So far in his career, Lil Tjay managed to score a Top 5 project with 2019’s True 2 Myself. He also made it onto the Billboard 200 chart with 2019’s F.N EP (#38) and 2020’s State of Emergency EP (#31).
The 19-year-old rapper/singer is now looking to add a #1 album to his biography. Tjay’s sophomore studio LP, Destined 2Win, is in a tight race for No. 1 on the next Billboard 200. According to HitsDailyDouble, the set is projected to open with 65,000-70,000 first-week units.
That total could be enough for Lil Tjay to land in the Billboard 200’s pole position. However, HDD noted that former #1 Justice by Justin Bieber and current #1 SoulFly by Rod Wave are competing for the top spot as well.
Prior to the release of Destined 2 Win, Tjay let his fans know that he is interested in being at the highest point of the charts. He wrote on Instagram, “Thank ya for running the numbers up on the [pre-save]. Let’s keep going and get this #1.”
Lil Tjay and 6LACK teamed up for the Top 3 Hot 100 hit “Calling My Phone.” The Bronx/Atlanta tandem performed their collaboration on Monday’s edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC.
Multiple outlets reported “Meet The Flockers” by YG was removed from YouTube following complaints the song promoted violence against Asian Americans. Those concerns were highlighted again after eight people, mostly Asian women, were killed at three different Atlanta-area spas and massage parlors on March 15.
The My Krazy Life track opens with the lyrics, “First, you find a house and scope it out. Find a Chinese neighborhood ’cause they don’t believe in bank accounts.” Apparently, YouTube employees expressed their frustration that their executives refused to take “Meet The Flockers” off the platform.
“YouTube has an open culture and employees are encouraged to share their views, even when they disagree with a decision,” stated a spokeswoman for the company. “We’ll continue this dialogue as part of our ongoing work to balance openness with protecting the YouTube community at large.”
On April 5, a censored version of “Meet The Flockers” was uploaded to YG’s verified YouTube channel. As of press time, the comment section for the audio on the video-sharing site has been turned off.
Back in 2016, left-leaning Korean-American politician Jane Kim criticized YG for the “Meet The Flockers” music video. Kim claimed the visuals perpetuated the idea that Asian Americans are ideal targets for burglary, and she called the MV “deeply offensive” to Chinese Americans.
This situation involving “Meet The Flockers” is one of the latest high-profile conversations about artistic expression, censorship, offensive language, and potential hate speech. It is not clear if YouTube forced the removal of the lyrics or if that decision was made by YG, Def Jam Recordings, and/or Universal Music Group.
“He was pretty much fed up + kind of at the end of his rope + yesterday was a really bad day for him” – white male sheriff explaining execution of 8 murders.
Race, gender + class were absolutely intertwined w/murder of working-class asian immigrant women https://t.co/HDbhfamPIe
Rod Wave is riding high at the moment. He earned his first #1 album this week when the 19-track SoulFly premiered at the pinnacle of the Billboard 200 chart.
The Florida rapper saw success over on the Hot 100 chart as well. According to Billboard, Wave currently has 14 songs on the publication’s rankings of the most popular records in the country.
“Tombstone” is leading the pack at #11. “Street Runner” and “Richer” featuring Polo G are also in the Top 40 right now. Wave has a total of 28 career entries on the Hot 100.
The St. Petersburg representative previously dropped Ghetto Gospel in 2019 which peaked at #10 and Pray 4 Love in 2020 which peaked at #2. Ghetto Gospel is certified Gold. Pray 4 Love is certified Platinum.
Three years ago today (April 6), Cardi B let loose her highly-anticipated, major-label debut studio LP. Invasion of Privacy would go on to become one of the most celebrated Hip Hop albums of the last decade.
The Bronx-bred entertainer’s opus just surpassed another major milestone. This week’s Billboard 200 chart sees Invasion of Privacy at #97 which makes it the first album by a female rap artist to remain on the chart for at least three years.
.@iamcardib's 'Invasion of Privacy' becomes the first album by a female rapper to spend 3 full years on the Billboard 200.
Cardi’s Invasion of Privacy has set numerous records since its release in 2018. It became the first female rap album to win the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys, and it became the most streamed female rap album in Spotify history.
Invasion of Privacy opened at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 255,000 first-week units. Besides the former Hot 100 #1 track “Bodak Yellow,” the album hosts “I Like It” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin which also climbed to the top of the Hot 100 chart, making Cardi B the first female rapper to have two Number Ones.
Montero “Lil Nas X” Hill now has two career Hot 100 Number Ones. Following the record-breaking chart run of “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” is currently the most popular song in America.
“Montero” debuted atop Billboard‘s latest Hot 100 rankings. The backlash to the song’s controversial music video and accompanying “Satan Shoes” did not stop the track from amassing 46.9 million streams in the United States.
“Y’all told a 19-year-old who had just escaped the lowest point of his life that he would never have a hit again. You told him to stop while he’s ahead. He could’ve [given] up. But 4 multi-platinum songs and 2 #1’s later, he’s still here. Thank you to my team and my fans! [I love you],” tweeted LNX.
