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Black NASCAR Bubba Wallace Drives Black Lives Matter Race Car

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Bubba Wallace, the premiere African American in the NASCAR race car driver in the world, made a statement to the sports community over the Confederate flag being flown at the tracks.

On Wednesday night, Bubba drove in tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia by adorning his race with #BlackLivesMatter in honor of George Floyd, who was killed on Memorial Day (May 25th) in Minneapolis.

Bubba’s Richard Petty Motorsports car features a handshake on the hood and the words “Black Lives Matter” on the sides along with “compassion, love, understanding” on both the front and back of the car.

During the pre-race ceremonies which included a rendition of the national anthem, Bubba Wallace sent a message by wearing an “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirt, the same day NASCAR banned the flying of the Confederate flag.

The mainstream media took note and helped to amplify his message, that a) Black Lives Matter, b) he stands in solidarity with the families of people who have died because of police-involved violence and c) that there should be a ban of anyone flying the Confederate flag at the tracks (before, during or after a race).

Bubba stated, “The presence of the Confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry. Bringing people together around a love for racing and the community that it creates is what makes our fans and sport special. The display of the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties.”

But this is an example of all the stars aligning and the public being allowed to see it manifest.

“Seeing Bubba develop over the years from the NASCAR Drive-for-Diversity program, to becoming the first African American to win in NASCAR in nearly 50 years,” CEO of Prosport management, Rod Moskowitz, shared “I’m proud of him and also of our sport’s leadership and the steps they’ve taken this past week to create a more inclusive environment for our industry and fans.”

A part of that leadership is a child of Hip-Hop.

Kevin Liles, CEO and Co-Founder of 300 Entertainment, partner of Prosport Management and former Def Jam exec commented:

“My partner, Rod Moskowitz in Prosport management has done an incredible job in guiding Bubba Wallace’s career through the NASCAR ranks. As the only African American NASCAR driver, Bubba continues to show his commitment and love for the sport while providing unwavering leadership to move the motorsports and our country forward. I applaud his principled stand on making sure diverse communities feel welcomed to any race in our Nation. Thank you Richard Petty Motorsports for your partnership and NASCAR for listening and acting responsibly. This is a great step towards a more inclusive NASCAR.”

Bubba has said that almost immediately more African Americans tuned in to support him. Despite coming in 11th, he made many proud.

Bubba’s first NASCAR win came at Martinsville in 2013 when he dominated at the track. His victory was the first NASCAR national series win for an African American driver since Wendell Scott won at Jacksonville in 1964.

R&B Singer Ne-Yo Defends George Floyd Sacrifice Comment

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Ne-Yo has defended calling George Floyd’s death a “sacrifice”, after attracting backlash for a controversial comment he made at the 43-year-old’s funeral.

The R&B star was just one of the famous faces at the funeral service inside the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday where he said: “Fifty states are protesting at the same time, this man changed the world. I just want to thank George Floyd for the sacrifice so my kids can be all right. I appreciate the sacrifice, I really do.”

Floyd died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Following the funeral service, Ne-Yo found himself at the center of backlash from his fans, one of whom wrote underneath a video the singer had shared on Twitter of his performance at the funeral, “Murder is not a sacrifice.”

But, unwilling to accept that criticism, Ne-Yo hit back: “Yes it is. I never said he was a ‘willing’ sacrifice. But the sacrifice of his life was the spark that was apparently needed to create the energy for change.

“It’s kind of sad that it took this kind of sacrifice to finally open America’s eyes even the little bit we have. But the unfortunate truth is the world has not united like this in the name of justice for black people EVER.”

He added: “I’m going out of my way to explain what I meant because we are all in the same fight and can’t leave anyone behind. I have the utmost respect for George Floyd, his family and the UNWILLING SACRIFICE HE MADE for black people everywhere.”

Cavalier Drops ‘El Sol’- A Lush Journey In Blackness

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Sponsored Posts
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(AllHipHop Music) Awoken by the first rays of the sun, Ahmed starts his day’s journey feeling full serenity. His journey is a tour through a day in spiritual harmony and local portraiture. That’s the way Cavalier’s “El Sol” video radiates. The Brooklyn rap laureate brings his floral lens on the ins and outs of Black life to cousin city New Orleans, where links to the Bayou’s rich culture and vibrant history appear in warm shots of a yoga class, the 8th Ward, and Annunciation Hall. “El Sol” is a reminder that the beauty of Blackness shines most ‘when the sun hit it.’ – Andrew Ricketts

Diddy Launches ‘Revolt Black News’ Show Hosted & Produced By Eboni K. Williams

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) In the wake of global protests demanding the end of white supremacy and systemic racism, Revolt TV is airing a news program focused on stories that are relevant to African-Americans. Eboni K. Williams was tapped to take the helm for the show.

