(AllHipHop News) Comedian D.L. Hughley fears he passed on COVID-19 to his son and radio show co-workers days before passing out during a show in Nashville, Tennessee last month.
The 57-year-old tested positive for coronavirus after he fell ill on stage at Zanie’s comedy club on June 19th, and he’s now convinced he had already passed on the virus, which he probably contracted in Texas.
In an interview Hughley says, “I’m in my last days of quarantine… I’d been dehydrated, obviously, I’d been exhausted. So the COVID kinda just put everything in hyperdrive.
“I didn’t have any symptoms as a matter of fact, but what happened was, I had been in Dallas. A week before, I had done a bunch of shows in Dallas, which is interesting… I knew that if I wanted to perform I had to go to a state where the government of that state didn’t give a damn about their people.
“I got back… and I’d gone to, you know, do the radio show. And then I did the TV show on Wednesday and then I flew out to the thing in Nashville. Everybody who I came in contact with that Tuesday at the radio show tested positive. Everybody. My son, my co-host (Jasmine Sanders).”
(AllHipHop News) Kehlani is being sued by a luxury car rental company for allegedly returning a Ferrari to them with nearly $25,000 of damage after smashing it up on the set of a music video.
According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ, the 25-year-old singer hired the black car on April 19th and the 22nd.
While she is said to have insisted at the time that the vehicle was for her personal use only, the company claims she used it in her “Open (Passionate)” video, which is where the damage occurred.
Representatives from the organization claim the car was smashed into an animal or another object on the set of the video, which cost them more than $1,000 a day as it was repaired.
In addition, they have accused Kehlani of costing them more than $35,000 in potential rental fees.
And following the collision, the value of the Ferrari was reduced by $88,573.
The company is requesting damages from Kehlani, as well as asking for her driver’s license to be suspended.
(AllHipHop News) Donald Trump is one of the most divisive and controversial presidents in history, however, rapper Styles P completely prefers him to past Democratic forerunner Hillary Clinton.
The Lox member believes that as bad as things are currently, if Hillary Clinton would have become president, it would have been worse.
“I can see Trump’s racism. He’s blatant with it…I feel like the Reds (Republicans), they let you know, they on their conservative s##t, they with the rich white people way,” Styles P told AllHipHop.com.
Trump has been branded a racist, misogynist, and a xenophobe, but Styles asserts the Democratic Party has not done a lot for Black people.
“I think Hillary and the Blues (Democrats) tend to use Black people. They sit there and we don’t really look at the history of what they got. Bill Clintons locked up more people than slavery,” Styles P continued. “I remember Hillary Clinton calling us ‘super-predators.’ So chilling in Harlem, eating chicken and playing the sax (like Bill Clinton famously did) and all that, that’s all cool. But I still look at the numbers.
“I still think about the people who’s not home from three strikes (a Draconian law that permanently locks up law offender after three felonies. They were first implemented on March 7, 1994 when Bill Clinton was president.) And that’s the Democratic Party, that’s not the Republican Party,” Styles P told AllHipHop.com.
Styles also believes that Republicans’ “honesty” is better than the Democrats covert deceptions, pointing to the laws like “Three Strikes” passed by the party during the Clinton presidential administration that has so many Blacks under the jail.
At this point, Styles is not a member of either wing of the bird and he maintains Black people need to be more empowered.
“Altogether, I’m not for either party, that’s where I stand,” the Juice for Life co-founder stated. “I think we need a whole new system …as Black people, we should find a way to have our own strength and be able to exercise that strength for our own party that’s going to benefit us. Neither one of these parties are really benefiting us.”
Moreover, Styles believes that Hillary’s campaign was conspiring to lock down the country long before Trump unexpectedly barreled his way into the office.
“I feel like Trump wasn’t supposed to be there, in office, he happened to be in office,” Styles said. “I felt like this plan was already set in play. Obama did the alley-oop and Hillary was supposed to come catch it…”
“I think if she would have caught that alley-oop, we would all be f##ked right now. It would have been forced vaccinations everywhere. That’s why I feel we are better off with him [Trump] as the president,” Styles P concluded.
(AllHipHop News) Apple Studios bosses have won the bidding war for Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua’s new runaway slave film “Emancipation.”
The $120 million-plus deal, brokered during the Cannes Virtual Market, marks the largest film festival acquisition in history and lands Apple chiefs the world rights over rivals at Warner Bros.
The film will now premiere in theaters and on Apple TV+.
It will be produced by Apple Studios, alongside Smith, Fuqua, and their associates at Westbrook Studios and Fuqua Films.
The film is inspired by an 1863 photo, titled “The Scourged Back,” which features the bare back of a slave, scarred by deep whip marks delivered by a plantation boss.
Fuqua says, “The photograph was the first viral image of the brutality of slavery that the world saw, which is interesting, when you put it into perspective with today and social media and what the world is seeing, again. You can’t fix the past, but you can remind people of the past and I think we have to, in an accurate, real way.”
Hunter LaMar prides himself in using music to amplify the voices of political activists and thank them for their tireless work. Raised in New Jersey by a broadway singer and a psychology professor, LaMar is now a performer and arranger based in Los Angeles. It was at Berklee College of Music where he honed in on his skills singing, rapping, and playing instruments.
