AllHipHop

homepage

Exclusive DJ Jazzy Jeff Interview: Dr. Dre, Will Smith, Mixtapes With MICK + More!

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Exclusives
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

By Chad Kiser 

(AllHipHop Features) Musical icon, producer extraordinaire, and Philadelphia native DJ Jazzy Jeff first steeped on the scene in the late 1980’s when he hooked up with Will Smith, a brash and exuberant emcee known as The Fresh Prince (who would also become one oh Hollywood’s biggest stars) to form the hip-hop duo of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The pair would go on to release hip-hop’s first Grammy Award-winning song, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” in 1989, which catapulted their careers to another level neither could have predicted.

Over the next 30 years, DJ Jazzy Jeff would conquer the world of entertainment in numerous ways. Whether he was introducing the transformer scratch to the world, playing Will Smith’s comic foil during episodes from the long-running television show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, or producing the summertime jam of all summertime jams ever with DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Summertime” record, Jeff Townes has become an indisputable legend.

DJ Jazzy Jeff recently released his 11 Summertime mixtape with MICK, Summertime 2020, in association with The quintessential California Rosé, Summer Water, and is accessible now exclusively through the Summer Water website

In this AllHipHop exclusive interview with Chad Kiser, DJ Jazzy Jeff discusses his 11 Summertime mixtape with MICK, Summertime 2020, working with Will Smith on songs like “Brand New Funk” and “Summertime”, getting Mike Tyson and Don King in the “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson” video, working with Dr. Dre on the 2015 “Straight Outta Compton” film and so much more!

AllHipHop: Firstly, we’re glad to see you’ve recovered well from the Corona Virus. How are you feeling?

Jazzy Jeff: I’m great! I was one of the early people to catch it in March, and I got sick so early that they didn’t even really know what it was. It was the sickest that I have ever been in my life. It’s thanks to my wife that I’m here today. That’s one of the reasons I’ve been so vocal about people wearing masks and practicing social distancing because I understand how real it is. As sick as I was, it trips me out how people think that this is not real.

AllHipHop: Well let’s hop right into the latest, “Summertime Mixtape 2020”, with MICK — Tell me about putting this together, and partnering with Summer Water?

Jazzy Jeff: The funny thing is that we almost didn’t do it. We were blessed eleven years ago when Mick came to me and said, “Hey, I got an idea. Why don’t we put out a summertime mixtape?” I said, “Cool. Let’s grab some summertime songs!” We wanted to make it about the summer vibes and being outside. We didn’t want to put any new music on it. We just wanted to create a vibe, so we did it. It was so well received, that it wasn’t until April of the next year that we started getting tweets about summertime 2 that the idea of a second volume was even considered. To look up and realize that we have done 10 summers with these mixtapes and it had become such a staple with so many people has been amazing.

Ten is a really good number to end on. You don’t want to end on 11 or 14, so I was like we need gotta do 10, or we need to keep going. In my brain I was like 10 is good, we should stop here. Mick started calling me and was like, “listen, I know were going to stop at 10, but I think in light of where we are in the world and everything that is going on I think people need this more than ever”. I couldn’t debate that at all. SO instead of saying this was summertime 11, it’s summertime 2020.

Summer Water was the perfect sponsor for this because you have a drink called Summer Water and our mixtape is called Summertime, so it all just kind of flowed in. Sometimes things just kind of click together that you don’t expect to click together like that, and this is probably the most perfect match of any mixtape we’ve done.

AllHipHop: Being the 11th Volume of the Summertime mixtape series, what keeps you and MICK coming back for more?

Jazzy Jeff: When we did the first one, it was just cool to put it out there. People in the States loved it, played it at the barbecues, and if I’m not mistaken XM Satellite debuted it and played. It was just a really good summer vibe. I didn’t expect that as we went into December and January, that the people in the southern hemisphere were going to start rocking it because it was going into their summer. So that was crazy int hat it was basically covering two different zones in opposite seasons. We wouldn’t have continued if people weren’t asking for it.

From the second one on, Michael Rappaport has been a guy that would tweet, “where’s the summertime mixtape”. It has gotten to the point that it’s not officially summer until we drop a mixtape. There were a couple times we dropped it the first day of summer, or on the Fourth of July, but when we missed the first day of summer people were like, ‘you better drop this on the 4 of July!’ You can’t complain about that because if people didn’t enjoy it, they wouldn’t ask for it.

AllHipHop: How did you and MICK initially meet and conceive what has now become this worldwide phenomenon that is the Summertime Mixtape series?

Jazzy Jeff: It’s funny, and weird at the same time, that Mick was a really big DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince fan. I met him through his mixtapes from way back in the day and I became a fan of his. I was able to do a couple of shows with him and we exchanged numbers, and we began to talk to the point that when Will would have birthday parties and things like that, and I happened to be on tour or booked elsewhere, Mick would go and do those parties. It was trippy for him that these we were his heroes growing up, and then he’s now doing Will’s mom’s birthday party performing “Brand New Funk” with Will. We just established a friendship, and then out of the blue he presents this idea for the summertime mixtape. He was the mixtape guy, I wasn’t. When he approached me about doing this mixtape, my brain started going to “Hot Fun In The Summertime” by Sly & The Family Stone, “Summer Madness”, and “Everybody Loves The Sunshine” and so many other ideas that I was like, “Let’s do it!”

AllHipHop: I love the artwork for the project! How did that concept together, and who’s the mastermind behind the visual?

Jazzy Jeff: Mick has always been the guy for the artwork. I would always do the mix, and Mick would handle all of the backend because he was the mixtape tape guy. He would always find these people who did amazing artwork. I don’t remember which year it was, but one of the covers was Mick and myself, my twins, and his son. It wasn’t that long ago that you could conceive doing something like this without a big corporation, but with the explosion of social media Mick is able to reach out to people, find artists, and collect stuff that we can put this together and we’re not even in the same room. One of the shirts we did this year had all the summertime artworks combined and looking at that is like wow and how crazy this has all been over the years of doing these mixtapes.

AllHipHop: Getting into DJ’ing and producing, who were and have been your greatest inspirations and influences?

