(AllHipHop News) Rappers Gucci Mane and Foogiano have been named in a wrongful death lawsuit over a fatal shooting during a concert at a South Carolina nightclub
The administrator for the estate of Mykala Bell, a 23-year-old woman who was fatally shot during the concert, filed the lawsuit in Greenville County last week, editors at The Greenville News reported.
The new lawsuit alleges Foogiano, real name Kwame Brown, and attendees who came with him were not patted down before they entered the club and were allowed in with “deadly weapons.”
The lawsuit adds that Gucci, real name Radric Delantic Davis, was “believed to be” a promoter associated with the performance, though it did not say whether he was present at the event.
Cooper is also named, as well as the club’s operating company, its owner and nearly a dozen other unspecified “owners, managers, operators, independent contractors, and/or security companies” accused of negligence for failing to provide adequate surveillance and security, and “permitting criminal activity,” among other allegations.
In a video posted to his Instagram feed shortly after the incident occurred, Foogiano, best known for hits “Molly (Baby Mama)” and “Finesser,” insisted the shooting, “ain’t my fault. I don’t promote violence.”
I understand y’all in pain y’all hurting… but y’all just got to look to the situation,” he said in the clip. “I ain’t going to blame myself for something I didn’t cause.”
Neither star has publicly responded to the filing as yet.
(AllHipHop News) Kanye West dropped $50 million on his star-studded Sunday Service gospel get together events in 2019.
The rapper, who has been named the richest man in Hollywood, reveals he spent a significant sum on choir uniforms, group flights, and additional operating costs to stage the weekly gigs around the U.S.
“I spent every dime that I have for marketing from (clothing and shoe line) Yeezy on Sunday Service. Every dollar I had,” he said during an appearance on Nick Cannon’s podcast, Cannon’s Class. “I spent $50 million last year on Sunday Service…
“It was 120 people going to Jamaica. The Yeezys, they were selling themselves, so instead of paying for ads, I invested it in the church. I invested in spreading gospel. I invested in saying Jesus’ name on high.”
The “Stronger” hitmaker took the spiritual event on the road last year, traveling to Coachella, Skid Row in Los Angeles, Houston, his ranch in Wyoming, Chicago, Ohio and Jamaica.
In a new list released by editors at Forbes magazine, the rapper ranked as the highest-earning male in entertainment, earning $180 million over the past year.
On Monday, the “Locked Up” singer announced that a third of the funding for the city is in place and that construction will begin next year.
Akon believes it could be a haven for members of the African diaspora who have been poorly treated and discriminated against.
“The system back home treats them unfairly in so many different ways that you can never imagine,” Akon, who was born in the U.S., told the Associated Press. “And they only go through it because they feel that there is no other way.
“So if you’re coming from America or Europe or elsewhere in the diaspora and you feel that you want to visit Africa, we want Senegal to be your first stop.”
This week, he also traveled with government officials 62 miles outside the Senegalese capital of Dakar to inspect the site for the new city, which will feature glass buildings inspired by the shapes of traditional African sculptures.
A hotel will feature rooms decorated for each of the 54 nations of Africa, with a seaside resort, a tech hub, and recording and film studios also planned – with the city using its own AKoin cryptocurrency.
The star invited comparisons to Wakanda – the fictional futuristic African kingdom in the “Black Panther” movie – calling them an “honor.”
You probably have seen Shay Johnson on reality television, but she’s actually so much more. Boasting 1.1 million followers on Instagram alone, the Hawaii native is a health and fitness guru, a businesswoman with her own brand The Healthy Hand, and overall life motivator.
Having been in the entertainment world for the past decade, Johnson actually got her start as a bottle girl before making her debut in 2006 as “Buckeey” on Flavor Flav’s#### dating series “Flavor of Love 2.”
Suddenly, the world fell in love with her sweet but crazy personality as she fell into superstardom.
The crazy part is, it all began with Craigslist when she was looking for an apartment. After seeing an ad for the dating show, she logged in and wrote 5 sentences about herself. That day, she just so happened to have an attitude with her manager at the time, so the sentences were “very disrespectful.”
“I do what I want to do, when I want to do it. You can’t tell me what to do.” She explains, “It was coming from anger, but he called me within an hour of sending that over. I got on ‘Flavor of Love 2’ weeks later.”
From being a flyer and Hpnotiq girl in Atlanta to “Flavor of Love,” “Charm School,” “I Love Money,” “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta,” “Love & Hip Hop: Miami,” it’s safe to say Shay comes from humble beginnings.
Her drive and passion for life is what keeps the fans coming back for more.
AllHipHop caught up with Shay to discuss how reality TV landed on her lap, her unwavering passion for health and fitness, growing her brand, and more!