Beyond the music, Hunter is known for his natural inclination to learn about others’ diverses experiences, lightening the mood and spreading positive in any situation. While conscious music is part of his artistry, he also has the ability to create party anthems to turn up to.
Now, he releases his most powerful song to date: “Tobacco” featuring Haasan Barclay. Listen above as we continue to push the narrative for equality, and an end to racism and police brutality.
Law enforcement sources reported she wasn’t injured this time but has suffered severe financial losses after the perpetrators made off with more than $100,000 in property – including five purses.
Tori was staying at a rental house with 15 to 20 people when, sometime around midnight, six men wearing masks entered via a back door.
The suspects were armed, according to authorities, and demanded cash, jewelry, and phones.
Police chiefs are now looking for videos from around the area but no arrests have been made in the investigation so far.
(AllHipHop Features) Geechi Gotti carries the West Coast battle rap scene on his back like a sprawling tattoo.
His accent drips the lazy gait of a gangsta’s tongue. He walks cool like he is not in a hurry, but there is a silent intensity and urgency in his presence. Born six weeks and five days before NWA dropped Straight Outta Compton, he embodies the community of his birth with the prideful tribalism that we’ve seen in Kendrick Lamar, The Game, YG, DJ Quick and King T. He personifies the best attributes of the town’s most beloved Hip-Hop figure, Eazy-E.
This is a heritage that he is acutely aware of but never thought was his to grasp.
“When I grew up Compton was lit for sure,” Gotti shares.
When asked about artists like NWA, and the group’s impact on the very streets that molded Champion’s “Champion of The Year” for two years in a row, he admits that Eazy-E was the member that he connected to most.
“In NWA, my favorite member was Eazy-E, off the rip. Even when he wasn’t with them anymore, the neighborhood that I am from still rocked with Eazy. So, I was a fan too. I was young, but at the same time, I was listening to the music. I understood what it was about.”
“And Eazy was getting big money.”
For most kids that grew up in the late 80s and 90s, when money, gangs, and drugs flooded the communities like never before — everything about how Eazy moved had to be attractive to the young Comptonian.
“He also had the real Compton swag. Not to knock the rest of them, but Eazy epitomized what a Compton dude was supposed to look like in the streets … at least in my eyes.”
A young Gotti was watching.
Not only Eazy-E but the other men that decorated his hood like stop signs. The ways of his hood, traditions of the land, early on he adopted and applied those survival skills. Thus making him such a brilliant rapper.
Over the last six or seven years, people have come to know the wordsmith for his authentic gangsta talk. No one does it better. There might be folk who have been vetted in the streets just as long as he has … and might even wear the same flag … but got them.
One reason is that Gotti does not try to convince people that he is a “G.”
Nicknamed “Baby,” if you are ever wondering if his version of history matches up with the folklore of his hood (located between Central Avenue to Wilmington, and Greenleaf and Alondra Blvd), just remember his slogan: “when it’s real, y’all can tell, y’all can see it in they eyes.”
“Growing up in Compton, you kinda learn to stay in the cut and be more observant; slow to speak and quick to listen.” He says that this is a lesson that he lives by because the wrong move can “put you in a position that you probably wouldn’t put yourself in.”
Gotti says that not paying attention can cost you. He knows. The wrong moves almost cost him everything.
It is no secret that Gotti was in the streets. Despite the best efforts of his birth family, the street family that he found as a Crip had a magnetic draw over him. But it is also no secret … that he is a smart man. He knows how to get money, he reads, he is articulate and his assessment of situations can be lighting fast. Like an Eazy-E or even a Malcolm X, his swift thinking and knack for vocabulary made him a leader even before he knew he was. It also served, unbeknownst to him, as his segue into rap music.
Because let’s be clear … he was good in the streets … rap music was the last thing on his mind.
“When I was still in high school, I recorded music in my friend’s closet. He had a little studio set up and he took it seriously. He was making beats and all that back then. He was pushing me like ‘Man, you dope. Keep it going.’ I wasn’t taking it that seriously. But as years went by and people started rocking with it, I started to believe that there might be something in this.”
After graduating high school, the emcee went to college. First, he attended Compton College, and then he transferred to Grambling State in Louisiana. I went there for like a year.”
His biological family supported him in going to the HBCU.
As a student, he joined the ranks of other celebrity GSU Tigers like E-40 and Erykah Badu. While there, he was working toward his Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Criminal Justice. He didn’t know what he might do with it. People recommended to the teen that he take the major so that his probation officer would be impressed and get him off his paperwork quicker.
At the school, he also was exposed to a different influx of rap music that helped develop that elite pen that has made him one of the most feared rappers on the Ultimate Rap League.
“I like West Coast rappers, but the music I was listening to was down South or East Coast dudes.” Gotti explains, “I was listening to Cassidy and all his mixtapes. Cam’ron is one of my favorite rappers. Jadakiss. I was listening to Project Pat and the Hot Boyz. Three 6 Mafia and all that. That’s kinda where my style comes from. I emulate that street talk, but at the same time I also keep it lyrical.”
The year was 2006, he was enjoying himself as a rising sophomore and going home to Compton for the break. While home for the summer, he caught a burglary case and that stopped him from returning to the historically Black college.