The 21-year-old openly gay, Georgia-raised musician became the most recent target of a right-wing media crusade as conservatives condemned Lil Nas’s use of satanic imagery in his content. In response, he also posted, “I hope my haters are sad. I hope they are crying. I want your tears to fill my Grammy cup.”
y’all told a 19 year old who had just escaped the lowest point of his life that he would never have a hit again. you told him to stop while he’s ahead. he could’ve gave up. but 4 multi platinum songs and 2 #1’s later, he’s still here. thank you to my team and my fans! ily 🏹🤍 https://t.co/cW0UiXjJOk
Michael Rappaport sure is a weirdo. We used to like him KINDA, because he went so hard at Donald Trump, prior to the election. Now that the election is long gone and Trump is in the rearview for now, Michael Rappaport is still here. We, as a people, need to decide what we want to do with him.
As you know Michael Rappaport and Kevin Durant went viral because they had a beef, that was really rather private. In the DMs of Instagram these guys went back-and-forth, and Michael Rappaport says that the trash talk turned into threats. And KD was allegedly going to spit on him and said some sort of comment about Rappaport‘s wife. He then took those messages and made them public, and they included numerous things including a possibly homophobic statement. Anyway, this did not go well.
KD actually pulled up and Rappaport wanted no smoke whatsoever. The league, the NBA, ended up fining Durant $50,000 for the direct messages that were made public as well as his conduct. You don’t pull up on a white man like that! They call the cops! And now we have Michael Rappaport acting like a full blown Karen in the media. I would call him Akin but he just seems like a Karen.
When we were all trying to get Trump out of office it seem like Michael Rappaport might win his rights back to the barbecue, but I think he just messed up again. As summer comes into the fold Michael Rappaport and his wife can stay home. Will go walk your dog but keep walking past the barbecue.
Hundreds gathered to give their respects and others, who could get to him (whether that’s because of schedule, distance, or COVID-19 restrictions), took to social media to express their sentiments about the troubled multi-hyphenate.
One fan, friend, and colleague that has spoken out and sent him positive vibrations was Detroit fellow rapper, Eminem.
Em took to Twitter to write in a caption saying: “Prayers out 2 @DMX & his family!! True legend!! Pullin 4 u please stay strong!!”
Prayers out 2 @DMX & his family!! True legend!! Pullin 4 u please stay strong!!
The family notes that he is in a “vegetative state” with very little brain activity and remains in critical condition.
Early in 2020, fans wanted DMX and Eminem to compete against each other.
Both of the rappers were known to get busy as battle rappers. However, the producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz had another match: The Battle of the Dog with X and Snoop Dogg.
One of the highest viewed competitions in the series, both decided to make it a night of celebration instead of competition.
“He got caught without that pole and now that b#tch a## n###a gone….. I’ll p### on his grave!”
Lord have mercy! Why did Quando Rondo say all that? This dude is gloating over the deal of King Von, people are saying. Now we are are all looking for peace and he does THIS? Look at the video.
Rondo just made it worse. He made all of these statements at a virtual concert over the weekend. It played out online. Many people viewing believe that he’s clearly dissing King Von on the set, which happened on Saturday. This clip, which is circulating online, he mentions very clearly about someone who was caught slipping and was killed. You hear it! King Von definitely was not mentioned but it’s too close for comfort to many of the fans. They think that he is disrespecting the Chicago legend’s death. You should also know that Lul Tim, the man accused of actually killing King Von was released on $100,000 bond last month.
By the way, Lul Tim and Rondo have linked up with the big homie Big U out in LA. Uhhhh, protection maybe?
He sure looks happy-n-safe.
He says he did not hook up with the big homie for protection, but to “give back.”
“It’s time for me to start giving back…It’s time for me to leave this street s### in the streets and just play my role with this internet s###…I was just trying to give back from the heart. I never once called nobody, no n###a on planet fn Earth, for no protection. The f##k, cuz? I don’t fear no man.”
Singers Ronald and Ernie Isley have taken a page out of some past Verzuz alum’s playbook and dropped new music immediately after their lovefest with the elements, Earth, Wind, and Fire on Sunday night.
The single, “Friends and Family,” will be the first release since the premiere of the group’s 2017’s “Power of Peace” and will star Snoop Dogg.
While the Verzuz battle was steamy, playing some of their sexiest songs like “(At Your Best) You Are Love,” “Groove with You,” “Make Me Say It Again Girl” and “Between the Sheets,” the new song is the complete opposite.
Made for adult contemporary radio, Ronald is no longer Mr. Biggs, but a cool uncle who instructs the kids to get on the dance floor and love up on your family and friends. Oh sure, the 79-year-old appears to be schmoozing up on a pretty younger lady.
Yes, that kat zaddy grey beard has gone viral and the ladies are falling back in love with him. But “Family and Friends” invited these babies into the party (something many of his other jams couldn’t).
Even Snoop is rapping wholesome. Not one reference to weed, gin, or no juice.
In the video, there are cameos from Alex Isley (Ernie’s daughter), Syleena Johnson, Vivica Fox, and LisaRaye McCoy, and while Ronald dazzled in his silver cheetah print suit, his brother Ernie was getting busy on his electric guitar (as skillfully as his brother’s singing chops).
The IB vs. EWF Verzuz battle was live-streamed on Instagram and Triller and reached millions (as people were sharing and streaming the stream on other platforms —eh hem Ms. Tina Lawson).
Hopefully, the momentum will translate into sales, streams, and some virtual tours.
Why is the state of Utah passing a law that will require fathers to pay half of the bills when they get a woman pregnant?
The Associated Press reports that the Republican governor, Spencer Cox, signed the proposal sponsored by fellow GOP Congressman Brady Brammer and supported by a large percentage of their party’s elected officials.