Jazzy Jeff: I would have to say Kenny Gamble of Gamble & Huff who has been and is a big brother to me. It’s kind of like growing up in Detroit during the Motown era and watching the impact of Berry Gordy and Motown. I grew up in Philadelphia during the Philadelphia International era and watched the impact of Gamble & Huff. Getting to the point where Will and I started putting out records, Kenny Gamble immediately reached out and we established a friendship where he would mentor me with some of the greatest advice I’ve ever received. Life advice and career advice has come from him, so it’s been a blessing to have a guy like that around me.

AllHipHop: Longevity, what do you feel has been the ultimate key to your success for over 30 years? And, of course, what continues to inspire you to continue?

Jazzy Jeff: Not thinking about longevity, first, because I think that as soon as you start paying attention to what’s going on that’s a signal of the end. That’s just my opinion. I don’t relish in things that I have done; I’m always trying to look forward. I think you have to find the reason you started doing it in the first place, especially something like this. This started as a hobby that turned into a job, that turned into a career. A lot of people have a job that they think is a career, and a lot of people that have a career and treat it like a job. I’ve always chosen to do what I love over what pays you the most or grants you the most success. With success come a lot of other stuff that will drift you off your path if you let it. I remember doing an interview at the studio I had in Philly when we had just put out the Jill Scott record, and the Musiq Soulchild record. This interviewer called me and asked me to name 3 of the top moments of my career, and without hesitation I started naming the party in the park at this place, the party in the park at that place, and so on. The interviewer was amazed that those things I named had nothing to do with my success. It was also an a-ha moment for me because to me it was just something I enjoyed doing, and the success was just an added thing on to it. I’m doing this because I love it.

AllHipHop: Let’s take it back to the early days for a minute, to the first DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince record in 1987, with “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble” where you sampled T-Ski Valley’s “Catch the Beat” for the song. Talk to me about producing this record for you and the Fresh Prince, which put you guys on the map.

Jazzy Jeff: It’s not that we didn’t know what were doing, but we just didn’t care. We didn’t care about the success or the money, we were just in the studio creating something. A lot of people don’t understand what it means to create something. To me, creating is like giving birth. Here it is I’m banging on these drum pads, looking for these samples, doing these scratches, and he’s coming up with concepts, and writing the lines. We record it, put it out, and people love it. That’s like a kid! “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ but Trouble” is a 30-year-old kid! We weren’t thinking about what’s this kid going to be like when it grows up, it was about making the dopest kid that we can. Making your first album you have a lifetime to do so, but you only have the time from your first album to your second album to make that second one.

AllHipHop: 1988 you guys took a huge step for award with putting together what ultimately became the Grammy Award-winning song “Parents Just Don’t Understand” off the He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper album. How did you build that record with Peter Frampton’s “Won’t You Be My Friend” and John Davis’ “I Can’t Stop” samples?

Jazzy Jeff: It might have been two years ago that anyone realized that that was a Peter Frampton sample. I used to look on the sites and pay attention, and there were very few people who came to me and said, ‘hey, here’s that “Parent’s Just Don’t Understand” sample.’ We made that album in London, a nd I was making beats in the hotel room, and then we were going straight to the studio and laying them down. There was no expectation or anything. The love and the passion for creating something is what really drove us. Will is a very creative person, which everyone can tell with his journey into acting. We would put that same level of creativity into our music. I would make the music, and Will would tell me what the music was saying to him, this is what the music is telling him to write. We would write about what was going on in our lives. “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble” was a story with Will being chased out of the house by some girls father. “Parents Just Don’t Understand”, we had performed at one of the awards shows and came home thinking we were big s###! I walked in my house and my mom told me to go up street and get a loaf of bread and a half gallon of milk. Will and I just kind of shot a look to each other like, ‘Wow, we just came back from London doing it big.’ And it was just like parents just don’t understand became a song. So many of those songs were created because of conversations we had and looking at the things that were happening in our lives.

AllHipHop: That songwriting process, and what you’re saying about how the music dictated what was being written is evident with songs like “Nightmare on My Street” and “Summertime”. You couldn’t write anything else except what those songs were.

Jazzy Jeff: A lot of the times it was the music, but one thing he would always say is that writing the song wasn’t the hardest thing for him. I was coming up with the concept that was the hard part. He came up with the concept for “Summertime” before the music was done because that was more so the first year, he was in L.A. doing “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” show. Being from the east coast, he didn’t get those seasons that we grew up with. It was 90 degrees on Christmas out there. So when he started calling me in April and May asking me what’s going on out here and I’m like, “Man, it just hit 70 degrees out here and everybody’s at the Plateau, I’m washing my car, drove down South Street and got a cheesesteak..” I’m giving him the play-by-play of what the weather breaking on the east coast is, and he’s missing it because it’s 90 degrees every day in L.A. That was the nostalgia that made him write that because anybody from the east coast knows you have four different emotions every year. Going into the fall season it’s reflective, going into winter you have a scowl on your face because you have to face these elements, when spring comes your eyebrows go back up because I haven’t seen you all winter, and the summer hits and it’s a good time.

A song like “Nightmare on My Street” came about because I made a groove and he would tell me that this is a story beat, it’s kind of dark. As he started saying the nightmare stuff, I began adding more of the nightmarish elements. It’s kind of like a tennis match where I’m hitting something to him, and he’s something back to me to where we get something.

AllHipHop: “Brand New Funk” was a great song that displayed Will Smith’s lyrical prowess on the microphone. Tell me about putting that record together, which is still a fan favorite to this day.

Jazzy Jeff: I remember doing that at the hotel room in London, chopped up the sample, made the beat, came up with the cuts, Will wrote it, we went to the studio and recorded it in a day, and it was a wrap. We were thinking that song was the first single, but the record company said that “Parents Just Don’t Understand” was going to be the first single. They were right. We were able to do the “Brand New Funk” live video while we were on tour because people really enjoyed that live.

I think Will wanted to do more of those types of records, but because we had kind of established the story-telling from “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble” and “Parents Just Don’t Understand” that we were kind of encouraged me with the record company to make sure that we always had those records. I think you’ll find a “Brand New Funk” type record on every album we’ve done, but it was just overshadowed by whatever the story-telling record was that we did. Being one of the first groups to have pop success and crossover appeal, you didn’t realize how much the record companies leaned on that.

People don’t realize that Will used to ride around in a truck, find MC’s, and pick battles. Will’s pedigree is of a battle rapper. He was very intelligent, very lyrical, but also very funny because he realized how he could beat everybody was through humor. That’s; where you get the humor aspect in all these songs he does. That’s always been Will.

