(AllHipHop Rumors) There is a new pandemic sweeping the nation and its called stupidity! Vanilla Ice is not the first rapper to lack melanin, but he was the first one to give off that supreme culture vulture vibe. He stole MC Hammer’s swagger. Took a chant from the men of Alpha Phi Alpha. And he said corny stuff like “Word to ya mother!” He is also partially responsible for Death Row Records! If it wasn’t for him, Tupac might be alive! Only the really real know what I mean.
Vanilla ice is a clown to me. Back in the day, he refused to do an interview with all hip-hop.com for no real reason. He wasn’t popping in any way shape or form at that time either. No granite no one has to talk to anyone but I would think that that dude would want to talk to you the most credible Hip Hop source known to mankind. Now, look at him. This guy is going to do a concert in the middle of a pandemic in a place where the cases are soaring. What is wrong with him. This is stupid. I can only imagine that his money is really low. Or maybe he simply wants attention and this is what he’s getting so much of right now. He’s trending on Twitter for taking people into an extremely unsafe space. How dare he top all of his past fooleries in one fell swoop?
On Instagram, he said, “I can’t wait to get back to this. The 90s were the best. We didn’t have coronavirus, or cell phones, or computers,” the rapper said. “We had 5.0’s, blockbuster, Beavis and Butthead, Wayne’s World, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan … Mortal Kombat is still better than Fortnight … the last of the great decades.” Unfortunately, we had him too.
These tickets are not all that cheap either! Austin, TX – my fave place in Texas – don’t spend all that money on Ice!
(AllHipHop News) A rep for Will Smith has denied August Alsina’s shocking claims that he gave the singer his blessing to date his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
The 27-year-old singer has long been the subject of romance rumors with Jada, but has never commented on the speculation until now.
Talking to radio personality Angela Yee to promote his new album The Product III: stateofEMERGEncy, Alsina opened up about the relationship, and insisted it was all above board – with Will even willingly allowing him to court his spouse.
“I totally gave myself to that relationship for years of my life. I truly and really, really deeply loved, and have a ton of love for her. I devoted myself to it, I gave my full self to it. So much so to the point that I can die right now and be OK with knowing that I truly gave myself to somebody. I really loved the person that I experienced that (with) and know what (that feels) like – if some people never get that in this lifetime.”
Alsina added that the rumors surrounding the nature of his relationship with Jada, who has been married to Will since 1997, have cost him “money, friendships (and) relationships.”
However, a rep for Will Smith simply called the allegations “wrong” but did not elaborate behind the one-word statement, while Jada offered up two more than Will, with her statement saying August Alsina’s shocking claim was “absolutely not true.”
Many believe Jada is going to address the claims on the next episode of her hit podcast “Red Table Talk” on Facebook.
Eastside Golf is here to bridge the gap between golf and hip-hop. The streetwear brand was founded in November of 2019 by business partners Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, both who have been in love with the sport since they can remember. Fast forward to 2020, that same passion and dedication remains stronger than ever.
Hailing from Atlanta, Ajanaku is a former professional golf player turned fashion designer, who earned a scholarship to Morehouse College where he went on to win the National Championship.
Earl Cooper, who is from Delaware, is Class A PGA Professional, currently ranked as one of the best young teachers in the United States.
Together, they plan to provide a solution on how golf is introduced to hip-hop lovers around the world.
The premise of the brand is to make golf more diverse and inclusive, in other words “cool.”
Both pride themselves in the authenticity of their work, which is directly inspired by the late, great Nipsey Hussle. They state, “we want representation and to own our culture!”
The brand has since seen much success, catching the attention of celebrities Anthony Anderson, Kevin Liles, and Uncle Luke.
Eastside Golf’s logo itself represents the new generation golfer, depicting an African-American male who’s gold chain swings freely as he swings the golf club.
For Ajanaku, it’s a reflection of his experiences at both private clubs and public courses — as he swings the club with his gold link chain visible at all times.
AllHipHop caught up with the Eastside Golf founders via FaceTime, who were both out and about on the golf course.
AllHipHop: Earl & Olajuwon, how did you guys meet each other?
Olajuwon: After I graduated Cedar Grove High School in Atlanta, I went to Benedict College in South Carolina. I did a year there as a freshman, great college career, then I transferred to Morehouse and was playing on a golf team there. At the same time, Earl transferred to Morehouse.
Earl: I transferred from Wilmington University, then we met at Morehouse. My first year on the team, we won the Championship.
AllHipHop: How was it winning the National Championship at Morehouse College?
Olajuwon: It was a great experience, we had a great year that year honestly. We’re on TV, the whole nine.
AllHipHop: When did you first come up with the concept of Eastside Golf?
Olajuwon: It’s honestly only been a year now, my birthday June 1st was when I finally came up with the concept. I was in banking and I wanted to play golf. I had to come up with a logo that represented myself. I made that logo, made the name Eastside Golf because I’m from East Atlanta. He said “hey you need to put that on the shirt,” I’m like okay. Put it on a shirt, probably got asked about it 20 times in one day. I thought “I need to do something with this.” There were shirts, sweatshirts, hats, the rest was history.
Earl: I’m a PGA professional. Being in and around the game, it stood out to me. To Olajuwon’s point, the reception. People determine what’s a hit and what’s hot. The way people have gravitated to it has been unbelievable. All we need is exposure. It’s not a matter of trying to come up with a new concept, it’s literally getting it out in front of people. Once they see it, they naturally gravitate to it because there’s nothing compared to it. There’s nothing in the golf industry speaking to the culture.
