(AllHipHop News) Sean “Diddy” Combs, Justin Timberlake, and Michael B. Jordan are among the stars demanding justice for murdered African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery.
Arbery was reportedly out for a run near his home in Brunswick, Georgia back in February when he was chased down and confronted by two white men and fatally shot.
The males have been identified as Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis, who fired his shotgun twice, causing the 25-year-old to collapse and die.
The McMichaels told police they thought Arbery was a burglary suspect and argued the shooting was in self-defense.
No charges were filed at the time, but authorities have since come under renewed pressure to take action after cellphone video footage of the incident reportedly emerged on Tuesday, appearing to show that Arbery had come under attack first.
Activists staged a demonstration at the scene of the crime on Wednesday, and as the public outcry intensified, a number of celebrities voiced their support for the cause online.
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“#AhmaudArbery was running in his neighborhood and was chased down and murdered and no arrests have been made!!!!!!#JusticeForAhmaud RunWithMaud.com,” posted Diddy, while Timberlake shared a photo of Arbery and simply commented, “If you’re not outraged, you should be. Justice for #AhmaudArbery.”
Creed star Jordan shared, “I’m sick to my stomach and could barely watch the video. Another one of our future kings and leaders was murdered!!! To the family and friends of Ahmaud my thoughts and prayers are with you. Just because you may not experience racism, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist and if you don’t think anything is wrong with this video or try to defend this in anyway, you are a part of the problem. #thiscouldhavebeenmeoryou”.
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Oscar-winner Viola Davis urged her Instagram followers to join the call for justice: “Rest In Power #AhmaudArbery,” she wrote. “Stand with us and demand that Ahmaud’s murders are charged in his death. They are not immune from prosecution and should be tried for murder.
#IRunWithMaud.”
Fellow actresses and activists Olivia Wilde, Gabrielle Union, and Taraji P. Henson also weighed in on the case on social media, as did rappers T.I., Ludacris, Common, and Megan Thee Stallion, who remarked, “This really brought tears to my eyes. I can’t believe people can be this evil it’s disgusting. Prayers to the family.”
Prosecutor Tom Durden has vowed to convene a grand jury to discuss possible charges against the suspects – but only when coronavirus pandemic restrictions are eased, which could take several weeks.
(AllHipHop News) Grime star Wiley has made the bizarre claim that the coronavirus was brought about as a method of “depopulation” introduced in China.
While people worldwide remain on lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19, the Heatwave MC, 41, believes the outbreak was no accident.
“I feel like someone high up… this is a control method,” he told Q magazine. “Depopulation is a real thing. However it occurs, I don’t know how to explain that part because different people use different methods.
“I read it on the net. It said in China you were only allowed one baby but people kept having ten. Can you imagine in England, if I got into power and I told you, ‘Sorry mate, you can only have one kid’.”
The star, real name Richard Kylea Cowie, Jr. continued: “So that don’t feel all right already. But if somebody, the governor or the man who runs China, if it’s overpopulated, he might feel that way.
“There’s a deeper root. I wanna know who is behind it. I’m not saying corona is not real, what I’m saying is a virus, to me, seems like a business.”
China has received a slew of negative media attention amid the outbreak, due to reports suggesting coronavirus originated in the city of Wuhan, with key figures including U.S. leader Donald Trump coming under fire for their rhetoric surrounding the global health crisis, after the President referred to Covid-19 as the “Chinese virus” and “Kung flu.”
(AllHipHop News) 50 Cent holds no ill will towards Oprah Winfrey or her best pal, newswoman Gayle King, after criticizing them for “going after black men” accused of sex crimes.
The “In Da Club” hitmaker lashed out at Oprah online in December for signing on to produce the “On the Recor” documentary, focusing on sexual misconduct allegations made against embattled hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.
The rapper had also previously taken issue with a 2019 interview King had conducted with R. Kelly, who is facing criminal charges for various sex crimes.
Fif hit the headlines again in February when he chastised the reporter for bringing up Kobe Bryant’s 2003 sex scandal in a TV chat with basketball legend Lisa Leslie, conducted just days after the Los Angeles Lakers star’s tragic helicopter death.