“I was like, now I got to take stuff seriously. I’m sitting in jail. I am like ‘I was in school doing my thing.’ Now, I have to figure stuff out.”
Remember, the lesson Gotti shared earlier about one wrong move could cost someone everything? He slowly earned that lesson honestly.
“Just that fast, I kinda messed everything up. Before I even went to college, I was in juvenile. Even my family getting me into that school was a blessing and for me to come back and mess up again … felt like I was letting my family down.”
“I was kind of young and I didn’t take it seriously. But I did learn some things, even though I did not recognize the whole magnitude of the situation.”
“That whole time, I always felt like I could rap.”
That very thing that he took for granted in High School — that past time that he thought had no value and was just something to do — actually became his life-line. Forget the money and the fame that he is experiencing now, this was the Kairos moment that opened his universe all the way up. It was the birth of Ruthless Records for Eazy-E. It was the finding of the Nation of Islam for Malcolm X. It was the universe’s gift that saved him from himself.
“I started getting into my music heavy. I am putting out songs in my neighborhood around this time and I am getting my buzz. People are starting to know me.”
The music became his redeemer. Then in 2013 or 2014, another friend and battle rapper named Crown Vic took him to Kevin Parks’ league, The Riot. One day, Parks threw a battle and lined up an opponent for Gotti. He told him that the winner would get a purse of $100 and being the hustler that he is … he primed himself to snatch the bag. That win was on the humble, but Parks saw something … that millions of fans have come to see … Gotti is a god in this space. Parks booked him with King Rico as Gotti’s first on-camera battle.
Gotti battled a rapper named Yak the Rippa and in the audience was the URL talent scout, Norbes. Shortly after that, the rapper did his first PG and within no time he found himself on a larger stage battling Cave Gang’s assassin Ave on the URL Traffic card.
“When they responded to my first haymaker, that sh*t was crazy. That’s when I knew that I arrived. They were listening to me now. I’d say some sh*t and they’d catch it all. I said my slogan, ‘You’ze a B*tch’ and they screamed. That’s when I knew that they f*cked with me.”
Geechi Gotti’s slogan “You’ze a B*tch,” is one of those trademarked sayings that you just remember. It packs just as much of a punch as Shotgun Suge’s “What’s Your Life Like?”, John John da Don’s “Multiple Choices” or Hitman’s “Remixes.” It actually has just as much power as his NOME X opponent, Aye Verb’s “Showtime.” But how did he come up with it?
“The first battle that I used it in was against this battle rapper called 65 Hunnit. I used it on him because of his image as a bully. That was my whole goal: to make him look like he wasn’t one. ‘You big to them but when you battle me you’ze a b*tch to me.’ I used that in all three rounds and people f*cked with it. So, I kept it.”
And they have been not only f*cking with the slogan but him as a battle rapper.
He is one of the few in his generation (who in a few short years) has not only graced big stages but has a resume of competition that could easily match any first-generation vet.
Since his debut on the Ultimate Rap League, a little over 3 and a half years ago, he not only counts 2 COTY under his belt (a feat that no other battler in history has ever done), The Source Magazine’s “Battler of the Year,” BET Hip-Hop Awards, but has faced the following names: Glueazy, JC, T-Top, K-Shine, Marv One and Quest McCody in a tag team with B-Dot, Shotgun Suge, Rum Nitty, Arsonal, Tsu Surf, K-Shine (again) and DNA with Rum Nitty as his partner in the West Coast supergroup “EFB,” and he went in front of the face of URL, Tay Roc.
He has appeared on Traffic 3, Born Legacy Supreme 2, Initiation, Summer Madness 7 and 8, The Strike 2.5, SMACK Vol. 3, 4, and 5, Born Legacy 6 and 7, NOME 9, Summer Impact, Lock Down, Royalty, Genesis, Quarantine Sterilized, and now he is on the biggest stage of his life at NOME X.
NOME X is a remarkable accomplishment for the lyricist. The card will feature pioneer rapper Loaded Lux against Tsu Surf, Tay Roc against Daylyt, John John da Don will stand before Ill Will and Th3 Saga and Mike P will dance. Gotti goes up against the Island G*d Aye Verb, who is probably the only rapper ever to bloody the lips of both Mt. Rushmore rappers, Murda Mook and Loaded Lux.
As the story goes, Gotti called all the vets out but Aye Verb, being the warrior that he is, stepped up and responded.
“I have had some wars as a battler. I can’t even pick who was the most difficult. Everyone I have battled has always brought their best and I don’t see Aye Verb bringing nothing but his best.”
“What’s deadly about Verb is that he is a vet. It is always deadly when you are battling those dudes who have been in the game that long. They know how to win. They have all fought different types of wars. I can’t say I’m going to be something that he has never seen before because he has seen a lot of different styles of battling. That is always dangerous. Plus, he is a rapper. He is a rappity rap type of dude. In a small room environment, he might excel.”
Geechi Gotti knows that this is one of those battles that over ten years ago when he was watching old SMACK DVDs … when he was trying to figure out his life … he would have never thought would be possible. Having Smack White as a friend and mentor, reacting to his bars while he is rhyming on stage, celebrating him as one of the best rappers in the history of battle rap, was something he never thought was possible. The stats were against him. Compton streets knew the right way to call his name. And the criminal justice system was waiting with a warm bed. But the salvific spirit of Hip-Hop won again.