AllHipHop: The brand’s mantra is to “continuously inspire culture, promote diversity in golf and be authentic.” Why’s that important for you?
Olajuwon: It’s important to me to stay authentic because people can get the gist of our culture. It can rub off into golf or it can change golf. It can bring the next generation in to come up with new ideas. On top of that when you get out on the golf course, it can teach them networking. A lot of things they can use in life.
Earl: I’ll be honest for too long, I wasn’t authentic. I wasn’t myself. You go into a corporate environment where you have to be a certain way, act a certain way, wear a certain attire. Olajuwon always says this quote: the reason why we’re so successful is because we’re authentic. That’s sometimes cliche but what’s going on in the golf world, we as young African American males have always tried to fit into the golf world. I’m always saying “bro, that was the problem.” We are cool, we represent what’s cool. We represent the culture so let’s be ourselves, instead of trying to emulate this guy or that guy, this 50-year-old white male or this young guy who grew up on the golf course. No, neither one of us comes from a country club background or have a bunch of family members who play golf. We love hip-hop. At the end of the day, we’re listening to Roddy Ricch.
AllHipHop: Talk about your love for hip-hop on top of the golf.
Earl: I definitely rock out with Meek Mill. Being from Philly, the underdog. Championships, Meek is that dude.
Olajuwon: Me being from East Atlanta, Gucci for sure. Zone 6 all day. T.I., Jeezy, 2 Chainz, a lot of Atlanta rappers.
Earl: Hov obviously is the GOAT, his maturation and grown man waves. Golf, they don’t know about us. I honestly think he’d be comfortable taking a lesson, going to the golf course like “oh s###, these guys are fun.” We don’t have to learn this whole thing, just go out there and have a good time.
AllHipHop: Thoughts on the underrepresentation of golf in hip-hop?
Earl: It’s a huge opportunity, that’s how we look at it. It’s a crown jewel that hasn’t been presented in the right way. Not to be this blunt, but golf is our lane. Everyone’s trying to be the same, it’s carbon copies of each other. We’re coming out with different swag, that’s what makes our brand catch on. 1) It’s different. 2) It’s exclusive, hard to get. A lot of our stuff is backordered so everyone doesn’t have it. We’re going to start to release limited edition pieces. Once every month, we’ll come out with a limited edition hat. You see it a lot in shoe culture, but we’re going to do it in the clothing culture and also represent golf at the same time.
AllHipHop: How’d you bring awareness to the brand and promote yourselves?
Earl: It’s our network. One of our mentors Wendell Haskins was originally in the hip-hop space, he was Puff’s roommate when he first got out of college. He worked for Andre Harrell, Uptown Records, Bad Boy. He started a golf tournament 20 years ago called The Original Tee Golf Classic. They’d get a bunch of record executives and people in the music industry to play golf. He had a lot of connections, that’s how we got to Anthony Anderson, Kevin Liles, and Uncle Luke. It’s all organic. “Yo, you think Anthony would rock with this?” Yeah, here’s his address. Send him something. We sent him something, he’d pop up and post it.
Olajuwon: Twice!
Earl: Two days later, he’s wearing the hat with it on. On Mother’s Day, he had the hat on.
AllHipHop: Is Anthony a golfer?
Earl: He is. Kevin’s a golfer. Anthony posted and commented on Kevin’s page like “yo what’s up with the plug?” We hit him offline, he said “here’s my address, send me some stuff.” He did a 360 UNPLUGGED and was wearing the shirt on YouTube Live. They’ve all been very supportive, it’s been super organic. We send people stuff and they want to wear them. It markets itself. The awareness has been contagious. Our conversion rate is crazy. 7 out of 10 people are going to say something about the brand, 5 out of 10 are going to buy something. 3 out of 10 are loyal fans, following us on all our streams.
AllHipHop: How was it transitioning into an entrepreneur role?
Olajuwon: It’s really our backgrounds. Me being in the banking space, I was in construction finance. Earl running the whole organization. [laughs]
Earl: I got a bunch of hats. My biggest hat was I co-founded this thing called HBCU Week, which is a national organization. In 3 years, we grew it to having partners like ESPN, NFL, Bank of America, Stephen A. Smith is our official ambassador. Affected thousands of kids’ lives by giving them scholarships to college, a huge program. It’s ironic, I told Olajuwon “this reminds me a lot of HBCU Week. The way that people are gravitating to it, how quickly…” I used my learning experience to help accelerate this.
Our social media strategy: when we get the momentum, it’s hard to create it but the biggest thing is you have to sustain it. Olajuwon’s always been really good with the personal touch. Right now, we’re small enough to write handwritten letters to every person. People don’t really get that type of touch. That’s going to make them appreciate the brand, be a returning customer, post it on social media. It’s a safe haven honestly.
There’s a collective of black golfers saying “yo, I’ve been waiting on this. I love this game, but there’s nothing fly. Finally, I got something fly I can wear on and off the golf course.” You look at Olajuwon wearing that hat but at night, it could be a dude at Compound Nightclub or any club across America with that same hat on. That never happened before.
AllHipHop: What are your favorite pieces and why?