AllHipHop: And In This Corner…, the 1989 record had the memorable “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson” song and video. I always thought it was amazing that you guys had Don King and Mike Tyson in the video. What was that like filming that music video?

Jazzy Jeff: Early on when we did shows in New York, Mike Tyson would be there, so we knew him early in his career from him coming to the shows at the Latin Quarter and places like that. Once again, we came with this concept of “I think I Can Beat Mike Tyson” because we would joke about how people would give their opinion on how they could beat Tyson. We thought it would be funny take on doing it, and then it was like let’s reach out to Mike about the video.

A lot of people wanted Mike in their video, but he would never show up. At that point in time Mike was doing whatever he wanted to do. We shot the video in Ohio where Mike was living at the time to try and make it easier. And I remember thinking how we had all this film crew here, and Mike might not show up for this. We almost had a contingency plan for it if he didn’t show up. But here comes Mike, and he shows up. He pulls up and says, “Hey, jump in the car, I want to show you something.” We jumped in the car with Mike and were gone for about 3 hours. The crew didn’t know what to do, but what are you going to tell Mike Tyson?

He was getting his house built and he wanted to show us his house. We’re in the car riding around the Amish country of Ohio with Mike Tyson, while this film crew is waiting. But he came back, but the gloves on, Don King showed up, and we did the video. The only thing that sucked about it was right when that song dropped, he lost to Buster Douglas. It was awkward!

AllHipHop: Speaking of Mike Tyson, what are your thoughts on “Iron” Mike making a comeback?

Jazzy Jeff: Once Mike started training and taking it seriously, I thought it was amazing. I think you’re going to see vintage Mike Tyson for 3 rounds. This isn’t built for the long haul, but I think we’re going to have 3 of the most exciting throwback Mike Tyson rounds. Somebody with Mike’s ferocity might be able to beat the champ in 3 rounds.

Now, don’t get it twisted, Roy Jones, is Roy Jones. I’m a boxing fan, and one thing I know is that Roy Jones’ chin wasn’t Mike Tyson’s chin, and Roy Jones’ punch wasn’t Mike Tyson’s punch. I just want everybody to be safe.

AllHipHop: In addition to your Grammy success, you and the Fresh Prince achieved icon status with the release of “Summertime”, which obviously gets continues to get heavy rotations in cars, during BBQ’s and so forth. What has that song meant to you in your career, and are you still surprised at how long that song has stayed ever-present?

Jazzy Jeff: Every summer I wait for that song to go away. And it’s not wishing it away, it’s just that you’re not used to things staying around like that. To think that you’ve been a part of a television show that has stayed on the air through two or three different generations and that you’ve made a summertime record over 30 years ago that every time the weather breaks they play this record, most artists hope to have that one thing that stands the test of time. To be a part of a couple, trust me, you sit and think about how trippy this really is.

It was Will missing Philadelphia, the weather changing so much that he was inspired to write something like that, tapping into a classic like “Summer Madness”, or the song comes out a year earlier or later and may not have had the same impact. I think it was just the perfect storm that you’re a part of. And every year you’re looking for someone to come out with the new summertime song, and there’s been a million summertime songs since then, but people keep coming back to your song is just amazing.

AllHipHop: You have been a part of several historical and classic moments in hip-hop and entertainment in general from receiving the first Grammy for hip-hop, releasing the timeless and never gets old “Summertime”, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air television series, to now dropping the 11th release of the popular Summertime mixtape. Looking back, what are your thoughts on the impacts of these incredible moments, and do you feel DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince get the respect they deserve for their contributions to hip-hop?

Jazzy Jeff: What’s interesting is I think there’s a point in time where you might feel slighted or overlooked, but then you realize that’s relative to the individual. People have favorites. You could win a Grammy, but if your favorite artist was Kid ‘N Play then you’re going to say Kid ‘N Play should have won that. There’s nothing I can do to change your mind because it’s your personal opinion. I think what really helped me was that I was an early adopter of social media. Social media gave a peek into what people thought and what they said, sometimes to a detriment, but I realized I couldn’t get wrapped up in this because people are doing things for likes. Once you realize that, it’s like a sign. I’m doing this for me. If you make a meal and try to please ten people with a meal, you’ll probably fail on all 10. But if you make a meal you want to make, you’ll probably get of them. I Started doing this with my lens and shooting out, and I just need to stay there.

We went through a lot early on in our careers with things like people saying we were from the suburbs. And I’m looking around where I grew up and it was so far from the suburbs, but it came from Will not cussing in his raps. What we put in our music had nothing to do with what our life growing up was or what we saw. We just chose to do something different. Serena and Venus Williams are from Compton and they play tennis. So, that doesn’t serve as a reflection of what your life is. You just get to a point over time that things just stop bothering you. So, what if you’re not on somebody’s top 100 list because there’s some people on those lists that you don’t even know what they’ve really done.

AllHipHop:  Tell me about working on the Straight Outta Compton film and being specifically asked by Dr. Dre to do so. What’s the story behind your involvement there?

Jazzy Jeff: Dr. Dre and I have always been cool. I got a call from someone who was saying Dr. Dre was trying to get in touch with me. I was like whatever. Then another person reached out saying they were Dr. Dre’s assistant and that was wanting to speak with me. I left it alone again, but then I had an old manager of mine reach out to me and telling me Dre was trying to reach me. I thought it might be real now, and about 5 minutes later he called. We talked for a few minutes just saying hello and things like that, and then he starts saying how it took him a long time to sign off on the NWA movie, and now that he has signed off he was looking for someone to do the DJ work that understands that time period. He said I was the first person that came to mind.

Without him saying a lot, I knew I had to be in 1989 and do these scratches like I would have in that time frame. The first batch that I sent back, he hit me and was like, “You gotta make me look good, put your foot in it a little bit more.” I didn’t want to go too far too soon, but I went back and re-did it. When I was doing “Weak at The Knees”, I was reciting Ice Cube’s lyrics in my head to know when to drop the music out and put the scratches in. When I sent that, he lost his mind because this is basically how they did it live. After I went to the premiere in Philly, I hit him to tell him it was amazing. He called me back in like two seconds and told me, “You got it, it took me there. I appreciate it.” Dr. Dre is another one of the ones who has been a round doing this for a long time like myself, and when we talk you can tell he has the appreciation for the journey. Even to this day, Will and I will shoot each other this look of ‘do you believe this s###’?