“The streets were supposed to have me. All kinds of hood sh*t. But God changed all that (going to jail, getting shot, that really wasn’t about nothing positive). Today, I definitely look at it as a blessing. I have been able to live and grow. I am a testament to that you can overcome any little thing that might not come in your favor. You can always refocus yourself. We all be having a bad vibe when we lose focus and start doing other stuff. Take it seriously and make it worth your wild.”
The Ultimate Rap League’s NOME X will be on Saturday, July 11th at 5 pm, exclusively on Caffeine.TV.
(AllHipHop Rumors) There are people on the staff that really like this guy. I am not one of them. There is no real animosity other than “What are you doing, bro? Really?” In the past few weeks, people like Meek Mill have called AK out and others like Tekashi 69 have given him a hug. Fans and followers have just watched the whole thing unfold. What’s unfolding?
Right now, Star – the shock jock we know and love – has put out a hit of sorts on DJ AK. Remember, when Joe Budden left the “Everyday Struggle” with AK, Star replaced him. It was sort lived. Well, there is clearly no love lost, because in the first 5 minutes of the vid below, the former Hot 97 personality revealed that AK is a former woman beater.
What do you think?
The truth is, the more we talk about these people the bigger they get. Nobody talks about me so you can really tell the correlation! The other thing that is clear, AK’s bosses at Complex have “suspended” him for calling Chrissy Teigen a the dreaded b-word! Ol Boy was even suspended from Twitch! We are not free! LOL!
(AllHipHop News) Pop Smoke’s posthumous hotly anticipated debut album has been released with new artwork after the initial LP cover sparked outrage.
The record, titled Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon was released on Friday but the original Virgil Abloh designed version of the album cover, which featured the rapper surrounded by diamond roses and barbed wire, was slammed.
Unveiling the cover art on Instagram, Steven wrote: “Pop’s music belongs to everyone. This album is a celebration of where Pop was headed and where he wanted to be. The process of working on this album with all our friends, peers, and heroes has been amazing and we thank everyone for their support.
“Pop’s music and legacy belongs to the world now and we want you to continue to manifest your love in creative ways that we haven’t even thought of yet.”
The album features collaborations from 50 Cent, who also produced the record, Tyga, Quavo, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, and Young Thug.
Kayo Genesis is here to make sure real hip-hop is alive and well. Boasting 21.8K followers and counting, the Palmdale native describes himself as a leader into the new world order, voice of the people, sigma, activist, rapper, and creative director. His current Instagram bio reads, “If you knew what I could do, you’d try to hire me. I’m what tomorrow looks and sounds like.”
In 2018, Kayo released his standout record “Woke,” which speaks volumes to the current times. Soon after, he followed it up with his debut album titled Bad Sushi, which quickly accumulated over one million streams spearheaded by singles “Distance” and “Hometown.” At the end of last year, he teamed up with BIA in an explosive Asian-inspired “Edible” visual.
In 2020, he continues to bless his fans with meaningful music and content. His latest single “Circulate” sees himself in New York City carrying a 90’s era aesthetic we all know and love. Regardless, he continues to push the narrative and spirit with his progressive music style.
AllHipHop caught up with Kayo to discuss his new single “Dopamine Detox,” activism, linking with Bia, goals, and more!
AllHipHop: Heard you moved to Brooklyn, NY, what fueled this?
Kayo Genesis: My team is out here. Everything was getting set up here and I wanted to experience New York, see how the culture was. But it’s been a weird time.
Kayo Genesis: Uhh, I miss home. [laughs] There’s a lot going on, I wish I was around everybody. For the most part, I’m having a blast out here. Making the best of it. The sun’s out, so today’s fire.
AllHipHop: I know activism is huge for you, thoughts on everything going on?
Kayo Genesis: I’ve trained myself to look at all the good possibilities coming out from the situation. I see all the negatives going on, they aren’t anything new to me. I’ve been educated on what’s been going on my whole life. Everybody’s in this conversation, breaking their stories and understanding each other in the surrounding system that we live in. I want to say it’s a good time. It’s a terrible time of what’s really going on in the streets but as a human species, we’re elevating so that’s cool.
AllHipHop: What do you think needs to happen?
Kayo Genesis: People need to focus on what it is they want to see happen in the world and work towards that. More specifically in the black community, we need to continue the mission which is to build wealth in our community. Build ourselves up from the years of terrorism and not really depend on the people who have been terrorists for the last 400 years to help us do that. We’re at a time where we feel so dependent on the system at place that we’re out of touch with the nature of how we can move outside of the programs. It’s a time to understand, to re-educate ourselves more on the subject. Really get in the line, start looking into where the world’s moving towards and what part you want to play in that. It’s hard enough because everybody has their own needs, values, goals. At least on a global scale, we’re more connected than we’ve ever been, so that’s the positives.