Olajuwon: Mine is so far is the grey sweatshirt, the first true piece I came out with. It’s our staple piece. It symbolizes original, authentic, and diversity. That’s how I thought of it when I came up with it.
Earl: I agree, the grey sweatshirt hasn’t gotten old. That’s the one that got us in the market, got people’s attention and still is getting attention. That’s our Erewhon. Olajuwon always looked at it as a real brand, not a mom and pop t-shirt thing. It’s going to be here for the end of time.
AllHipHop: Talk about being inspired by Nipsey Hussle.
Olajuwon: Him always speaking on being authentic to yourself. Always speaking to have your brand and have your own, then grow it on there. Make your partner look like geniuses.
Earl: Yeah, that’s our famous line.
Olajuwon: He inspired me so much. The way I look at Eastside Golf is literally act like I’m from East Atlanta. Keep that same attitude while running a professional business and being an entrepreneur, but stick to where you’re from and it’ll show. Authentic selves, that’s why I take after Nipsey.
Earl: For Nip, it’s ownership. We have to own our culture. I saw a couple brands starting to be similar to hip-hop, but they’re not of the culture. They don’t represent us. You had people introducing these cool pieces, they’re going crazy but we’ve been doing that s###. That s###’s old. All y’all doing is remaking some s### this brand had or that brand had. We have to own this s###. We make it cool. Nip inspired us to really own the brand and own the culture, that’s why people gravitate to it.
AllHipHop: How do you view how golf is portrayed in Hollywood?
Earl: It’s been a disservice because too often, minorities and especially African Americans are always extremes. It’s never been your middle golfer like myself, not on TV. Not a professional golfer, but I’m not the worst golfer either. It’s never been somebody that’s cool, somebody who can compete at a high level but amongst amateurs. It’s either the movie of The Legend of Bagger Vance where Will Smith was a caddy, or you’re Tiger Woods. Or Big Boi out on the golf course in a big Kangol hat, it’s corny. You never see a true authentic black hip-hop experience when it comes to golf. It’s these extremes where we’re the help or we’re selling out at the top. Neither one of us are the help. He’s cool, I’m cool, we’re right in the middle. We’re average, that’s why people are gravitating too. You’re the help or you have to be the best, that’s all I’ve seen.
AllHipHop: Goals you have for your brand?
Olajuwon: Being able to give away scholarships at some point. Being able to give back to HBCUs and being able to grow HBCU golf teams as well.
Earl: Another one would be collaborations. We look forward to working with larger brands, we’ve been talking to some now. Especially with the George Floyd situation, where this country is, a lot of people are looking like “okay, how are we talking to that community right now?” Being black men, we’re a part of that community. We’re holding ourselves accountable.
I’m literally right now in a fight with PGA of America to do right by the black community, not come out with some statement. I had an hour and half phone conversation today with leadership like “no, you gotta treat us right.” It’s not a statement, it’s real resources to commit to. We look to grow the game. Really get more young professionals involved in the game from diverse backgrounds because too often, these folks are sitting on the sidelines. If you have friends who work in corporate environments, if golf comes up as an opportunity, they have to miss out on the opportunity. That’s not cool, they’re handling business out there. You don’t have to be good, most of the people aren’t good. You’re missing opportunities because you’re misinformed. You have Olajuwon representing the cool, somebody like myself who’s one of the best teachers in America. When you bring together, you’ll feel good and feel confident. You’re not going to sit on the sidelines.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Earl: This brand is definitely going to change the game forever.
Olajuwon: Forever.
Earl: We stay true to our community, which is a diverse community. A lot of white people buy our stuff. We treat them like family. We’d never want to turn our backs on them or feel like we’re selling out on them, that’s not how we got here. Although these big brands are approaching us, it’s not about that. We’re not looking for short-term sellout, we’re looking for long-term partners that can truly grow and make a real lasting commitment.
Olajuwon: Couldn’t have said it better Earl.
Earl: My man, that’s why we work so well together.
(AllHipHop News) 2020 has hit Hip-Hop in the gut, snatching away some of the cultures most interesting and hustle-heavy artists the genre has ever bore witness to.
Today, the community lost another king in Bay Area rapper Young Curt.
Tragically, on June 29th, the artist born Curtis Denton Jr. lost his life in a car accident.
A Fox news affiliate reported that that accident happened in Contra Costa County, California early that Monday morning.
In what they are calling a “rollover crash” the rapper was apparently ejected from his vehicle onto the dirt shoulder. The EMT tried to get to him swiftly to take him to a hospital close by, but on the way he transitioned.
The 2019 Dodge Charger flipped over several times, leaving authorities to believe that he must have flown out of the sunroof.
Young Curt was 27 years old. He dropped his debut album, This Shyt Don’t Stop, Vol. 1. as a teenager.
He will be missed by many, which is evidenced by the multiple transition wishes posted on social media.
Young Curt gave us: -No B*tch, -She So Bad -Mobby Train -Role Play -this beat hit -iMobb etc…. My elementary days wouldn’t have been the same without him .. may he Rest In Peace 😔🙏🏽
RIP YOUNG CURT ! A Bay Area Pioneer who never got his credit . He influenced slang & production from the bay all the way down to LA artists who got on the wave
(AllHipHop News) Chuck D. wants U.S. President Donald Trump to emulate Richard Nixon by resigning the presidency before November’s election.