AllHipHop: There’s been a lot of talk recently about people’s Top 5 rappers recently. Who’s in DJ Jazzy Jeff’s Top 5?

Jazzy Jeff: I usually don’t do lists like this because I feel like I’m picking my favorite kids, and I realize that it’s a matter of personal opinion. But LL Cool J, KRS-One, Rakim, Biggie, and Kendrick Lamar are all in my Top 5. My criteria isn’t based on longevity, lyrics or things like that. I’m a music head, so I’m also listening to the music as well. I have been a part of so many debates about me saying Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” is the greatest Hip-Hop album I’ve ever heard. I enjoy these debates, but I don’t take them too serious because we’re also crossing time eras and generations. That’s why you can’t compare LeBron James to Michael Jordan because everything was different then and different now. We can speculate, but we’ll never know. People have their favorites in the debates, and changing their mind isn’t going to happen. It’s no clearer than the 2Pac and Biggie debate. I know people who didn’t grow up on Pac, and Biggie was everything. And there’s others who 2Pac was everything to them, but Big was just cool. But it’s not that serious to me.

AllHipHop: Wrapping up, we’ve also seen Will Smith being in the studio in the last year or so, and you and he did quarantine concert. So, when can we expect another DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince collaboration record again?

Jazzy Jeff: We have definitely been talking about it. It really sucks where we are because it’s the 30 anniversary of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and we had a lot of plans like planning a tour, going in the studio to do another record, and other things on the table. But then the pandemic hot and the world is a much different place right now. I’m pretty sure that it will come back around, but right now people are just trying to figure out what the future will look like. I don’t think things will go back to the way it was, but we’ll need to see what this new landscape of life and entertainment will look like. Once that gets clear, I expect Will and I to jump right back in to where we were.

Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion Block Drake From #1 Spot

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have fought off a challenge from Drake to score a second week at the top of the U.S. singles chart with “WAP.”

The rappers’ collaboration becomes the first track to spend its first two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 since Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” in February 2019.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cardi B (@iamcardib)

Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk debuted at #2, extending the Canadian rapper’s record for the most Top 10 hits with an incredible 41 singles charting.

DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch drops a spot to three, while The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” and Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez, and Lil Wayne, complete the new Top 5.

Bun B Trashes Tory Lanez For Allegedly Shooting Megan Thee Stallion

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Bun B has aimed at Tory Lanez after fellow Texan Megan Thee Stallion confirmed reports alleging he was responsible for her gunshot injuries following a bust-up at a Hollywood Hills party last month.

The “Savage” hitmaker was leaving the bash with Tory when a fight broke out and as she walked away from his vehicle he reportedly fired at her.

Megan underwent surgery to repair the damage done to her feet and, now well on the way to a full recovery, she has spoken out about the incident, confirming Tory pulled the trigger, and now the truth is out there, Houston rapper Bun B has put Lanez on notice.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEPj4EpF4mD

“I tried to be impartial and cool about this, but f##k that man,” he says in a new video post. “I don’t care if this go viral or none of that s##t, I’m from Houston. If somebody would have done something to Megan in this city we would have rolled (taken action). Megan in L.A. by herself… She ain’t got her mama no more, her mama is gone. Her daddy is gone. Her grandmother is gone. All the people that loved and cared about her unconditionally… and would have protected her, ain’t there. So as an OG (original gangsta) in Houston, I’m standing up.

“I know Tory, I know his manager and all them. F##k all that though. F##k all that. If the man on drugs, get him some godd##n rehab. If the man got mental health issues, get him some therapy. But you not gonna sit here and shoot this girl and we not gonna say nothing. That s##t not real n##ga s##t. It’s not. Any time a man hurts a woman, that’s obsession. That ain’t love. He had no reason to shoot this girl.”

Megan Thee Stallion opened up about the shooting incident on Instagram Live last week, stating: “Yes, this n##ga Tory shot me. You shot me. And you got your publicist and your people going to these blogs lying and s##t. Stop lying. Why lie? I don’t understand. I tried to keep the situation off the internet, but you dragging it. You really f##in’ dragging it. Muthaf##kas talkin’ ’bout I hit this n##ga.

“I never hit you. Muthaf##kas was like, ‘Oh she mad ’cause he was tryna f##k with Kylie (Jenner)’. No I wasn’t. You dry shot me. Everybody in the car… it’s only four muthaf##kas in the car. Me, you, my homegirl and yo security. Everybody in the car arguing. I’m in the front seat, this n###a in the backseat. I get out the car, I’m done arguing. I don’t wanna argue no more. I get out. I’m walking away. This n###a, from out the backseat of the car, start shooting me. You shot me. I ain’t get cut by no glass.”

Tory has yet to respond to Megan’s account of the evening’s drama.

iHeartRadio Music Awards To Reveal 2020 Winners On Radio Stations & Social Media

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) The Fox network originally planned to broadcast the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards live from Los Angeles on Sunday, March 29. In order to address concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was postponed.

iHeartRadio released a statement in March:

As you may know, the Shrine in Los Angeles recently announced that it is officially closed for events through March 31 at the earliest — which includes the iHeartRadio Music Awards scheduled to air on FOX, Sunday, March 29. The safety of our guests, employees, artists and partners is our main priority. iHeartMedia and FOX will plan to reschedule at the appropriate time and will provide more information and relevant updates as they become available. Refunds are being issued to ticketed guests.

This week, iHeartMedia announced the winners of the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards will now be presented via iHeartRadio stations, the iHeartRadio App, and iHeartRadio social media accounts. From September 4 through September 7, the victors of each category will be revealed with acceptance speeches from some of the winning artists.

Several Hip Hop acts are vying for a 2020 iHeartRadio Music Award. Cardi B, Drake, Lil Baby, Meek Mill, and Travis Scott are up for Hip-Hop Artist Of The Year. City Girls, DaBaby, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, and Megan Thee Stallion are competing for Best New Hip-Hop Artist.

“Going Bad” by Drake & Meek Mill, “Money In The Grave” by Drake & Rick Ross, “Money” by Cardi B, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, and “Suge” by DaBaby were nominated for Hip-Hop Song Of The Year. Drake also earned two nods for R&B Song Of The Year as a feature on Summer Walker’s “Girls Need Love (Remix)” and Chris Brown’s “No Guidance.”