Despite his frequent social media attacks on Winfrey and King, 50 insists he doesn’t have personal issues with the two media personalities, he simply has questions about why they appear to be focusing their energies on spotlighting prominent African-American stars accused of sexual misconduct, instead of also tackling the likes of convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has faced allegations of inappropriate behavior, too.
Asked about his apparent feud on “Watch What Happens Live,” 50 explained, “I like both of them. I just made a comment about not understanding why they were choosing specific people for the #MeToo stuff, the documentaries, because the President has those accusations, and no one has a documentary on the President.
“And as far as entertainment is concerned, I thought (the) Weinstein (scandal) was bigger than the other guys in entertainment that received it. Those other guys were just easy victims, that’s all.”
Winfrey eventually walked away from the Simmons project and had her name removed as a producer, citing creative differences.
(AllHipHop News) Jason Derulo has nothing but love for haters on Twitter after a tweet dissing him went viral earlier this week.
Twitter user @sweetsones took to the social networking site to share the message, which reads: “jason derulo is the human equivalent of a sleeveless hoody.”
The post quickly gained momentum and amassed over 230,000 likes and 30,000 retweets, and it wasn’t long before it caught the attention of the “Want To Want Me” star.
However, the hitmaker didn’t let the negativity get to him, as he politely responded: “Wishing you all the love and blessings you can handle.”
Going viral online is nothing new for Jason – last year fans went into a frenzy over an image of the “Talk Dirty” hitmaker in which the outline of his manhood was clearly visible, which Jason referred to as his “anaconda.”
The snap caused so much commotion that bosses at Instagram decided to take it down, causing him to fire back: “F##k (sic) u mean? I have underwear on… I can’t help my size…”
He also denied that he had photoshopped his junk, telling fans his package was not artificially altered.
(AllHipHop News) Chance the Rapper is handed out $300,000 to educators as part of a new virtual awards show on Wednesday.
Teachers and schools in need will be getting funds from the star at the virtual Twilight Awards, taking place during Teacher Appreciation Week, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Chance will be surprising educators and school officials in his native Chicago, Illinois with supplies and cash.
The rapper announced his plans for a teacher awards show in 2017, and he officially confirmed The Twilight Awards via Instagram earlier this week.
“Crazy announcement right now,” he said in a video. “Some of you guys are aware, some of you guys may not be, but this is Teacher Appreciation Week, so first of all shout-out to all the teachers going the extra mile.
“I don’t know if you all remember, but a couple of years ago I had an idea to do an awards show called The Twilight Awards where we would honor the amazing teachers out there as celebrities, and I am extremely proud and excited to say that Box Tops for Education and General Mills, the geniuses behind Cinnamon Toast Crunch, are helping me bring this to reality!
“I’m going to be giving out prizes and recognizing the amazing teachers that are superstars and celebrities themselves.”
The awards airs at 7pm ET today (May 7th) and tomorrow (May 8th) on Chance’s Instagram page.
(AllHipHop News) Iggy Azalea and PLayboi Carti have apparently invested in a family-friendly SUV following reports the couple has welcomed its first child.
It has been widely claimed that Iggy, 29, has welcomed a baby with her rapper beau, 23, in secret – and according to reports, the pair is splashing the cash to prepare for life as new parents.
The “Fancy” star and Carti, real name Jordan Terrell Carter, reportedly spent $400,000 on a 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV, since they were seeking a luxury car big enough to accommodate a baby seat.
While neither Iggy or her rapper beau have confirmed their baby news, reports suggest the pair welcomed a boy in secret.
Iggy and Carti began dating back in 2018 and they moved in together in Atlanta, Georgia last year.
The couple has also refused to comment on engagement rumors that started in November when Iggy was spotted wearing a new ring on her wedding finger.
(AllHipHop News) The list of acts selected to be part of Apple Music’s “Up Next” program over the last two years includes H.E.R., Summer Walker, and Megan Thee Stallion. The streaming giant is now putting a focus on Houston’s Don Toliver.
Travis Scott’s protégé is the latest addition to Apple Music’s monthly artist initiative geared towards identifying, showcasing, and elevating rising talent. An iPhone 11 Pro-shot short film about Toliver is available to watch on the platform.