“With everything going on in the news cycle right now, we need a space where Black culture and critical analysis combine to advance the conversation. This increased role at Revolt will allow me to serve my community in a meaningful way at a historic time,” states Williams.⁣⁣

https://twitter.com/EboniKWilliams/status/1270513060843859968

The 36-year-old former practicing attorney is already one of the panelists for Revolt’s weekly talk show titled State of the Culture. Previously, Williams worked as a correspondent for CBS and CNN as well as a contributor for Fox News Channel.

Revolt Black News features Williams analyzing events directly associated with the advancement and empowerment of Black people. She also invites special guests to talk about topical political and social issues. 

The most recent episode included coverage of police brutality, George Floyd’s murder, the NFL’s statement about Black Lives Matter, the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act, and more. Williams also spoke to Dr. Wendy Osefo about the Congressional Black Caucus’ Justice in Policing Act of 2020 which was unveiled this week. ESPN sports analyst Jalen Rose and professional athlete Brandon Marshall made appearances as well.

Revolt Black News was inspired by Revolt TV founder Sean “Diddy” Combs’ State Of Emergency: The State of Black America & Coronavirus town hall. The new program airs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 pm ET/6 pm PST. 

“When I started Revolt, I always wanted to develop a platform to report the news from our perspective, from our lens, from our people, so I decided to launch Revolt Black News,’” said Combs. “We’re here with solutions. We’ve already heard about what we can’t do, but this is what we can do.”

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Bel-Air Athletics Presents “Black Solidary” Shirt To Raise Money For Racial Justice Organizations

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) In April, Will Smith’s Bel-Air Athletics teamed with DJ D-Nice to sell limited-edition hoodies as a fundraiser to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Bel-Air Athletics is now standing in solidarity against systemic racism and police brutality.

The sports-inspired brand announced it released a unisex Black Solidarity Tee. 100% of proceeds from the shirt will be donated to Black Lives Matter, Equal Justice Initiative, and Black Futures Lab.

Black Lives Matter Foundation is an international organization. Its mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities. 

The Equal Justice Initiative‘s goal is to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States. EJI is committed to challenging racial and economic injustice and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. 

Black Futures Lab works to transform Black communities, build Black political power, and change the way that power operates on local, statewide, and national levels. The charitable “Black Solidarity Tee” ($40) is now available for purchase at belairathletics.com.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBS9hOA-o9https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGhmo8gMhh

The Recording Academy Renames & Redefines Certain Rap/R&B Grammy Categories

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) #BlackLivesMatter protests are not just forcing the United States to look at law enforcement practices and the culture of policing. It appears a societal shift is taking place across all sectors of the country.

Corporate America is also having to reevaluate its role in perpetuating racial injustice and discrimination. For example, Republic Records will no longer use the term “urban” to describe music by black artists.

While the Recording Academy did not directly mention #BLM, the 63-year-old organization announced it made changes to several guidelines in order to make the nominating process and rules “more transparent and fair.” The R&B and Rap fields were among the categories that have been modified.

Best Urban Contemporary Album has been renamed Best Progressive R&B Album. The name change is supposed to reflect albums that include the “more progressive” elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of Hip Hop, Dance, and Electronic Music. It may also incorporate production elements found in Pop, Euro-Pop, Country, Rock, Folk, and Alternative.

Best Rap/Sung Performance has been renamed Best Melodic Rap Performance. According to the Recording Academy, the performance for this category requires a “strong and clear presence of melody combined with rap cadence.” The production may include traditional elements of rap or elements characteristic of non-rap genres including R&B, Rock, Country, Electronic, or more.

https://twitter.com/RecordingAcad/status/1270895627723878401

“These changes were necessary for the culture; the naming and defining of expressions from our culture is significant in providing agency for the historically underserved, misidentified, and misrepresented,” says Kokayi Walker, Recording Academy DC Chapter Trustee. “I’m thankful for [Chris McClenney (Los Angeles Chapter member), and Ivan Barias (Pennsylvania Chapter Trustee)] and the many creatives and professionals that expressed the need for these changes; the sacrifice of their time to engage in hours of conversation and debate; the care, attention and sweat equity given to drafting the right language; all to make sure that the entire community benefitted from these changes.”

