(AllHipHop News) Pharrell Williams and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter created a new record titled “Entrepreneur” as part of Time magazine’s “The New American Revolution” cover package. The Neptunes-produced song is set to arrive on Friday, August 21.
“The intention for a song was all about how tough it is to be an entrepreneur in our country to begin with,” Pharrell explained to Time. “Especially as someone of color, there’s a lot of systemic disadvantages and purposeful blockages.”
The 13-time Grammy winner continued, “How can you get a fire started, or even the hope of an ember to start a fire, when you’re starting at disadvantages with regards to health care, education, and representation?”
.@Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z will release a new song on Friday, “Entrepreneur,” in conjunction with Williams’ new TIME cover package, “The New American Revolution.”
“Entrepreneur” includes Jay-Z spitting bars about Black Twitter, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Gucci, and FUBU. The topics of supporting Black-owned businesses, systemic racism in America, and financial freedom are also covered in the Pharrell-curated “The Next American Revolution.”
“Many Americans assume that the recent conversations about systemic racism and inequality are a result of a “moment of reckoning.” But I know this conversation dates back to those first ’20 and odd Negroes’—as Jamestown colonist John Rolfe wrote in a letter—who became investment property as soon as they touched the shores of this independently owned and operated franchise called America,” wrote Williams.
(AllHipHop News) Fans of Lil Uzi Vert will finally have the chance to watch the Philadelphia native perform songs from his Eternal Atake album. As the world still deals with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Uzi is booked to perform virtually later this month.
The upcoming “Lil Uzi Vert Live” concert can be streamed via Live Nation Entertainment on August 27 at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT. Tickets are currently priced at $15.
(AllHipHop News) Yesterday, Cardi B and Megan The Stallion announced they partnered with Cash App and Twitter to hand out $1 million to “powerful women” on the social media platform. The #WAPParty giveaway was presented following the rappers’ “WAP” collaboration debuting at #1 on the Hot 100 chart.
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion will likely celebrate next week as well. The record-breaking, sex-positive single is projected to remain at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in its second week of release.
If “WAP” does hold onto the Hot 100’s pole position that would mean Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion blocked Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk from opening at #1. The OVO superstar has seen three singles (“God’s Plan,” “Nice for What” & “Toosie Slide”) debut as a Hot 100 leader, the second-most in history behind Ariana Grande (4).
Cardi B, Drake, Ariana Grande, and Post Malone are presently tied atop the list of artists with the most Number Ones on the Hot 100 since the beginning of 2017. All four hitmakers have four Billboard chart-toppers over that time period.
Artists with the most No. 1 hits on the #Hot100 since Jan. 1, 2017:
(AllHipHop News) J. Cole is undoubtedly one of the most commercially successful Hip Hop stars of the last 15 years. His discography includes five Top 10 singles and five #1 albums.
The Dreamville Records leader has also racked up numerous plaques from the Recording Industry Association of America. This week, the RIAA officially announced twelve new certifications for J. Cole.
“No Role Modelz” is now certified 6x-Platinum, “Wet Dreamz” earned 4x-Platinum status, and “G.O.M.D.” is currently 3x-Platinum. All three songs appear on Cole’s 3x-Platinum album 2014 Forest Hills Drive.
Other Forest Hills Drive records to receive new RIAA certifications include “January 28th” (Gold), “03′ Adolescence” (Gold), “Hello” (Gold), “St. Tropez” (Gold), “Intro” (Gold), “Fire Squad” (Platinum), “Love Yourz” (Platinum), “A Tale of 2 Citiez” (2x-Platinum), and “Apparently” (2x-Platinum). “Note to Self” is the only track off Cole’s third studio LP that has yet to be certified at least Gold.
(AllHipHop News) Daystar “Tory Lanez” Peterson was arrested on July 12 for carrying a concealed weapon in his vehicle. The Canadian entertainer was allegedly involved in shooting Megan Thee Stallion in her feet that night, but he was not charged for supposedly harming the Texas-raised rapper.
According to new reports, Tory Lanez could be facing a felony assault charge for the incident. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is said to be reviewing the case after the D.A. requested the L.A. Police Department to further investigate the shooting.
Megan Thee Stallion has not publicly confirmed the person that shot her in Hollywood Hills last month. However, the “Savage” hitmaker did address the matter in an Instagram post where Meg stated that she “suffered gunshot wounds, as a result of a crime that was committed” against her that was “done with the intention to physically” harm her.
This week, Megan also uploaded images of her injured feet following online rumors that she was lying about ever being shot. She wrote in the now-deleted IG caption, “I got hit at the back of my feet because when I got shot I was WALKING AWAY FACING THE BACK. Why would I lie abt getting shot? Why are y’all so upset that I don’t wanna be in the bed sad? Why y’all upset that I can walk?”