See some of the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Award nominations below. For the full list of nominees visit www.iheart.com. 

Song of the Year:

  • “bad guy” – Billie Eilish
  • “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X
  • “Señorita” – Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
  • “Sucker” – Jonas Brothers
  • “Truth Hurts” – Lizzo

Female Artist Of The Year:

  • Ariana Grande
  • Billie Eilish
  • Halsey
  • Lizzo
  • Taylor Swift

Male Artist Of The Year:

  • Ed Sheeran
  • Khalid
  • Luke Combs
  • Post Malone
  • Shawn Mendes

Best Collaboration:

  • “Dancing With A Stranger” – Sam Smith & Normani
  • “Eastside” – benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid
  • “I Don’t Care” – Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber
  • “Señorita” – Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
  • “Sunflower” – Post Malone & Swae Lee

Hip-Hop Song Of The Year:

  • “Going Bad” – Meek Mill featuring Drake
  • “Money In The Grave” – Drake featuring Rick Ross
  • “Money” – Cardi B
  • “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X
  • “Suge” – DaBaby

Hip-Hop Artist Of The Year:

  • Cardi B
  • Drake
  • Lil Baby
  • Meek Mill
  • Travis Scott

Best New Hip-Hop Artist:

  • City Girls
  • DaBaby
  • Lil Nas X
  • Lizzo
  • Megan Thee Stallion

R&B Song Of The Year:

  • “Before I Let Go (Homecoming Live Album)” – Beyoncé
  • “Girls Need Love (Remix)” – Summer Walker & Drake
  • “No Guidance” – Chris Brown featuring Drake
  • “Shot Clock” – Ella Mai
  • “Talk” – Khalid

R&B Artist Of The Year:

  • Chris Brown
  • Ella Mai
  • H.E.R.
  • Khalid
  • Summer Walker

Best New R&B Artist:

  • Ari Lennox
  • LightSkinKeisha
  • Nicole Bus
  • Summer Walker
  • The Bonfyre

Justin Timberlake Talks Fulfilling A “Prophecy” By Working With Timbaland

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Legendary Hip Hop superproducer Timbaland played an essential role in crafting Justin Timberlake’s sound. With his work on the Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds albums, Timbo aided JT’s transition from *NSYNC boy band member to international solo superstar.

Timberlake recently spoke to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to promote the singer’s Essentials Playlist on the streaming service. The conversation included Timberlake recalling how his Timbaland-produced single “SexyBack” was met with apprehension from the record label.

“SexyBack” ended up reaching #1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, winning a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, and being certified 3x-Platinum by the RIAA. According to Timberlake, having the chance to make music with the person that helped construct Missy Elliott’s classic 1997 album Supa Dupa Fly was a teenage dream.

“That was like a prophecy for me. You have to understand, like when I was 14 and we were just actually forming [*NSYNC], Supa Dupa Fly was the thing for me. And I said to my mother, ‘I will work with that man one day. I will work with him one day if it’s the last thing I do,'” JT told Lowe. “”And of course, I was 14. I probably could have said anything at that point and believed it.” 

The 39-year-old musician/actor continued, “We had met a little bit. He really liked [*NSYNC’s] ‘It’s Gonna Be Me,’ actually. We met him outside a studio one time and I was kind of realizing that maybe it wasn’t going to be possible. So I was just kind of geeking out. ‘If I never see Timbaland again, I’m going to let him know that I know about ‘Pork and Beans’ [‘Clock Strikes (Remix)’].”

Timbaland recently hinted that he and Justin Timberlake might reunite for a sequel to 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds. Timberlake’s sophomore studio LP was the project that hosted hits like “SexyBack” with Timbaland, “My Love” with T.I., and “Until The End Of Time” with Beyoncé.

Meanwhile, there have been calls to setup a Verzuz battle between Justin Timberlake and fellow music megastar Usher Raymond. Timbaland’s Verzuz co-curater Swizz Beatz even wrote on Instagram, “We need Justin vs Usher Tim ‼️‼️‼️.”

Big Sean Addresses Rumored Beef With Kendrick Lamar On “Deep Reverence”

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) For years, there has been speculation of a Cold War taking place between Detroit’s Big Sean and Compton’s Kendrick Lamar. The rumored feud apparently began after Sean released “Control (HOF)” in 2013 which featured an internet-breaking verse by Kendrick.

For seven years, Hip Hop listeners and pundits dissected both emcees’ lyrics to determine if either man was taking aim at the other on wax. Tracks such as Big Sean’s “Me, Myself, and I” and “No More Interviews” as well as Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 4” and “Humble” supposedly contained subliminal shots directed at their presumed rival. 

Earlier this year, Big Sean sat down with Joe Budden for the rapper-turned-media personality’s Pull Up interview series. The 27-year-old midwesterner spoke about the alleged beef with K. Dot that was fueling fan battles in chat rooms and on social media.

“So then I remember going online and seeing like, ‘Oh, is he talking about Kendrick?’ Because I’m talking about people who rap fast… I wasn’t beefing with nobody. I’m just rapping, n*gga. It wasn’t like a specific person or else I would’ve said his name,” Sean told Budden at the time.

He added, “Every verse I do, people be like, ‘Oh is this a response? Is this a response?’ And I’m like, ‘Damn, I can’t even show no aggression, people think it’s a damn response.’ It got to a point where somehow it was just a weird tension between me and him even though it was already said it wasn’t no beef. Because people made it that way.”

The Roc Nation-backed spitter further addressed his relationship with Kendrick Lamar on a new record. Sean dropped “Deep Reverence” overnight. The song features the late West Coast rapper Nipsey Hussle who was murdered in Los Angeles last year.

“After what happened to Nipsey, I reached out to Kendrick. It wasn’t even no real issues there to begin with. Lack of communication and wrong information from people fueled by their ego. It’s like mixing flames with diesel,” rapped Sean on “Deep Reverence.” 

The Nipsey Hussle-assisted song is set to appear on Big Sean’s Detroit 2 album which is due out on September 4. Sean, Hit-Boy, and Kanye West are credited as executive producers for the forthcoming G.O.O.D Music/Def Jam Recordings release.

Hit-Boy Credited As An Executive Producer For Big Sean’s ‘Detroit 2’ Album

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) By the end of 2020, rap fans might be talking about Hit-Boy as the Producer Of The Year. The Grammy winner already assisted Nas in creating the critically-acclaimed King’s Disease album, and he was also behind the boards for an upcoming Big Sean project.