There’s all types of things that we could do to move towards unity, peace, experience a better life, happiness. We can move towards everybody’s pursuit by understanding what’s going on around us on a systemic level, on a level of hatred and fear that floods the systems, the schools, the medicine, the food, the politics, the media. It’s been an underlying tone for this country since forever. It’s really tough. I know we’re stronger as a unit, as a people. That’s the most important part, that understanding of connection on that level. You know the war at hand, it’s a game of focus right now. A lot of people are angry in the black community, of course for reasons that’s been happening but also not knowing how to get out of it. We’ve been set behind the bar, so it’s about getting ourselves together. Noticing the destruction, the deceiving in all that’s going on around us and really focusing on building ourselves up, providing value for the world. Gaining independence, getting land, building for communities. One day at a time.
AllHipHop: What does your song “Woke” mean during a time like this?
Kayo Genesis: It’s a term that a lot of people shunned and said I was using to get clout, which is funny. That’s what people do, they find the negative and they use that story. They focus on the negative and I can’t help that. I want to establish myself in this industry. Woke to me is having a further understanding of something in any subject. If you’re high-end educated in one certain field, you’re woke to that. That’s how I use the term. It’s subjective of course, like a lot of art. You might know more about animals than the next person, you woke on the animals, If you’re up on game, you’re more in tune with it.
There’s a lot more to unpack in the actual song. I’ve always been educated on the real things at play that a lot of people seem to ignore, and I make light of it. Everything dark comes to light, so I like to put light on certain situations. The song’s a lot, it’s crazy. I’m over here thinking about the lyrics like dang, I haven’t visited that song in a long time. Everything comes in cycles. There’s definitely a relation, it’s really a story about the new generation fighting the old oppression, power, and systemic racism at play. It’s a joker story.
AllHipHop: “Dopamine Detox” is such a powerful record. Bring us back to that studio session.
Kayo Genesis: “Dopamine Detox” produced by Jonecks, a super talented producer. The song highlights the times, the situation we’re moving to, the world we’re moving closer to. It’s about detoxing from the addiction that’s the connection we have with our portals and cell phones. Anybody who’s seen WALL-E, The Matrix, or Ready Player One understands that we’re moving into this cyborg world. “Dopamine Detox” is about taking a break from all of it and reflecting.
AllHipHop: What’s the meaning behind that visual? There’s snow, then your eyes go crazy.
Kayo Genesis: Everybody’s the same way right now. Even around my household, we’re glued to computers and a lot of people are doped up off of it. It’s not necessarily a good and bad thing because you can argue in both directions forever. There’s definitely a lot of good and bad from the use of our devices, but I also highlight how culture is becoming the new judge and jury of how we move, how people should act, what we do. I’m reflecting on the times. I reflect on what’s going on around me.
AllHipHop: You were scrolling the Gram in the video, thoughts on social media?
Kayo Genesis: In that reference, there’s a part where I’m scrolling a bunch of videos of myself. It’s literally this mirror, we’re creating a picture and creating the things that we want to see for ourselves. It’s a dark reality if you will.
AllHipHop: What are some ways we can detox from society?
Kayo Genesis: It’s easy, turn your phone off. Spend some time, practice focusing. Focusing is what we’re getting away from or having less of, it’s creating new issues. That’s the main issue. With our phones on and everything going on, we feel we have to keep up with everything. We have FOMO, fear of missing out. I remember having it consciously, but then deciding to miss out and be okay. Be content with being alive, that’s something we don’t highlight. We’re always trying to do and go, the next thing, next thing. So much to do, but a lot comes with reflecting, meditating, not keeping up with everything all the time. Spending more focus on whatever it is we’re doing, the task at hand. It’s not easy because it’s an addiction like any crazy drug. Not in a bad way, it’s become necessary. I like touching on things not a lot of people touch on, things actually important to me.
AllHipHop: How was linking with Bia on “Edible”?
Kayo Genesis: Me and Bia have a whole freaking record, video out. Bia’s so much fun on set, she’s really cool. We all had a good time. There was a little hiccuping with the producer and trying to figure out lighting, normal production stuff. But everybody had a good time, brought the energy.
AllHipHop: How was touring with Buddy & Amine?
Kayo Genesis: Man, life-changing. It was definitely a high every single night for a month straight. Amine, good energy. Buddy, good energy. Me and Buddy from the West Coast, it was turnt. Drinks every night. We brought a good time to the people. I was a new artist. Nobody really cares or wants to see the opener, especially if they’ve never heard the person. It was a surprise and a good social experiment for me because I got to witness people vibing out to music they’ve never heard, all over the country. That’s big for me. Being able to crowd surf with people I’ve never embraced was phenomenal. Seeing the world, I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity. I had a lot of fun.
AllHipHop: What goals do you have for yourself at this point of your career?
Kayo Genesis: Definitely I want to release a few more projects, projects with some bigger names in the industry. Create greater music, more real concepts. Touch on some things a lot of artists are skipping. Not in a bad way, but tell my perspective. I’m always trying to bring perspective into the situation. There’s a lot to cover. A lot of new instruments, new ways of collaborations, new types of artists, new genres, new sounds, new formats. I’m excited.
