Accoedong to Jeannie, the “Snowman” is planning to melt her heart with two different weddings.
“My mom being vietnamese wants a very vietnamese traditional wedding she wants Jay [Jeezy] my fiance to wear the vietnamese garb do some of the vietnamese practices like the tea ceremony,” Jeannie Mai explained. “So we’ve decided that we’re gonna have two weddings. We’re gonna have one the way me and jay want and then we’ll have one for mama my just cause if we don’t we’re gonna hear it for the rest of our life.”
This will be the second marriage for Jeannie, who divorced from her ex-husband Freddy Harteis before she met Jeezy on the set of “The Real,” where she served as a co-host.
The pair have not announced a date for the wedding, since they have both been pretty busy. Jeannie Mai is a contestant on Season 29 of “Dancing With the Stars” and hosting her series “Hello Hunnay.
Jeezy has been out stumping for Joe Biden as he attempts to snatch the White House from current President, Donald Trump in addition to dropping a dope new track with Yo Gotti called “Back.”
Rap star Kanye West just launched his own Christian Academy, but he’s not stopping there. During his two hour sit down with Joe Rogan, Kanye revealed he had plans to start his monastery.
“I’m building a modest i’m building a a monastery that will then be the future of monasteries, full sustainable energy,” Kanye West said.
During an interview with a Vogue, Kim Kardashian revealed she was were already living like a monk with Kanye. Kim described their Los Angeles home, which was designed by Kanye and Axel Vervoordt, as a “minimal monastery.”
Kanye did not offer up any more details, on his monastery, however, he has been busy pushing his other religious themed brand, the Yeezy Christian Academy, which could benefit from the project.
“In our future, we will heal. Our future has homes for everyone. Our future has food for everyone. Our future has love. Jesus loves everyone. Let’s lead with love! Our future is waiting on us,” some kids attending YCA said in an advertisement the rap star posted on his Twitter account.
Kanye captioned the video, “DEAR FUTURE, I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU… YEEZY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY”.
William Congreve said in 1697, in the play The Mourning Bride, “Heav’n has no rage, like love to hatred turn’d, nor hell a fury like a woman scorn’d.”
This adage was rendered close to 70 years before the first Black person was brought by Europeans to Jamestown, but yet it resonates like scriptures in 2020.
The three women were contacted to discredit Dr. Dre. One woman, Jill Speer, is a singer. Another, whose name is Kili Anderson, was a model but is now a skincare professional. The last of the three lasses brought into this drama is Crystal Rogers, who performs by the name Crystal Sierra and she is commonly referred to as the “Queen of Latin Hip Hop.”
None of the women have expressed interest in working with Nicole Young to bring down her soon-to-be-ex-husband, however, that did not stop her from subpoenaing them to testify. They are currently fighting for a judge to stop it.
According to experts, California is a no-fault divorce state. This means that whether he cheated on her or not (wrongful marital conduct), it has no bearing on grounds for divorce. It also has no bearing on her alimony/ spousal support.
While there are a ton of things that are considered (will the poorer party be destitute? How long were they married, are the children of age, etc.) adultery has no bearing.
The scorned Nicole Young is using her fury to pull out all the stops and throwing Hail Mary’s. After all, there is a billion-dollar estate at stake.
Conor Michael Smith dropped a first listen “With You In Mind” this week from his upcoming mixtape. An absolutely massive record, the track is a call to arms from the 21-year-old who spits fire about the state of our country, urging us to remember those we’ve lost to violence and ultimately asking everyone to get out there and vote.
“It’s nerve-racking to put this out as my first ever single, but I know I’m gonna look back and be proud I came out the gate with a message,” Conor states.
Produced by All Minds, the video was inspired by the nationwide protests and everything happening right now in America. The backdrop, a powerful mural at LAs #FAMEYARD on Melrose Ave pays tribute not only to the next generation, but to George Floyd, one of many who paid the ultimate price. Conor states, “At the end of the day I want my children to grow up in a better world then I did, and I believe we all have the opportunity to change the world.”
“With You In Mind” was produced by Conor alongside Slim & Baze from Machine Gun Kelly’s team. and Bobby Boy Records artist John Lindahl. distributed independently through United Masters.
Conor’s musical flow comes naturally, learning classical violin at 6 and by 9 taught himself piano. Citing his inspirations to the likes of Kendrick Lamar, John Williams, and Mozart, his vibe and style should come as no surprise and sees him melding his love for melody and beats perfectly with his passion for words and writing. “With You In Mind” comes from a place of hope, hope that there are brighter days to come, but it’ll take all of us to get there.
Hailing from Fontana, CA, veteran rapper M-16 thegreat turned plenty of heads with his Bay Area tribute, “2005” roughly a month ago. Now, M-16 returns with the official visual for “Move Silent Blow Loud,” a song that served as the title track on his 2018 album.
M-16 takes us on a ride along of his Cali lifestyle, repping the LA Dodgers with his fresh Jackie Robinson jersey and holding his daughter in the fresh Duke Visions-directed music video.
“Move Silent Blow Loud” is an unapologetic, hustler anthem tailored especially for his West Coast listeners. Rhyming like a true OG over the nostalgic, thumping, Denis the Producer-laced beat, M-16 charismatically raps: “My baby gotta eat, whether rain, hella snow/ To keep from telling her no / I done slang hella dro.”
Offering plenty of gems throughout the record, M-16 the great encourages listeners to remain persistent and avoid haters that try to stop your journey.
He explains, “The song represents a way of life. Stay down for the come up, don’t tell people what you doing or going to do because when it happens they’ll see for themselves.”
Sit back, and watch M-16 the great’s “Move Silent Blow Loud” music video. Be sure to follow him on Instagram to stay up to date with his new releases.