But one might ask why?
Brammer explained, “We want to help people and actually be pro-life in how we do it as opposed to anti-abortion.”
“One of the ways to help with that was to help the burden of pregnancy be decreased,” he continued.
Who will this bill impact in this state? Utah is the 8th whitest state in the nation and has a white population that is trickled a little under 91% over the last couple of decades. The next highest racial population in the state are Asians at 2.7% and individuals that consider themselves multi-raced at 2.6%. Black people make up a whopping 1.5% of the population.
This directly dispels the myth of deadbeat fathers being Black. The women who are hurt most by the neglect of their children’s father, particularly during prenatal care, are those who have conceived with white men. Being trifling is not racial — it is a construct birthed out of being foul.
Liesa Stockdale, director of the state’s Office of Recovery Services, says that women have been seeking financial support with bills associated with having children in the state in this area for a minute. But have received very little support. She notes that just like women can sue for child support after the kid is born, they will be able to do that before the kid’s birth.
But don’t worry, there are some provisions to protect men from getting Maury’d. The bill includes a clause in cases where paternity is questionable. The AP further reports, “fathers won’t be required to pay until after paternity is established. The father also wouldn’t be financially responsible for the cost of an abortion received without his consent unless it’s necessary to prevent the death of the mother or if the pregnancy was the result of rape.”
While this seems like a moral judgment, somehow connected to abortion, this really is about state-funded programs to help these children when they are born without dual-parent support. Over one-quarter of the population is on some form of welfare, mostly mom’s trying to keep food on the table of their kids. The states on working single-parent households vary depending on the source. The most credulous source says these women make up 18% of the population.
Now the people in the bleachers … all races have men that don’t take care of their kids.
The “What You Really Want From Me” rapper’s family, friends, fiancée, son, and fans all went to the White Plains hospital —where is being cared for — to pray for his miraculous recovery.
It is reported that the doctors are calling his prognosis poor, noting that the Def Jam artist has very low levels of brain activity.
But there is power in prayer.
The intention of those who organized today’s event was to send positive energy towards his healing. His fiancée Desiree brought their toddler to add to the number of well-wishers.
Nurses, from the windows of the hospital, held up signs that said “X” to demonstrate solidarity with those who came from far and wide to send positive vibrations his way.
One of the most powerful occurrences of today was when his children were allowed to come into the hospital’s ICU area to see their father. Each one was able to share a private moment with their dad as he rested on a life support machine.
Like the people standing in intercessory pray for Dark Man X, they too are focusing on light and hoping that this is just another trouble time in his personal history.
The rapper reported in 2020 during the Ruff Ryders documentary that one of his childhood mentors tricked him into smoking crack for the first time. He has struggled with addiction ever since.
It has been reported, by numerous sources, that his heart attack was prompted by a drug overdose.
PATH P, who shows his humanity by using his music as an advocate for those suffering life’s hardships, set to release new single “Leviathan.”
Brooklyn Born, Colin Lawton has grown up in the reality of the stigma that surrounds his neighborhood of Brownsville. Being labeled one of the most dangerous neighborhoods, Colin witnessed the daily struggles that came along with this negative connotation. Luckily, he found solace in the blueprint laid out by his mother and father.
While still seeing the prejudice of colored people across America, he chose to follow in his parent’s footsteps of using art as an outlet. This led to the birth of his rap persona after linking with fellow music artist and producer, Thre3 in 2008. It was then the artist, PATH P (Positioned At The Highest Point) came to being as a means to not only create hope on a personal scale, but locally and globally.
PATH P would go on to become an Emcee, vocalist, songwriter, and producer with the development of his amazing story-telling skills and compelling vocal delivery. His music has since been a source of healing and empowerment to the souls of the masses. With his status rising as an artist, he has dedicated himself to become an activist for the people. PATH P is the ambassador for the global food justice nonprofit, WhyHunger, rallying behind their Artists Against Hunger & Poverty Program. He is also an avid urban farmer and face of the fight against racial and social injustice and equality for the people of color in low-income communities.
Even with all this, PATH P continues to speak to souls through his music. His latest self-produced single, “Leviathan” shifts gears and displays a different side of PATH P. He brings the energy and tenacity over the beat with bravado-laden lyricism. “Leviathan” is a representation of all he’s endured and overcame along his journey to reach the height of success he stands upon. PATH P takes a stance against the lackluster negative content that gets pushed by artists in the industry, using potent lyricism and aggressive delivery to crumble that image of hip hop and shine through with his storytelling prowess to show the true diverse beauty and versatility of hip hop.
“Leviathan” isn’t just another track to his catalog but symbolizes the creative that is PATH P and what he stands on as an artist. Follow his humanitarian efforts and stream his latest release “Leviathan” on April 5th.
If you’re a recording artist and you’re looking for the most highly-sought after songwriter to help, look no further than Derrick Milano.
Waking up to 5 Grammy nominations is one thing — Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” featuring Beyonce (3 nominations), King’s Disease by Nas (1 nomination), and “Changes” by Justin Bieber (1 nomination).
But winning a total of three Grammy’s is something most producers can only dream of and yet that’s what happened this year, thanks to Derrick’s work on Megan Thee Stallion’s#### song “Savage” and as well as his work on Nas’ album King’s Disease.
And the crazy thing is… he’s just getting started.
Born in Philadelphia, PA, raised in Delaware, and now splitting his time between Los Angeles, Miami, and Atlanta, Derrick is the true definition of a music-lover, dedicating all his waking hours to creating and perfecting his craft.