Trump’s hopes of a second term have taken a hit in recent months, with his Democratic Party rival pulling way ahead in the polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the U.S. following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.
The Public Enemy leader isn’t prepared to wait until November to vote Trump out, pledging to lend his voice to protests aiming to force America’s controversial leader to resign.
“At my stage and age, my battle is with Trump – to look at this guy that I’ve known since the early ’80s. I’m from New York and I’ve seen all his bulls##t and the mind games that he’s played on the country and the world,” he told NME.
“He’s just got to go. F##k waiting ’til November. We’re trying to Nixonise this guy. We’re trying to get him to step down quick now. If the world can’t stand him and half the country can’t stand him, then why is he there?”
“I think he’s an alien,” the “Fight the Powe”r hitmaker adds. “There won’t be any animosity if he just f##king disappears and goes back to his casinos, his fake a## football teams, his b####### hotels, and his fake a## reality TV shows.
Warning that a win for Trump would be bad for both America and the President himself, the rapper continues: “If he gets four more years, there will be animosity. He’s really irrelevant, but he’s not irrelevant when he’s the President Of The United States.”
(AllHipHop News) Every queer person has a coming out story and unfortunately, even celebrities have had traumatic experiences with grasping their sexuality, juggling judgment, faith, and even backlash.
Cardi B had words for people who took to Twitter called her homophobic and transphobic. The rapper, wife, and mother has often spoken about her whole self — rarely hiding her sexuality.
More than a fetish, her bisexuality has not only fulfilled their lovers’ fantasies but also cause tension in her family. Her clap back on social media helped put into perspective, how you can’t judge a girl on her past and really have to allow people to grow into who their most authentic sexual personage.
“How the f##k am i homophobic or transphobic?have you been to a carribean island where you really see homophobia! Have you dealt with a parent that can’t accept you for your sexuality?i said some ignorant things b4 that apologized for & educated myself on it don’t mean I’m h###,” she said.
How the fuvk am i homophobic or transphobic?have you been to a carribean island where you really see homophobia! Have you dealt with a parent that can’t accept you for your sexuality?i said some ignorant things b4 that apologized for & educated myself on it don’t mean I’m h###.. https://t.co/wkl8QmUPjU
“Ya keep using that same 1 video that I apologize for over & over again to call me homophobic & transphobic 1 but never post about the ones where I support the LGBT community which are multiples and the multiple tweets I posted in support.”
Ya keep using that same 1 video that I apologize for over & over again to call me homophobic & transphobic 1 but never post about the ones where I support the LGBT community which are multiples and the multiple tweets I posted in support https://t.co/wkl8QmUPjU
“And I don’t support the LGBT community because I have “gay fans” I support because of the confused feelings I had growing up on is it normal to like girls? I support because I know how hard it was for my gay cousin to come out to his very strict Dominican family.”
And I don’t support the LGBT community because I have “gay fans” I support because of the confused feelings I had growing up on is it normal to like girls? I support because I know how hard it was for my gay cousin to come out to his very strict Dominican family https://t.co/wkl8QmUPjU
“I support because I know the pain my cousin from my mom side which is a Tran “ have a f##ked up relationship with her dad for years ! I support because I seen the transitions & the feelings my glam team having during their time with they body transition & my sister ..”
I support because I know the pain my cousin from my mom side which is a Tran “ have a f##### up relationship with her dad for years ! I support because I seen the transitions & the feelings my glam team having during their time with they body transition & my sister .. https://t.co/wkl8QmUPjU
“Coming out to my mom & dad religious people as gay so before ya make it cool to call me homophobic & transphobic learn what those words mean and research my encouragement to the LGBT community b4 ya motherf##kerss even knew who was CardiN.”
Coming out to my mom & dad religious people as gay so before ya make it cool to call me homophobic & transphobic learn what those words mean and research my encouragement to the LGBT community b4 ya m############ even knew who was CardiN https://t.co/wkl8QmUPjU
Cardi, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, has apologized for her ignorance on speaking on sexuality particularly being of Afro-LatinX descent and especially being Dominican.
On that particular island, LGBT rights are not the same as those enjoyed in the United States and in Europe.
While same-gender-loving is not illegal in the Dominican Republic, it can only be expressed in private. Public demonstrations of affection can have you harassed, fined, or jailed by police.
The laws are changing, making it a hate crime to harm someone for loving who they choose to love, but socialization and culture are slow.
The nation is predominately Catholic and many people believe that you will go to hell if you engage in intercourse with someone with the same sex. Many children have been orphaned and streeted because of this on the island … and also in the states.
(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop stars Common and Questlove have been tapped to headline the virtual version of the 2020 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival in New York City.
The annual outdoor event had to be reworked as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and now organizers aim to entertain fans in isolation with a two-day bash online.
Singers Lila Downs, Angelique Kidjo, The Tallest Man on Earth, Yemi Alade, and Madison McFerrin, will also perform, as will Caribbean soca group KES and Latin pop duo Buscabulla.
“We’re thrilled to be channeling the energy, spirit, and dynamism that takes place every year at the Prospect Park Bandshell into a two-day multiplatform event this summer,” said Kristina Newman-Scott, President of BRIC.
The virtual festival will take place from 8 pm ET on July 25th and 26th.
Catch all the action on the event’s Facebook or YouTube page.