Walker continues, “This is why I got involved with the Recording Academy in the first place; this wasn’t about personal gain, this was about the cultural shift for the music community. We wanted to provide a clear message as to who we are and for those who see and hear from our community, an opportunity to understand that there are no limitations in how we express ourselves.”

Barias adds, “I’m truly excited for the name change of Best Urban Contemporary Album to Best Progressive R&B Album. It shows that the Academy is listening to the music community and self-correcting by removing a term that’s been a contentious topic of discussion over the years in the spirit of inclusion. I along with the co-authors, felt it was time to find a new name that still reflects the original definition while making room for the more progressive styles emerging in the genre. The change from Best Rap/Sung Performance to Best Melodic Rap Performance was important in order to establish specificity in this category. While the definition is the same, it gives our members and screening committees a better understanding of what belongs in the category. It was a necessary update that future-proofs this category and will help it grow.”

In addition, Latin Pop Album has been renamed Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album and Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album has been renamed Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album. There is also no longer a specified maximum number of releases prohibiting artists from being nominated for Best New Artist.

“I’m excited to announce our latest changes, as we’re constantly evaluating our Awards process and evolving it to ensure the Grammy Awards are inclusive and reflect the current state of the music industry,” said Harvey Mason Jr., Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “The Academy accepts proposals for rule changes from members of the music community throughout the year that are carefully reviewed and, if accepted, ultimately ratified at our annual Board meeting, a process that we are proud to have continued in this challenging year.”

André 3000 Presents Limited Edition Shirts In Support Of Movement For Black Lives

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) One of the standout aspects of OutKast’s reunion tour in 2014 was the various jumpsuits worn by André “3000” Benjamin. Three Stacks’ outfits featured quotes such as “across cultures darker people suffer most. why?”

The Atlanta-raised emcee/actor is now selling limited edition shirts featuring some of the on-stage messages from his ’14 summer-run with his Kast partner Big Boi. 100% of the proceeds from the items on sale on Benjamin’s website are going to Movement for Black Lives.

“Something very important is happening all over the world and it is happening to all of us. How does it make you feel? For 3 days, a selection of shirts inspired by a collection of my jumpsuits will be sold and 100% of net proceeds will be donated to Movement for Black Lives to aid in their fight to end police brutality & racial injustice against Black people. This is only one piece in the war against systemic racism. It takes all of us. BLACK LIVES MATTER … at a minimum,” states Dre.

According to the M4BL website, the organization “seeks to reach millions, mobilize hundreds of thousands, and organize tens of thousands, so that Black political power is a force able to influence national and local agendas in the direction of our shared Vision for Black Lives.”

Pop Smoke’s Posthumous Album Pushed Back Until July

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) The world lost Bashar “Pop Smoke” Jackson on February 19. The 20-year-old rapper was tragically murdered in California during a home invasion, but his fans will soon be able to get new music from the New York representative. 

Pop Smoke’s posthumous album was originally scheduled to arrive tomorrow (June 12), but Universal Music Group A&R executive Steven Victor announced the project is being delayed. The decision was made out of respect for the ongoing #BlackLivesMatter protests taking place around the world.

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Victor wrote on Instagram:

Music is the tool of revolution. We have been watching, along with the rest of the world, as long overdue change starts to take root. We have seen Pop’s music become the soundtrack of the moment, unifying the masses. Given recent events, we have decided to delay the release of his album out of respect for the movement. “Make It Rain” will be released this Friday, June 12th. The album will be released on July 3rd. Please join us in celebrating Pop Smoke’s legacy. .

Back in March, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson expressed interest in serving as the executive producer for Pop Smoke’s next full-length body of work. 50 even tried to recruit Drake, Chris Brown, and Roddy Ricch for the album.

Before his passing, Pop Smoke dropped the Meet the Woo 2 commerical mixtape which peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart. Vocals by the Brooklyn Drill trailblazer also recently appeared on Nav’s Good Intentions and Lil Tjay’s State of Emergency.

Cardi B Calls On Her Fans To Demand Justice For Breonna Taylor

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) After the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement has increased substantially. Cardi B has been one of the most outspoken celebrities on social issues for years. 

In 2017, Cardi shouted out Colin Kaepernick at MTV’s Video Music Awards for his activism against racial injustice. In 2019, she sat down with Senator Bernie Sanders to talk about police brutality and other political topics.

Cardi has now turned her attention to the tragic story of Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old African-American woman that was killed on March 13 by Louisville, Kentucky law enforcement. The cops used a “no-knock warrant” to force entry into the wrong apartment.