There’s a few YouTube channels I want to start. I want to release all the music I’ve been hoarding for years. People ask “where’s the music?” Get everything right. More collaborations, bigger projects, bigger budgets. The goal’s to have a following where I can create with my fans, create with my family, create with my friends. I want to get the music to people and have a good time, make sure I give as much as I can while I’m here. [chuckles]
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Kayo Genesis: As much chaos is going on, it’s a good time to start having real questions and critically thinking about those questions. Doing the research ourselves to figure out what’s going on and how we can live better lives ultimately, with each other. Really switching the narratives and understanding people that have hatred or have that fear in them. It starts there in the mindset.
(AllHipHop Rumors) 50 Cent went in there and cleaned things up quickly over the controversy surrounding Pop Smoke’s official album cover Mr. Off-White Virgil Abloh tried to create the ideal album cover for a pop smokes posthumous release but failed. The Internet let him know that he was way off the mark with this one and then 50 Cent took the mantle and has created a number of versions via his network. He empowered his following and charged them with making the new artwork and that has proved to be very embarrassing in some ways to those that have gotten Pop Smoke to a place of extreme popularity.
Pop Smoke was the leader, in a lot of ways, of the Brooklyn Drill movement and he garnered a lot of attention. Unfortunately, when he went out to LA he made critical mistakes that may have led to his demise. Now, 50 Cent is not having any of that. But it seems he is saying that folks are not carrying the weight. Steven Victor is someone that most people may not know who he is, but he’s a good guy that has been in the industry for many years. 50 Cent name-checked him in the Instagram post about Pop Smoke where he actually presents a really dope cover for the album. It seems like people are feeling it and are ready to see it when it drops along with the album tonight. I wasn’t the biggest Pop Smoke fan, but I have to say that I’m interested in the energy surrounding this project. I will definitely check it out as if you cared. As far as the threat against Steve Victor, I am sure 50 Cent is not serious. But it does make one pause.
He clearly remembers the day that changed his life. ‘
He received a call one day and it was P from URL, inviting to do a Proving Grounds 3-rounder after his 10th battle on Trap House. It seems that making the switch from recording music to battling was a paying off.
P remembers how Mike P got on his radar.
“Terra (URL affiliate) told me about Mike P.” P reflects, “He told me to watch a battle that Mike had versus another emcee named Aura.” This was the battle that Mike remembers as his breakout battle.
“I then watched another battle he had versus another emcee named TapeDeck. After watching the battle I got his number from Terra and contacted him to offer him a PG against Haixian.”
However, Mike P was in high demand. Other leagues were looking at him … in fact, King of The Dot out of Canada was tapping his shoulder. The Long Island native had options, but none of them could compete with the league that was born out of the DVDs that the little kid in him used to watch on repeat.
P shared, “He told me that he was in talks for a KOTD Ground Zero battle. He asked if he could call me back because he needed to talk to them. He wanted to inform them that he was gonna take the PG with us.”
Of course, he was going to shut the KOTD offer down. What battle rapper wouldn’t want to get a call from someone from the inner-circle over at Smack White’s league? Who wouldn’t believe that this was the chance of a lifetime?
Michael Pulice’s friends.
People in his crew told him that the Ultimate Rap League didn’t have white boys on their stage — and since he didn’t have a gimmick or a crazy backstory— he might not fit in. It is a great thing that he didn’t listen to them. First, because the URL has had mad white boys touch in their battles. One of the architects of the culture is Iron Solomon, who made his debut when he battled Math Hoffa in 2010 in a record store, and he is white. Secondly, had he ignored the message from P, he would never have been ready for this moment right now. A moment that should feel even more intimidating than getting that call. The moment where he will go up against Th3 Saga on the biggest stage of his life, NOME X.
If you ask Mike P, this is long overdue. He been ready. He been dope. The thought is not new and it is one that he was not alone vocalizing.
C3, a powerhouse emcee from Queen of the Ring, said, “Mike P is one of those battle rappers you can tell is passionate about his work. You’re gonna feel his energy anytime you watch him, whether it’s live or on camera.” The passion comes out in his lyrics, as the emcee is notoriously vulnerable on the mic. He even says that people get what they get because he wears his heart on his sleeves.
“He gives the culture big moments.” Reda from *Champion *offers, “He made it this far through dedication, quotable bars and making his presence known. Mike P deserves every plate he gets.”
He has had some big plates over the years.
Selective in how he curates his competitions, he has faced some formidable opponents. He stood in front of a young Ave, Tink Da Demon, Young Kannon, and Dre Deniss. He has had some vets that he grew up watching: Shotgun Suge, Daylyt, Big T, and Serius Jones. He rocked with the lyrical B-Dot, energy-absorbing Nu Jerzey Twork, and the quick-thinking & freestyle savant Chef Trez. You can’t sneeze at his resume but the question keeps coming back to why someone so dope has not popped. People seem to love him, but the rise that got the league to take notice seems to have been stunted. P points to his performances to find that answer.
“He accepted the battle with Haixian and did well. But URL wasn’t the walk in the park-like those other leagues he was used to. His next battle was with Ave and he lost. Sure, he had a very impactful and memorable third round, but he lost.”
“To his credit, his next battle he bounced back and it was his breakout battle with Tink Da Demon, where he had his viral street fighter moment that was just fire.”
It is that passion that got him invited back.