A representative for the star told Business of Fashion he hopes to produce over one million pairs of shoes in the Cowboy State by the start of next year, with apparel production to begin in the US “shortly after.”
The rapper also spoke with local publication Cody Enterprise, which reported the star expects to add “design and prototyping jobs, with assembly-line positions to follow” during the relocation.
Kanye previously moved Yeezy’s head offices to Cody and added that he plans to open his own retail stores, with a shop “definitely” coming to the city.
“I loved folding clothes at the Gap too, that was an aspirational job for me,” he added. “When everybody in my school was wearing oversized clothes, I was ‘gapped’ out. That was always my style.”
(AllHipHop News) Pharrell Williams is leading a host of stars launching The Juneteenth Pledge campaign to ensure the day marking the end of slavery in the U.S. becomes a fully paid holiday.
Pharrell, Ellen DeGeneres, TV writer Kenya Barris and CNN contributor Van Jones launched the initiative on Monday, partnering with international advocacy organization Global Citizen and global CEO advisory firm Teneo.
Their formal campaign builds upon similar calls for states to mark the holiday the Happy hitmaker made when Juneteenth was celebrated on June 19th, as African-Americans poignantly marked the 155th anniversary of the last slaves in Texas being emancipated.
In a press release announcing the new campaign, Pharrell says: “I love America for its progression, but I’m really in love with the untapped potential of this country.
“It was incredible to have powerful minds come together and really listen and be open to celebrating Juneteenth as a paid holiday. These companies influence which way the wind blows, they influence the economy and this was a very meaningful step in the right direction.”
Ellen adds: “This is a time to be on the right side of history. As a white person, I cannot do enough. My wish is for everyone to join together in this fight.”
The pledge calls on companies to not only declare Juneteenth a paid holiday for U.S. employees but also to identify a relevant day in international offices to recognize the emancipation of enslaved people in other counties, as well as supporting education for their employees teaching them to respect all cultures.
It will also include a social media campaign backing efforts in the U.S. Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Companies that have already agreed to the pledge include Adidas, Airbnb, Amblin Partners, Greensill, HP, Participant, The J. M. Smucker Company, Starbucks, and Under Armor.
(AllHipHop News) A trial date has been set for the cop accused of murdering George Floyd In Cold blood on Memorial Day.
Judge Peter Cahill set a date of March 8th for the trial of officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of murdering Floyd by kneeling on his neck for 8 minutes and 26 seconds.
Judge Cahill has yet to decide if Chauvin will be joined by the three other defendants, Tou Thao, Thomas Kiernan Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng, as opposed to trying them separately.
Derek Chauvin will be tried for second-degree murder for killing George Floyd, while Lane, Kueng, and Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
According to Judge Cahill, the process of jury selection will start on November 1st, which is when proposed jury questionnaires will be drafted for the judge to review.
Those instructions must be filed on or before February 8th. All exhibits must be submitted by March 1st, 2021.
Derek Chauvin’s trial will commence on March 8th, 2021 at 9:00 AM.
(AllHipHop Features) When the Ultimate Madness tournament was announced there was a particular current of electricity moving through the battle rap atmosphere.
The culture’s been here before, but this time it seemed different.
Those who were a part of the movement for a minute understand the vibes, even if the locale has shifted from one platform to the next. Last time around, people were comfortably duking it out on 106 and Park’s UFF. In the center of New York City, the birthplace of rap music, the platform allowed emcees to blast off from the celebrity-clad and Viacom powered set of a hit after school BET show. Tiers were climbed. Slogans were developed. Stars were made.
But that was then.
Now as dangerous as the pandemic that birthed its renewal, a generation of lyricists vied to achieve the same level of success that made T-Top and Ill Will the superstar names that they have come to be.
The elimination-style competition debuted exclusively on Caffeine TV.
What started as 16 emcee competition, dwindled to two in a grueling six-week competition. The final two, Jey the Nitewing and Fonz, rapped their way onto one of the biggest stages in the culture, NOME X. And while it is true that their prayers will be answered with the mere appearance on the stage, a stage that has given rise to some of the most exhilarating moments the culture has ever seen, it will be the cash prize of $25,000 that could potentially change their lives.
But who are they?
Federal Way, Seattle’s Jey the Nitewing was an unlikely emcee to make it to the finals. While people believed in his potential his history of “dropping the ball” has made even the most die-hard fan suspect that he could not pull out a win. Still, with the cash prize on the line, and a new outlook on life, he found the discipline to almost always dominate over his opponent in this competition. The artist who sees so much of his life through the lens of comic books compares himself to Tony Starks:
“Tony Starks has plenty of ability and talent, but sometimes he just drops the ball due to his own ego or some issues that he is not dealing with on a conscious level and ends up making bad decisions. That is applicable to me, especially in the beginning of my battle rap career.”
He first started battling in 2014. However, it was not until one year later that he decided that he had an issue with alcoholism. In early 2015, he caught a DUI. The law gives him a deferred prosecution; for the next five years of his life, he had to be on probation. Two of those years, he had to enter into a treatment process. Upon completion, his DUI will be wiped clean.
He remembers the day well when he decided to sober up. It was Halloween of 2015 — court-mandated AA meetings, self-willing, and evaluations repositioned in his mind what was valuable. If he was gonna be an emcee, the focus had to come from a different source than the bottle.