“I watched bro @bigsean lock in for hours til every bar hit how he wanted it to. His vision was clear from the jump this is some of his most elevated work on every level. Proud is an understatement!! DETROIT 2 9/4 executive produced by me, Big Sean, and Kanye West ,” tweeted Hit-Boy on Monday.

Big Sean announced his highly-anticipated fifth studio album, Detroit 2, will be released on September 4. The LP is the sequel to the G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam recording artist’s classic 2012 mixtape Detroit. 

On Monday night, Sean let loose the track “Deep Reverence” featuring the late Nipsey Hussle. The single was co-produced by Hit-Boy, Audio Anthem, G. Ry, and Rogét Chahayed. Big Sean tweeted, “RIP NIP!!! I can’t think of a better time to drop this one! Love! #Detroit2 next week! Letssss goooooooooo!”

Lil Durk Earns First Top 10 Hit With Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later”

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Lil Durk is quickly adding his name to the shortlist of under-30 rappers competing to be at the forefront of this generation. In a two week period, the Chicago native appeared on two different songs with certified Hip Hop legends Drake and Nas.

The Durk/Drake collaboration instantly made waves when it hit the internet on August 14. “Laugh Now Cry Later” became a streaming juggernaut on Spotify and Apple Music. The music video has also collected over 50 million views on YouTube, as of press time.

All of those streams and plays helped Lil Durk earn his first Top 10 song on the Hot 100 chart. “Laugh Now Cry Later” opened at #2 on Billboard‘s rankings of the most popular songs in the United States. Drake extended his record of most all-time Hot 100 Top 10 records (41).

“Laugh Now Cry Later” pulled in 69.8 million streams. While the single was not able to topple Cardi B’s “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion for the pole position on the Hot 100 (72.2 million streams), Drizzy and Durkio did take the lead on the Streaming Songs chart thanks to weighted streams. 

Lil Durk’s past two weeks also include the 27-year-old rhymer appearing on “Til the War is Won” off Nas’s new King’s Disease studio LP. His own Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 arrived in May with 57,000 first-week units. Durk’s fifth studio album peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart after the release of a deluxe version in June.

 

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” Remains At No. 1 For A Second Week

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) “WAP” is still the most popular song in America. Despite the puritanical backlash from conservative politicians and talking heads, Cardi B’s single featuring Megan Thee Stallion remained atop the Hot 100 chart for a second straight week.

According to Billboard, “WAP” is the first song to debut at #1 and stay in that position in its second week since Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” in 2019. Cardi and Megan also currently lead the Digital Song Sales, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot Rap Songs charts.

“WAP” dropped to #2 on the Streaming Songs chart. It fell behind Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk which opened at #2 on the Hot 100. “WAP” actually had more total streams (72.2 million) than “Laugh Now Cry Later” (69.8 million) but paid subscription, ad-supported, and programmed streams are weighted differently. 

Not only is “WAP” charting well in America, the Cardi B/Megan Thee Stallion collaboration is also seeing success internationally. It has peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom so far. 

Plus, “WAP” became the first female rap song to hit #1 in Australia since Salt-N-Pepa’s “Let’s Talk About Sex” in 1992. The Ayo N Keyz-produced single amassed more than 100 million global streams on Spotify in just 17 days.

The rest of the Hot 100’s Top 10 includes DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch (#3), The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (#4), Jack Harlow’s “Whats Poppin” featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne (#5), and SAINt JHN’s “Roses” (#8). 

50 Cent, Cardi B Support Elijah Blake; Call For Cop To Be Arrested

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Stars including Cardi B, 50 Cent, and others have demanded justice for an unarmed black man shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Footage emerged online of the attempted arrest of Jacob Blake, 29, in the city, which shows a white officer grabbing his shirt before seven gunshots are heard – reportedly leaving the man in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

His partner, Laquisha Booker, told NBC’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin affiliate, WTMJ-TV, that their three children were in the car at the time of the shooting, and the footage has sparked angry protests in the state since the video went viral.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cardi B (@iamcardib)

Expressing her outrage, Cardi posted a video of the incident on Instagram, which she captioned: “Wow this is SICKENING ! I can’t believe it ! What’s going to be the excuse now ? They just don’t give a f##k nomore ! SOMETHING MUST HAPPEN !Yooo this is insane they really not giving a f##k anymore.Lord please!”

50 Cent also shared the video on the social media site, adding: “No way what the f##k kinda law enforcement is this? Shot this man 7 times in his back, in front of his kids.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have also both expressed their outrage over the shooting, as have former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Justice are investigating the incident, and the officers concerned have been placed on administrative leave.

Wiz Khalifa Launches New Food Delivery Business In Major U.S. Cities

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) For some people, the coronavirus has left them paralyzed. For others, not so much.

Wiz Khalifa has a new business birthed out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He just announced that he will be engaged in a partnership with Nextbite, the virtual restaurant brand curator, to launch his delivery-only restaurant chain HotBox by Wiz.

Once opened, Wiz’s business will be able to take orders in cities like Pittsburgh (his hometown), Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, Houston, and New York, offering some of his own favorite dishes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CESbB_xg1KS

According to the menu, Wiz is selling Taylor Gang turkey burgers, chocolate brownies, burnt brisket ends, and Mac & Yellow mac and cheese.

As successful as Wiz Khalifa has been as a musician, he has also made waves as a businessman.

Wiz has been considered one of Forbes Cash Kings since 2010, he’s partnered with Esports team Pittsburgh Knights and his Taylor Gang brand has birthed a strong product and ancillary cannabis empire. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CESbRHtAfsB

Will Coloan’s “Black Man” Remixes Stevie Wonder With An Inspirational Twist With Nas, Jay-Z, Will Smith & Others

By: ClassicOne Updated Category: Music
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop Music) It is hard to find inspirational music these days, at least commercially. Will Coloan, a musical and creative impresario, has remixed Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Black Man” and given it an infectious AfroBeat overhaul. The song can be found on Spotify, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

The original “Black Man” is on Songs In The Key of Life, widely regarded as Stevie Wonder’s most impressive musical outing. The song recollects many accomplishments from men of all hues. With the remix, Coloan narrows it a bit to feature contemporary men of distinction. The newly released video features a wide range of talents – from Denzel Washingto to AllHipHop’s own Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur to Richard Pryor to Nas To Gil Scott Heron to Jay-Z to Fred Hampton to Nipsey Hussle and many, many more. The video also pays homage to Breonna Taylor, Black Lives Matter and those impacted by Covid-19. Check out “Black Man” below. 