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has flat out stopped the party.
For the most part, on large levels, there have been no concerts, no parties, no Spring break weekends, no homecomings, no in-person rap battles, and no music festivals.
Sure it has hit the pockets of our favorite artists, who have made substantial bank by touring.
But fans have also felt it. After all, who would deny that live music and musical experiences are good for the soul?
Uhm… the ultimate party pooper, COVID-19.
In fact, a study conducted by Festival Pass, the world’s first live events subscription marketplace, and Fluent, Inc., a leading data-driven performance marketing company, revealed that in this country of those surveyed many just want to get back to their normal entertaining and dining experiences: music (49%) and food festivals (37%) lead the desired activities most missed.
Ed Vincent, Founder and CEO of FestivalPass notes, “We have received an overwhelming number of comments from our members and followers on their desire to attend a live event or festival.”
During the survey, it was revealed that Hip-Hop garnered 40% of the participant’s votes as the genre they simply can’t wait to cop a ticket to go see.
Festival Pass Survey
Followed up by Country (30%) and Rock (15%), these genres seem to speak to the heart of America’s culture.
Well, all you rap and R&B fans are in luck. Sources say that artists Cardi B., Travis Scott, The Weekend, City Girls, Tech N9ne, Pitbull, Three 6 Mafia, and Snoop Dogg are all supposed to be gearing up to go on tour in 2021.
FestivalPass is stepping up to assist music enthusiasts to find viable means to see live performances, hoping to make the festivals and concert spaces safe and COVID-19 controlled.
“As event organizers continue to get creative with outdoor events, drive-ins, and limited capacity events today and the growing prospect of a vaccine by early 2021,” Vincent predicts. “This survey supports the growing pent-up demand for community and connection. The live event and festival industry will rebound quickly with proper protocols in place to keep attendees safe in 2021.”
As the world’s first festival and live events subscription marketplace, FestivalPass provides access to thousands of music, film, food and wine, art, sports, lifestyle, and tech and innovation
Kanye West appears to have launched his own Yeezy Christian Academy.
The hip-hop star, a born-again Christian, unveiled a video appearing to promote the institution, featuring daughter North and son Saint, his two elder children with wife Kim Kardashian, as well as their cousins, Kourtney Kardashian’s kids Mason and Penelope Disick.
In the footage, shared on Twitter late on Wednesday, the youngsters are all dressed in matching blue T-shirts and pants, with the school’s initials, “YCA”, branded across the chest, as they gather in a classroom, and run around outdoors.
“Dear Future, I still believe in you. We still believe in you. We believe in our families,” they chant in the clip.
“In our future, we will heal. Our future has homes for everyone. Our future has food for everyone. Our future has love. Jesus loves everyone. Let’s lead with love! Our future is waiting on us!”
Kanye, who is also running for the U.S. presidency, captioned the video, “DEAR FUTURE, I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU… YEEZY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY”.
Few details about the school have been revealed, but in a press release obtained by the New York Post, officials describe it as Kanye’s “latest initiative for education,” vaguely adding, “The video demonstrates the responsibility citizens hold for the future of children in America.”
The rapper previously shared another post showing the kids engaging in art and music lessons on Monday.
“Some Monday morning joy at YEEZY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY,” he wrote beside the Twitter footage.
Saturday Night Live probably does political satire better than any variety show (or talk show) on television. They usually get it right and this weekend, on their Halloween episode, they were spot on with their opening that included two Hip-Hop icons.
While Joe Biden, played by Jim Carey was reading a story time for the holiday, Ice Cube and Lil’ Wayne emerged.
The fake Biden says, “Our country is not haunted. We just have to come together like two butt cheeks to stop the crap. Descent folks out there I ask, hasn’t Trump failed at his task? Do not elect him anymore. Though Ice Cube and Lil Wayne … are voting for.”
Ice Cube (Kenan Thompson), Lil Wayne (Chris Webb) and VP Joe Biden (Jim Carey)
“Why in the name of all that is holy would you be voting for Trump?”
Cube, played by Keenan Thompson, and Weezy, played by Chris Redd, said in unison, “Taxes!”
“Plus, Trump got a new platinum plan,” the cast Tunechi said, dangling his “platinum” chains. Followed by the former WestSide Connection and Irish Lord saying, “That’s right! If you got a platinum record you can plan on him doing photo opt with you.”
The skit was based on both rappers aligning with the Republican candidate over the last few weeks.
The national election is three days away, and many celebrities are weighing in on who people should vote for. The best way to learn their platforms is to go to both candidates’ websites and do a real deep dive.
Ice Cube (Kenan Thompson) and Lil Wayne (Chris Webb)
However, according to CNN, over 91.6 million Americans have cast their votes in this year’s presidential election which equals out to 43% of registered voters nationwide.
Early voting has been effective as 16 states report that more than ½ of their registered voters have voted already. And, whether they have listened to Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, 50 Cent, Charlie Clips, DNA, De La Soul, Chuck D, #45Lies, or any of the rappers on the BET Hip Hop Awards ciphers, people are energized to engage the political process … and that is real rap.
Chicago is home to many rap legends, from Kanye West to Chief Keef to G Herbo to Polo G. Insert Lil Eazzyy, who comes trailblazing right behind them. The 18-year-old hails from the Southside of Chicago, Eazzyy is here to tell his story and his truth — giving hope to the masses that they too can achieve their wildest dreams.
He states, “I’m here to show people it’s really about your ambition, you got to go out and get it yourself. I want people to see that I went out and got it myself, for motivational purposes. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
Coming up as a teenager playing basketball, which he was innately good at it, Eazzyy released his first video for “MIKEAMIRI” end of last year and it’s been on the go ever since. With his friend filming a freestyle of his that ended up going viral on the Gram, “Onna Come Up” came as a result. If there’s one record that fans need to hear to get to know Eazzyy, it’s this one.
