Afropop mixed with Amapiano beats.
The record will be part of his debut EP titled “Far From Home,” arriving on April 16th, the same day as the release of the official music video for “Danca.”
As a kid growing up in a city populated with creatives, “Far From Home” was inspired by the thought of AcebergTM trying to be abstract. Each of this travel represents a journey, untold stories, and the passion to be extraordinary. The forthcoming “Far From Home” EP tells Aceberg’s untold story through 6 songs, representing the journey of a rare talent, covering four different genres: namely Afropop, Afrobeats, R&B, and Amapiano beats.
Aceberg states, “The reason behind my craft and this body of work is myself a rapper trying to show more versatility. to create and fit into my own niche in the music industry.”
Aceberg, real name Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where he grew up the second child in a family of 5 children. AcebergTM and his siblings were raised listening to different music genres. Everyone had a different taste in music, so they’d play different songs, but his interests were mainly focused on hip-hop and rap genres. with Wyclef Jean being the main artist he listened to.
With over 3 million streams on Spotify, Yung Gecko has made a name for himself in the genres of hip-hop and rap. Having only released 4 songs in the year 2020, Yung Gecko brought unique styles in each project which were able to captivate a strong following for him. Being part of the entire music production and recording process, Yung Gecko is fully involved in composing his own melodies, creating his own beats, as well as mixing and mastering his vocals. With a strong background in music theory and the piano, Yung Gecko is confident in his abilities to create high quality productions to industry standards.
Shown through his music, Yung Gecko has the talent to become a big name in hip-hop and his debut year is only the beginning of his journey. Yung Gecko is an independent artist and works without a label or a manager. He sees fulfillment in growing a fanbase by himself and enjoys sharing his music through social media by connecting with fans and other artists. With a strong following on both Instagram and TikTok, Yung Gecko sees both platforms as vital to his success as a musician.
Without social media, almost all artists would struggle to promote their songs as other means of promotion like word of mouth can only travel so far. Yung Gecko has made big plans for the coming years and has vowed to release a wide variety of music especially in 2021. With so much potential, it is exhilarating to see what Yung Gecko will bring to the forthcoming hip-hop and rap scene.
Baltimore, like many urban cities in our country, is presently experiencing an unprecedented amount of violence. We’re witnessing violence against women, elderly people and particularly children at an alarming rate. I’d go on record to say that many of the victimizers are young themselves. A few weeks back, I woke up to the awful news that a child was shot and killed not far from my home. Ironically, the community in which the young man was murdered, was the same area a Maryland Transit Administration Mobility driver was shot and killed, while working, weeks prior. I became increasingly alarmed and concerned.
It didn’t take long to apprehend someone for the MTA Mobility driver’s murder. I was concerned that the 17 year old’s death may have something to do with the first tragedy. I learned that I couldn’t be more wrong. It was revealed that the gun shot victim and his 16 year old friend were playing with a handgun. The gun discharged, firing into the young man’s head, causing immediate irrevocable damage to the families of both. One died in his family home. The other was arrested and charged as an adult. Authorities revealed that the gun belonged to the father of the deceased.
According to Gun Violence Archives website there have been 10 juveniles, ages 12 to 17, who were either killed or injured in Baltimore City by gunfire since the start of the year. To be exact, as of March 23, 2021, seven were injured and three were killed. The youngest in this group to be charged with murder is 14 years old. In Chicago, during the same time span, 53 teenagers ages 12 to 17 were either killed or were gunshot victims. Forty-eight were injured and five were killed. Of the Chicago homicides between the ages of 12 to 17, a 16 year old is the youngest charged with murder, thus far. As you can see, looking at the map below, gun violence amongst teenagers is running rampant throughout the east coast, Midwest, the south, and parts of Los Angeles.
The fact that so many kids are being shot and killed is heartbreaking to me. To know that guns are just as accessible as cellphones to our children enrages me. The idea that our youth feel the need to be armed is unspeakable. What happened?
When I was a child, my generation ushered in the absurdity that going to prison was a “rites of passage” for boys. In addition to that, many during my generation would proclaim that they never expected to live past 21. In my early 20’s, I heard Tupac rap “5 shots couldn’t stop me, I took them and smiled.” And I remember thinking to myself, “damn, we must be invincible.” Years later, 50 Cent rapped about getting shot nine times and catapulted into the biggest Hip Hop artist in the world. By that time Tupac had been murdered by gunfire. Nevertheless, our community became convinced that getting shot was just a part of life. It could possibly become our narrative and pathway to riches and fame. Seemingly in response to the times, Jay Z then rapped “y’all respect who got shot, I respect the shooter.” This was also around the time that “RIP” apparel became fashionable. People began to adorn rest in peace tee shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, bandannas, caps and anything else that an image could be heat pressed on. I began to watch the dead get celebrated in a way that most were never recognized during their living. I also began to wonder how do these celebrations impact and influence the minds of our children who were tuned in. Will it desensitize them? Will it make them want to be celebrated in the same way?