▶Directed, Edited, & Produced by Will Coloan (@ColoanBrands) 

▶Track Produced & Arranged by Will Coloan 

Pandemic Ruins Roddy Ricch’s Performance At The MTV Video Music Awards

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Nipsey Hussle’s protégé Roddy Ricch has made a statement on his Instagram Live revealing he will no longer making his highly anticipated performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.

“My team and I did everything in our power to make this work, due to COVID compliance issues at the last minute we had to call off the performance,” Roddy Ricch said.

The Grammy Award-winning artist will not join the other performers, depriving fans of a live rendition of “Ballin,” “The Box,” or “Rock Star” with DaBaby.

The producers have gone to great lengths to create a great live show during the pandemic, using all of New York City as the backdrop.

“My team and I are safe and everyone’s health is a main priority, as well as giving a quality performance,” Roddy Ricch said. “I appreciate MTV for the opportunity to perform and I hope I can see y’all next year.”

J Balvin will not perform either. Unfortunately, the Colombian artist revealed a few weeks back that he has contracted COVID-19 in a video, spoken in his native tongue.

Like Roddy Ricch, fans were looking forward to hearing him kill one or more of his hit songs: “Loco Contigo” with DJ Snake and Tyga, “La Cancion” with Bad Bunny or “RITMO (Bad Boys for Life)” with the Black Eyed Peas.

The MTV Video Music Awards will take place at the Brooklyn Barclays Center on Sunday, August 30th at 8 pm EST.

Big Sean Announces Release Date For Highly Anticipated Album “Detroit 2”

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) It has been eight years since the world first heard Big Sean’s epic mixtape release, Detroit.

The thematic title gave tribute to his hometown and featured appearances from French Montana (on “Mula”), J. Cole, Juicy J, Kendrick Lamar, King Chip, Royce da 5’9″, and Tyga.

This joint further cemented him as one of the most word-crafty emcees of his generation.

Detroit 2, Big Sean’s fifth studio album release, is poised to be just as phenomenal when it drops on September 4th.

Fans have been waiting with bated breath since it was rumored to drop in correlation with his now postponed 2020 Coachella appearance.

Still, with little than the September 4th release date revealed, the question that fans have is simple: can it keep up with the fire releases that he has dropped over his celebrated career?

That’s a tall order.

His 2011 debut album, Finally Famous was certified platinum, helping the next release Hall Of Fame (back in 2013) debut at #1 on the Billboard Rap chart.

Big Sean’s next record, I Decided, became his second consecutive album to debut at #1, showing the world his amazing crossover appeal. In 2015, with the release of Dark Sky also went platinum and his Twenty88 collab with then-girlfriend Jhené Aiko was also a huge success.

While the music will be released on Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music/ Def Jam, the world is waiting for his trip back to “Motown.”

The project will also be accompanied by Detroit 2 themed merchandise. We can’t wait.

RZA Bosses Up; Sells Half Of His Massive Catalog

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Wu-Tang Clan legend RZA has sold half of his share of his back catalog to Nile Rodgers’ Hipgnosis Songs Fund.

Bosses at the fund, who own the rights to musicians work including Blondie, Blink-182, and Barry Manilow, announced the deal with the rapper and producer behind many of the hip-hop group’s albums on Monday (August 24th).

Speaking to Variety, Merck Mercuriadis, who co-founded Hipgnosis with Nile said: “RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan did not invent hip-hop but they took it from being fun to something that represented a true reflection of what the streets, and being black in America was really like.

“They were and are the most authentic band and brand in hip hop and it all starts with RZA’s vision, his songs and his struggle, manifested in music, that could show the entire world what was really going on. He is now globally recognized as a true renaissance man of hip-hop and most would argue that he is the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).”

RZA added: “I wear various hats in my artistic expressions but the one that has been so deeply reflective of my life’s journey is my songwriting. I’m honored to partner up with Merck and the Hipgnosis team to usher my songs into an exciting future.”

The rapper, real name Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, produced many of the group’s records, including their seminal 1993 debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), as well as hits by members like Method Man, the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, GZA and Ghostface Killah, as well as working with Jay-Z, Kanye West, and releasing four solo albums of his own. 

Kid Chaos and JC Have a Classic During “Rookies Vs. Vets” Battle

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: Features
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

Every battle rapper has one goal, one destination that they are moving toward and that is greatness. They all want to leave a legacy. Have their names carry the same reverence as a Party Arty, be a part of folklore like that time that a young JAY-Z allegedly rolled up on LL Cool ready to prove himself in a battle and the “Rock the Bells” icon is rumored to have laughed … who doesn’t want to be one of SMACK’s gunners?

Lyricists and personalities, wordsmiths, and freestylers enter into the Proving Grounds or the Crucible, eyeing the spot of those top tier vets that have paved the way in the sport and industry of battle rap. 

John John da Don is probably one of the best examples of someone who has come in and clawed his way to the top. From a different perspective, Tay Roc, who was basically breast-fed from the culture of battle rap’s nip, also has a Cinderfella story. 

He was a boy rapper from a small town outside of Baltimore, who fell in love with rap music and pushed through all boundaries to be considered one of the best rappers ever. And it is not hyperbole to state that JJDD and the Cave Gang General are the first folks to set up camp in the Badlands, a space only a handful of battler rappers can cite as their residence. DNA, Tsu Surf, K-Shine, Brizz Rawsteen, Daylyt, and the likes of JC also live there.

This is the campsite literally for those on the edge of Mt. Rushmore and this weekend, on The Ultimate Rap League’s “Rookie vs. Vets” battle on Caffeine, Kid Chaos with his classic battle with the Kid from Pontiac might have jump over a whole class to secure his space close to the area next to those people in the running for those very limited Mount Rushmore placements.

Well, what exactly is this mysterious place called the Badlands? The Badlands is a national park, less than 30 minutes to the actual Mount Rushmore National Memorial originally sculpted by artist Gutzon Borglum. 

The mountain sculpture is considered a national treasure as according to some standards it figures four of America’s most dynamic U.S. presidents— George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. People use the term Mount Rushmore to identify four of the best in any given field.