Now, he returns with his newest single titled “Activated,” paired with a cinematic visual to match. AllHipHop caught up with Lil Eazzyy at the Kandypens house in the hills to discuss his upbringing in Chicago, love for G Herbo, getting playlisted in Rap Caviar, love for the fans, and new music on the horizon!
AllHipHop: Being from the Southside of Chicago, what were you seeing growing up?
Lil Eazzyy: It was a nice household. My parents weren’t married, but we’re all together under the same roof. It was cool. S### happened then my mom moved out to the suburbs, it was me going back and forth. The household was cool though, it was good. I have a good relationship with both of my parents.
AllHipHop: At what point did music come into play?
Lil Eazzyy: Really my sophomore year. I’ve always been into rap since my 5th, 6th grade. I was always into Herb, that’s one of my biggest idols.
AllHipHop: What do you like about Herbo?
Lil Eazzyy: I like the way he can switch up the way that he rap. He can go from slow pace to a fast pace in the same song. You really have to double back on what Herb be saying because you not gon’ catch it the first time.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite G Herbo song?
Lil Eazzyy: I love Welcome to Fazoland, that’s my favorite album. I got hella favorite Herb songs. My favorite right now on that album is “Ride Wit It.” My favorite of all-time, he had a Humble Beast album that never dropped. Being from Chicago you get a lot of unreleased music from rappers. I had his Humble Beast intro, he never dropped it. That s### still hit, it’s not even on YouTube anymore.
AllHipHop: You f### with Polo too?
Lil Eazzyy: Yeah fasho, he brought that melody sound to Chicago and put us on the map. There weren’t really a lot of rappers coming out like Polo, we’re getting put on the map right now.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to be the hottest new rapper from The Chi?
Lil Eazzyy: It feels good, feels good to put on for my city. Like the DCG bros, they coming outta Chicago too. I got a song with them that’s really good, I f### with them heavy. I’m really trying to work with everybody from Chicago, stamp Chicago altogether. Chicago’s where big artists are coming out of.
AllHipHop: At what point did you realize you could do music for a living?
Lil Eazzyy: Really my senior year. My first time getting in the studio, my friend said “bro, you better than some of the people that come in here for their first time. It sounds like you’ve been doing it a minute.” That gave me some gas. You hear somebody say you sound like you’ve been rapping for a minute, you gon’ really want to put your all into it. I was doing basketball at first but I felt if I put my all into rap, s###’s gon’ go. I like telling my story, I like telling the s### I used to do. I like making little party songs to have people tee up, I like having fun. I like music, period. I like to give people s### to listen to. It makes me feel good when people listen to your music, when you can go listen to your own music like “damn I really f### with this s###.”
AllHipHop: Bring us back to when you recorded “Onna Come Up.”
Lil Eazzyy: I’d just met my manager. I was ready to go all gas, no brakes. He said “I see you do freestyles, put out a little freestyle.” I thought if I’ma put out a freestyle, it gotta be something. I wanted to talk about me on the come up for real. I never knew it was going to do what it did. I didn’t even make it a full song at first, it was a freestyle. The traction was so good, I had to make it a full song. It blew up.
AllHipHop: Did you expect it to go viral after posting it to Instagram?
Lil Eazzyy: Then I posted it on TikTok. I wasn’t ready for that. Me seeing it go up, it didn’t hit me really until labels were hitting me, then I’m like “oh s###, this is serious.” I thought it was gon’ go viral, people will’ see it, and it’ll blow over. Once I seen the labels hitting me, that s### touched me not even gon’ lie. That s###’s wild. I went to the studio, I made it. My manager got me the person for the cover art, we put it out on United Masters and it was going crazy.
AllHipHop: Do you overall have good energy? Good things happen to good people.
Lil Eazzyy: I do. I believe in good karma, so I try to make sure I’m doing right by the people and myself.
AllHipHop: You’ve only been recording a year, what were you doing before this?
Lil Eazzyy: I was playing basketball, that’s it. But I also loved rap. I always wanted to try it. Once I tried it, it came to me. F### it, I started going to the studio every single day after school. I put my very first music video out November of last year, I only got 5 of them out right now. I dropped the freestyle in May of this year, it hasn’t been long at all.
AllHipHop: How’d it feel seeing “Onna Come Up” being playlisted in Rap Caviar?
Lil Eazzyy: I looked up one day and I was on Rap Caviar, I’m like “whoaaa!” The day after, I checked my Instagram again and I was up 3.5K followers. The streams are what blew up. I went from 2 million to 6 million in a couple days, that s### tweaked me out. I didn’t peep it at first, I had to actually log in and check. That s###’s crazy. It really felt unbelievable, I didn’t believe it. It’s a blessing.
AllHipHop: Talk about shooting the video for “Onna Come Up.”
Lil Eazzyy: One of his friends [points to friend] he put me on with, he does photography out in Connecticut. They flew out here, that’s his first time meeting me. We got an Airbnb in downtown Chicago, we might as well shoot some videos. We shot the videos, I really didn’t think it was going to go up like that on YouTube. We tried to make sure we got that gritty type of scenery. We’re in an alley, we did some in the daytime and the nighttime to set the mood. Made the whole video, then we shot “Yerk Attack” the day after.
AllHipHop: What is it you want fans to get from your story?
Lil Eazzyy: I want fans to feel they don’t have to narrow themselves to one lane. Whatever you want to do, you got the power to do it as long as you put the work on and you got the ambition. Once you find what you want to do, put your all into it. Make sure you’re the best at what you do.