AllHipHop: Where are you located?
Shay Johnson: I’m in Miami right now, it’s beautiful. The weather is amazing. I love going to the beaches. It’s very multicultural, a lot of different cultures here. A gumbo full of Hispanics, Asians, Jamaicans, I love it. I’m not trying to discredit Atlanta because Atlanta’s my #1, but I’ve gotten so comfortable with Miami. I have no plans on leaving. It’s like a vacation. Flights are cheap. You can relax, enjoy the beach, have a good time.
AllHipHop: What were you angry about when you submitted yourself to “Flavor of Love 2?”
Shay Johnson: My manager was starting to reprimand me for something I didn’t do. It was the manager of human resources at the time. Something they said I didn’t do, claiming I didn’t do it and I did. I had this attitude. By the time I was ready to go to lunch, I found out I got on Flavor of Love.
AllHipHop: Being a reality TV star, were you ready for all of that back then?
Shay Johnson: It was different. I didn’t know what to expect. You know, it’s levels to life. I started off as a flyer girl in Atlanta, Georgia passing out flyers, then I upgraded to a Hpnotiq girl. They hired me as a Hpnotiq girl, I wore t-shirts, hats, all the Hypnotic drinks. I got into doing videos, I’m like “this ain’t for me.” After that, I got on Flavor of Love. From Flavor of Love to Charm School to I Love Money to Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta to where I’m at right now: Love & Hip Hop: Miami. I’ve had my ups and downs throughout my journey.
AllHipHop: What have you learned about yourself through it all?
Shay Johnson: I’ve watched growth for sure, I have more potential than I thought. What I was focused on didn’t matter. One thing I regret is instead of focusing on love, family, relationships, marriage, I was more focused on “what’s the next gig? What’s the next TV show I need to go on? What new business do I need to start?” I was so focused on the entertainment world, I lost sight of family and love. That’s something I shouldn’t have done. I’m so into it right now, because I lacked that before.
I came to the reality of what’s more important in life: love, marriage, kids. I don’t have any kids. I’m on the right track now with my love life, I’m dating someone. I did Speed Dating With Shay in quarantine in March. For a few months, I was speed dating online, on social media, with my dating coach. Shout out to Gen for helping me, that’s my PR/Manager. My speed dating coach would give me a list of guys. Every Tuesday and Wednesday for 15 minutes each, I’d speed date the guys. After a few weeks, we decided to start narrowing down the guys I liked. It came down to 3 amazing guys, but one stood out. We had a connection, I couldn’t resist. I actually cut him off in the beginning like “ehh, I don’t wanna talk to you. You’re not the one.” He’s so persistent, I’m like “let me take a second to look at this guy.” I chose him and we’re together in a relationship.
AllHipHop: That’s so great, congrats!
Shay Johnson: It’s fun too girl, I love it. I’m so happy I found him. He’s amazing. Let’s keep it real, he got his flaws. We’ve had our ups and downs. We’ve been having our arguments but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to argue with anybody else. I wouldn’t want to lay back up with anybody else. He’s still growing to know me and I’m still growing to know him, so we’re going to clash. But that’s my boo, that’s my rock. He’s not going anywhere, I dare him.
AllHipHop: Is he on the same health and fitness tip that you are?
Shay Johnson: That’s an issue, let’s talk about it. I used to pressure him a lot. I’d let him know “you shouldn’t eat that, shouldn’t eat this.” I forced my detox on him. He’s embarrassed because we’re still growing, fresh and new. He kept running to the bathroom, I’m in there like, “What does it look like? Is it green?” He was one of my test subjects. He got so mad. “All you do is monitor the way I eat, I’m tired of it.” So I pulled back, I don’t try to force it on him. When you care about somebody, if you see them heading towards a brick wall and you care and love them, you’re not going to let them hit the brick wall. You’re going to jump in front and stop. I’m into health and wellness. He’s gradually growing into it. He’s not eating as much meat, staying away from a lot of salt and sugar. Gradual baby steps.
AllHipHop: When did your passion for the entertainment field come about?
Shay Johnson: My mother said ever since I was a little girl, I’m always screaming “I’ma be famous mom!” I never said I’ma be a singer, an actor, a rapper, nothing specific, I just knew I was going to be famous. She has a video of when I’m 6 years old saying “I’ma be famous.” I never knew what direction I was going, I just knew I’d be in the entertainment industry. Reality TV fell in my lap, I didn’t even think the Flavor of Love ad was even real. Once I got into it, I enjoyed it and people liked my personality. That started the domino effect of show after show after show. I’m on Love & Hip Hop. I’m not a singer or rapper, but I’ve dated people in the industry and people enjoy the fact that I’m honest. I’m a little too honest. I’m very relatable to the people, that’s why I started my business.