GRAPHIC IMAGE: #MeganTheeStallion shares a photo of her foot injury and speaks her truth about her recovery! 💯🙏🏽💯 Continuing to send you all the best Meg! ✨ pic.twitter.com/mPNDEvU7X7
Under the law, engagement rings are considered to be a “gift in contemplation of marriage” – and since the former couple wed, she legally accepted the gift.
However, according to the “Trap Queen” hitmaker, he never owned the ring outright when he proposed, claiming he bought the jewelry on consignment and never ended up paying for it. A few months after the marriage crumbled, Fetty reportedly gave the ring back to the jeweler.
While Gonzalez claims he owes her $37,000 in lieu of the ring – equivalent to its appraised value – the rapper is instead offering the alternative that the jeweler keeps the diamond ring and he will give his ex his own wedding band.
Fetty denies he was ever physically, verbally or emotionally abusive in the marriage, or that he’s abused alcohol or drugs.
The “679” hitmaker also denies getting his lover’s name tattooed on his wrist, and an additional accusation that he took one mistress with him on a trip to The Bahamas.
(AllHipHop News) Rap mogul Master P is grateful Kim Kardashian is turning her attention to try and free his incarcerated brother C-Murder, but warns this campaign “is not going to be easy.”
The reality TV star-turned-trainee lawyer hopes to use her legal connections to secure C-Murder’s freedom.
He has always maintained his innocence and has continued to fight for justice, but his latest request for a retrial was shot down last year despite two men, who appeared as witnesses for the prosecution in the original case, confessing to lying under oath after reportedly being cornered by police detectives.
Several jurors have also admitted they were pressured into convicting Miller.
“My whole thing is getting my brother home, and so whatever anybody can do, I appreciate it…,” Master P tells TMZ. “It’s just a blessing that people are understanding that my brother is innocent. He should’ve been free (sic)…”
However, he explains his family has “spent millions of dollars” fighting for C-Murder’s freedom, and it’s done little to change the situation in Louisiana.
“This place has a lot of corruption…,” he warns. “Hopefully Kim K, her celebrity status now (will help), but this is not going to be easy.”
Meanwhile, C-Murder has managed to share his joy at the news on Instagram, calling the pair God’s “angels.”
(AllHipHop News) Chris Cuomo went old school on Don Lemon — but in doing so, he butchered a Geto Boys classic.
The youngest Cuomo brother definitely gets an “A” for effort as the debate is still out on his recitation of one of Bushwick Bill’s songs.
During his breakdown of the Democratic National Convention, the People Magazine’s 2017 5th Sexiest Newsmen Alive contender tried to spit some hot fire for his colleague.
What promised to be another crazy Cuomo moment (he and his brother have gone viral several times this year with their cool demeanors and quick references to pop culture with the swag only true New Yorkers can posses), left a few folk old enough in the culture to care wondering if he was really a rap fan or feeding us something slick from his research team.
“You know listening to Clinton, let me go old school on you,” he asked. “Remember the Geto boys? Remember that rap group, the Geto Boys?”
“One of the guys was too short and they asked him in one of these songs … ‘What do you do when someone messes with your size?’ and then he says ‘First I laugh … then I just slap him in the ass … sounds like a car crash.”
By this time, Don Lemon has his hands over his face and is cracking up. But Cuomo continues, “That’s what the president did to us.”
While it is really unclear, fans are wondering if there was a flub or just some creative licensing going on.
What they did not wonder is if Cuomo mixed up Bushwick Bill with the Oakland rapper, Too Short? True fans understood that in trying to be swift with it, he tripped all over his old school rappers.
As a good sport, he admitted to the mess up and was able to laugh about it with his colleagues. Either way, it made for sheer comedy and another reason why the Hip-Hop community loved the Cuomos.
Think about it, who else would quote a random lyric from an album track from a that is over 30 years old? Oh yeah, Ari Melber from MSNBC. This cable news host recently had a segment with Geto Boys founder, Scarface, on his show.
For those who remember, the song is called, “Size Ain’t S##t” off of the Geto Boys sophomore album, Grip It! On That Other Level.
On it, someone asks High Dollar Billster, “What do you do when motherf##kers underestimate your size man?”
And the late great Hip-Hop giant responds in the song, “First of all I laugh! (Then what?) Smack their ass like a g###### car crash!”
Now to be fair, he probably was giving the world the PG version, since the song is a little bit much for the cable news station’s FCC regulations.
Method Man might be the host of SMACK/ URL’s Ultimate Madness 2, but not even the battle rap OG could get him in the ring.