Perhaps that is why he is as passionate as C3 says. He knows that he is special and will not stop pushing until the world sees it. Mike P says in his own words how this passion and vulnerability manifests, where it comes from and how it fuels him.
“It takes a lot to get me to write. There is a deep mode that I need to hit to get there. I wear my heart on my sleeve. How I look is probably how I feel and I never had a problem expressing myself. My vulnerability I look at as an advantage. You have to show yourself first and speak on things that are dirt or you might not want to be exposed. You can’t be like you don’t want people to know about who you are. I think that is ridiculous. I think the one thing I want you to know, or at least have the best idea of, is who I am. What I am made of. What I have been through. And how much I care about what I am doing. I think that emotion and passion is always going to come out in every single performance. Even if I didn’t want it to, it is just something that happens. It is a thing in the subconscious. The switch gets switched and I am really blacked-out on that stage.”
According to Mike, the feeling of performing is so possessive and overwhelming that it even stays with him when he comes off the stage. He is open to the crowd and the energy that is crackling in the air.
In many ways, he is like the Kid Cudi of battle rap. A grand statement, but it’s true. Both artists are uber emotional, sometimes sharing more than they have to and also under-rated.
Another artist that people say is under-rated is Th3 Saga.
Mike confesses that it actually bothered him to be compared to The Sensei, but one must wonder “why?”
“I tried to deny that we were very much the same because that’s the conversation that has always been around us. It has always been Mike P and Saga; they work so hard but they don’t get what they deserve. They don’t get their shot. I’ve always been like ‘I’m not Saga. I am better than Saga. I have done more than Saga. I don’t deserve this shot; this is a late fee. Smack and URL, they owe me this. Saga had to work for this. I should have gotten this a long time ago.’ But the more we get down to NOME … the closer we get … I realize we are very much the same.”
“But this is bigger than him as far as my mission and what I am here for. Although I know we will be the best battle. There will not be a better performance, I can almost guarantee this. Because we are so similar in our position. I just need to do what I need to do.”
That is tough talk, particularly considering all of the top tier talents that will be sharing the stage with him. Tsu Surf will be going up against Loaded Lux, Tay Roc and Daylyt will go at it. Geechi Gotti is battling Aye Verb and John John Da Don will be matched up against Ill Will. NOME X is going to be an experience. A confident Mike P is adamant about what he and Saga, who happens to be his friend in real life, will bring to the event.
“I think this will be the biggest card in the history of battle rap. You have every single era on this card. From the people that first came to the second and third wave. The first and second wave of proving ground battlers, you have every era. This is the most anticipated card. There is going to be the most eyes on it. This is history and it will live up to the hype.”
(AllHipHop News) The 5th Annual Hip Hop Film Festival is going digital this year. From August 6 to August 9, HHFF will present film screenings, virtual DJ battles, Master Cyphers, and more online.
“We rock on any block regardless of what’s going on in the world and have always represented for the culture. We offer year-round programming for filmmakers and I’m excited to offer more resources to more filmmakers through this year’s festival,” said HHFF founder CR Capers.
Hip Hop Film Festival’s G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) Award will honor the legacy of rapper/actor/producer O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson (Boyz n the Hood, Friday). Omari Hardwick (Power, Sorry to Bother You) will receive this year’s Icon Living Award for his contributions to the industry.
In addition, the festival hands out “BEST of the FEST” awards in over 21 categories including Best Feature, Best Documentary, and Best Web Series. Over 200 filmmakers from around the world will screen their stories representing drama, sci-fi, action, thriller, and other genres.
(AllHipHop News) Some Gucci Mane fans were celebrating when the Atlanta rap legend announced he was parting ways with Atlantic Records to go indie, but things have seemed to change. Before deleting it, Gucci tweeted, “Leaving #AtlanticRecords July 3rd these crackers polite racist #SolcySummer.”
In a turn of events, Gucci is now saying that he will remain as part of the major label’s roster. The 40-year-old Trap music pioneer also offered a mea culpa for his racially-charged comments about the company.
“I’m not going independent but so respect those who go that route. I apologize for my rude harsh language lately. I’m a do better #1017/Atlantic,” tweeted Gucci on Wednesday morning.
One minute after sending out that backtracking tweet, Gucci began promoting a new project titled So Icy Summer which is scheduled to hit DSPs on July 3. The tracklist includes contributions from Future, Young Thug, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Moneybagg Yo, and more.
I’m not going independent but so respect those who go that route I apologize for my rude harsh language lately I’m a do better #1017/Atlantic 🥶
(AllHipHop News) After essentially calling for a truce in the war of words with Freddie Gibbs, Akademiks has now turned his attention to another emcee. His longstanding issues with Meek Mill bubbled up again this week.
Meek took to Twitter to declare that it was time to drop Ak as a voice of Hip Hop. He tweeted, “Akademiks canceled because he’s a bad police and our culture don’t need them… He also gassed a lot of beef that got people killed and hurt and never donated a dollar to the culture! We gone holla at you next run champ lol.”
Akademiks did not address Meek’s allegations that he was somehow associated with law enforcement and that he is possibly responsible for pushing negativity in the culture without giving back to the community. Instead, the YouTuber just replied, “You can’t cancel anyone Meek.”