AllHipHop: What’s the premise of The Healthy Hand?
Shay Johnson: The Healthy Hand is a business I started when I had fibroids. Fibroids are benign tumors that grow on your uterus. They can be as small as a little pea or bean, or it can be huge like a grapefruit. It depends on your body, you could have one, 10, or 50. Me, I had 4. I had one big one the size of 2 grapefruits. Had all these menstrual issues, pelvic pain, all that. That’s how The Healthy Hand got started. I went to a holistic doctor, he gave me herbs to suppress my symptoms.
I make herbs for other women with fibroids, because don’t nobody talk about it. How is it you don’t know what fibroids are, and it happens to at least 70 to 80% of all women around the world? You can get miscarriages because of fibroids. I had it, went through my experience, started my business, started selling herbs that work to help other women. I came out with my own brand of detox: Total System Detox, Total Belly Detox, 21-day Detox that pacifies your whole body, burns fat, removes toxins from your body, detoxifies your blood, your kidney, your liver, your pancreas. I promote my products on my website, thehealthyhand.com.
AllHipHop: How easy or difficult was it to start your own business?
Shay Johnson: A little hard at the beginning. When COVID hit, my detox took off because people started to get more into health and wellness. They started to understand the importance of boosting your immune system. I came out with my Immune Booster pills, I came out with Elderberry pills, moringa, turmeric, black seed oil. People were sitting at home, going to the refrigerator, eating everything in sight. They gain weight. They want to burn fat with my detox and protect their immune system with my Immune Booster (in case they come into contact with COVID). I became more of an educator in health and wellness, based on what I’ve experienced.
AllHipHop: What are your thoughts on COVID-19, have you been taking more extensive measures?
Shay Johnson: I’m definitely cautious. When I leave, I put on my mask. I used to wear gloves all the time. COVID’s been around for a while. The 19 we see is a different strain that’s a little more aggressive. COVID to me is not necessarily killing people, it’s more so people with weak immune systems. Say you have pneumonia and you catch COVID, it’ll make it 10x worse. A lot of people were dying anyway from certain diseases and pre-conditions they already have. Especially bronchitis or respiratory issues, once COVID gets into your body, it makes that worse so it’s harder to breathe. Harder to move.
Why not build your immune system so that if you come into contact with COVID, your body’s ready to fight? My business started to grow because so many people said, “okay sh-t, you’ve got all these products for me.” I have no symptoms. If I was to have COVID, it’d be minimal because my immune system is so high. I’m not trying to brag, but I’m ready for COVID’s ass. It can come my way if it wants to.
AllHipHop: What does a regular workout routine look like for you?
Shay Johnson: I was doing it on my Live every Thursday 11am, training with several different trainers. It depends on what you working on that day. One day, you want to work on your glutes, or your arms and your abs. Abs, you can do a 30-minute blast. Take about 6 to 9 routines within that 30-minute blast, break them down into 3 sets each. Bam, you’re done. It’s not how many you do, it’s how you do it. If you’re not doing the routine properly, you won’t receive the burn. I’m not a trainer, but I’m into health and wellness. Even before I started [The Healthy Hand], I had Shay J Fit. I provide meal plans, belly burners, resistance bands, t-shirts, flexibility belts. Shay J Fit is from The Healthy Hand, but we’re still all under the Shay Johnson umbrella.
AllHipHop: What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
Shay Johnson: I stretch. I’m heavily into yoga. I have a smoothie. I make my own smoothies. I’ll make you a smoothie, girl you’re coming back for more. In the daytime, I’ll have a salad. I love vinegar. I’m addicted to vinegar, apple cider vinegar. Pour that vinegar on there or some type of Italian. If I have a snack, it’ll be peanuts or seaweed snacks. Everybody knows I love seaweed snacks. For dinner, I’ll have sauteed vegetables. I don’t eat pork, fish, chicken, or beef.
AllHipHop: If you make a bomb ass smoothie, you need to open a smoothie bar.
Shay Johnson: Eventually, I want my own juice bar so I can serve detox smoothies. My brand’s still growing so I’ll get there. I’m speaking that into existence. Right now, I’m focused on getting my 21-Day Detox, Total Belly Detox into stores. I’m in Bravo, a couple grocery stores, but I want to get it into Walmart, Publix, stores like that. It’s coming, trust me.
(AllHipHop News) The brains behind hit TV comedy “black-ish” are to tackle racial unrest in the U.S. by dropping two pre-election specials next month ahead of the show’s season seven premiere.