Now… Kid Chaos may not have won his battle against a genius and very present J.C. (who he has repeatedly said is one of his heroes in the sport), but he showed up leaving many to believe the battle was debatable. 

The “Rookies vs. Vets” battle was a refresher after Steams and Reeper Rell stunk up the pace with a six-part battle that had chokes in all but one. Both Smack and Eric Beasley threw them a lifeline informing the public that the two only had seven days to prepare. They still were rotten eggs. 

Chaos and J.C. performed superbly — with bars the required a good ear and an even better intellect. The tense back and forth forced the vet to concede that young lions are coming up with their teeth sharpened and their roar on ten.

An almost win against someone as gifted as J.C. means something. J.C. is arguably one of the best lyricists in battle rap culture — often spoken in the same conversation as the undisputed Mount Rushmore O.G. Loaded Lux. 

It may be too soon to dub him the next truth, but how refreshing it is to see someone hungry, disciplined, and humble. He might not live with the vets, but if he says on this track he will be in their space as quickly as someone like a Nu Jerzey Twork or Geechi Gotti. Saturday’s epic performance earned this new kid the right to hang out with the rest, even if he can’t move in with this elite brotherhood of rap excellence.

We are not the only ones saying this:

https://twitter.com/TYungsir/status/1297281666252185602

 

Michael Jackson Wanted To Be “King” Of Young White Fans

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Michael Jackson took aim at The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen in a rant about racial equality, according to unearthed notes written by the late singer.

The notes are believed to have been from 1987, and were reportedly “passed to a friend” when police were searching the singer’s Neverland ranch after he was accused of child abuse in 2003.

Now their contents have been shared, with the King of Pop using the notes to vent about racism in the music business – using some of the biggest white stars of the time to make his point.

Writing that he would show Springsteen “who’s boss” and prove that “Elvis is NOT King”, Jackson continued of The Beatles: “Yes these guys were good, but they weren’t better singers or dancers than the blacks.”

“I am not prejudice, it’s just time for the first Black King now,” he added.

Insisting he wanted to “end prejudice” in the music industry, Jackson wrote: “My goal is to become so ‘Big’, so powerful. To become such a hero, to end prejudice.

“To make these little white kids love me by selling over 200,000,000 albums. Make them look up to me. I will change the world.”

In another note, attached to a newspaper clipping from June 1987 about a Ku Klux Klan march in South Carolina, Jackson commented: “I want what’s fair. I want all races to love as one.”

Master P. Backtracks After Labeling C-Murder “Ungrateful” In Post Tagging Monica

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

(AllHipHop News) Master P has apologized to Monica after tagging her in a post slamming his “ungrateful” brother C-Murder.

C-Murder was handed a life sentence in 2003 after he was found guilty of the 2002 killing of 16-year-old Steve Thomas in a New Orleans, Louisiana nightclub.

The conviction for second-degree murder was overturned in 2006, only for C-Murder, real name Corey Miller, to be convicted again and given the same sentence following a second trial in 2009.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Corey Miller (@cmurder)

He has always maintained his innocence and has continued to fight for justice, with Kim Kardashian recently backing his campaign for freedom after hearing about his case from Monica – C-Murder’s ex-girlfriend.

The rapper then referred to Kim and Monica as his “guardian angels” as he thanked them for supporting his case, which drew ire from Master P.

P took to Instagram to slam his sibling for not recognizing how much effort he and his other relatives have put into attempting to free the musician from behind bars.

Master P also said he believes C-Murder’s friends are the reason he’s in jail, and tagged his sibling, Kim, Monica, and P’s other brother, Silkk the Shocker, in the post.

Monica then hit back, writing in the comments section: “I have been respectful towards you and you have refused to do the same! You can NOT speak on me because you do not know me! I have only conversed with Silkk! This matter is between you MEN, you’re brothers! Leave me out of this because my efforts have BEEN the same! I just didn’t see the need to post it! Check the visiting lists from The Parish to Angola to Hunts or better yet ask his children! You responded before you READ! He’s never not (been) able to hit me, my mother or brother, and get what he needs! FOCUS ON HIS FREEDOM!”

Master P then deleted his original post, and shared a video in which he said he believes in “family over everything.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Master P (@masterp)

“We’re doing too much positive to have to deal with the negative. I have no beef with @monicadenise She got caught up into some family drama that we have to fix and I am man enough to admit that,” he said in the clip. “No family is perfect, we all go through turmoil but with God all things are possible. I love my brother and can’t wait till he get home. We can’t allow the devil to steal our joy. We are bigger than this!”

D’Vincci Sway Motivates With New Single “up”

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Music
Preferred Source Publisher Button>

Representing the city of Georgetown, Georgia, where it feels good to be black, DaVincci’ Sway comes from the land that’s full of undiscovered Indian jewelry, and artifacts. 

Welcome, Georgia’s new apprentice of rap.

A prodigy of the game, earning his name, because of his ability to paint musical pictures. His ability to sculpture his energy, and mix his wordplay with science and mathematics, tags him as the “The Black Leonardo da Vinci”. 

A Polymath in his own right, carrying the spirit of the Africans and Indians, who died during centuries of gunfights. Inventing a sound, that can only be found in Georgetown. The “Sway” represents energy that directs, backward and forward or from side to side. The movement of swag.

You can feel the vibe in his energy, the grind in his spirit. At 26 years ready, DaVincci’ Sway is silent but deadly. His newest single called “up” and it is a motivational song, that will carry you through the day, and turn the club up at night. 

By putting out these uplifting ,deep bangers, his inspirations will go as far as the music will take him.

Creating music with the mentality of march madness , he leaves crowds standing on their feet, rooting for DaVincci, to be the first one to blow up in his city, representing for the streets.

Stay tuned! When asked what’s his plans for the remainder of 2020, DaVincci said:

“Get the brand right and take off. Ready to roll out, I’ll will be dropping two mixtapes before the end of the year,” he revealed. 

Currently his music can be currently found on iTunes, Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud and more platforms.

This is all brought to you by Big Block the CEO of BLOCK ENT. The same company that introduced the world to “Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Ciara, Jacquees, Boyz in the Hood, Yung Joc, & Gorilla Zoe”, All who enjoyed top Billboard success. 

Look for Big Block Entertainment to stay consistent with their ability to find talent & turn them into superstars.