AllHipHop: Being only 18, what do you like to do for fun?
Lil Eazzyy: Me and him [points to friend] go play basketball all the time. S###, vibe in the studio and make music. That’s really all I’ve been doing, is working. Since the beginning of my senior year last year, I’ve been locked in doing studio. I might go play basketball here and there, but really trying to lock in and perfect my craft. I want to be looked at as versatile, he can do a variety of different things. I want people to be able to click on my name like “I’m feeling this type of way, so I’ma go to this song.” They don’t gotta listen to one particular genre of music, like just drill. I have some melodic stuff, have some party s### so people can tee up.
AllHipHop: Did you have hoop dreams before this?
Lil Eazzyy: Slightly. I kind of did, but I just liked doing sports. I wasn’t really thinking I wanted to go to the NBA, but I f### with basketball heavy enough to keep doing it. Definitely a good stress reliever, it helps me take my mind off s###.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next music-wise?
Lil Eazzyy: I’m about to drop an EP, then my mixtape’s coming out very early next year. After my mixtape, I’m dropping my album. I got it all lined up, I’ve been in the stu. It’s all ready, I just gotta put it out.
AllHipHop: Debut album already? It’s crazy how many years it takes some artists.
Lil Eazzyy: That s###’s a blessing. I try to take it in the most humblest way possible.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want people to know?
Lil Eazzyy: I’m really a people person, I’m for the fans for the most part. If they need something, they can DM me. I DM a lot of my fans back. If you peep under my comments, I like everybody’s comment. I try to be real interactive with the fans, I want them to know I’m all about them.
Chaka Khan will have “a lot of input” when it comes to her forthcoming biopic, insisting the movie will be “honest to a fault”.
The “Ain’t Nobody” hitmaker revealed earlier this year (20) that she was working on the project, following the successes of box office hits like Elton John’s “Rocketman” and Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Speaking on The Talk, Chaka confessed she’s “just happy that it’s going to happen while I’m still alive… hopefully.”
“I will be able to have a lot of input into the situations which I really do plan to do,” insisted the Through The Fire star. “I plan for it to be truthful, honest to a fault. It’s going to be a great, cathartic thing, you know, for me to do, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Amid the pandemic, she added: “At this point, we aren’t doing much in the way of making it happen, except collecting a lot of data, and pictures, and talking to people.”
When asked who would be her choice to take on the leading role, Chaka insisted: “My daughter (Indira). Period. She’s a spitting image, basically like mini-me… We look almost exactly alike. She’s a great singer… She’s the one.”
Sharing video of the hologram on social media, Kim called the hi-tech present “a special surprise from heaven”.
“It is so lifelike! We watched it over and over, filled with emotion,” she tweeted. “I can’t even describe what this meant to me and my sisters, my brother, my mom and closest friends to experience together. Thank you so much Kanye for this memory that will last a lifetime.”
In the video, Robert says, “You’re 40 and all grown up. You look beautiful just like when you were a little girl. I watch over you, your sisters and brother, and all your kids every day. Sometimes I drop hints that I’m around…”
The hologram also sang along with Barry Mann’s Who Put The Bomp after asking, “Remember when I would drive you to school in my tiny Mercedes every day and we’d listen to this song together?”
The image of the late lawyer then added, “I am so proud of the woman that you’ve become and all that you’ve accomplished… but most impressive is your commitment to become a lawyer and carry on my legacy.”
Kim, who turned 40 on 21 October (20), is currently studying to become a lawyer, just like her father.
The hologram adds, “The most beautiful thing that I have witnessed is watching you grow your family. You married the most, most, most, most, most genius man in the whole world, Kanye West. You are the most, most, most, most amazing mother to your four beautiful children, and they are perfect. Keep doing what you’re doing, Kimberly, you are a beautiful soul. Know that I am very proud of you, and I’m always with you.”
Fresh off a new distribution deal with Hood & Associates and Ingrooves Music Group, The Band of the Hawk has released vivid visuals for their song, “B.I.B.L.E.”
Originally released on their last project, ‘Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth,’ “B.I.B.L.E.” is the Drum n’ Bass inspired title track featuring P.Ey3, Yeaux Majesty and Noah Archangel.
The bars are politically fierce and the bass is slappin’.
The video contains clips from different dance crews from overseas in London and Paris. Colorful overlays of the Hawks spittin’ to complete the abstract imagery were added also.
This is a new representation of The Band of the Hawk outside of the classic boom bap they usually release.
Watch “B.I.B.L.E.” below, on Bandofthehawk.com or on their new BOHUP App available on iOS and Android.
Did Tupac Shakur visit Tyrese Gibson in the dark recesses of North Carolina back in the day? Tyrese tells an incredible, weird story about a time when he spent at Afeni Shakur’s ranch after her son Tupac died.
To put this all in context, you have to understand a couple of things. First of all, Tyrese met Tupac one time. Secondly, Afeni Shakur was the godmother of his firstborn child. Last but not least, he talk directly to us about this whole thing in an exclusive interview with Chuck Creekmur.
I am not sure exactly what Tyrese is going for in this story but I find it quite interesting just in general. I do not believe that Tupac really haunted him in his dreams, but I think the story itself is quite interesting and Tyrese weaves a good one. However, it may go the wrong way if the right/wrong blogs pick it up because he sounds a bit crazy here!
Check out the interview below and weigh in in the comment section.
By the way, Tyrese has a new song called “Legendary” and it’s actually very dope and speaks loudly to the situation that Black people are facing in America.
Did Donald Trump get Lil Wayne out of trouble? Last year, in the dead of winter 2019, Lil Wayne got busted with a gun and drugs on a private plane by the feds. At that time, it did not look good for the Young (but aging rapidly) Money rapper!