It took another icon in the culture to lure the emcee out of battle rap retirement and get him to take the stage in the modern era of the sport. Who might be the wizard that has opened the door for one of Hip-Hop’s most treasured emcees?
Math Hoffa, that’s who!
The rapper turned mogul has created a new venture, Legends Onlyamid COVID2020 that is sure to be as transformative as his talk show, “My Expert Opinion.”
Not really a league, but an experience, Legends Only will connect high-level commercial rappers with a comparable battle rapper to give fans a show that they will never forget about.
AllHipHop.com connected with Math to talk about the series and he was more than willing to breakdown the deets on this inaugural contest between him and Tical.
Math Hoffa: I created this concept years ago. The 1st battle was supposed to be me & another battler but we got sidetracked with life and other business situations. Every now and then it would come to mind and I would be like yo! I need to finish this. Fortunately, 2020 had the now or never effect on me.
AllHipHop: How hard was it to get Method Man connected?
Math Hoffa: Meth is the big bro and you can tell by his career he has never had a problem with stepping outside the box. In fact, you can also attribute his continued success to that mindset. I told him what I wanted to do and he said “yes!” right away. It was almost like he saw the same vision I had. So shout to Meth!
AllHipHop: What is different about this battle concept than what others are doing?
Math Hoffa: It’s not just the battle, it’s not just who’s battling, it’s the overall vibe. It’s art. It’s more than just… You’d have to see it. I’m proud of myself.
AllHipHop: Who beat you or Method Man?
Math Hoffa: You have to subscribe to my YouTube channel to get those details. If you hit the notification bell, you can instantly get the alert when it drops and judge for yourself. That’s the beauty of battle rap, you get to judge the outcome for yourself. This will be the highest form of a rap artist’s expression … period.
So in that competition takes a backseat to excellence and two emcees with the desire of being “legendary” hence the name. This is the dream come true and a league that we have been waiting for! As a legend in the culture, and a fan of hip-hop, there’s no way to lose. I can’t lose as a businessman. Fans can’t lose as viewers. We all win. It is just that beautiful.
Titled Arise & Shine, the long-awaited fourth studio EP from the South London native of British and Nigerian heritage BREIS has been backed by two lead singles – the well-received solo rap cut “Stay Diligent” and the newly released fusion track “Wahala” featuring award-winning German Nigerian neo-soul veteran Nneka, and it also comes released with a special edition blue vinyl, and a behind-the-scenes book that details the making of the project titled Diary Of A Creative Mind. We sat down with BREIS to discuss his new EP, working with neo-soul royalty Nneka, and more.
AllHipHop: Is Arise & Shine more of a personal journey to your origin roots than any project before?
BREIS:Arise & Shine was a journey unlike any other project I’ve been involved in. I was actually working on an album in 2016 that got abandoned due to problems with my producer. I hadn’t planned my next steps and somehow my footsteps were guided to arrive at the place where I said, “Yes I’m going to make an EP and call it Arise & Shine.”
AllHipHop: Why was your recent journey to South Africa so decisive for the EP?
BREIS: My trip to SA was about having some time to myself. I’d been working noNstop for months and wasn’t creating anything new. In SA, I met with so many other creatives thriving in their creativity that it reminded me of its importance. The music, the people, the vibes all helped me rediscover the love to create. I came across an artist in his gallery and was in awe of his style and commissioned him to paint my EP cover. I found a freedom in myself that I hadn’t experienced in a while, I was asking for anything I wanted and was getting a lot more than I normally would.
AllHipHop: How are the separate songs linked to each other? Why did you choose this song order particularly?
BREIS: I started off with songs that I didn’t think fit into the theme of an album I was working on a few years back. I started looking at musical ideas I’d put on the backburner, it ended up being very eclectic but somehow they worked together well. When you put all the songs together, you get a mantra: stay diligent, arise & shine, give dem wahala and keep on.
AllHipHop: Nowadays artists are constantly producing new albums and some may feel pressured to release music regularly, was it important for you to give yourself time in the development process?
BREIS: I’ve never been the kind of artist that constantly releases music every month. Music is quite an organic thing with me. I probably give myself too much time to work on projects. However this time around the timing was perfect. Everything started to become clearer whilst I was in SA.
AllHipHop: It was your first time releasing a behind-the-scenes book, how did you get the idea and what did it mean to you to document the making of the project?
BREIS: ‘Diary of a Creative Mind’ is my second book. My first book was looking at the inspiration behind my lyrics. With this book, I wanted to take it further in terms of not just behind the scenes of my lyrics but the thoughts, triumphs and challenges that an independent artist faces. Emotionally and spiritually I was in a dark place after losing my mum but could see how focusing on this project was healing. I decided to document that process, it developed into a diary.