Later, Akademiks posted a clip of himself speaking on Meek’s attempt to have him canceled. The Instagram video features the Everyday Struggle host claiming Meek is attacking him because he supposedly cannot go after Tekashi 6ix9ine and is afraid to respond to local Philadelphia rapper Quilly.
“You’re going at me because the other two have embarrassed and exposed you for many things that you don’t want to answer to,” said Akademiks. He went on to discuss Meek’s association with Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, who reportedly served as a cooperating witness for the Drug Enforcement Administration in the 1990s.
6ix9ine, who testified against fellow Nine Trey Gangster Blood members in a 2019 federal trial, then jumped into Akademik’s comment section to offer his thoughts. The self-described troll posted, “Signed to a snitchhhh but hates snitchesssss how u do that??????????? Went to jail for bike tricks and was crying the whole 6 months .”
Meek Mill has yet to directly respond to Akademiks’ commentary that was uploaded to Instagram overnight. On June 30, Meek did tweet a veiled threat that suggested he had information on Ak that could be damaging to the blogger.
“You getting canceled now! Lol and if I pull this sh*t out you would be done… just say upppp and ima up it ,” posted the Championships album creator.
That message from Meek came around the same time that Freddie Gibbs also began implying that Akademiks was working with some form of law enforcement. The Indiana native actually began selling “Akademiks Is The Police” shirts. In addition, Gibbs proposed that both Ak and 6ix9ine were “the feds” and that they had some sort of sexual relationship.
I you getting canceled now! Lol and if I pull this s### out you would be done … just say upppp and ima up it 😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/ooCwAOL6tz
(AllHipHop News) Vanilla Ice is a relic of the 1990s that apparently still draws crowds 30 years after his smash hit “Ice Ice Baby” was released. Unfortunately, the 52-year-old rapper is planning to bring people together in what could end up being an unsafe way.
The man born Robert Matthew Van Winkle is hosting an “Independence Throwback Beach Party” on July 3 in Austin, Texas. The concert will take place at the Emerald Point Bar & Grill restaurant.
This decision to hold a large gathering has some observers worried about the spread of COVID-19 among the concertgoers. According to reports, Austin-Travis County has repeatedly broken its own record for new daily coronavirus cases over the last week. Hospitalizations from the disease are increasing as well.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler is said to be considering reissuing a stay-at-home order for the city. Plus, the entire state of Texas is now a hotspot for COVID-19. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 8,076 new cases on Wednesday which was the first time that number surpassed 8,000 in a single day.
Despite health experts and city officials expressing concerns about Texas’s surges in coronavirus, Vanilla Ice is moving forward with the July 4th weekend event. The show will have a capacity of 2,500 people.
“I can’t wait to get back to this. The 90s were the best. We didn’t have coronavirus, or cell phones, or computers. We had 5.0‘s, blockbuster, Beavis and Butthead, Wayne’s World, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. And Mortal Kombat is still better than [Fortnite] but we got out of the house, We danced, we invented house parties in the 90s. The last of the great decades #IMissThenineties,” wrote Vanilla Ice on Instagram.
(AllHipHop News) Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s annual music festival in Philadelphia will not take place this year. Made In America organizers announced the 2020 edition is being canceled over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement from MIA reads, in part:
2020 is a year like no other. We are in a pivotal time in this nation’s history. Collectively, we are fighting parallel pandemics, COVID-19, systemic racism and police brutality. Now is the time to protect the health of our artists, fans, partners and community as well as focus on our support for organizations and individuals fighting for social justice and equality in our country. Therefore, the Made In America Festival will be rescheduled for Labor Day Weekend 2021
Made In America 2019 was headlined by Travis Scott and Cardi B. The lineup also included Juice WRLD, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Kodak Black, Jorja Smith, Blueface, Tierra Whack, Roddy Ricch, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, DaBaby, and Megan Thee Stallion.
(AllHipHop News) It looks like its Yeezy season once again. Midwest rap legend Kanye West was part of two songs that were released in the last few days. Ye first returned with “Wash Us In The Blood” featuring Travis Scott.
The second new record is Ty Dolla $ign’s “Ego Death” featuring West, British singer FKA Twigs, and deejay/producer Skrillex. Apple Music’s Zane Lowe caught up with Ty to talk about how the single came together.
Ty Dolla $ign explained:
I was at a party. I heard some girls saying something about some guy, like, “Oh, that’s the death of his ego.” I remembered that sh*t when I got to the house. I’m like, “Wow, that’s hard.” It’s like I had the song “Ego Death,” and then I made the beat. Then I was watching Instagram, and there was some video of Ye walking through Chicago. Then he was like, “Hold up. There’s a train going by.” I thought that was so hard, just seeing him just walking through Chicago by himself. So I sampled that part, and then I went out to Chicago to work on Yandhi with him. Then I played him the record, and he went crazy. Everybody in the room ran out, like, “Oh, sh*t.” So he came back. He grabbed the little performance mic, and he started beatboxing and just freestyling and sh*t. We recorded all that, kept all that. Then I ended up going to London. I linked up with Twigs. She laid her part, went crazy, and then I came back to LA and I hooked up with Sonny [Skrillex]. He added his magic, and now we have the song.