The back-to-back episodes will be directed by Oscar winner Matthew A. Cherry and air on ABC on October 4th according to Deadline.
“Election Special Pt. 1,” written by Eric Horsted, follows Marcus Scribner’s character as he prepares to vote in his first ever American general election, only to discover on arrival at the polling station that his name is missing from the list of eligible voters.
The second program, which will be partly animated, revolves around Peter Mackenzie’s character as he attempts to get elected as a congressman.
It’s not the first time the writers of the groundbreaking series, which is up for four Primetime Emmy Awards later this month, have tackled politics and current affairs.
Back in 2018, a hot button episode about racism was abruptly pulled from the schedule after network bosses clashed with writers over the subject matter. The episode finally aired on streaming service Hulu last month.
A premiere date has not yet been set for the new season of “black-ish,” but it is expected to debut in late October.
(AllHipHop News) Legendary Three 6 Mafia producers/founders are suing a popular Hip-Hop group for sampling over two dozen of their songs and passing them off as their music.
DJ Paul and Juicy J recently took legal action against $uicideboy$ for sampling various portions of their productions for Three 6 Mafia without permission.
According to DJ Paul and Juicy $uicideboy$ the songs heavily sampled their hits like “Sippin’ on Some Syrup,” “Where’s Da Bud,” “Charging These Hoes,” “Robbers,” “Now I’m High, Really High,” “Chickenhead,” “Crucifix” and dozens of other songs created by the duo.
So, the pair filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Central District of California, accusing group members Scrim, Ruby Da Cherry, and their label G59 Recordings of copyright infringement.
And it wasn’t just a few random samples either.
In total, DJ Paul and Juicy J say $uicideboy$ stole 35 of their songs and worked them into tracks on their album I Want to Die in New Orleans and other works.
The $uicideboy$ have answered the complaint and deny they “illegally sampled,” “stole” or “infringed” on the 35 songs and/or recordings identified in the Complaint.
They also maintain DJ Paul and Juicy J do not own 100% of the copyrights in most of the songs identified in the complaint.
$uicideboy$ first met DJ Paul in 2014 at the House of Blues. The group claims DJ Paul was fan, since as he supposedly put it, the “group was bringing back the Three 6 Mafia sound.”
DJ Paul wanted the group to tour with him, but they turned down his $500 dollar-a-night offer to perform as his opening act. In 2017, the group also met Juicy J, who allegedly professed to be a fan of $uicideboy$ as well.
The $uicideboy$ went on to produce at least 12 tracks for Juicy J, who allegedly gave them verbal permission to sample the tracks in question as compensation for their production work his mixtape “shutdaf##kup”and “Highly Intoxicated.”
“[Juicy J] verbally approved the clearances of any claimed Three 6 Mafia samples allegedly used by the $uicideboy$ in exchange for the production services, unpublished beats and creative contributions of the $uicideboy$ services to the 2 [Juicy J] mixtapes,” the $uicideboy$ claim.
Bizarrely, the $uicideboy$ say Juicy J’s bodyguard jerked them out of $30,000 in one encounter, while DJ Paul allegedly stole six of their songs and used them on a release called “$uicide 6ix” by the group Seed of 6, whose members include DJ Paul’s three nephews.
Furthermore, DJ Paul and Juicy J failed to clear the samples contained in certain songs they accuse the $uicideboy$ of stealing and that the copyrights they do hold are invalid because they were “obtained fraudulently or otherwise improperly.”
In fact, lawyers for $uicideboy$ say all of their tracks were created “independently” of DJ Paul and Juicy J’s works.
The Memphis rap icons are asking a judge for a jury trial, to assess the damages caused by $uicideboy$’ copyright infringement on their works, while the $uicideboy$ are asking the judge to toss the complaint and make DJ Paul and Juicy J pay their legal bills.
(AllHipHop News) Legendary Three 6 Mafia producers/founders are suing a popular Hip-Hop group for sampling over two dozen of their songs and passing them off as their music.
DJ Paul and Juicy J recently took legal action against $uicideboy$ for sampling various portions of their productions for Three 6 Mafia without permission.
According to DJ Paul and Juicy $uicideboy$ the songs heavily sampled their hits like “Sippin’ on Some Syrup,” “Where’s Da Bud,” “Charging These Hoes,” “Robbers,” “Now I’m High, Really High,” “Chickenhead,” “Crucifix” and dozens of other songs created by the duo.
So, the pair filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Central District of California, accusing group members Scrim, Ruby Da Cherry, and their label G59 Recordings of copyright infringement.
And it wasn’t just a few random samples either.
In total, DJ Paul and Juicy J say $uicideboy$ stole 35 of their songs and worked them into tracks on their album I Want to Die in New Orleans and other works.