“Music has done so much for me…it’s one of the most powerful things on this Earth.” Introducing our new #UpNext artist, @DonToliver.
“It was clear Don Toliver had something special when I heard his feature on ‘Can’t Say’ off Travis Scott’s Astroworld,” states Ebro Darden, Apple Music’s Global Editorial Head of Hip-Hop and R&B.
Darden continues, “Don’s command of melody combined with his lyrical ability make him a real stand out amongst his peers. Houston has a ton of momentum right now and highlighting Toliver as Up Next seeks to further acknowledge the talent that Texas keeps bringing to the table.”
Heaven or Hell, Don Toliver’s debut studio album, arrived in March of this year. The LP opened at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart with 44,000 first-week units. He also contributed to the JackBoys compilation project which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 this year with 154,000 album-equivalent units.
“Hype for my fans to get a better glimpse at who I am and excited for the opportunity given,” said the Atlantic Records signee. “Shout out to Apple for all the support, yessir.”
Don Toliver has been featured on numerous Apple Music playlists such as Rap Life, Today’s Hits, Future Hits, Chill Rap, and The New South. The 25-year-old neophyte is the streaming company’s cover artist for the Up Next playlist which also contains songs by Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Burna Boy, Jessie Reyez, Jack Harlow, Victoria Monét, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Baby Keem, and more.
(AllHipHop News) The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused the cancellation of commencement services. Graduating seniors across the country are having to miss out on the major life milestone.
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Hennessy want to help HBCU students celebrate earning their degree despite the fact that coronavirus is preventing large social gatherings. The #ShowMeYourWalk Grad Party is set for social media.
Following the virtual National HBCU Commencement Celebration on May 16, the D-Nice-hosted online function will kick off at 9 pm ET on his Instagram Live for viewers aged 21 and over. Nas and A$AP Ferg will also take part in the online celebration.
In addition to honoring 2020 graduates and their institutions, the #ShowMeYourWalk HBCU Grad Party will raise funds for participating schools and their students. Last year, Hennessy started the $10 million Hennessy Fellows program with TMCF which focuses on HBCU grad students. It’s designed to equip the next generation of diverse C-suite leaders through financial assistance, access, and experiences.
The Hennessy and TMCF partnership includes the establishment of an online academy that is scheduled to launch next month. The learning resource will be available to Hennessy Fellows and all HBCU students over the age of 20 by offering transparent insights and resources to help students navigate corporate America.
(AllHipHop News) When French Montana and Swae Lee linked up for “Unforgettable,” they ended up creating an 8x-Platinum global smash. However, French and Swae seem to be on different pages about how the song came together.
During an April interview with Everyday Struggle, French Montana insisted he structured “Unforgettable” which led to Swae Lee calling “cap” on that claim. The Rae Sremmurd member later tweeted, “I have the OG version.”
Billboard caught up with French, and the conversation included him speaking about the dispute with Swae Lee. The New York native stated that he loves Swae and has no problem with the Ear Drummers representative, but he also had questions about the recent issues over their collaboration.
“I love Swae Lee. I have no problem with him. He never did nothing to me, actually. All I was saying, my brother, was if you had the original version, and I put my verse on it in certain places, that means I structured the song, right? What am I saying wrong?” asked French.
The Coke Boys leader then turned his attention to Swae Lee’s 2018 single “Guatemala” with his brother Slim Jxmmi. French Montana pointed out the SR3MM track was not as successful as “Unforgettable.”
“If I didn’t structure the song, what happened when they put out ‘Unforgettable Part 2’ – ‘Guatemala’? How come that didn’t sell 9 million? You said it was the sequel to ‘Unforgettable.’ You did, right?” stated French.
He continued, “Look how they try to do me. I do ‘Unforgettable,’ they take me out. He replaced me with somebody else, comes out with a part two. I never took it no way. So guess what, if I never did nothing to the first one my brother, and you came out with part two, God bless you, do your thing. All I did was I structured the first one, and what I meant by structured the first one is where I put my verse.”