Getting his start at the young age of 14 in the basement of his home, Derrick grew up singing in the church choir before rap battling in high school. To date, he boasts a personal catalog of over 700 self-written songs, and he’s ready to debut himself as a recording artist in his own right.
After working with everyone from Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Pop Smoke, Nas, and Wiz Khalifa (the list goes on), Derrick is excited as ever to be releasing his own forthcoming debut, reeling in all-star features from all the legends he’s had the pleasure of working with.
AllHipHop: Congrats on everything! How are you feeling?
Derrick Milano: I’m feeling good. Me being humble about everything, staying focused. Wanting to get more and next year aiming to get more for myself.
AllHipHop: Are you going to do all that?
Derrick Milano: Of course, I’m still getting started. Trying to conquer one thing at a time. My main thing at first was to make sure with the writing, try to be the best. Try to accomplish everything I could possibly do before I focus on my artist stuff, so I could have that leverage. The fact I’ve got multiple Platinum records, worked with Pop, worked with Megan, worked with Nicki, and so on then the 3 Grammys, it makes a story where it makes more sense than just being “a writer.”
AllHipHop: First of all, how’d it feel to be nominated for 5 Grammys?!
Derrick Milano: That was crazy. I’m grateful to be a part of it because they could’ve called anybody to help with Beyonce’s part on “Savage.” The fact I was one of the people called along with The-Dream, Starrah, Pardison, a lot of my peers made it dope that I’m in that realm of conversation.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel to win the Grammy for “Savage,” Best Rap Performance and Rap Song?
Derrick Milano: Man, that felt great. It felt good for the simple fact that for me, I’ve always been the underdog when it came to writing. I don’t get invited to nothing, people don’t really think to hit me for certain stuff.
AllHipHop: How long ago was that? Coming up you mean?
Derrick Milano: Mmhmm. Remember, I started writing 2.5 years ago. When I first started, it was the Kevin Gates stuff. People looked at it like that’s all I could do. The fact I got my first Grammy with Beyonce, another Grammy with Nas, Megan’s first Grammy is amazing. It’s history.
AllHipHop: How’d you end up working on “Spicy” from Nas’ King’s Disease?
Derrick Milano: Hit-Boy had did the beat and called me one morning, said “can you pull up to the studio? I’m at Chalice.” I said “yeah.” It was 8, 9 in the morning.
AllHipHop: Really?
Derrick Milano: He be up early. I pull up, he said “yo Nas is about to pull up. We been recording working on this project, but we need one.” Alright bet, so he played me the beat. Nas came in, he said “yeah man, I know you worked with Pop. I need something that’s going to be hot man, something that’s going to be dope for New York.” I said “cool. I did that “Christopher Walking” f <https://www.realpopsmoke.com/videos/pop-smoke-christopher-walking-official-video>or Pop Smoke, that’s a big song in New York. If you’re going to touch that pocket, you gotta say something that’s relevant right now to get the new, young people on it.” I came up with that hook, collaborated on a few other things on there, then the song came out. They tried to make it a bonus ‘cause I guess they weren’t 100% confident it was gonna be…
AllHipHop: It’s with Fivio Foreign and A$AP Ferg!
Derrick Milano: On the respect of Nas, I think he looked at it like “I don’t want to be looked at like me trying to be a young n*gga.” It was dope that record stuck out, that record was the one that everybody listened to on that particular album. That was super exciting, especially to help Fivio, he gets a Grammy on that. For me, it’s working with the underdogs, giving people opportunity and making history with people I work with. It goes a little bit further than working with something that’s expected.
AllHipHop: Nas is a legend, talk about working with a real spitter.
Derrick Milano: Facts, for sure. It was amazing, it was dope because it’s Nas. That’s like rapping with Andre 3000 or somebody like that, it was for sure dope.
AllHipHop: Highlights or memories from recording at Chalice?
Derrick Milano: The reaction of the room when we had got the song done. The reaction of the room was dope, the energy was dope. Us trying to figure out who we’re going to put on it was dope.
AllHipHop: What inspires you in the studio? What motivates you the most?
Derrick Milano: I be thinking about making something that happens every time. Every time I leave the studio, I make sure I work on something that’s going to touch the market. I go in and off how I’m feeling that day. If it goes it goes, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. I don’t really beat myself up or think about it too much, you’ll get yourself caught up.
Derrick Milano
AllHipHop: Has the price gone up?
Derrick Milano: Of course. Certain n*ggas can’t even talk to me anymore, especially the ones that ain’t pay before. It’s a little bit different now. I’m still the same person. I’m still going to be humble, but there’s definitely people who treat it a certain way or try to dodge certain stuff. They handle business on certain things where okay, you can’t try that no more. Next time you want to work, this is what it is.
AllHipHop: Talk about your work on Justin Bieber’s Changes.
Derrick Milano: I worked on the “Available” record with Poo Bear and Javale McGee. We did it at Record Plant [Studios], shout out to Kid Culture. He called me like “yo Poo Bear wants to meet you.” I pulled up on him, we worked on that song. I didn’t hear anything for months, then Poo Bear called me one day. I was in Miami, he said “happy birthday, congratulations.” We found out we’re on that. Damn, Justin Bieber now? When I be looking at my catalog, it’s amazing to me to see where it started at and where it is now.
AllHipHop: Are you spiritual at all? Good things happen to good people.