The Louisville Metro Police Department officers reportedly fired more than 20 shots into the residence. Taylor was shot eight times. It was determined later that the suspect the LMPD was actually searching for was already in police custody.

None of the officers involved in the shooting – Jonathan Mattingly, Myles Cosgrove, and Brett Hankison – have been fired or charged with a crime. The LMPD released a four-page incident report about the incident which was mostly blank. It listed Taylor’s injuries as “none” and marked “no” in the “forced entry” section even though the police reportedly used a battering ram to break down the apartment door.

Cardi is calling on her 67 million Instagram followers to take action for Breonna Taylor. The Bronx-bred rapstress posted a video on her IG page which features Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, explaining what happened to the deceased EMT worker on that night in March. 

Plus, prominent activist Tamika Mallory offered suggestions on how to pressure local and state officials to get justice for Taylor and her family. The Until Freedom co-founder recommends that people call Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and LMPD Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder to demand the three officers are held accountable.

Cardi wrote in the caption of her Instagram post:

Let me tell ya something.This is why we gotta keep fighting .Breonna Taylor was one year younger then me .Pose ,dress, live her life how we do !Imagine if this happens to YOUR FRIEND ,YOUR SISTER.This is her mother telling you her story .They tried to trick her mom that night into believing maybe a enemy killed her when in fact The police ransacked her home and murdered her .They tried to sweep the case under the rug specially since the country when on lockdown due to Coronavirus.DONT LET KENTUCKY POLICE DEPARTMENT GET AWAY WITH THIS SH*T!!!!!They always pull out criminal records to taint every black men or women that gets murdered by police or an excuse why they got killed .Well what’s the excuse now ?!John Mattingly,Brett Hankison,Myles Cosgrove..YA NEED TO GO TO JAIL !!! THAT Wayyy ….I’ll leave a link on my story FOR YOU TO HELP! #doyouknowbreannataylorstory #sayhername

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Houston’s Yung Martez Delivers ‘Certain Moments’ Mixtape

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Sponsored Posts
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(AllHipHop Music) It’s no secret that Shreveport, Louisiana native Yung Martez is one of the most prominent rappers in Houston, Texas. 

Being raised in Houston’s 5th Ward neighborhood presented challenges and obstacles that were the perfect recipe for a tumultuous upbringing. The  would pivot into his music and allow him to establish a presence in Hip Hop that caught the attention of H-Town Hip Hop legends like Scarface, Paul Wall, and a host of others.

Yung Martez originally started out in a group called MPS which made hits such as, “Dats My Lil’ Dip” & “No Man Needed.”

Yung Martez has since begun working on his solo project ‘A Ghetto Genius,’ and released his first single “When I Call” featuring Propain & Shun Ward which has gotten spins on major stations in the Southern region, and it has been featured on MTV Jams.

Yung Martez’s prominence in Hip Hop has inarguably positioned him for success. 

After releasing his previous Mixtape ‘STRUGGLE 2 SUCCESS RELOADED,’ which boasted several hits and was hosted by Houston legends HollyHood Bay Bay & Kiotti, the project featured hip hop heavyweights like Scarface, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, and Lil KeKe, as well as a club banger featuring Beat King and Chedda Da Connect.

On his latest mixtape ‘Certain Moments,’ Yung Martez blesses fans with 16 signature tracks to include collaborations with “Dat N***a” Ft. OTB Fastlane, “Spinnin” Ft. Dallas rapper M03, “Back It Up” Ft. Beat King, “Alone” Ft. Code Alyn, Eddie Coke, RawRap Nunu & Draco, “All The Way Up” Ft. Fuego Re’al on which he raps:

“N***a I ain’t no rapper I’m a real street poet, these n****s know I’m finna blow, and they tryna make me blow it”.

‘Certain Moments’ also features records with 5th Ward JP and J-Dawg. 

Young Martez’s latest body of work is epic, to say the least. 

One of the most lyrically authentic projects of 2020, but also sonically unique, as Martez’s trademark vocal cadence is incomparable. 

‘Certain Moments’ is an experience in Hip Hop that you can’t afford to miss.

Check out ‘Certain Moments’ below.

Miracle – “Sooner Than Often” Video

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Music
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(AllHipHop Music) Teenage artists are not a rarity in the genre of Hip-Hop but it isn’t often you find a teenage emcee whose lyrical prowess and adult subject matter catches the attention of their older peers. 

Enter Las Vegas-based rapper Miracle. Formerly known as Blu Mira, the 16-year-old emcee has been making waves, carving out her own niche on the west coast music scene. 