The $uicideboy$ have answered the complaint and deny they “illegally sampled,” “stole” or “infringed” on the 35 songs and/or recordings identified in the Complaint.
They also maintain DJ Paul and Juicy J do not own 100% of the copyrights in most of the songs identified in the complaint.
$uicideboy$ first met DJ Paul in 2014 at the House of Blues. The group claims DJ Paul was fan, since as he supposedly put it, the “group was bringing back the Three 6 Mafia sound.”
DJ Paul wanted the group to tour with him, but they turned down his $500 dollar-a-night offer to perform as his opening act. In 2017, the group also met Juicy J, who allegedly professed to be a fan of $uicideboy$ as well.
The $uicideboy$ went on to produce at least 12 tracks for Juicy J, who allegedly gave them verbal permission to sample the tracks in question as compensation for their production work his mixtape “shutdaf##kup”and “Highly Intoxicated.”
“[Juicy J] verbally approved the clearances of any claimed Three 6 Mafia samples allegedly used by the $uicideboy$ in exchange for the production services, unpublished beats and creative contributions of the $uicideboy$ services to the 2 [Juicy J] mixtapes,” the $uicideboy$ claim.
Bizarrely, the $uicideboy$ say Juicy J’s bodyguard jerked them out of $30,000 in one encounter, while DJ Paul allegedly stole six of their songs and used them on a release called “$uicide 6ix” by the group Seed of 6, whose members include DJ Paul’s three nephews.
Furthermore, DJ Paul and Juicy J failed to clear the samples contained in certain songs they accuse the $uicideboy$ of stealing and that the copyrights they do hold are invalid because they were “obtained fraudulently or otherwise improperly.”
In fact, lawyers for $uicideboy$ say all of their tracks were created “independently” of DJ Paul and Juicy J’s works.
The Memphis rap icons are asking a judge for a jury trial, to assess the damages caused by $uicideboy$’ copyright infringement on their works, while the $uicideboy$ are asking the judge to toss the complaint and make DJ Paul and Juicy J pay their legal bills.
(AllHipHop Rumors) Akon has been taking his licks recently. Remember that stuff with Tekashi 69? The Senegalese American musician has been doing his thing otherswise! He is bridging the gap between African-Americans and Africans. However, there has been some chatter that the moves he’s made are actually backed by others. Now, in the broader context, we all know that the Chinese have been building and investing within Africa for quite some time. And these moves have helped in some regards, but have also received their fair share of criticism as well.
Recently, there has been a lot of talk about Akon creating a modern-day Wakanda in Senegal. At face value, this seems like an incredible thing because as seen in the Black Panther, Wakanda represents the finest, and also the true self of Africans, in a world without racism. But, is there something else going on behind the scenes. This is happening, people! Akon City is happening! The $6 billion futuristic Senegalese city is on the way and it is happening in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic. Akon City will have amenities like a seaside resort, a technology hub, recording studios, hospitals, police, and even a university to make the city self-sustainable. And there is more…so much more.
There is no evidence outwardly that this is anything other than an African funded project. AND YET, there are rumors that suggest that the Chinese are the ones actually backing Akon City but we don’t know yet if that is the truth. One report said, “Tourism Minister Alioune Sarr said Akon’s launch comes at a time when private investment is scarce and badly needed.” What we do know is that the Chinese are all up in Africa and even have the brothers and sisters learning Mandarin! Now, this is not a complete knock on the Chinese because they are about their business and their money. But Africa has been fueling a lot of the world economy and resources and some would say it’s being raped. I pray this is not the case here. I hope to find more information on this in the future, not to malign Akon but to just find the truth. In the meantime, here are some pictures of Akon City as it is being proposed.
(AllHipHop News) Kanye West has been named Forbes magazine’s top-earning male celebrity after banking $180 million over the past year.
The “Stronger” hitmaker is followed by tennis ace Roger Federer and soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who each earned just over $100 million.
The list, consisting of singers, entertainers, actors, athletes, and television personalities, also features Tyler Perry in the number five spot with $97 million, basketball star LeBron James, Howard Stern, and Dwayne Johnson with $87 million.
When asked by the TV personality if his upcoming bid for the presidency has been funded by Republicans who are “paying you to do what you’re doing to be a distraction,” West shot down the chatter by referencing his own wealth.
He shared, “Bro, can’t nobody pay me. I got more money than Trump.”
On Monday, Kanye’s sister-in-law Kylie Jenner was crowned the rich queen of the celebrity world with a 2019-2020 fortune amassing a whopping $590 million.
Kanye’s wife, Kim Kardashian, also came in seventh on Forbes’ new list of top-earning famous females.