Derrick Milano: Yeah, sometimes. With certain things for sure.
AllHipHop: How was it working with Poo Bear?
Derrick Milano: It was dope. I’d love to work with him again, he’s like a ghost though. You don’t see him like that. When you see him, you know it’s about some money. He’s been working with Bieber forever, it’s a little different.
AllHipHop: What is your favorite song you’ve written?
Derrick Milano: Probably “Christopher Walking,” it was the first song I worked on with Pop. It made a whole statement for it saying “outside,” for what’s going on with everything. One of those records that people are always going to remember, one of my favorite ones for sure.
AllHipHop: How’d you link with Pop?
Derrick Milano: Shout out to Steven Victor, he called me and said “yo, I heard that you’re dope.” I think AE told him about me. He said “yo I’ve got this kid man, he needs some dope ideas. I’ma send you some beats, tell me if you like them.” S###, alright. Shot me them ideas, sent them back. After that it’s been history.
AllHipHop: What was your reaction when Pop passed?
Derrick Milano: That s### hurt a lot ‘cause he was so young. In the same breath, he didn’t really get a chance to see how much the world loved him. It was sad. I liked working with him off the simple fact that it was a new sound, it was dope. For me, damn I could actually take this kid who’s making songs to making bigger records. That affected me on the aspect of knowing the type of person he was. I still keep in contact with his family and his friends.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMcupr7HIiZ/
AllHipHop: I saw your post that said you were pushing your SoundCloud on people in high school. How passionate were you then about the music?
Derrick Milano: It’s always been the same. I never let nobody tell me I couldn’t do nothing. I like when people doubt me. I like when people look at me like I can’t do something because it puts a battery on my back to do it. Even when I was going through that with the schools, it didn’t discourage me at all, it motivated me to keep doing it. Clearly, I was doing something right.
AllHipHop: Who are your top artists in rotation? Do you listen to other people or do you listen to your ownshit?
Derrick Milano: To be honest, I listen to my own s### now. When I do listen, I listen to a lot of older music to get a little bit of inspiration. A few of the artists that I do respect and do listen to when they put stuff out, I like Roddy a lot. That’s one of my close friends, I’ve been knowing Roddy early. Been knowing Roddy since he did “Fucc It Up.”
AllHipHop: How?
Derrick Milano: Instagram.
AllHipHop: Really? Like before Dallas found him?
Derrick Milano: Yeah, a little bit before Dallas. ‘Cause we’re all going to Traplantic, we’re all in that studio. When I didn’t really have nothing going on, he was still working. This was before Feed Tha Streets, around that time. Shout out to Knxwledge, Knxwledge really linked us. Toosii, that’s my brother. Of course Thug, when he puts stuff out. 100%. Those are my 3.
AllHipHop: What do you do when you’re not making music?
Derrick Milano: I’m on Clubhouse. I’m trying to be the icon, so make sure y’all follow me on Clubhouse.
AllHipHop: What do you like about Clubhouse?
Derrick Milano: I like the fact that since we can’t do this stuff now like it was before, it gives me the opportunity to speak. People get connected with me as a person so when my music comes out, people can feel it and know the type of person I am. I’m one of those people you have to meet and really understand where I come from, know the type of person I am to really fall in love with Derrick Milano rather than seeing stuff and posting stuff. It’s dope.
AllHipHop: What you be spitting on there?
Derrick Milano: Everything. I be telling people the ins and outs of the music business. Sometimes we go on there roasting people. It depends. It’s like Instagram on steroids.
AllHipHop: What’s been the wildest Clubhouse moment?
Derrick Milano: Man. it’s a lot. The wildest one is I did a little Grammy speech, which was dope. Everybody had came into the room, then my mom spoke in the room. It was dope.
AllHipHop: Anyone you want to work with that you haven’t yet?
Derrick Milano: Yeah, Rihanna. Who else? That’s really it.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from Derrick Milano as an artist?
Derrick Milano: It’s fire.
AllHipHop: Are we going to get love? Are we going to get melodic?
Derrick Milano: It’s both. The name of the project is called Somebody’s Son. I’m that person that people want to be around, especially women so it makes it cool. I was seeing all those memes of being somebody’s son, it’s dope on that aspect. Giving a story intertwined with it so people don’t know what they’re expecting when they see the cover, when they hear the songs or read the song titles.
AllHipHop: Somebody’s Son, what does your mom think?
Derrick Milano: She loves it. She’s excited.
AllHipHop: What can we expect on the cover art?
Derrick Milano: Some cool stuff, maybe some Al B. Sure! vibes.
Over the years, The Breakfast Club morning show on Revolt TV has done a tremendous job interviewing a wide range of guests. You’re guaranteed to learn something and be entertained at the same time. We all have our favorites. The Birdman interview. Well, that wasn’t really an entire interview, but you get my drift. The Dame Dash interview. And countless others. Too many to name. “Draaaakkkkke” is one of my most entertaining ones to watch. When that young man said “Draaaakkkkke” I thought I would die laughing. Soulja Boy was on one that day. Recently I was blessed to catch an emerging star in Hip Hop give, what I feel was a very candid interview that allowed the viewing audience to peer into his soul. The interviewee in reference is Rod Wave. His interview was so real that it challenged me to think “how do you live your dreams when the life you lived didn’t prepare you to?”
“Heart been broke so many times, I don’t know what to believe.”