In context, the gun found on the plane was presumably, admittedly a Father’s Day gift according to a search warrant obtained by the Miami Herald. Wayne told them that. But, how does that explain the bullets, cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana, heroin, painkillers, and lean also found on the plane, per the cops? As a felon, Lil Wayne is not allowed to have or own a handgun. Or mad drugs!
And an updated report, the Miami Herald received a cease and desist letter from Wayne‘s lawyers saying that their initial story and the descriptions in it were false in defamatory. But the story continued to run and stated pretty clear, by way of the federal government’s report, that Wayne was under the influence of “illicit narcotics” with “delayed speech.” All of this was in and official reports as relayed by the feds.
Anyway, this case completely disappeared from headlines and there was no follow-up in any form or fashion, publicly, legally or in any other way that we can see. In a new article on AllHipHop.com I call “Why Are Mad Dumb Rappers Down With Trump?”, we detail why rappers are getting cozy with President Donald J Trump. At the end of the article, there is a line about Wayne and his legal situation from last year and why it simply vanished. There are no direct conclusions drawn but it seems to suggest that something dramatic had to happen for him to get out of the case, and then for it to essentially be scrubbed….HUH.
IT JUST DISAPPEARED!! HOW!?!
This is not confirmed but it appears that Donald J Trump may have helped Wayne get out of his quandary. Remember ASAP Rocky and he got in some problems overseas? And Trump wanted I thank you but ASAP did not give it to him because he’s not going to allow himself to be used! He did take the help though! It just seems like the big big big big Homie in the White House pull the strings necessary to get Wayne out of his situation! And, in an election year, he drags Wayne out right before an election.
Lil Wayne has proclaimed that he is not political but he seems to be on the hook here. What do you think? Take a minute or two to read the full story and give your thoughts.
Rapper Kid Cudi has turned entrepreneur to help artists boost their earnings by connecting directly with fans through a new app.
The “Pursuit of Happiness” hitmaker has teamed up with screenwriter Ian Edelman and software engineer Jonathan Gray to unveil Encore, a new mobile-based platform aimed at providing better live music opportunities to fans, while also helping performers find new ways to connect and cash in on their work.
Cudi will serve as Encore’s chief creative officer to oversee its artistic vision.
In a statement, he says, “The energy from a concert is undeniable, both for the fans and artists. I am excited to launch Encore to help bring the live music experience back to our fans. Encore is committed to empowering both established and new artists and delivering the best mobile music experience out there.”
According to a press release, artists will be able to “drop new music, chat with fans and host live shows from anywhere in the world” with the new app.
“The current streaming model puts artists in competition with one another and only rewards the top one percent of artists who collect 90 percent of the money,” officials share.
“Encore offers an all-new format that encourages collaboration amongst artists and makes it easy for up-and-coming and established artists to manage and grow a direct relationship with their fans.”
An official launch date for the app has yet to be announced, but Encore is currently in private beta mode.
The couple went public with the romance over the summer, but now it seems there’s break-up drama.
The rapper has unfollowed the “Girls Trip” star, while she is still following him.
The latest development comes after Haddish posted an odd message addressing one or more ex-lovers on social media.
She raged: “I am so sick of my ex Fk Boys and yes YOU still a Fkboy even if we was in a relationship cause you still was trying to f**k when it was over, Boy. Stop reaching out to me trying to be my friend, I don’t want to be your friend. Plus you got a whole women and Babies on the way and we been done for years.
“But you want a windfall of money, and want me to make that wind go? Huh hahaha if I thought that would remove you from my entire life I would… I never said I love you. cause who I was loving wasn’t the real you. When the real you showed up I was disappointed and disgusted, so please go away forever. PEACE AND HAPPINESS BE UPON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.”
It’s not clear who the message was aimed at.
The drama comes two months after Tiffany gushed about her relationship with Common during a podcast interview, saying: “This is hands down the best relationship I’ve ever been in… I feel more confident in me and it’s not him that’s doing it. I’m just way happier and it’s like knowing I got somebody that cares about me, that really has my back. It seems like he does anyways. And I love it. I love him.”
The two-page ad captures the creativity that one might expect from the “All Falls Down” rapper. A blending collection of poetry, affirmation, religious musing (he proclaims that Jesus loves everybody), he starts the note by sharing that he believes in the future.
He writes, “I still believe in you. We still believe in you.”
“Even in our darkest moments, we believe,” he continues. “We believe in a world at peace. We believe in our people. We believe in our families. We will see families anchoring on faith.”
Within the letter, that reads like a poem, Ye offers a segment that does reflect his political platform.
“Our future will provide expecting families with a safe and secure plan that values every stage of life,” the rapper/ producer proclaims. “Our future will provide a justice system that treats everyone equally regardless of their socioeconomic status. Our future will provide an education system that promotes freedom and visionary thinking.
“Our happy, healthy future looks like the new Garden of Eden with children running and the elderly brimming with joy on how beautiful our world has become. Our future has homes for everyone. Our future has food for everyone.”
Finally, he notes that in “our” imagined “future” there will be love.
“Our future is free from debt, shame, guilt, worry, stress, war, greed, hate, misuse of power, prejudices, manipulation, and discrimination.”
Kanye West is currently on 12 ballots to be the president and in California, he is on the ballot as running for Vice President.
According to reports, businessman and perennial candidate, Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, is running for president of the American Independent Party and has tapped the multi-hyphenate as his number two.
Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, 50 Cent and others have shaken things up, only underscoring the larger, more pronounced issues that face Black America. Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur says there is more than meets the eye.
What we know.
In his bid for reelection, Donald Trump and his administration have openly courted Black men, particularly the Hip-Hop community, in an effort to peel off support from the Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden. The 45th president, who once was a Hip-Hop darling, has since become a scourge to the culture for his penchant for racism, divisive tactics, and flat out pandering.