Having begun rapping at the age of 14, she first caught national attention by winning Mozzy’s Chill Phillippe Challenge. 

After being accused of not writing her own lyrics, Miracle doubled back and won Mozzy’s challenge once again. Proving doubters wrong with very bar. 

Since then, Miracle has been highlighted by the likes of Lil Baby, Polo G, King Von, Sage The Gemini, and more. 

She even collaborated with accomplished battle MC and 106 & Park freestyle champion Interstate Fatz, who is a fellow Las Vegas native. 

After dropping a few well-received cuts on YouTube, Miracle has taken her talents up another level as she inked a deal with Super Nova Music and unveiled her official debut single “Sooner Than Often.” 

The aggressive-style music video was filmed during the Covid-19 pandemic and finds Miracle and her crew making the streets their own. 

Check out the video and keep an eye out for Miracle as she’s been labeled as one to watch among artists, fans, and critics. 

Th3 Saga and B-Dot Might Be The Best Battle Of The Year

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: Features
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Christian rapper Th3 Saga and Black consciousness/ Kemetic rapper B-Dot have had energy toward each other for some years now, and it has finally come to pass in the URL Sterilized 2 series.

Was this a battle of philosophical jousting from two lyrical miracles?

Nope.

There were bars, but some real talk that will make you fall in love with battle rap … all over again.

Father Abraham Had Many Sons …

If you are a bible reader, you know that in the Book of Genesis, Abraham bin Terah is considered the father of about four of the largest religions in the world.

According to JSTOR, one of the world’s leading academic databases, there are about 2.3 billion Christians in the world (making up 29% if the world), 1.9 billion Muslims (making up 24% of the world), 14 million Jews and 7 million Bahá’í, all of which consider themselves speckles in the numerous sand analogy that is mentioned in Genesis 22:17.

But if you read the scripture, you will see that Abraham also wedded an Egyptian woman. We know if the English translation they call her the slave girl, concubine but in the Hebrew according to one of the premier Black Hebrew bible scholars in the country, Wilda C. Gafney, the word used to describe her relationship in this home is “l’issah,” translated to mean co-wife.

Hagar, the Egyptian girl that is seen to be the Mother of Islam, the first to extend the life of Abraham through generations and the first to call the God of Abraham by name El Roi, probably was Kemetic.

And this is where the battle between B-Dot and Th3 Saga begins.

Thousands of years from antiquity, the two children of divine knowledge meet on a rooftop to go head to head in the URLtv’s Sterilized series for what many believe is a contender for the battle of the year.

Indeed it is a debatable contest since both emcees came to the table with a proverbial cross/ ankh to bear.

The two are probably the hardest working under-rated rappers that Top Tier rappers do well dissing and dodging: fans are not slow and know why they have not got the name recognition that they want and deserve.

After watching the battle several times on the URLtv App, here are five reasons why you have to watch it for yourself:

1. The rooftop battle allows the two stellar emcees about 18 – 21 minutes of uninterrupted sport. If you ever watched the Serena Williams vs. Naomi Osaka tennis match, you were blessed to watch the two highly skilled competitors bounce from angle to angle, side to side with fierce respect but wanting to snatch the other person’s head off in the war. That’s what it was like watching B-Dot and Saga.

2. Th3 Saga is a gifted writer. He uses words like paint, creating vivid masterpieces with each verse. Surprisingly … he is a church boy and so he really ain’t supposed to be as dope a puncher as he is. Line-after-line, he comes to the table with a lyrical prowess that makes him one of the more elite pens in the space. Fans can hear the thoughtfulness in how he constructs blows that will most certainly strike his opponent with formidable power. It’s like the Holy Ghost is in his gloves … and this battle is like Holyfield beating Tyson (both times).

3. B-Dot is also a gifted writer, but he uses his words more or less like a loom. He too creates art, but he weaves the portraits to create a knit of analogical magnificence. He takes you on an entire journey. Perhaps he is not a weaver, but a quilter taking patches that seem not to go together like his Black power grandiloquence with the grit of his gang lifestyle, to create the genius in his raps.

4. Avocado’s shooting of the video is masterful.

5. Their battle is better than any PLUG IN YOUR RANDOM MT. RUSHMORE RAPPER battle from over the last two years.

It will be awesome to see how energized their careers will be after this. They can pray to either gods of Hagar, that it takes them to the highest level of esteem that they deserve to be.

People say it is a debatable — but the edge goes to the Horseman.

Check out some behind the scenes with Ruin Your Day and be on the lookout for the rest of the URL battles.