AllHipHop: How did growing up in London and Lagos shape you and your music?
BREIS: Lagos gave me my African pride and a lot of self-discipline. London opened my eyes to the world at large and made me appreciate my Nigerian culture even more. I grew up on Motown and many Nigerian music styles including Fuji, juju music and Afrobeat. When I returned to London, I began to appreciate the music of my youth even more.
AllHipHop: Your song “Wahala” is referring to the pandemic lockdown as well, how was this time for you personally?
BREIS: The lockdown was horrible! In the first few weeks, it was obvious that either the UK government didn’t have a clue and were incompetent or they were okay with many lives being lost. I tried to stay busy and kept writing, then decided to build a home studio. I lost an uncle just before lockdown, then lost another one during. Around this time, Ty and my friend Sofia went into hospital for about 6 weeks. It was a very crippling time for me, but I got to a stage where I said I won’t be a prisoner in this life anymore and focused on living in the present instead of the unknown future.
AllHipHop: How can music help us to get through ‘Wahala’ and hard times?
BREIS: Music can heal, music can uplift, change your attitude, your demeanor or state of being. It’s possible to stay out of mild depression if you’re listening to the right music and allowing the higher vibrations to move your molecular structure.
AllHipHop: What did it mean to you to produce your first song in Nigerian Pidgin?
BREIS: I wanted to distinguish myself from other rappers and it was my culture that became the thing. Language, sounds and rhythms. It made me a little odd to some at the time but it worked for me. When I rapped in Pidgin for the first time, the response was insane. That’s the moment I knew I had something and decided to continue with it. Many years later it’s quite common to hear it in songs, so a few who experienced it back then knew I was ahead of my time.
AllHipHop: How did you experience the collaboration with Nneka?
BREIS: I opened up for Nneka in London many years ago. We stayed friends and kept in touch for a while before losing contact. I happened to be visiting Nigeria one year at the same time as she was. When I had the track for ‘Wahala’, I contacted her manager, Yemi to get her to come to the studio and record. She was an absolute angel. She’s a very free spirit that knows her voice and trusts her musical instincts. I have footage from the day on a camcorder, I need to find it.
AllHipHop: Will you release further visuals for the EP?
BREIS: I planned to shoot videos for the 5 songs of the EP. I’ve shot 3 already. So far there isn’t another lockdown, I’ll shoot 2 more.
AllHipHop: What’s the overriding takeaway or message that you want listeners to leave with after listening to this EP?
BREIS: The overall message is that life sucks but what are you gonna do about it? I choose to stay diligent, believe in my artistry in my worth and stop hiding my light because that serves nobody. No matter the wahala, you have to keep on and arise & shine.
Okito is a man who wears his complications and contradictions on his sleeve. His debut album, Dystopian Heart, oscillates between soulful unrequited love songs and bleeding-edge raw, rock and roll rap.
Now, the Orlando, Florida-based MC and producer premieres his new single titled “SenDatNegga,” exclusively on AllHipHop.
The track indulges the more unhinged side of his personality, dealing a venomous blow to his ex with a gloriously self-aggrandizing anthem.
Okito states, “It’s the classic tale of your ex threatening to get their new ‘boo’ involved. Maybe you had a disagreement? Maybe they’re claiming their new man is better than you? Your response should be SENDATNEGGA! He’s nothing compared to me. I don’t care if he has more money, if he’s taller or has more muscles. No matter what, I win. I took all those emotions and wrote this song. Was there some anger involved? Sure. A little pettiness? Maybe. But the song is raw and unfiltered about how I felt in that moment.”
Combining raucous production with a wily musical flow seems to come naturally to the Florida MC who seems intent on pushing the genre into fresh waters.
“SenDatNegga” is sophisticated yet raw and emotional, signaling the arrival of a new artist flush with old school cool and new school swagger.
Elijah The Boy is here to put on for real hip-hop, injecting pain and real-life struggles into his lyrics for the masses to relate to. Boasting 261K followers on Instagram alone, the South Bronx, New York native prides himself in wanting to put on for his family and making sure all his people eat around him.
Speaking on his environment coming up, he describes it as “a beauty in the struggle type thing. It was hard but it was lit at the same time. You grow up in a building with mad people so you got mad friends.”
Getting his start making music super young and growing up in the culture, the “Don’t Wanna Be In Love” artist credits his mom as his key inspiration. When you listen to his music, you can feel it — something he calls emotional attraction. Now, he releases his most powerful record yet titled “Hard Days.”