(AllHipHop News) What do you get one of the biggest rappers in the world for his birthday?
One so extraordinarily fly that he hosted a show on Vice TV called, “The Most Expensivest,” which gives average everyday folk a glimpse into how the rich and famous life?
Yes, so that would be the dilemma folk might face when shopping for Atlanta’s hitmaker, 2 Chainz.
But Kanye West doesn’t have those problems with all of his billions.
The “I’m Different” rapper took to his Instagram to stunt on everyone to show off what Yeezy copped him for his 42nd birthday.
Son was gifted a whole tank!
Not a fish tank. Not a spot on shark tank. Not the singer tank. Ye got his Virgo friend a military-style vehicle that looks like it is ready for battle at any moment.
His first post said, “Woke up to a really dope present – Virgo season is upon us #GODISLOVE
It seems that Kanye loves shouting out his friends for their birthday. Last year, he and Nas shouted Dave Chappelle out when he turned 46 with an amazing birthday present.
They enlisted the Sunday Service choir to sing “Happy Birthday” to him.
However, the order has since been lifted and the pair have forged a “very, very close” friendship.
Speaking about the relationship during a no-holds-barred interview on Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Conversations podcast, Rihanna explains: “We’ve been working on our friendship again. Now we’re very very close friends. We’ve built up a trust again, and that’s – we love each other and we probably always will. And that’s not something we’re ever going to change. That’s not something you can shut off, if you’ve ever been in love.
“I think he was the love of my life. He was the first love. And I see that he loved me the same way… it’s not even about us being together. I truly love him. So the main thing for me is that he’s at peace. I’m not at peace if he’s a little unhappy, or he’s still lonely.”
When Oprah asks if Rihanna and Chris have rekindled their romance, she replies: “He’s in a relationship of his own. I’m single but we have maintained a very close friendship ever since the restraining order has been dropped. We’ve just worked on it, little by little, and it has not been easy. It’s not easy.”
It was when Rihanna mended her relationship with her father, who was abusive to her mother, that she was really able to forgive Chris.
“It took me a long time, I was angry for a long time,” she admits. “I felt like this is not my fault, this is not me doing this, and still I have to worry – I was resentful, I had a grudge, I was angry, I was dark. It was coming out in my music, in my clothes, in my attitude and I didn’t like that feeling, it was heavy.
“I repaired my relationship with my dad. I was so angry with him, and I was just angry about a lot of things from my childhood and I couldn’t separate him as a husband from him as a father. I felt like if he was a bad husband then he was a bad father. I witnessed a lot as a child. Yes he was (violent)… I remember just thinking one day, why can’t I get to a place where I can let somebody in? Why can’t I love? I wanted to know why. I would think, ‘What is my idea of what is supposed to happen?’ I wasn’t having a relationship with my father anymore so I wasn’t able to connect with a man past a certain point.
“The minute I was able to realize that my father was probably one of the best fathers in the world. He taught me everything. And as awful as he was to my mom at times, it didn’t compare to how great he was as a father. And I had to come to terms with that. And I was able to close that gap with him. And all kinds of emotions started happening after that. All kind of things started making sense.”
She concludes: “I thought I hated Chris and I realized it was love was tarnished. It looked like hate because it was ugly, angry, it was inflamed, it was tainted. And I realized that what it was is I had to forgive him because I cared about him still. And the minute I let go of that, I started living again.”
(AllHipHop News) Rhythm & Blues is having a cultural moment. The recent record-breaking Verzuz Presents: Brandy v Monica live event spotlighted the two of R&B’s most appreciated voices of the last 25 years.
Verzuz streamed on Instagram Live and Apple Music. The latter platform is continuing its celebration of the genre with the launch of its “Soul September” campaign, a month-long presentation featuring 14 exclusive playlists curated by recording artists.
John Legend, Toni Braxton, Tamia, Anthony Hamilton, Ari Lennox, Teyana Taylor, Snoh Aalegra, and more acts selected their favorite Soul and R&B songs. The “Soul September” collection will also include new releases as well as classic albums, music videos, and Artist Essentials playlists.
“This is a list of some of the R&B and Soul songs that I love. Many of them are from decades ago. They were the songs that made me fall in love with the beautiful tradition of black music that I try to help carry on today. Some are from my favorite R&B artists of today. They’re all beautiful and special to me – songs of love and joy, longing and uplift,” says John Legend.
“This playlist of soulful legends really changed my life and I love them so much. They really inspired my sound. Also shoutout to the new soulful artists on this list as well, the future is bright for soul music which is very exciting!” statesAri Lennox.