I may be late to the party, but when I first heard Rod Wave so melodically rap those bars, immediately I knew that I wanted to hear more from him. Then I saw him do an interview on Dirty Glove Bastards where he explained his lyric “Jeezy told us trap or die but told his son to go to college.” The verse itself let me know that this young man had something more substantial to rap about. He had a different perspective. He viewed things differently. So I began to listen. And on Friday March 26, 2021 I ended up watching his very telling interview with DJ Envy, Charlamagne and Angela Yee.
The interview in its entirety is a little over 34 minutes long. But that short amount of time was so compelling to me. Rod Wave is a 21-22 year old man that’s extremely successful and very transparent with his feelings through his music. He talks about a lot of pain in everyday life. During the Breakfast Club interview, Rod Wave stated that “I don’t want people to think I’m complaining or nothing about what came with this life. Cause I’m still thankful for it. But it’s just that I never been the center of attention.” Immediately I began to think about the number of people who dreamed of success in their lives, but weren’t properly prepared to handle the success when it came. How does it feel to go from “rags to riches” and be immediately levied with the burdens and responsibilities of success? Even as a child you’re immediately propelled to the helm of your family, community, to lead because your dreams have come to fruition, granting you monetary gain. That’s difficult for anyone, I’d assume. But imagine just how much more difficult it must be for someone from the bottom as a teenager or someone in his/her early twenties. Just speaking for myself, I would have been killed or burned out by now if I was a millionaire in my teens or early twenties.
When questioned, Rod Wave stressed that he didn’t want people to think that he was suicidal or anything. He was just trying to express the weight of fame that he’s enduring. He went on to say in the interview that he has “never been the nigg@ with all the pressure on him.” He continued to say that he can’t even sleep at night. He wakes up to grab his phone to “make sure the day is gonna be good.” Nobody has died. No one needs to be bonded out of jail. Rod Wave continued to speak, saying “it’s hard to sleep knowing the pressure is on you.” “So, I’m saying like maybe when I go, I’ll finally get some rest.” That’s real spill to hear from a young man who is seemingly living his dreams. Made me wonder, just how many of our other young celebrities in Hip Hop are living the same dreams and nightmares as Rod Wave? Is the price of fame attained from living your dreams really worth it? But who could honestly acquire a taste for poverty?
Around the 25 minute 13 second mark of the interview Rod Wave says, “sometimes I feel like I bit off more than I can chew with the music and the fame and all that. But it’s all I ever dreamed of.” Damn. When I heard him say that, it pulled at my soul. I personally know many young people like Rod Wave with the same dream as him. I’ve taught them. I’ve raised them. I think about ABM Tank becoming a rap star. Or JiggyRunTheCity, Big3K, Luioto dreams of rap stardom coming to fruition. I ask myself, are they mentally and emotionally prepared for success? Will they lose themselves in the midst of the glitz and glamour? Although that I pray that all of my “sons” dreams come to fruition, I also pray that they’re properly prepared for success. For me, Rod Wave offered a different perspective that I hadn’t considered prior to watching his interview.
A young man with potentially the number one album in the country, SoulFly. A great piece of work, might I add. The recipient of gold and platinum plaques for record sales. Self-made millionaire. But evident on The Breakfast Club all of those things still does not manifest into complete happiness. Instead, it might bring the opposite of happiness. As expected, during the interview, Charlamagne did ask Rod had he ever done therapy or mental wellness to deal with the pain. To which he replied, “the music bro, I can’t really talk to nobody about that sentimental s###. It’s uncomfortable for me.” His sentiments are quite similar to every male I know whether they are chasing their dreams or have attained them. Nevertheless we chase still. Some of us will even sabotage our dreams to avoid the responsibilities that come with our dreams. The pressure can be unbearable at times.
I just wanted to take the time to thank Rod Wave for giving us a glimpse into the other side of success for young rap stars. I hope those from a similar background as you, with shared aspirations watch your Breakfast Club interview and see what I saw. And I pray that eventually you find solace in living your dreams. Sincerely. Cornell Dews
Rap star Kodak Black was targeted in a shooting earlier today (April 5th) in Tallahassee, Florida.
According to the cops, the rapper was in the parking lot of a McDonald’s during an incident that can only be described as disturbing.
Kodak was in town to perform as the headliner of the Culture3Fest. The rapper had just left Baja’s Beach Club around 3:00am when they noticed they were being followed by several vehicles.
Kodak’s security team managed to shake the car that was tailing them, so the rapper decided to make a stop at a nearby McDonald’s to grab a Sausage McGriddle with strawberry jelly for breakfast.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Kodak’s team blocked the entrance to the fast-food restaurant so he could safely pick up his order, and that is when violence erupted.
The same car that was following them in the earlier incident appeared out of nowhere and occupants in the vehicle started shooting.
According to TPD spokeswoman, a security guard working for Kodak was struck in the leg by the gunfire and seriously wounded, although more details about his condition were not immediately available.
Kodak Black was whisked away from the area in an armored vehicle, while the injured guard was rushed to surgery because a bullet hit his femoral artery causing him to lose a large amount of blood. He is currently in stable condition.
Grammy award-nominated rapper D Smoke is not slowing down at all.
The musical phenom has partnered with concert streaming platform, DREAMSTAGE for the on April 17th for The Black Habits Experience, a soon-to-be-revolutionary, ultra high resolution livestream performance. D Smoke returns to the stage in a way befitting his talents.