And peep some other reviews of this battle (and see if we are bugging):

Oprah Talks George Floyd, Breonna Taylor & Ahmaud Arbery With Black Leaders

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Some people are asking what is Oprah going to say about the recent civic unrest transpiring across the universe, and finally she will open up with her friends and let her the world hear how she really feels.

It is hard to be Black in America.

And finally, the world is starting to have the difficult conversation that people of the African diaspora (especially the Hip-Hop community) have been having for years.

The social equality and civic equity that Dr. King spoke about still not a reality.

The tragic murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others have brought that to the forefront of those in America’s consciousness.

Outside of the murders, consider Amy Cooper aka the Central Park Karen’s insidious false claims to police about a Black man, racism is blatant and deserving of a real conversation with nationally and internationally recognized voices.

For the first time in a long time, Black American issues are front and center on a global stage during the middle of a pandemic.

As Black America decides what’s next, media maven, Oprah Winfrey has responded to this by helping to define the agenda.

Tonight, Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Networks will present day one of a two-night special “OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?”

The special will feature Winfrey speaking with Black thought leaders, activists, and artists on the country’s direction. Some of the guests will include politician and Spelman Alumna Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, director Ava DuVernay, actor David Oyelowo, Color of Change founder Rashad Robinson, and NAACP national board member Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.

Tune in tonight and tomorrow at 9 PM (EST) on OWN.

Obie Trice Could Be Going To Jail For Shooting A Teenager

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) When Eminem introduced the world to Obie Trice, the only thing we associated with the Detroit rhyme-spitter was that he was the man behind some crazy bars.

Now, after pleading guilty to a December 2019 charge of possession of an unregistered gun, he may be the man behind some different bars because he is facing up to three months in jail.

Last year, Obie Trice, 42, was involved with a home shooting of an 18-year-old male in Commerce Township. Police received a report of loud yelling and gunshots.

According to jail records, when they arrived at the destination, they arrested the rapper for “violating a friend of the court warrant for child support payment, with a bond of $16,900.”

He was eventually charged with aggravated felony assault in February of 2020 and his sentencing is expected to take place in a few weeks.

Obie Trice used to be fire. He was signed to Shady Records but left in 2008.

Though he put out five studio albums, he never popped. In fact, the most noise we have really heard pop from Trice probably was him shooting this teenager. Damn, son. #WishYouTheBest

Noah “40” Shebib Found Silver Lining In Pusha T’s MS Diss

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Drake’s producer pal Noah ’40’ Shebib was determined to find the positives in Pusha T’s stinging rap about his multiple sclerosis battle, even though the deeply personal attack crossed a line.

Pusha dragged 40 into his Hip-Hop feud with Drake in 2018, when he released “The Story of Adidon,” in which the former The Clipse star mocked the producer for his potentially disabling health condition.

After alleging Drake had a secret child, he added, “OVO 40 hunches over like he’s 80/Tick, tick, tick/How much time he got?/That man is sick, sick, sick.”

At the time, 40 tried to avoid the drama by simply responding to the lyrical shot on Twitter by highlighting the fact the tune premiered on the eve of America’s National MS Awareness Day.

Now he has opened up about the controversy in a rare interview with Rolling Stone, admitting the pointed lyrics made him feel “like s##t, for sure.”

“I guess all I’ll say is that was just a different thing for me,” 40 explained of having his private life pushed into the spotlight. “Different than a bar that he gets off. No real comment. I made my comment. It was National MS Awareness Day.”

The 37-year-old, who was diagnosed when he was just 22, went on to insist “of course” Pusha crossed a line with the lyrical jab, adding, “That was something different than a bar in a song. That’s cool, I barely know that guy.”

“Ultimately, I like turning things into positive situations or brighter sides,” he continued. “And if that brings awareness to my disease on a bigger level, I was happy about that. That’s what I used it for. That ultimately is a good thing for me.”

Nicki Minaj & Tekashi 6ix9ine Link For “Trollz” To Support George Floyd

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Nicki Minaj is not afraid to work with Brooklyn’s own, Tekashi.

Looking past his antics, his court confessions and the image that he played into to become the King of New York, the Queen of the Barbs is linking with her little brother to raise money for those incarcerated due to the Black Lives Matters protest.

Snitching is not a thing.

Let that be known. The street code that used to get you banished from the cookout is possibly now the very thing that might get you a seat next to big mama’s potato salad and Uncle Charles pinochle game.

Well, Uncle Charles might let you pull up a chair, but he’s still gonna goose-eye you for being a part of this new generation of hood dudes. But there is no shame to it … so it seems.