Teyana Taylor offers, “These songs are my go-to when I need to get a vibe going – feel good music. Check out my list, songs 1-25 is a complete ride. I go back to memories of hearing songs like ‘I Can Love You’ by Mary J. Blige featuring Lil’ Kim, and ‘Not Tonight’ by Lil’ Kim featuring Da Brat, Left Eye, Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, and Angie Martinez.”
She continues, “I immediately get visions of my mom cleaning up the house, dancing and prancing around while singing with the broom, simultaneously picking out our outfits to go to the family gatherings, birthday parties. Awww man great memories, and good times!”
Toni Braxton conveys,“This is like my ‘Throwback Thursday’ playlist that I listen to most days! I love old school jams, it reminds me of when I was cool, young, and hot but didn’t even know I was cool, young, and hot! No matter what, when you look back you will always remember those hot fun summer moments. Some of the newer songs have that same flavor. I wanted to highlight younger artists who are bringing that same heat.”
(AllHipHop News) In the wake of the attention placed on the Black Lives Matter movement this summer, corporations began reevaluating their marketing strategies. For example, Aunt Jemima is changing its image away from the “racial stereotype” associated with the breakfast brand.
Uncle Ben’s also revealed plans to alter its “brand identity” after global protests broke out following the killing of unarmed African-American George Floyd in police custody. Percy “Master P” Miller is now offering a Black-owned alternative to Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s.
According to CNN, Uncle P’s Louisiana Seasoned includes rice, beans, grits, pancake mix, syrup, and oatmeal. A portion of the profits is reportedly going to help educate inner-city students and assist elderly individuals in Black communities across the country.
“When you look at Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, a lot of those products are mockeries of African-American people and couldn’t even feed our communities. With Uncle P, the more we make, the more we give. And the only way to give is by owning these products,” Miller told CNN.
PE’s forthcoming project will include several high-profile guest appearances. The legendary group recruited Cypress Hill, Run-DMC, Ice-T, PMD, George Clinton, Mike D and Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys, Daddy-O, The Impossebulls, Mark Jenkins, Pop Diesel, James Bomb,Ms. Ariel, and more for their latest LP.
Plus, WYGDWTGGD? will host the “Fight The Power: Remix 2020″ single featuring Nas, Rapsody, Black Thought, YG, Jahi, and Questlove. Public Enemy debuted the “re-conceptualized” version of their classic 1989 song at the 2020 BET Awards.
In June, Public Enemy also released the DJ Premier-produced “State of the Union (S###).” The song and its accompanying music video explicitly took aim at President Donald Trump and his conservative Make America Great Again movement.
What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? Tracklist
1. “When The Grid Goes Down” ft. George Clinton 2. “Grid” ft. Cypress Hill and George Clinton 3. “State of the Union (S###)” ft. DJ Premier 4. “Merica Mirror” ft. Pop Diesel 5. “Public Enemy Number Won” ft. Mike D, Ad-Rock, Run-DMC 6. “Toxic” 7. “Yesterday Man” ft. Daddy-O 8. “Crossroads Burning” (Interlude) ft. James Bomb 9. “Fight The Power: Remix 2020” ft. Nas, Rapsody, Black Thought, Jahi, YG, Questlove 10. “Beat Them All” 11. “Smash The Crowd” ft. Ice-T, PMD 12. “If You Can’t Join Em Beat Em” 13. “Go At It” ft. Jahi 14. “Don’t Look At The Sky” (Interlude) ft. Mark Jenkins 15. “Rest In Beats” ft. The Impossebulls 16. “R.I.P. Blackat” 17. “Closing: I Am Black” ft. Ms. Ariel
(AllHipHop News) Tyler Perry is now part of a very exclusive list of African-Americans. The actor/writer/director joined Robert Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Jay-Z, and Kanye West in the billionaire club.
Forbes broke down Perry’s billion-dollar empire. The 51-year-old creator’s assets include $300 million from cash/investments, $40 million from homes, $60 million from his stake in BET, $320 million from his content library, and $280 million from his Atlanta studio complex.
“You got to understand, I had no mentors,” Perry told Forbes. “My father doesn’t know anything about business, and my uncles and mother, they know nothing about this. I didn’t go to business school. Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned in progress.”
Perry’s career began by producing stage plays such as I Know I’ve Been Changed, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, and Diary of a Mad Black Woman. He went on to create films and television shows such as Madea’s Family Reunion, For Colored Girls, Acrimony, House of Payne, Meet the Browns, and The Oval.
In 2019, the New Orleans-born mogul hosted a grand opening for his Tyler Perry Studios which sits on 330 acres. A-list celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Viola Davis, Phylicia Rashad, Ava DuVernay, and Halle Berry were on hand at the event to dedicate 12 soundstages to Black entertainment icons.