AllHipHop caught up with Elijah to discuss his journey as an independent artist, recording “Hard Days,” studio essentials, goals, and more!
AllHipHop: Raised by a single mother, you lost your father at one year old. How has music been a coping mechanism for you?
Elijah The Boy: You don’t realize how crazy your life is until you go out of your zone and meet somebody else who’s from a different environment. They look at you like you have 2 heads when you explain what you went through growing up. I thought it’s regular for people to grow up with no father, drugs in the family. When I stepped out and started going to other states, nah this s##t ain’t regular bro. You aren’t going through regular s##t. Music was always my thing. My mom has a big influence on everything that I do, that’s my best friend. I bring her out at the shows, she be turning up on stage. She’s lit, my mom had me super young so she’s young. It’s dope because I’m young, we can experience this s##t together.
AllHipHop: Talk about selling out shows in New York independently, that’s impressive.
Elijah The Boy: I don’t give no f##ks. I promote “link in my bio” all day, I don’t give a f##k. I didn’t know anybody in the industry, so I had to make my own buzz. We’re going to keep dropping until something sticks. We’re going to create our own noise. I’ve done Meet & Greets with Reebok and it’s 1000 kids outside. I walked into Reebok like “hey, can I speak to a manager?” They looked mad sus at first: this kid coming in here tryna talk to a manager about a Meet & Greet, we don’t know you. It’s all about presenting yourself. When they see me speak, they can tell in my demeanor I believe in myself and I’m really serious. Selling out shows, same thing. I hit up SOB’s myself, I sold that out. I hit up the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, sold that out. I don’t give a f##k, we walk in there and present ourselves. If they dub us, their loss. We find somebody else and make s##t happen.
AllHipHop: At what point did you realize you could do music for a living?
Elijah The Boy: I went to college for a semester, not even. I was there, but I wasn’t there. I went because nobody in my family ever even went, I wanted to give that to my mother. I went, that s##t’s not for me. I was 19, it wasn’t hitting. I was always doing music but I didn’t take it seriously until when I graduated high school. My first semester of college, one day I thought “I gotta figure something out.” I already knew college was temporary, but I didn’t know how to tell that to my mom because she had high hopes.
Even though I’m not crazy big, there’s still people who haven’t even gotten to my level. They ask me “how did you build it?”, because everything I’ve done is organic. I write, I record myself, I got my own studio, I do everything myself. I used to record in Staten Island because I could afford studio time. I used to take the ferry all the way over there on a boat to record for 2 hours, while working a 9 to 5. I was working at the World Trade Center and going to school. When artist give me excuses, you need to shut the f##k up. You’re not doing enough bro, make it happen.
AllHipHop: “Don’t Wanna Be In Love” is at over 3.2 million views on Youtube!
Elijah The Boy: That s##t went crazy, I didn’t expect that. That was a remix type s##t, I guess it stuck. I dropped a project 3 months ago, I’m dropping more visuals. I want people to see my face more.
AllHipHop: What were your best memories from that record?
Elijah The Boy: The video was funny because “Don’t Wanna Be In Love,” yet I got one girl in it. I’m boo’d up with one girl. I was supposed to have mad girls, but I didn’t have any juice at the time. I wasn’t lit. Literally mad bros, it was awkward. Every artist from New York has that bodega music video. [laughs]
AllHipHop: You dropped “Hard Days” on your birthday, what did you do to celebrate?
Elijah The Boy: I rented an Airbnb because nothing’s open, we got really f##ked up. No lie, we got super drunk. It was lit. f##k it, I’ma get f##ked up, drink, and celebrate the record. That record’s growing, the fans are f##king with it. I’m really proud of the music video because I directed it myself. I set designed the room, I came up with the treatment. I knew the exact vision I wanted to go for, it’s my baby.
AllHipHop: The message is so relatable, what were you going through when you recorded it?
Elijah The Boy: Going through the music s##t, it’s a roller coaster. You have times you feel like you have it all figured it out, times where you might drop a little, times where you go back up. That’s really where my headspace was. The fans think as soon as you’re lit, you have better days — but you’re still going through crazy s##t. I’m still going through struggle. I still got family members in this. I still got a story to tell, it doesn’t end. Reflecting on all those painful moments in my life, everything that I went through, how you can use that as fuel to really make it out. Use that as motivation to fuel you, because a lot of people lack that. They don’t have the drive, they believe they can’t be s##t when it’s really a headspace thing.
AllHipHop: How do you push through and keep a strong mindset?