From the ‘80s until now, we’ve been on a slippery slope. The influx of teenage drug dealers turned teenage murderers. And all along Hip Hop has played an integral role in telling the stories. CNN’ing our plight. Now the stories seem so intertwined with the life of the story tellers. You can’t differentiate them. Guns and gun violence is seemingly the new “rites of passage” for boys.
I watch a lot of videos of youth in rap talk about gun violence. As a matter of fact, for click bait, many of the videos include in its title “so and so rapper talks about getting shot and how many people he shot.” Or “so and so rapper talks about how many years he spent in prison and the number of people he stabbed while there.” All topics of discussion that we’re now finding out are being used in the court of law to help convict said individuals. I’m not suggesting that Hip Hop is the blame for the aforementioned violence that today’s youth are engulfed in. I love Hip Hop too much to do that. Furthermore, that would be irresponsible of me. I just personally know how influential a certain narrative could be to impressionable and undeveloped minds. We have to change the narrative. It’s imperative that we change the narrative. I don’t want “stay dangerous” to become a common exchange between brothers when they depart one another. Hopefully you don’t either. Sincerely. Cornell
Tekashi69 must not be able to get any new girls. I didn’t see him as the marrying type but it seems like he wants to woo his girl Jade back. First of all, I didn’t know they broke up in the first place. Second of all, it appears like he’s trying to buy her love. Third of all, I don’t think that it’s working.
In an Instagram post, Tekashi69 is posted up in front of what looks like a Lamborghini, with several Chanel bags, and roses. I am not quite sure where he is but he’s looking icy as an antelope’s ear in Antarctica. But does it matter?
I don’t think that it matters, because he is trying to get his girlfriend back, whom he rode with through the duration of his incarceration. But something recently has changed. Let me Google and see what changed.
I don’t have time to see what changed!
What I do know is that Jade has a tattoo of Tekashi69 on her chest and is an otherwise beautiful girl. She is also the same Jade that was attacked in the strip club by Cardi B – allegedly. And then we know that she was with Tekashi69 for three long years and has a kid by him. That’s about it! Now Jade is gone and I don’t think anything else matters to Tek 2. I do believe that Tekashi is accused of cheating on her and that may be what ended their relationship. She told him not to cheat!
But this is sad.
Any rate, do you think this guy is going to be able to win his girl back?
The way I see it, he got her the way he got her and now that he is out, he is going to retain that asset. That boy can’t trust anybody! At least she was with him the whole time he was locked down. I wonder if he beat on her like Sara.
Activists like Weldon Angelos have helped get numerous people out of jail, most notably former Bad Boy Records’ artist Loon and Harry-O, the man that bankrolled Death Row Records. But, he had no such success with Mutulu Shakur, the stepfather of Tupac Shakur.
Angelos talks to AllHipHop’s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur about why he and others were unable to get Tupac’s step father out of prison despite a lengthy tenure incarcerated and the political ramifications of freeing such and individual.
Frais’ sound captures everything that he embodies; an outsider, an artist not by trade, but by life, and more than anything, the same kid who was raised by a single mother on the West side of Charlotte, always standing on his own and always refusing the norm.
Using this identity to create music as an “expression of life,” Frais’ style has become just that. From carefully-curated visuals all the way to his mesmeric sound, the budding star is building a world of his own creation, and doing so with a thunderous ear for sonics, from hard-nosed deliveries to soaring moments of melody, all of which land under the same catalog. Versatility aside though, the common string is an artist sure of himself and rooted in life experience, determined as ever.
As he’s built his name within rap’s underground and toured all over the world with artists including G Herbo, Germ, and Lil Gnar, among others, Frais has garnered momentum with a true-to-self style of music. He has something to say, and going from the West side of Charlotte to headlining shows, he’s more than ready to be heard. Just watch.
Lil Kim’s accomplishments and legacy have been the topic of online discussion lately. Fellow female rapper Trina sparked those conversations when the Miami native named the Queen Bee as her ideal opponent for Verzuz.
While that hits-for-hits matchup has yet to be confirmed by Verzuz organizers, Kim was officially tapped for another live performance in the coming days. The iconic New York City rapper will be part of the Brooklyn Nets’ annual Women’s Empowerment Game.
Plus, Kim designed the special tops that will be worn by the Brooklynettes dance team on that night. The Brooklyn TogetHER – A Women’s Empowerment Celebration will also feature the Nets highlighting the contributions of female pioneers and history makers.
On March 29, the Steve Nash-coached Nets will take on 2-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Barclays Center. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 pm ET and will broadcast on the YES Network.
Tickets for the Nets Women’s Empowerment Game are on sale at www.brooklynnets.com. The franchise will provide the required COVID-19 testing at no additional cost for fans who have not been fully vaccinated. A COVID-19 test will not be required for fully vaccinated attendees.
A lot of Hip Hop fans were celebrating when Bobby Shmurda was released from prison in February. The “Hot N####” rapper was finally free after serving six years in prison for conspiracy and weapons charges.