Most recently, rapper Lil Wayne tweeted that he met with the president over the Platinum Plan, but did not reveal much more.
“Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done.”
The Lil Wayne link-up with President Trumpwas met with a tremendous amount of scorn, but, those that know, understand this is not uncharacteristic for the New Orleans rap artist. He’s defended brutal police, denounced Black Lives Matter and has been generally apathetic to issues that affect ordinary Black people. In 2016, Jeezy said, “(Wayne) might not be connected on that level. It is difficult because he’s been rich for a long time. He’s been living on his own island for a long time. Maybe it’s something he just don’t see.”
Jeezy’s view of Wayne would also explain 50 Cent’s brief ringing endorsement of President Trump, where he erroneously cited Biden’s tax plan. In Biden’s tax plan, New York residents raking in over $400,000 per year, could pay upwards of 62 percent of their wages in state and federal taxes.So, the Queens-bred mogul was partially right: He’ll pay considerably less in taxes under The Donald.
Nobody represents the perception or reality of this shift more than O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, the pyroclastic rapper/actor/mogul that totally shook-up up the political landscape weeks ago.The ordeal, which had been bubbling for months, finally spilled over after President Trump’s Senior Advisor Katrina Pierson gleefully tweeted, “Shoutout to @icecube for his willingness to step up and work with @realDonaldTrump Administration to help develop the Platinum Plan…Leaders gonna lead, haters gonna hate. Thank you for leading! ✊🏾.”
The appreciation and disclosure by Pierson lacked any substantive details or context, causing many to assume that Cube completely sold out. That was not exactly the case.
Here is some context. Ice Cube is an iconic, transformative, and, at times, problematic hero of Hip-Hop. In the late 1980’s, he gave the streets an unrepentant political voice laced with rebellious angst. Soon, that expanded to Hollywood, along with bankable peers like Will Smith, Queen Latifah, and LL Cool J. Despite penning 8-bars of fury on “Burn Hollywood Burn,” Cube continued to make strides in Tinsel Town, unlike any other gangsta rapper. For some, what we have witnessed recently has clashed dramatically with what we believe to know about the rapper/actor.
Ice Cube, an entertainer of 30-plus years, is not is a conventional activist, philanthropist, aristocrat, or politician. He has been consistently outspoken and openly critical of Trump. Rap fans and the streets adore Cube because of his penmanship on N.W.A.’s “F**k The Police,” “No Vaseline,” “Today Was A Good Day,” and seminal albums likeAmerikkka’s Most Wanted and Death Certificate. Leading the people has not been his strong suit, but his booming voice has fueled many social sentiments.
Cube’s contract Contract With Black America is a powerful document that has unfortunately been overshadowed by the connection to Trump. Cube has acknowledged the criticism, pushback, and outrage from the largely Democratic peanut gallery.
“My reputation will be alright. I’m a big boy. I knew this was gonna get ugly, because we are talking about politics and we are getting to the point where the rubber meets the road,” Ice Cube said in an interview with Antonio Moore, founder of ADOS. “The question is why is that opportunity there? Why hasn’t the Democratic Party stepped all the way up to the plate and took care of Black people, but…Black men specifically? That’s where the crack is.”
Trump clearly knows there’s a disconnected minority, even though Black men and women are most likely to support the Biden/Harris ticket. So, if the Dems aren’t courting Black men sufficiently as Cube says, Trump’s regime is worse. Two shining examples of Trump’s dismissiveness about Black men include Trump’s complete discount of Herman Caine’s death from Covid-19 and Trump’s non-stop clarion calls to white nationalists.
Racism or a refusal to denounce “white supremacy” aren’t deal breakers to his elite supporters like Lil Wayne. But there’s also, Trump’s ridiculously primitive form of grab-em-by-the-pu$$y sexism. And his xenophobia. And his mishandling of Covid-19, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. And an economy that is in the toilet. Oh and the many lies. The dogmatism appeals to hyper-masculine sentiments that many view as straight-up toxic. Upstart rapper BlocBoy JB tweeted, “I’m Starting To Like Trump No Cap. Dude Ass Gangsta” (he recently took it back). But honestly, authoritarian white masculinity like Trump’s only underscores cracks in Black leadership, or as some would say “misleadership.” So, Cube steps up to “do something.”
He explained.
“Every great man in the world has spoke to somebody in power at some point in time, whether they agree with him or not. I told everybody what I was gonna do and I did it. They (Trump’s Administration) exploited it, but if I would have – you know – did something for Biden, they would have exploited it too. So that’s just part of the game,” Ice Cube told Roland Martin. During this same interview with Roland Martin, Cube essentially admitted Trump used him in, but Cube “Kanye-shrugged it off,” saying a meeting with Biden would have yielded the same result.
Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey met with the KKK to establish separate territories for Black Americans (they failed). Martin Luther King, Jr. successfully advanced Black interests by working with president Lyndon B. Johnson. Publishing legend Earl Graves received assistance from then-president Richard Nixon to jump-start Black Enterprise magazine in the late ’60s. Roy Innis and Floyd McKissick also linked up with the eternally disgraced 37th president and James Brown, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lionel Hampton, and Wilt chamberlain endorsed him at that time.
So meeting with the “enemy,” isn’t new, but Ice Cube working with Trump on a “Platinum Plan” for Black America just feels different. So, what is the real relationship between Ice Cube and Donald Trump?