Elijah The Boy: Honestly, it’s more the circle you keep. For me, you have certain people to remind you. With social media, it’s so easy to get caught up with “oh I don’t have this” or “I’m not doing that yet.” It’s super depressing in a way because you know where you want to be and you see all this s##t. It’s having people around me who motivate me like “bro you’re killing it!” Nobody from my hood has done what I’ve done already. I do a lot of reflecting. I look back at moments when I sold out my shows. I like to record everything, I look at the videos like “yo that’s lit!” I’ll sit there like “nah, f##k that! Get out your bag, let’s keep it going.” My loved ones. I get in those moments, but I never stay there. I don’t live there, I visit.
AllHipHop: Do you miss performing?
Elijah The Boy: Hell f##king yeah. I did a show in AZ last week but it couldn’t be real because it’s so many rules. I want people to be in front of me. I want to f##king feel everybody. I miss doing all those shows, I hope that this s##t gets situated real soon.
AllHipHop: Have you picked up any new hobbies or interests during quarantine?
Elijah The Boy: Before I was rapping, I used to draw a lot so I started drawing and painting. I learned how to give myself a haircut, it was getting a lil crazy. [laughs] I workout every morning.
AllHipHop: Who do you bump while you’re working out?
Elijah The Boy: I f##k with a lot of Polo G, Lil Durk. Their vibes, I like that pain motivational s##t. I bump the intro to G Herbo’s album, that s##t goes. It makes me hyped. I got a whole workout playlist, I let that s##t play. Even Pop Smoke, J.I. I f##k with J.I., he’s from where I’m from.
AllHipHop: Somebody in the comments said “we need a J.I. collab”
Elijah The Boy: They keep saying that, I f##k with what he’s doing. Coming from the city especially New York, a lot of rappers hate instead of showing love. I’m not like that. There’s enough money out here, there’s enough ears and people to listen. Whoever’s killing it in the city, I tip my hat off to you. Keep going! That’s really how I am.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Elijah The Boy: I need tea. Recently it’s been tea because I sleep with the AC on, that s##t’s been f##king me up. It depends on the vibe but I like tequila, so I drink tequila. People that bring good energy. I need people hyping me up like “yo bro, go head! f##k s##t up.” I’m the type when I record it, know we’re about to listen to that b##ch 100 times.
AllHipHop: What are some goals for yourself at this point of your career?
Elijah The Boy: I really want to expand the brand, f##k with different sounds, mingle a little bit more. In the beginning, I wasn’t really out in the scenes enough. I was closed in. That’s not necessarily 100 percent a good thing because networking is key to this s##t. Being around more and having those conversations, exploring ways of being creatives. I always want to be creative. Whatever the f##k we doing, let’s make it a creative space. Really growing in that aspect.
AllHipHop: What’s one thing that fans may not know about you?
Elijah The Boy: I don’t like clowns. [laughs]
AllHipHop: Metaphorical or actual clowns?
Elijah The Boy: Metaphorical, I don’t f##k with them either. But actual clowns, I don’t f##k with them. And people think I’m short, I don’t know why but I’m 6’1”. I’m not short.
AllHipHop: Maybe it’s the “The Boy”
Elijah The Boy: Maybe. When I meet fans in the street and they ask for pictures, they say “you’re mad tall!” How do I look small? I don’t understand.
AllHipHop: Did you do sports?
Elijah The Boy: Baseball when I was kid, but it was never really my thing. I was always into music, that was my s##t. We gon’ rap, that’s it. I was trash when I first started, f##king terrible. I thought I was the s##t, but I was terrible. I listen to that s##t now, whoever told me to keep going was dead ass lying.
AllHipHop: Did you just keep practicing?
Elijah The Boy: Yeah, some artists have that talent where they can freestyle everything. I’ve been in the studio with certain artists where they have that gift. RIP to Juice WRLD, he was one of them. My s##t is way more calculated. I’m a writer. It won’t take long but I’ll sit there and really figure it out to get the vibe I want.
AllHipHop: What can we expect music wise?
Elijah The Boy: More pain. Last project I dropped was Not What it Used To Be months ago. It’s more hype music: we don’t give a f##k, we gon’ turn up. I want to tell more of my story. I want that emotional connection with a listener. Once you have that, it’s hard to break. They f##k with you so much. I already have those die-hard fans, now it’s about getting more.
(AllHipHop News) Rapper DaBaby has settled a $100,000 lawsuit over a skipped concert.
The “Rockstar” hitmaker, real name Jonathan Kirk, was accused of bailing on a scheduled show at the Centro Night Club in Lawrence, Massachusetts in May, 2019, after clashing with a fan.
The MC fired back with a countersuit, alleging promoters had failed to provide him with adequate security, but now the two sides have struck a private settlement.
As a result, the legal case has been closed and all claims are dismissed.