“I can definitely relate to Tony Starks on that level. As a recovering alcoholic, one of the main things you learn is that putting down the alcohol doesn’t mean that you are good now. All the issues that led you to drink, you have to address those things.”
“You have to make the choice. It comes down to survival … You only get one life, one chance.”
Five years sober, his life has drastically changed. It made him a creative monster with the ability to outwit many of his opponents with his “own” style. He is not electric like K-Shine. He is not super funny and charismatic as T-Top. He is not beaming to be considered a heartthrob. What he does is replicate on the stage the authentic spirit of the fans that watch. Not just the ones that are street ripping and running, but those that care about the quality of verse and pen. The subculture population that finds solace and peace in the ripples of their imagination. And this unique twist got him to URL in three years after he stopped drinking.
“Once I made it to URL, I was ok, this is a platform that people around the world know about. I feel like anybody who is here is gifted in one-way shape or form in what they do. And it wasn’t until then that I did fully acknowledge that I do have something that is a scarcity in the culture. I also realized that I can’t be like other people if I want to be like one of the greatest. And that is the goal … to be one of the greatest.”
Jey was born smack dab in the middle of The Golden Era of Hip-Hop and started to understand the culture of battle rap through the diss music that he heard the elders in his community listening to. He is from the West Coast and was coming into his first exposure to rivalry rap by listening to the hood’s celebration of Biggie and Tupac’s beef. “Who Shot Ya’” vs. “Hit ‘Em Up” at the time fueled his grammar school mind with that back and forth spirit. Later he found out that The Notorious B.I.G. ‘s song was never about ‘Pac but by the time he found out the mythology of their wax war was bigger than the artists.
That actually is the best lesson that he ever could have gleaned and applied to modern-day battle rap: the story of conflict sells the commodity and is sometimes better than whatever is real. TALK THAT TALK.
Other lessons he is actually learning is come from observing those whom he considers the greatest in this arena. He looks at Lux because of his creativity, originality, and champion mentality. He says he aspires to be like Tsu Surf for his industry hustle, his philanthropy, and how he carries himself. Hollow da Don makes his greatest list because of his business acumen and originality. Nu Jerzey Twork also makes the list for being original, and despite his shortcomings, Jey believes he is the most creative (unmatched) battle rapper of ALL TIME. Rounding out his list is Math Hoffa because of his longevity and ability to still compete with this generation.
But even while those are the ones that he admires, they all could be food for the hungry URL Ultimate Madness finalist. His stomach is grumbling and SMACK (courtesy of his judges Unkle Ra, Knowledge the God, Reda from Champion, and Tony Bro from Black Compass Media) has given him a plate. Fonz is looking like grub.
Four days before he battles Fonz, on NOME X, he will be totally free of his obligation to the state relating back to his past life of boozing. What a great feeling of accomplishment he will feel! And according to Jey, a free Nitewing is damn dangerous and the Ohio rapper needs to be afraid.
But the Cleveland mc ain’t about to just turn over and give Jey a win because he used to be a drink a lot and knows how to flip the X-Men in a couple of rounds. To let Fonz tell it, the Nitewing will get his pinion’s clipped.
Rightfully guarded and more interested in figuratively ripping someone’s throat out in a battle than trying to make friends. While he has excelled in this space, he is ever mindful to remind folk that he is a rapper’s rapper. Don’t let the Midwest accent fool you — Cam’ron, Nas, Eminem, Project Pat, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony has helped mold his style. He says that because music is really his entering point into the culture, even in battles when he is spitting his hardest acapella bars the beats are still playing.
He ain’t even there he is so locked in on the genius fantastically orchestrating in his mind. People say it all the time but for some reason, it seems true for this Ultimate Madness finalist … he is different.
“I can tap into different things.” He shares.
One of the things that he tapped into to start rapping was the SMACK DVDs. For him and so many others, the Murda Mook and Party Arty inspired him to get serious about the craft.
“We would come kick it, roll up, go straight to the back of the DVD and watch the battle. You would find the DVD at the studio (Everybody boosting it).”
But this is the thing … Once Smack stopped putting out the DVDs, Fonz thought it was a rap for the franchise. He was a street dude from Ohio, why would he just be on YouTube … browsing.
“At that time, one of my homeboys started a league here (in Cleveland). I was just sideline watching. I was like I didn’t want to be a battler because they had that persona that they can’t music. I was like I didn’t want to do that. But I kept watching and watching and watching. Then I said, I got to fight somebody.”
Battling drew him in. The rapper that didn’t want to have anything to do with that underground stuff, found himself immersed in the contest of the battling. And what got him is what is most intoxicating to most artists (battler or label having): the roar of the crowd.
“You get that instant love. You might make a CD and you pass it out. Motherf**ka, never listen to it. You battle somebody and you body them … You get that instant love. I think it is harder to be a battler because with an album you just vibing … you just making something that is smooth to listen to that sounds good. With battling, you have to make the words attack. You have to make sure that your words make sense. It is a real art form with this.”
While it is an art form, he does not have time or energy to just get caught up in people’s creativity. You can be as creative as you want, but unless it makes sense for his end goal, he is not trying to see you. That is why the people he battled in the tournament got the “L’s” that they got. He, like Jey the Nitewing, wants to be great. And he won’t be great without a strategy.
“I take pride in my craft. I am not trying to battle everybody. I’ve turned down plates before. They have offered me certain people and I have been like ‘Nah, I don’t want to do that right now.’ Battling certain dudes ain’t gonna do nothing for me. I ain’t taking anything unless it is right. I want to take somebody that is gonna help me move up.”