Outside of Tekashi dropping a record and it being received with open arms, another way we know that snitching is not a thing is that Nicki Minaj, one of the “realest chicks” in the game, is doing a record with him.

Don’t give us the Scooby-Doo face! You heard us correctly. The Barbie and the Brooklyn Unicorn are linking again to put out new music.

According to Nicki’s Instagram, she and SnitchNine are rocking a new joint called “Trollz.”

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A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj)

The song will have a complete roll-out that includes merchandise, music, and maybe a magical video.

Looking like Hip-Hop’s own Shrinky D####, the two appear all in white in front of a red and pink background. Her caption explains the marketing plan:

“A portion of the proceeds from #Trollz including merch items will be going directly to The Bail Project Inc. The fund provides free bail assistance to low-income individuals who can’t afford to pay bail while awaiting their trial. We want to protect and support the thousands of brave people working on the front lines of social justice, using their voices to demand AN END to the targeting and killing of Black Americans by the police. #BlackLivesMatter link in bio to Pre-save #TrollzVIDEO tmrw

@ midnight NickiMinajQueen.com”

Well, how can you hate on that?

You can’t. The truth is her collaborating with her little brother, while it seems like so many in the world have turned their back on him, is evidence of her unshakable loyalty.

It also is a nod to the fact that she locked into wanting impact change and the best way to do that is to generate attention and money — and what the two of them have done and will do is generate attention and money.

“Trollz” will drop Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

Maybe his snitching ain’t the end of the world —

Someone forgetting how to make Big Mama’s potato salad might be — but not this.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBRbvuOJw64

6ix9ine’s Old Friend “Fighting For His Life” In Prison; Demands New Lawyer

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) One of the guys convicted of racketeering with Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods is blasting his own lawyers for ruining his attempt to get out of prison.

AllHipHop obtained a letter written by Fuguan “Fu Banga” Lovick, who is complaining about the terrible job his public defender is doing.

Fu Banga is “fighting for his life” inside of the MCC prison in Manhattan but his lawyer refuses to do anything about it.

“Your honor, I am fighting for my life and it is imperative that I receive counsel who has my best interest,” Fu Banga wrote to Judge Paul Engelmayer. “The communication between my current attorney and I is horrible and completely unexceptable (sic). I have requested some simple tasks that make complete sense and my attorney refuses to help me.”

Fu Banga is one of 12 defendants indicted in a RICO case against the rap star and his old gang in November of 2018.

Fu Banga was eventually revealed as the gunman who shot up the Barclays Center during a boxing match between Jessie Vargas and Adrien Broner, in April of 2018.

Fu Banga was forced to fire a round in the air to back off rapper Casanova and a crew of at least fifty men.

Casanova and a wall of men were rushing towards Tekashi 6ix9ine and other members of Nine Trey during a nasty feud over the rainbow-haired rapper’s credentials or lack thereof, as a Blood.

In May of 2019, Fu Banga admitted to firing off of the round, and he was eventually sentenced to a little over 7 years in prison for the crime.

Fu Banga may be mounting an appeal, or attempting to gain an early release like his old buddy Tekashi 6ix9ine, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Either way, Fu Banga is looking to fire his public defender, who he claims is railroading his constitutional right to representation.

“I do understand we are in times of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fub Banga wrote. “I also have common sense to know and feel that because I am already sentenced combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, my attorney is completely paying zero attention to my needs.”

Read his letter in full below:

Ava Duvernay Launches New Project To Watch Cops

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Filmmaker Ava Duvernay has launched The Law Enforcement Accountability Project (LEAP), a new media initiative to keep watch on police abuse and malpractice.

Police brutality and racial prejudice in U.S. law enforcement and the justice system have dominated headlines across the globe since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month.

In an appearance on Monday’s “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Ava announced the creation of LEAP, a fund focused on storytelling around police violence and abuse that will commission projects across film, literature, theater, dance, fine art, and music.

Explaining how the harrowing images of the unarmed African-American man’s death inspired her into action, the “Selma” director told Ellen: “I’ve been thinking a lot about my own rage. My own emotions.

“When I look at George Floyd’s tape, I see my uncles. Not just in a general sense, but he looks like people in my family, like literally the facial features. Every time that that video plays on CNN or anything else, I see people that I love on the ground begging for their life.

“There’s a sense of those images, what we’re asking of each other and the storytelling around these instances, the stories that we’re telling each other, that’s what I’ve been really interested in interrogating. We need to change what those stories are and change the way that we tell them.”