(AllHipHop News) Incarcerated rapper Kodak Black is showing his appreciation and love for his attorney by gifting his “father figure” a brand new truck.
The “Zeze” star, real name Bill K. Kapri, is still behind bars for federal weapons-related charges, but he decided to treat his longtime legal representative, Bradford Cohen, to a belated Father’s Day surprise and sent him to his local Chevy dealership to pick up a special delivery – a 2020 Chevy Z71.
Kodak had made sure the truck was fully paid for in advance, and after the big reveal, he shared a snap of Cohen posing next to his new ride on social media.
In the accompanying Instagram caption, he revealed Cohen had proved to be so much more to him than just an attorney, writing: “Anyone Can Be A Daddy But Everyone Cant Be A Father Calling You My Lawyer Would B Disrespectful. God Put You In My Life & You’ve Been A Father Figure To Me. Happy Belated Fathers Day and Happy Belated Birthday Pops . I Love You.”
Cohen responded to the heartwarming post by vowing to continue “going the extra mile” for Kodak and all of his clients, while also revealing he would be making a donation in the rapper’s name to the criminal justice reform non-profit, The Innocence Project.
(AllHipHop Rumors) Kanye West has been consistent in his inconsistency. For some, that is problematic, but for me, it’s ok. We now know who dude is. He is supposed to be running for president, but instead is hanging out with the weird guys from Chick-Fil-A.
I got not real dog in the fight anymore. I am just “reporting” on what is going on a this point. I scoop up the dog sh*t the news bypasses. So, Steve and Kanye…Steve? Wait a minute, Steve Harvey…that you, Q-dog?
Now, Steve Harvey hasn’t really been seen in any real capacity beyond Family Feud. There’s the Lori Harvey stuff and back in the day with…Trump. I know a lot of people that have him on the “list,” but I don’t. For now. The internet, not so much.
(AllHipHop News) Two of the most celebrated music artistsof the lastthree decades recorded a song together. An unreleased Mariah Carey/Lauryn Hill collaboration will appear on the forthcoming The Rarities album.
Carey’s next collection of tunes is set to arrive later this year, and the tracklist for The Rarities includes a song titled“Save The Day” with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill creator. This will be MC’s first full-length release since 2018’s Caution studio LP.
This one is for you, my fans. It's to celebrate us, and to thank you for 🤫 years of pure love and support. I am so grateful to you 🐑❤️ THE RARITIES album is out October 2 🦋 Pre-order now: https://t.co/vZ4SBXQ8hgpic.twitter.com/4JRW51QxVq
“This one is for you, my fans. It’s to celebrate us, and to thank you for years of pure love and support. I am so grateful to you ❤️ THE RARITIES album is out October 2 ,” tweeted Carey.
The Rarities is being described as a 15-track compilation project that will also include a bonus set of 17 recordings from Mariah Carey’s live performances at the Tokyo Dome in the 1990s. The iconic Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee will also release her Meaning of Mariah Carey memoir on September 29.
(AllHipHop News) “This album is going to be really different. Of course, it’s going to have my Lemonade moments, my personal relationship moments,” said Cardi B about her upcoming second studio LP.
The mention of Beyoncé’s 2016 Grammy-winning masterpiece Lemonade gave the impression that Cardi will be delving deeper into her life experiences on her next project. The “Bodak Yellow” rapper’s longtime engineer, Evan LaRay Brunson, recently spoke about some of Cardi’s unreleased tracks.
“We have two personal ones right now. One is a real R&B one and one is a little more uptempo,” Brunson told Grammy.com. “Both the songs are really her experience as far as motherhood, being on the shows, wanting to come back, marriage, media pressure on her family, she makes it really personal.”
Brunson was behind the boards for Cardi B’s 3x-Platinum debut album Invasion of Privacy. He also engineered the megastar’s #1 Billboard Hot 100 smash “WAP” featuring Megan Thee Stallion as well as other new songs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“If anything comes out of this quarantine, we’re going to have an album. We’re going to have a hit. Something is going to come out of it,” said the Apollo X6/MacBook Pro user.
“She treats music sort of like a work shift. She’ll be like, ‘Alright, I’m waking up, coming to the studio at this time, and I’m going to make sure I’m going to get a song or idea done so I can go home and see my kid,’” added Brunson. “Quarantine actually helped her with that. Since there’s no shows or anything, all she’s been doing is spending time with her family.”
(AllHipHop News) Apple Music’s flagship radio station once known as Beats 1 is being renamed as Apple Music 1. The global brand is home to shows curated by stars like Lil Wayne, Frank Ocean, Vince Staples, and The Weeknd.