Cube’s long-term business partner Jeff Kwatinetz held court with Trump’s crew in a separate meeting. Kwatinetz, a Jewish man (important since Cube has been accused of being anti-Semitic), has deep Hollywood roots and also has built the basketball The Big 3 with his gangsta counterpart. Kwatinetz, 55, has another major distinction: he is a friend of and former business partner with Steve Bannon. Bannon is the 66-year old disgraced former banker, former political strategist, former executive chairman of Breitbart News, and chief strategist Donald Trump’s administration. Kwatinetz vigorously defended Bannon from his detractors to the Hollywood Reporter in 2017.
Trump’s team is moving in the most clandestine way to solicit support from “alpha” Black male celebrities and AllHipHop has verified a number of them, which have requested anonymity. Furthermore, like Ice Cube, these artists outwardly have opposed Donald Trump. Tip “T.I.” Harris, a rap mogul in Atlanta, flat out refused to meet with Trump. 45’s minions have approached rap artists with considerably less notoriety, but still highly influential to the audience. Some of these men are getting cash offers and others are gaining potential favor in other ways, which has been the rumor with Cube.
A source with AllHipHop with loose ties to Jared Kushner charges that Cube’s “help” was an exchange to aid with the Big 3 Basketball League, an assertion that has not been confirmed or denied by the rap mogul or anybody in his camp. But in 2018, when Cube’s scathing Trump diss “Arrest The President” dropped, The Big 3 team took out a full-page ad in the New York Times essentially asking for Trump’s help with a lawsuit with their investors. The ad said, “Hey President Trump, When you meet today with Putin’s new friend, the Emir of Qatar, please tell him not to threaten the BIG3 and American athletes!” Cube and Kwatinetz filed a $1.2 billion lawsuit for damages claiming Qatari investors welched on their deal. On top of it all, they charged, in legal docs, that alleged investor Ahmed Al-Rumaihi threatened Kwatinetz saying, “You don’t know who I know in L.A. and what they’re capable of! You should think of your safety and the safety of you and your family.”
It almost feels like Team Ice Cube needed a bigger gangster in the posse to match their business aspirations. Optics and perception matter like Black lives.
The conclusion
Kanye West, the original MAGA hat wearer, and Birthday Party leader 🥴, metaphorically sums up rappers who support President Trump. Most rappers, like 50 Cent, Bloc Boy J, and Waka Flocka, straight up flip-flop their support like a party-switching politician up for sale.
Imagine Ice Cube going to the Trump table, Democratic table, or any table with a broad coalition of leaders in the Black Nation, a proverbial who’s who of Black excellence. (Better yet, imagine an actual table built by us for us with the leaders of our communities sitting at it. But, I digress.) Instead, the 51-year old rap vet went alone. He saw no value in an all-star Zoom call with VP candidate Kamala Harris either. Traditionally, artists were strengthened and empowered by a number of factors. First, they were typically students or followers of leaders or larger entities and were beholden to the people they served. Cube, for example, was once aligned with the Nation of Islam. Others, like KRS-One, was down with the late Civil Rights great Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) and X-Clan, the mouthpiece of The Blackwatch Movement, was related to Sonny Carson, the Brooklyn organizer/ activist. Education, political and otherwise, is paramount, but sorely missing when we are talking about most rap artists.
Nobody is above critique or reproach. The writer of this piece is a lifelong fan of Ice Cube and that has not changed. Kanye West and Lil Wayne, not so much. The AllHipHop Crew relentlessly played Raw Footage, Ice Cube’s eighth studio album, during our time at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. In the era of Trump, Black people are consistently gaslit, fragmented, disjointed, discombobulated, divided, bought off, and habitual victims of distract-and-conquer tactics through familiar vessels.
Trump hit the beehive and when all the bees came out to sting, all they saw was Ice Cube. Or Kanye. Or Lil Wayne.
The Murda Mook and Tay Roc battle is around the corner and folks want to know why this is one of the most talked-about contests of the year.
Will Murda Mook’s legend status trump Roc’s aggressive star power? Or will Roc’s gun bars blast over the Harlem rapper’s ability to break down his opponent. Several influencers in the game have given the top five reasons why people are tuning in.
5. The Battle Will Change The Dynamic of The Culture Forever
Tay Roc (Caffeine TV)
For the last 20 years, Murda Mook has been considered one of the best (if not the best) battle rappers in the universe. If Tay Roc, a person that he considered a fly on the wall that witnessed his ascension from the rafters, wins it will signal an end of a dynasty. Roc will become the new King of Battle Rap and Dot Mob’s biggest star and the greatest asset will return to Harlem beat and scattered.
“If Tay Roc wins, Dot Mob is basically dead and gone,” according to female rapper C3. “However if Mook wins, The King returns.”
Murda Mook (Management)
D.I. the Hennyman takes it a step further adding this about his fellow Marylander, “It’s a coming of age match for Tay Roc. If he wins (or makes a classic), he is in those GOAT conversations.
This further complicates the battle rap caste system of Vet, Top Tier, and Rookie. God Tier will become an official category, proven by a tested icon on the URL stage.
4. It Is a Battle of SMACK Eras: SMACK DVDs vs. SMACK/URL
Troy “Smack White” Mitchell is not called the “Godfather of Battle Rap” for nothing. He has almost single-handedly created a commercially viable industry out of a street culture phenomenon that dates back to the 1970s. Sure, people were battling before his first DVD hit the corner mixtape shop in 2003. However, no one can dispute the shift people experienced when the end of the jawn came on and viewers got to see Party Arty, Jae Mills, Sire Castro, Loaded Lux, Jin, Verse, T-Rex, Un Kasa, Young Miles, X-Factor, Nemesis, Nova, Serius Jones, Math Hoffa, Iron Solomon, Lady Luck, Rece Steele, Young Hot, Tech 9, Mysonne, and ENess go at it. By 2009, there was another shift, propelling the SMACK name into another stratosphere.