With the global pandemic crippling the live show business worldwide, this concert is a game changing experience and also marks the first time D Smoke hits the stage in over a year. He made his mark on a stage – of sorts. Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow, the 2019 series, put him on the map globally. And he has not disappointed since. The Inglewood, CA native received an NAACP Image Award Nomination for Outstanding New Artist and Black Habits, his debut album, earned him a pair of 2021 Grammy nominations – one for Best Rap Album and the other for Best New Artist.
D Smoke, fluent in Spanish, also allows his music to bring together the Black and Brown community and this will be ever-present in his live show.
D Smoke and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur speak about performance in a pandemic, how the rapper is tackling the next chapter of his career and how important the live show is for him.
AllHipHop: How’s it going?
D Smoke: Man, I’m doing great. How are you?
AllHipHop: I’m good, man. You got that? You got that? Post Grammy fashion look all right now what’s good with you?
D Smoke: Man, it’s it’s cold up here, but you know, excited things going down. So I got my outdoors attire on.
AllHipHop: There’s this concert that you have coming up – Dreamstage, April 17th, The Black Habits Experience. Talk to me about it. What’s this experience going to be like?
D Smoke: The Black Habits Experience. This is the tour that never happened. This is the musical experience. This is the show that helps illustrate what Black Habits is about, both musically and story wise. It’s going to be a combination of some film elements that help us fill in the gaps to, you know, the stories that the album is telling. So some of what we’ve done film wise is going to the city of Inglewood and spoken to people that are close to me to just get the same stories, but from their perspective. And, you know, from my dad and mom to my brothers, and then as well as people from the city who could just speak to what it means to grow up in Inglewood.
So those kind of film elements will be woven into a live band experience with a three six – 10-piece band. So it’s just going to be one of those experiences that that really gives people a wonderful kind of listening of what Black Habits is about.
AllHipHop: Nice. So it’ll be sort of like a theater experience? A multi dimensional look at you.
D Smoke: Yeah, it was definitely a multi multi dimensional experience. Has its visual elements to it. And even just a thought that goes into things like the stage plot and how, who we incorporate even the people on stage in the band will be members of my family who were there when when these stories (played out in real life). My mother is going to join me again, my uncle will be playing bass. You know, this is my same uncle who, when I was 13, gave me all of his studio equipment, and set us off on being our own creators and producers and stuff. And, he’s also the same uncle that played bass for you know, Chaka Khan,Prince and Destiny’s Child and some everybody so those will be people who are joining me, as well as my cousins and my brothers.
AllHipHop:You’ve worked with significant rap fam family as well too. Will any of those folks show up?
D Smoke: We got some we got some guests that’ll be joining us. Tobe Nwigwe is gonna pull up and bless us. And then I also did a song with Kirby (“Super Power”). So she’s going to be coming through and we’ll performance together. So we got some guests coming up. And I’m still reaching out to see who’s available. Yeah, maybe some surprises. And this pandemic, but it feels like we’re we’re on the other side – approaching it.
D Smoke: Approaching it. We’re for sure approaching the other side and, and I look forward to getting out and being able to see people in person, and touch the fans., You know, reach the fans in person and show them what it means to share physical space and really give them that artistic that exchange of energy. Me, you know, having them in the room and then getting to see the art up close and personal. So, I’m for sure with that. I’m about that life and I look forward to that.
AllHipHop:Yeah, it’s interesting. Last time we talked you you spoke a lot about the performance aspect of it. I know It’s important to you, but overall, how important has it been to your success? The performance? Because I think that’s an element, a lot of MCs, if you will, forget about.
D Smoke: Right. Well, I mean, I think a lot of what people saw, like my introduction to the world had to do with my understanding and my experience in performing. I started off wanting to be a piano performance major and that, even that was one of those elements that set me apart on “Rhythm and Flow.” And, even not doing much, but in high school dancing, doing Hip-Hop dancing in his little crew, you know, what I’m saying. Even though I haven’t been dancing as of late, it just made me familiar with at least hitting certain points, so that an overall like, show could have a whole nother level or layer of energy. Those are some things that that kind of put me in this position, to be honest, because I was extremely competitive on “Rhythm and Flow.” And, you know, a lot of people believed in me from the jump, but from my perspective, it was like, if I didn’t pull out all stops at every point in time, it was anybody’s to take. So those things definitely played a role in me having this opportunity now to be on a global platform.
AllHipHop:Now, things are probably never going to truly go back to being what they were. Companies like myself, we’ve adopted this new way of doing things and haven’t quite missed a beat. Obviously, we missed the energy of sitting in front of someone, but for you, do you think this virual experience is the new way – a new revenue stream, a new way to reach people? Or will you drop that when things open up?
D Smoke: I believe I believe people will continue doing this, you know. I believe there, there’s a large musical audience that may not want to go back out to shows. So, I think it’ll be a hybrid of like, touring for the people who are into that, like, more intimate settings. I imagine you have smaller crowds and larger venues now. Capacities in the same spaces will go down, and the spaces won’t change size. So, people who aren’t really for that experience, because it also may entail other stipulations from, you know, temperature checks, COVID tests, vaccinations, you know, what I’m saying.
And there’s a large population of people who are like their preferences, their own to, you know, go about their health, however they see fit. So that they may just be like, you know, I’d rather stay home and stream it. But then for those of those people who enjoy that exchange of energy in person, they’re gonna do what it takes to go out. So probably see a hybrid of the two. So it’s cool that these things are showing up, especially in this time. For me it the fans need to see this and they need to see it now. They don’t want to wait until, you know, I’m putting out another album to go back and experience Black Habits because I got, I got plenty music.
Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honored with a Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday (April 4th).
The “Black Panther” actor – who tragically died in August, 2020 after a secret battle with colon cancer – posthumously took home the Best Male Actor in a Leading Role prize for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and his widow Simone Leward made sure to quote him as she collected the honor.
Accepting his prize, she said in the virtual ceremony: “If you see the world unbalanced, be a crusader that pushes heavily on the seesaw of the mind. That’s a quote by Chadwick Boseman.”
Simone also thanked the late actor’s parents – Leroy and Carolyn Boseman – as well as playwright August Wilson, who penned the play on which the film is based.
Elsewhere, Viola Davis – who starred alongside Chadwick in the movie – thanked her friend, the “beautiful Chadwick Boseman” as she collected her Female Actor in a Leading Role award.
And Daniel Kaluuya also remembered Chadwick as he collected his Male Actor in a Supporting Role prize for his role in “Judas and the Black Messiah.”
The actor, who appeared alongside Chadwick in “Black Panther,” said: “You can’t make a film without an incredible group of people that come together and want to say a truth.”
“This one’s for Chadwick Boseman, and this one’s for (Black Panther Party) Chairman Fred Hampton. Thank you so much.”
We have to blame Donald Trump for all this! Before he was bounced out of the White House, The Donald saw fit to release Kodak Black from his shackles. At the time, Kodak was very woo-is-me about his condition. He was abused and beaten up and all this stuff. Well, they wanted pity and they got it.
Now that Kodak is out, there has been no change or transformation. People love him, but there are numerous beefs that have sprouted up. Most recently, Southside is going at the Florida Geechie Man. By the way, he was seen eating the eyes out of a fish. Some say its not jarring, for me it is.
I had to do research to get to the bottom of this beef. Once upon a time, Kodak Black rapped punching Yung Miami in the stomach – WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT. Her man Southside was NOT having it at all, as he wasn’t having it with Lil Uzi Vert. This was 2019. Blackie finally said “sorry” to both of them for being so out of pocket. In 2021, nothing has changed.
Southside said he is on his way to Miami and he wants his fade with Kodak. He even said don’t bring security. Just to the two of them.
At first, it seemed like Kodak would only be beefing with weak people, but he seems to be in it with a predator! I don’t know a lot about Southside, but he sure is a beast, as I see it. (If I am wrong, please put it in the comments and tell me why.) At any rate, one thing has changed a bit. It seems like Kodak is talking back a bit.
Note: I cannot understand a word in this video. Honestly, I do not know if Kodak Black is talking English sometimes. I know they say he is Haitian and a Geechie and I respect both cultures – for real. He just seems like he’s on the back of the short bus most of the time. This is my opinion, not AllHipHop’s.
Now that I think about it, I have always known about Southside for his production! It never even occurred to me that this street beast is the same dude! WOW! Southside produced “Clout,” “I Got The Keys,” “Tunnel Vision, Wicked,” “No Heart” and a bunch of other stuff. Now, he’s known for beasting!
The Weeknd has donated $1 million to hunger relief charities in Ethiopia as the nation faces an ethnic cleansing drama.
Responding to reports of thousands of deaths and more than two million people displaced in the Tigray area of his parents’ homeland, the “Blinding Lights” hitmaker has committed to do what he can to help those affected by the ongoing troubles.
“My heart breaks for my people of Ethiopia as innocent civilians ranging from small children to the elderly are being senselessly murdered and entire villages are being displaced out of fear and destruction,” he says. “I will be donating $1 million to provide 2 million meals through the United Nations World Food Program and encourage those who can to please give as well.”
The singer’s parents immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia before he was born.
Nicki Minaj represents the first female rapper to reach 1 billion streams on YouTube for a solo song, an incredible career milestone.
The hit song “Anaconda” struck the one billion views mark on YouTube.
“Anaconda” hit in 2014 as a single from Minaj’s third studio album, The Pinkprint, but this is not the first time she has gotten over a billion streams. “Anaconda” is her sixth video to surpass the 1 billion view mark, but the first all by herself.
“Anaconda” received 19 million views on Youtube within 24 hours, even though Minaj was criticized for the gratuitous sexual content. Nevertheless, Billboard magazine named the song the 13th greatest video of the decade.
Nicki Minaj has yet to win a Grammy despite her social clout.
Minaj has four studio albums and numerous mixtapes and singles. She was the first woman to have 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, garnered 18 top 10 hit records, among numerous accolades.
While still seeing the prejudice of colored people across America, he chose to follow in his parent’s footsteps of using art as an outlet. This led to the birth of his rap persona after linking with fellow music artist and producer, Thre3 in 2008. It was then the artist, PATH P (Positioned At The Highest Point) came to being as a means to not only create hope on a personal scale, but locally and globally.
Even with all this, PATH P continues to speak to souls through his music. His latest self-produced single, “Leviathan” shifts gears and displays a different side of PATH P. He brings the energy and tenacity over the beat with bravado-laden lyricism. “Leviathan” is a representation of all he’s endured and overcame along his journey to reach the height of success he stands upon. PATH P takes a stance against the lackluster negative content that gets pushed by artists in the industry, using potent lyricism and aggressive delivery to crumble that image of hip hop and shine through with his storytelling prowess to show the true diverse beauty and versatility of hip hop. 