Discussing LEAP’s aims, she added: “We’re asking for narrative change and we’re creating narrative change around police abuse, misconduct, and murder of black people. We’re changing the lens of the story.”

Ava, 47, went into more detail about how the project would tackle abuse of power and brutality in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“There is a lack of accountability happening at police departments, police unions and in the courts, a lack of laws on the books that really protect citizens from officers who have a certain number of grievances,” she explained. “The idea is that if the courts won’t do it, if the police unions won’t do it, if the departments won’t do it, then people can do it.” 

White Actresses Submit & Handover Social Media Accounts To Black Women

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Hilary Swank are among the stars handing over their Instagram pages to black writers, businesswomen, and activists for one day as part of a new social media campaign.

On Wednesday, for one day only, a host of white women with large Instagram followings, including the Hollywood stars will use their platforms to amplify the work of black women they are partnering with as part of the #ShareTheMicNow initiative.

Devised by Bozoma Saint John, the chief marketing officer (CMO) at media firm Endeavor, as well as authors Luvvie Ajayi Jones and Glennon Doyle, and fashion designer Stacey Bendet, the initiative aims to “magnify” black women’s lives and create new bonds to promote activism.

Other stars handing over their accounts include Kourtney Kardashian, Ashley Graham, Brandi Carlile, and Chelsea Handler.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, its organizers said its four goals are: “To form a social media campaign that magnifies Black women’s lives and stories. To form relationships among Black women and white women – so that our future activism is born from relationships. To create a network of disruptors who know and trust each other. To create action that could make change.”

In all, 46 black women will take over the accounts of 46 white women, to reach 300 million of their combined Instagram followers.

Notable takeovers include fashion and beauty editor Kahlana Barfield Brown working with Roberts, actress and transgender activist Angelica Ross partnering with Swank, and the founder of the Mama Glow maternity brand Latham Thomas teaming up with Paltrow.

Human rights activist Opal Tometi will be posting on Graham’s account, while Saint John herself will work with Kourtney Kardashian.

Others involved in the project include Busy Philipps, Chrissy Metz, Debra Messing, Diane von Furstenberg, Julianne Hough, Mandy Moore, Sarah Paulson, Selma Blair, and Sophia Bush.

The #ShareTheMicNow campaign follows weeks of protests against racial injustice in America following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Nicki Minaj And Tekashi 69 Are Trollz! Announce New Song

By: illseed Updated Category: Rumors
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(AllHipHop Rumors) Well, it looks like Tekashi69 and Nicki Minaj are back together. Actually, they definitely are back together, because the pair posted pictures of their upcoming song on Instagram. as much as I despise talking about this, it is something that needs to be discussed. The song “Trollz” is coming whether we want it to come or not. 

Early Wednesday, Nicki Minaj confirmed their collaboration as well as their plan to donate a portion of the proceeds directly to The Bail Project (this makes it for a “good cause” in light of the new new Black Lives Movement). Nikki went on to explain how this works.

A portion of the proceeds from #Trollz including merch items, will be going directly to The Bail Project Inc. The fund provides free bail assistance to low-income individuals who can’t afford to pay bail while awaiting their trial. We want to protect and support the thousands of brave people working on the front lines of social justice, using their voices to demand AN END to the targeting and killing of Black Americans by the police. #BlackLivesMatter link in bio to Pre-save #TrollzVIDEO tmrw @ midnight  

I love how people are now starting to donate to he causes and have adopted a seemingly conscious mind state. All of this to the backdrop of an agent provocateur and snitch that has put a lot of Black men in jail. Now, I know that Shotti and the crew are not angels but I do feel as though Tekashi69 should be in jail right along with them. Why? Because he was one of the main people putting out hits on people, endangering the lives of many people, and instigating violence from hood to hood. 

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A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj)

Another point: There is a conspiracy theory that Nicki Minaj has been blackballed from the music game. But this has not in any way stopped people from working with her. However, some have said that Doja Cat’s unfortunate “Alt-Right Exposure” was a result of the Nicki Minaj jinx. I am not one that believes in such things, but I think we’ll soon see if it is true because this is a big one.

One thing I am curious about is seeing how Billboard handles this song, because it is certain to be a massive record even though I have not heard it. Last month Nicki Minaj hit hard with her first Hot 100 with Doja Cat. Tekkie hit No. 3 with “Gooba” and had a temper tantrum that accused Billboard of keeping him from that top slot. Billboard then bashed him completely from their site and boards. I wonder if that was permanent. Time soon come.