This is the place where Tay Roc is most popular. From their website to YouTube to the App and now Caffeine, this is the space where the battle rapper gained respect as skilled artists and found commercial success. No one can deny the spaces that this current incarnation has found itself sitting comfortably (BET Music Awards, 106 and Park, ESPN, MTV, Netflix, Amazon books, radio, etc.), producing stars like Charlie Clips, Hitman Holla, Tsu Surf, Arsonal, DNA, John John da Don, Geechi Gotti, T-Top and so many more.
The Murda Mook and Tay Roc battle is not only going to be a clash of titans but a clash of eras.
3. It Will be Murda Mook’s First Solo Battle on The Ultimate Rap League Since Summer Madness 2
It has been 8 years since Murda Mook has stepped on an Ultimate Rap League’s stage. And so much has changed since then. The style of rapping is faster and more dexterous. If Mook’s bars punched like Muhammad Ali (jab, jab, hook, rope-a-dope), then new class moves like The Rock, with a new type of RAZZAMATAZZ! Will he be able to compete in such an environment?
Sure he will. The reality is, the Dot Mob leader is a master at emceeing and knows how to memorize an audience. Moreover, he knows how to win. First solo battle in almost two decades? A gifted spitter like him is ready for the fight (and if the people who have heard his rounds are correct, it will be one of the best Mook’s you have ever heard.
2. There is History to This Match Up (The Dot Mob Saga) *Lightning Speed Recount
Almost a decade ago, Tay Roc was recruited to become a member of the Dot Mob. The Harlem crew had few outsiders and even fewer folk from around their way. More than a battle rap posse, the tight-knit artists (and street n**gas) were family. Bringing him in, under the Lieutenant T-Rex was a gamble … a gamble that proved to be an investment.
Tay Roc was an asset to the team. As Murda Mook and T-Rex went on a decline in the culture, Roc came out of the darkness (metaphorically like the bat from his Cave Gang) and flew to new heights. In fact, it was said that he carried the crew on his back. He kept the flag-waving high— though behind the scenes he was never as accepted as he thought he was.
Cracks in the crew’s foundation started with K-Shine’s departure, but Roc did not see it. But when battled Goodz, and Murda Mook declared that he lost to the Henny drinking Bronx Bomber. Tay Roc felt betrayed and through the lens of that betrayal, he started to see that his loyalty was not reciprocated.
From his perspective, Mook and his cousin T-Rex both were no good. He left the crew, believing that his Cave Gang could thrive. And it did.
Brizz Rawsteen, who was once also associated with Dot Mob, eventually teamed up with T-Top to battle Murda Mook and Calicoe. During the battle, Brizz said used an expletive in regards to Mook’s recently deceased mother which birthed (after some turmoil) a battle between the BR and MM that was booked from Summer Madness X and was canceled without explanation.
Before this battle could take place, more beef still was searing, leading to Tay Roc and T-Rex battling. Rex, the Old G to the Baltimore county rapper, showed not only his rust but his inability to compete with his former protégé.
Roc later was placed in front of another Dot Mob associate, Daylyt. He didn’t emerge as the victor in this battle, but it was said that this was one of the best versions of Dante Richardson that the culture had ever seen. It was shortly after this, that it was revealed that Brizz would not be battling Mook on the SMX card.
It was then that Roc stepped up to battle his former crew leader in Brizz’ stead. While many thought this was a substitution battle, for both of them, it was way more. These two had to square some things up.
1. The Beef is Real
Goodz says it best, “They don’t like each other.”
Their face-off says it even better.
Shout out to the following influencers for contributing to the research for this project: Goodz, C3, Ms. Fit, Knowledge da God from HipHopIsReal, D.I. da Hennyman from Battle Rap Trap, Slim Reda from Champion and the AnR show, Kevin Quinney from Kevin and Kiera, Ike P from Restore the Order, Fa Da God from Nobody Put Us On podcast, NuNu Nellz, and Ben Swayze from the New Era Podcast.
Always thinking outside the box and giving listeners more than just the music, iconic HIp-Hop supervillain MFDOOM has launched a new collection of physical merch which includes four variations of collectible masks inspired by MFDOOM’s signature look, and a brand new line of t-shirts, hoodies, and sticker packs.
The collectible masks were designed by Beast Wreck and are limited to only 3,000 pieces each. The exclusive merch is packaged in unique gold foil stamped & numbered collector’s boxes.
Most recently DOOM entered the realm of digital collectibles as he teamed up with Rhymesayers Entertainment and Illust Space to drop a batch of augmented reality masks minted on the blockchain. This collection reached a full lot sellout last week at auction.
Following the success of the first auction, the teams have minted a second series of extremely rare monster-inspired MFDOOM masks, which will be available for auction starting October 29, 2020 on the Illust Space platform. This second auction will be for a total of three masks, available in two rare variants — a series of two “Mummy” masks and one “Sludge” mask. As with the first series, collectors will be able to buy, sell and trade, as well as project the augmented reality masks into the “real world” through Illust Space’s web application and participating partnerships. See below for more information on this cutting-edge collaboration.
“The first auction saw over 20,000 visitors to the site, 2.1 million views of the AR effects across social media, and all 8 items auctioned sold above listing price” says Rob McCarty, Co-Founder and CEO of Illust Space. “This second drop is going to be very special, tapping in to both the great heritage of MF DOOM and the Halloween spirit in a way only a super villain could.”
Born Daniel Dumile, MF DOOM emerged at the end of the ‘90s with a persona and logo patterned after the Marvel Comics super villain Dr. Doom. He reinforced his enigmatic persona by donning an elaborate iron mask during all of his public appearances, in addition to occasionally hiring stand-ins for his performances.