Jey????
For Fonz, he actually considers himself a lawyer and the battle arena is his courtroom. When he is in the battle, he says that he is “fighting” for his “case.” The fans are the jury and his job is to convince the court that he is iller than this opponent.
“That’s what battle rap is. You have to get your point across better. It is offense and defense in battle rap. You might have someone that might have stronger wordplay, stronger punches, stronger presence, or stronger delivery. But you have to be able to defend your side.”
When talking about the Ultimate Madness competition, Fonz contends that he was the best one there … including over the opp that he faces on July 11th.
“I am blessed to be a part of NOME X. NOME is fire. My favorite NOME battle was Surf and Rum Nitty. Classic.”
When asked if that is how Jey is going to do him? Are people going to debate the winner or is it going to be a classic? He swiftly says “Nah.”
“Nah. That ngga Jey has already had his ass kicked. I ain’t never had my ass kicked. I am about to win NOME. I am about to win this $25,000. I am not coming there to put on no classic. I am coming for the body.”*
Will Jey’s thoughtful and authentic cool, calculated, and sober-minded ready to dance with Fonz’ fiery personality and focus on what them hood dudes be thinking about (the come up and the bag)? The world will see who will be the first Ultimate Madness winner and walk away with $25,000 at one of the biggest events in battle rap history, Night Of Main Events X.
URL’s NOME X will be live for free on Caffeine TV on Saturday, July 11th.
(AllHipHop News) On June 30, iHeartMedia launched the Black Information Network. The corporation’s new venture is being described as “the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service” dedicated to presenting news coverage with a Black voice and perspective.
“BIN: Black Information Network will fill a void by providing continual news and objective information with full focus on the Black community,” said Tony Coles, President of BIN and Division President of the iHeartMedia Markets Group.
Coles continues, “We began developing our 24/7 Black news source last year, and events of the last few weeks, especially the senseless and tragic death of George Floyd, highlighted the need for this network. Now is the time for our voice to be heard, and I could not be more proud of our work and the team we are assembling at BIN.”
Black Information Network is being distributed nationally through the iHeartRadio app and on all-news local AM/FM broadcast radio stations. iHeartMedia’s ninety-one Hip Hop, R&B, and Gospel stations will air the BIN news service.
Those stations include Power 105.1 in New York, Real 92.3 in Los Angeles, WDAS and Power 99 in Philadelphia, WGCI and WVAZ in Chicago, WJLB in Detroit, The Beat in Houston, The Beat in Miami, WQUE in New Orleans, and KMEL in San Francisco. Additional local markets are expected to be added over the next 60 days.
Power 105.1 is home to The Breakfast Club radio show hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and Charlamagne Tha God as well as The Angie Martinez Show. Real 92.3’s Hip Hop content includes Big Boy’s Neighborhood as well as Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed.
“We are pleased and proud to support the launch of BIN: Black Information Network by contributing resources that will have the greatest impact – our reach, our multiple platforms, our technology infrastructure and our broad, in-depth relationships with consumers,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman/CEO of iHeartMedia.
He added, “The commitment to service, and the immediate need we saw for a news and information destination for the Black community, accelerated the launch of BIN: Black Information Network to serve this community in an important new way. We are honored to be joined by some of the most important companies in the world that are also committed to this mission.”
The Black Information Network is supported by its National Founding Partners: Bank of America, CVS Health, GEICO, Lowe’s, McDonald’s USA, Sony, 23andMe, and Verizon. According to iHeartMedia, the Founding Partners will be able to deliver messages to the BIN audience as a way to establish philanthropic and community outreach and to present advertising.
(AllHipHop News) Bun B and Trae Tha Truth were two members of the Texas Hip Hop community that traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota to march in protest against the murder of George Floyd. Both rappers are also demanding justice for Breonna Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky.
Reports began circulating that Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron recently held an engagement party as the city of Louisville is still reeling from Taylor’s death. The 26-year-old EMT was shot and killed on March 13 by plainclothes police officers who burst into her apartment during a botched raid based on a “no-knock” warrant.
“@danieljaycameron Is This True?!!!! Oh I see we [ain’t] applied enough Pressure… Blow His Phone, email, social media up yall… Instead of [charging] #BreonnaTaylor Killers He out livin his Best Life!! Attorney General Daniel Cameron.. blow him Up Or Get His Page Shut Down @danieljaycameron – Lets Show The Power Of The People United,” stated Trae on Instagram.
Bun B reposted Trae’s Instagram message and added his own caption directed at the Republican politician. The UGK founding member wrote, “Don’t you have better things to do @danieljaycameron.”
On May 29, over two months after Taylor was killed, Cameron posted a statement about the case on Instagram. He said his office was waiting for the Louisville Metro Police Department to complete its investigation into its own officers before determining if any state laws had been violated.
This is in contrast to Minnesota’s Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison arresting all four cops who are at the scene when Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin’s charge was upgraded to second-degree murder, and the three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
As of press time, none of the cops involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting have been arrested or charged with any crimes. Officer Brett Hankison was fired from the LMPD, but he is said to be in the process of appealing his termination.