(AllHipHop News) Two of the most successful R&B singers of the last 30 years proved they still have drawing power in 2020. Over 6 million people tuned in to watch Brandy Norwood and Monica Arnold’s Verzuz battle at some point on Monday night.
According to the Verzuz organizers, the Brandy/Monica faceoff reached a peak of 1,243,000 concurrent viewers on Instagram Live with over 4,200,000 viewers in total on the platform. They added another 1,600,000 total viewers on Apple Music.
More than 6 MILLION viewers tuned in across Instagram and Apple Music to watch @4everBrandy and @MonicaDenise celebrate each other ✨ They broke all #VERZUZ records and more.
Verzuz was also the top trending topic on Twitter for that evening. The divas sparked more than 1,000,000 tweets in the US and more than 1,900,000 tweets across the globe. This was the most tweeted about Verzuz so far.
The Monica versus Brandy matchup replay has already amassed 880,000 plays on YouTube in less than three days. Both performers also saw an increase in sales on iTunes. In addition, the latest Verzuz helped raised $250,000 for the When We All Vote organization.
(AllHipHop News) “Balenciaga momma, I know you heard about her,” rapped Cardi B on “She Bad” featuring YG. Over two years later, that line from the Invasion of Privacy track could be viewed as a premonition.
On Tuesday, Cardi announced her new business relationship with Balenciaga. As part of the brand’s winter 2020 ad campaign, the 103-year-old luxury fashion house displayed the rapper on a billboard outside the famous Louvre museum in Paris.
“Ya lookin at the face of a @Balenciaga campaign! I remember how I felt seeing myself on a billboard in NYC Times Square but PARIS! Wish I was there to see it in person!” wrote Cardi on Instagram.
(AllHipHop News) Clifford “T.I.” Harris is a little more than just your average rapper.
He is iconic and has bridged the culture with politics, social justice, and entrepreneurship.
So it makes sense for T.I. to be the perfect guest to deliver the keynote address at Southern University Law Center’s virtual Sports and Entertainment Symposium on Saturday, Sept. 19th.
“Beyond the screen and recording booth, Harris served on the Mayor of Atlanta’s Transition Team, where he focused on policy and legislation; and currently serves on the Reimagining Atlanta Task Force, aimed at creating restorative practices and a community-driven approach to addressing incarceration,” a public release from Southern University reads.
“He has been recognized most recently as a thought leader at the United States Capitol and during the Operation Hope and Forbes Magazine business conferences. His community focus is around driving economic mobility and equity in vulnerable, underserved communities.”
The two-day event will also feature USA Track and Field’s deputy General Counsel, Donald Woodard, as well as numerous panelists who will discuss the entertainment business, sports and other topics throughout the virtual symposium.
Students can attend for $10 while the general public can watch for $50. Register here.
(AllHipHop News) Locals in Chadwick Boseman’s hometown have launched a petition calling for officials to replace a Confederate monument with a statue of the “Black Panther” star.
Residents of Anderson, South Carolina have set up a Change.org petition to salute the local hero, who lost his battle with colon cancer on Friday, aged 43.
“It’s important that we honor a true local legend by immortalizing him in stone in front of the courthouse,” a note on the website reads. “He (Boseman) opened many doors for many young black people with his leading roles in movies such as ‘Black Panther’ or ‘Marshall.’ It is only natural that his hometown honors what he did.”
The petition organizers insist the initiative is not political and they do not want the Confederate monument destroyed, but relocated to the Anderson County Museum.
“It should be accompanied by the history of the monument and the reasoning for its relocation,” they explained. “It should preserve history, but not honor the ideals for which the Confederacy stood.”
The petition is addressed to Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts, the South Carolina State Senate, the South Carolina State House, and Governor Henry McMaster.
(AllHipHop News) Usher and girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea are reportedly expecting their first child together after a whirlwind romance.
The “Scream” singer, who is already dad to sons Usher Raymond V, 12, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, 11, with ex-wife Tameka Foster, is said to be “thrilled and very excited” about the impending arrival, an insider told Us Weekly magazine.
The news comes after Jenn, 37, showed off what appeared to be a baby bump as she and Usher were seen outside a recording studio in Los Angeles.
Usher, 41, and recording executive Jenn first sparked dating rumors last October when they were seen backstage at the Hollywood Bowl.
Speaking previously about fatherhood, Usher explained that being the son of an absentee father himself made him more determined to do right by his boys.
“(I’m) learning more and more about the beauty of fatherhood,” he told Ellen DeGeneres. “As an African-American, to be there for my child is so important when there are so many young African-American kids without their fathers. I just want them to grow up to be as wise as they can possibly be, kind and open-hearted.”