Apple Music 1 is also presenting new programs. For example, New York City-bred emcee Young M.A is hosting Me Always Radio. Her first episode featured guest appearances by Hip Hop legend Eminem, Brooklyn rap newcomer Fivio Foreign, and NFL star Odell Beckham Jr.
Helllooo! Launching my own radio show tonight at 8PM EST. #MeAlwaysRadio on Apple Music 1. Hosted by me. Only on @AppleMusic
Snoop Dogg, Ciara, Travis Scott, J Balvin, Aitch, Kerwin Frost, HAIM, Lady Gaga, Nile Rodgers, and more artists are taking the helm for other new Apple Music 1 shows. Two additional radio stations – Apple Music Hits and Apple Music Country – have been added to the lineup as well.
“For the past five years, if ever there was a meaningful moment in music culture, Beats 1 was there bringing human curation to the forefront and drawing in listeners with exclusive shows from some of the most innovative, respected, and beloved people in music,” says Oliver Schusser, Vice President of Apple Music, Beats, and International Content.
Schusser continues, “Now, Apple Music radio provides an unparalleled global platform for artists across all genres to talk about, create, and share music with their fans, and this is just the beginning. We will continue to invest in live radio and create opportunities for listeners around the world to connect with the music they love.”
Since the introduction of Beats 1 in 2015, artist-led programming has been broadcast from studios in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, and London. Apple Music also provided a platform for presenters like Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden, Brooke Reese, Dotty, Hanuman Welch, Matt Wilkinson, Nadeska, Rebecca Judd, and Travis Mills.
“Apple Music is home – it’s home to artists, it’s home to fans, and it’s home to incredible music,” said Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director. “I’m an obsessive music nerd. I love searching for the most exciting new artists and playing them right alongside the most essential, established artists of our time, because great music does not know the difference and Apple Music fans just want to hear great music. That’s what Apple Music radio is all about.”
Explore all-new stations and dozens of exclusive shows.
(AllHipHop News) Olurotimi “Rotimi” Akinosho first caught a lot of television watchers’ attention with his portrayal of Andre “Dre” Coleman on the Starz drama series Power. The New Jersey-born actor is also a professional recording artist.
Rotimi has released music projects such as While You Wait, Royal Wednesday,Summer Bangerz, Walk With Me, The Beauty of Becoming, and Unplugged Sessions. The singer/songwriter recently signed a multi-million dollar deal with EMPIRE.
“It’s an artist’s dream to have control over their journey, and to partner with a label that fully commits to that dream is a reality that I’m grateful for,” states Rotimi. “Their belief in me and support of my visions have been amazing and I’m looking forward to continuing this collaboration on an even higher level.”
The 31-year-old entertainer is set to drop an official music video for his single “In My Bed” featuring Wale later this month. Rotimi and his team executed a plan to film the visuals while practicing social-distancing in order to combat the spread of COVID-19.
“Beyond being an incredibly talented musician and actor, Rotimi leaves a lasting impression on anyone he meets with his genuine passion and authenticity,” says Nima Etminan, EMPIRE’s COO. “His excitement for his craft cuts through in everything he does. We’ve already enjoyed success together and the EMPIRE family is thrilled to enter the next chapter of our partnership with Ro.”
Kenny Hamilton of CSH Management Group adds, “[EMPIRE founder Ghazi Shami] has been a man of his word from day one. Him, along with Nina and [EMPIRE VP of A&R Tina Davis] have helped us grow in every aspect of this business and I’m very thankful to have them as partners as the world continues to grow and love the music Rotimi is putting out.”
(AllHipHop News) Shéyaa Bin “21 Savage” Abraham-Joseph’s Leading By Example Foundation partnered with Chime, Juma.org, Black Voters Matter, and M.O.B.B. (March On Ballot Boxes) to present the “Issa Back 2 School Drive.” The fifth edition of the charitable effort adhered to COVID-19 safety guidelines.
In conjunction with Chime and Juma, Savage provided local students and their families with laptops and free wifi. The attendees were also gifted backpacks filled with school supplies, financial literacy toolkits, and face masks.
Black Voters Matter Fund and M.O.B.B. assisted in helping people over the age of 18 to register to vote. Contactless voter registration was provided as well as paper registration forms for those without official Georgia identification.
“Issa Back 2 School Drive” is an extension of 21 Savage’s years-long commitment to community building and philanthropic endeavors. Previously, the Grammy winner made a $25,000 donation to the #ATLStrong COVID-19 relief fund which was established by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic caused 21 Savage to take his Financial Literacy Campaign with Get Schooled online with the launch of the national “Bank Account at Home” in July. The Chime x 21 Savage initiative offered free financial literacy lessons to youth across the country.