The man born Ackquille Pollard is on parole until 2026, but the Brooklyn-based performer has vowed he is never going back behind bars. Shmurda recently said, “I’m done with that [jail] s###.”
There is one high-profile skeptic that believes Bobby will not be able to avoid incarceration in the near future. Professional gossiper Wendy Williams used a segment of her television talk show to share her thoughts about Bobby Shmurda.
“See, here’s what I think, though. Don’t be offended Shmurda, but I think you’ll be in trouble before the middle of the summer comes. I do,” said Williams. She based that opinion on Shmurda’s reported parole conditions which apparently include no alcohol consumption, no associating with gang members, and an 8 pm curfew.
When Wendy asked DJ Suss One if he understands the point she was trying to make about Shmurda, the longtime NYC radio personality replied, “Not at all… I understand it’s difficult, especially being in the entertainment industry, but let’s hope for the best with him.” The show’s producer, Norman Baker, later added, “We believe in you, Bobby. You got this.”
This week, Hpnotiq launched its first-ever animated “sipcom.” TheHQ centers around the alcoholic beverage brand opening a club under the direction of fictionalized rappers Fat Joe and Jim Jones.
The two New York City Hip Hop legends and other characters appear in a nightspot filled with Hpnotiq bottles. Special celebrity guests are expected to show up in future episodes of the 10-part series.
“Hpnotiq has been a part of Hip Hop culture since the early 2000s – from the bars, clubs, and nightlife to music videos the famous blue hue bottles were synonymous with a good time,” says Fat Joe, Creative Director at Hpnotiq.
“So with many bars and restaurants closed during the past year, we decided to launch a virtual nightclub in The HQ which is Hip Hop’s first animated ‘sipcom’ series,” adds Joe.
He continues, “I teamed up with my fellow NYC rap icon Jim Jones to discuss the rap game, classic Hip Hop moments, and even recipes on how to make the brand’s signature cocktails so we can bring the Hpnotiq Experience directly to your home.”
After winning, the #IconiqSession competition, Queens-based producer/rapper Tenn Buick earned the chance to work with Jim Jones and Fat Joe in the creation of The HQ theme. The song was recorded at Jones’ Quarantine Studios.
New episodes of Hpnotiq Presents: The HQ are scheduled to air weekly on Hpnotiq’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts.
Freddie Gibbs is already considered a top-tier emcee thanks to critically-acclaimed albums like 2014’s Piñata, 2019’s Bandana, and 2020’s Alfredo. The Grammy-nominated Indiana native is now delving into acting too.
Moviegoers will get to see Gibbs make his feature film debut in the forthcoming Down with the King. The cast also consists of Jamie Neumann (Lovecraft Country), David Krumholtz (The Deuce), Sharon Washington (Joker), and Bob Tarasuk (Bob and the Trees).
Diego Ongaro wrote and directed Down with the King. The filmmaker’s previous motion picture, titled Bob and the Trees, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2015 and won the top prize at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic.
“My primary desire with Down with the King is to collide two unlikely worlds: rap and farming, and to share the improbable story of a rap star who falls in love with the countryside and the refuge that it offers him from his own reality and fame,” states Ongaro. “Many films that feature the Hip Hop community tell underdog ‘success stories,’ whereas Down with the King does the contrary.”
The French auteur adds, “Mercury is at the top of the Hip Hop world but desperately seeks a simpler life. Freddie Gibbs and I worked intimately together to craft Mercury’s character and backstory; some of it pulled from Freddie’s experiences and values, much of it invented. It was an absolute thrill working with someone as sharp and multi-talented as Freddie in this collaborative way.”
Ongaro’s Down with the King was produced by Zach LeBeau and Kim Jackson for Breaker Studios alongside Rob Cristiano. Previous Breaker Studios productions include The Gasoline Thieves (Huachicolero), Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain, Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records, and Antarctica.
“Freddie Gibbs is a creative force of nature,” saidZach LeBeau. “Down with the King represents Breaker Studios’ commitment to conscientious filmmaking focused on breaking down the walls of ignorance in pursuit of truth, unity, and higher awareness.”
24kGoldn earned his first #1 on the Hot 100 and a 3x-Platinum plaque for his hit record “Mood” with Iann Dior. The San Francisco-raised entertainer has now let loose his first studio LP.
El Dorado arrived on Friday. Besides having Dior featured on “Mood,” 24kGoldn’s debut album also includes contributions by Future, DaBaby, and Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd.
The rapper/singer born Golden Landis Von Jones performed “3,2,1” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday. Previously, 24kGoldn published an official music video for the El Dorado track in February.
In addition, 24kGoldn is launching El Dorado: The Game. Players will get the opportunity to win a cash prize. The Columbia recording artist is offering an AR experience with Scavengar as well.
24kGoldn will present a TikTok livestream concert on March 27 at 8 pm ET. Starting March 29, fans will also be able to compete on the Geojam app for a chance to win a private jet ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco in order to spend the day with the 20-year-old musician.