Meanwhile, AG Cameron’s latest tweets have addressed election fraud, COVID-19 scams, Medicaid fraud, opposing the Defund The Police movement, football, and abortion. There have been no recent mentions of Breonna Taylor or the officers that caused her death.
(AllHipHop News) Convicted felon Tekashi 6ix9ine is currently out of prison partly because he decided to testify against his former Nine Trey Gangster Bloods brethren in federal court. The documented government witness is still snitching on the gang to this day.
6ix9ine’s close associate, Akademiks, found himself in an online feud with Indiana-raised rapper Freddie Gibbs. In response to getting clowned on Twitter, Ak took to Twitch to address the beef and decided to call Tekashi during the stream.
“You ever heard of a n*gga named Freddie Gibbs?” Akademiks asked 6ix9ine. The rainbow-haired Brooklyn native responded, “Yeah, the n*gga that got shot at when he came to New York by Harv.”
Tekashi was referring to Anthony “Harv” Ellison, the Nine Trey member that was convicted for the 2018 kidnapping of the “Gummo” performer. Ellison and Aljermiah “Nuke” Mack were also found guilty of federal racketeering charges thanks in large part to 6ix9ine’s testimony.
In November 2014, Gibbs and his entourage were the targets of a shooting in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn following a performance at the Rough Trade store. One victim was shot in the leg and another individual was struck in the hand.
“They tried to kill Tupac. They tried to kill me. I’m still alive, said the Piñata album creator at the time of the shooting. “I’m Freddie Gibbs. They tried to kill me, but I’m still alive.”
Security footage from the location supposedly showed the suspected gunman inside Rough Trade during the event. Police officials apparently told Gibbs, “At one point, he was standing right next to you.”
The attempted tag-team move by 6ix9ine and Akademiks did not stop Freddie Gibbs from continuing his onslaught against the Everyday Struggle host. Gibbs has spent the last two days repeatedly trolling Ak online by implying that the YouTuber is somehow connected with law enforcement.
“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,” tweeted Meek on Tuesday.
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
(AllHipHop News) O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson is very outspoken about social and political issues on Twitter. While most of his focus is on the concerns of Black Americans, some of his statements and posts have been criticized for supposedly being “anti-Semitic.”
Cube recently uploaded a Twitter photo of the head of the Nation of Islam with the caption, “The Honorable Louis Farrakhan continues to warn America to this very second and he’s labeled one of your ‘evil names’ and you turn your ears off. Why is the truth so offensive that you can’t stand to hear it?”
The Honorable Louis Farrakhan continues to warn America to this very second and he’s labeled one of your “evil names” and you turn your ears off. Why is the truth so offensive that you can’t stand to hear it? pic.twitter.com/dhkMZTCyLQ
Then Cube turned his attention to CNN anchor Jake Tapper after the State of the Union host called Farrakhan a “vile anti-LGBTQ anti-Semitic misogynist.” Cube tweeted in response, “Watch your mouth Jake.”
Stern wrote, “[Ice Cube’s] an ardent supporter of Louis Farrakhan, one of the world’s most prominent anti-Semites, and, most troubling of all, the rapper and actor was accused in May 2015 of ordering his entourage to beat up a rabbi.”
Cube is now firing back at both journalists. He first responded on Twitter by posting, “The statement by Marlow Stern is a f*ckin lie. I never ordered my security to beat up anybody. Get your facts straight or I’ll see you in court you a######.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer later revealed that he sent a cease and desist letter to The Daily Beast, Stern, Mediaite, andNash. Cube’s legal team accused both writers of publishing “false and outrageous allegations” about an alleged violent incident involving a Jewish religious leader.
“You each blindly repeat the ridiculous, false accusation that Ice Cube ordered his ‘entourage to beat up a rabbi,’ was sued for it, and that he is anti-Semitic. Not only did this event never happen, Ice Cube has never ordered his entourage to beat up anybody – let alone a nonexistent ‘Rabbi P. Taras,'” reads part of the letter from Cube’s attorneys.
The statement by Marlow Stern is a f##### lie. I never ordered my security to beat up anybody. Get your facts straight or I’ll see you in court you a######. https://t.co/hZOgWxrNGk
(AllHipHop News) Akademiks is experiencing a tough time at the moment. The Everyday Struggle host got demolished in a Twitter feud against Freddie Gibbs, and now he is catching the wrath of Meek Mill.
There has been tension between Meek and Akademiks for a while. The Philadelphia-bred rapper repeatedly demanded that Ak stop posting about him on his Instagram page.
This week, Meek called for Akademiks to be canceled completely. Over 40,000 accounts liked his tweet slamming the IG blogger/YouTuber for allegedly being associated with law enforcement and fostering negativity in Hip Hop.
“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,” tweeted Meek.
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
Moments later, Akademiks answered back by simply tweeting, “You can’t cancel anyone Meek.” The Championships album creator then replied, “You getting canceled now! Lol and if I pull this sh*t out you would be done… just say upppp and ima up it.”
One Twitter user reacted to Meek’s cancellation tweet directed at Akademiks by posting, “Facts this n*gga low key a white supremacist.” Meek responded to the person by tweeting, “He is on the low! Lol”
Meek is not the only person that is pushing the idea that Akademiks is connected to officers of the law. Freddie Gibbs is now selling “Akademiks Is The Police” t-shirts. Ak’s very close association with known government witness Tekashi 6ix9ine is also fueling the speculation that he is possibly working with law enforcement.