Rae Sremmurd’s “Guatemala” did not reach the commerical landmarks of 2017’s “Unforgettable” by French Montana, but Swae and Jxmmi did earn a Platinum plaque from the RIAA for the record. The song’s music video has amassed more than 68 million plays on YouTube in comparison to the 1 billion views for “Unforgettable.”
(AllHipHop Features) While some may consider the “hood” movie to be a cliche in a Hollywood context, but these stories more authentic that the standard tinsel town tale. These mini sagas are marginalized or pushed to the fringes once they lose pop viably. Director Rapman’s “Blue Story” breaks through all of the red tape and even the pandemic of coronavirus in a decidedly Hip-Hop fashion. “I’ma show you what these young men are fighting for,” Rapman lyrically spits as he rolls out the tale of Tim and Marco, best friends that find themselves in the middle of warring factions.
“Blue Story” stars Rapman (narrator), Stephen Odubola (Timmy), Michael Ward (Marco) and a host of other talented actors that round out a movie that was temporarily banned from theaters. With the movie getting an injection from Roc Nation and Paramount, the saga of friends-turned-enemies is now worldwide and viral like the pandemic that almost stunted its growth.
AllHipHop: So first of all, I just want to say, well big, big congratulations on getting this movie done. I looked at the backstory what led up to the movie. And so I have to say, super props, congratulations and everything on actually making the movie because-
Rapman: Yeah, appreciate it.
AllHipHop: The story, maybe it might not have gotten done.
Rapman: Yeah, no, it’s true.
AllHipHop: So can you first tell me about the process of getting it started and finishing it?
Rapman: Well, when I wrote it 2016, 2015, 2008, end of 2015 early 2016. And I just wrote it because I already had the YouTube shoot on there and everyone wanted it to be a feature version. So I adapted it. By the time I was unknown, I didn’t have a big following. So I didn’t know how in the world I was going to get it made, but I just knew that I was going to finish the script. I’ve never wrote in a film before in my life, but I said I need to try, I need to finish this.
So I just done it with no stress, no pressure. And yeah, I just wrote it. And then when it got done, I didn’t think it was ever going to get made, but I done some shoots a year after it was called “Shiro’s Story” that really got everyone’s attention. They done really well on YouTube.
And then I had film producers approaching me, asking me have you got anything else there? And I said, no, but I’ve got this script I wrote a couple of years ago and this is what I want to do next. The producer, Damian Jones, he took the script out on a Monday and come Friday he said, “All the studios want to do it, we’ve got offers.” I’m thinking right, films can’t get me that quick, this guy must be pulling my chain or something, this doesn’t make sense because I’ve never made a film so I don’t know the process. But what I know I met that Damian Jones guy in October and November the following year the movie was out in the cinema. So yeah, he was the real deal. They really liked the script because apparently films never get made so quickly.
It was just big for everyone. Could we haven’t had a film based on the streets of London for a long time, so it was a big deal when it got announced. And everyone in the UK was excited and yeah, we got it done.
AllHipHop: Nice. Now attracted you to this script, Mike? What brought you to the table? What was attractive for you?
Micheal Ward: I mean when you’re at the beginning you don’t get the full script. I had to go for three scenes. And the three scenes that I saw, I saw clearly that there was an arc and clearly that it was different from the character that I was playing at the time, which was Jamie. And obviously because of being it being in the same that was one thing that I didn’t want to do. Once I had seen the scene, I saw that Michael would be so fun and so energetic and just a youthful energy to something that I just wanted to portray that on camera, man because I feel like I have never seen that before, just kids in school just having fun.
And when I saw that script I knew what it was going to be. And especially the arc because the first scene I’d got was the scene at the end of the movie. And I saw that there was a clear difference between how Marco would have been at the beginning of the film and how you would have ended. And that is so important within a movie to show different emotions and go through a journey because those are the kinds of stories people enjoy and the stories that I enjoy to watch as a person. So the fact I could be a part of something like that was special, man.
AllHipHop: Nice. Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention “Top Boy,” which is a big show on this side of the pond.
Micheal Ward: Really?
AllHipHop:Yeah, at least f or people like myself, I really enjoy it and other films as well. Some might-
Rapman: He said “really”…We was in Atlanta. We worked in Atlanta and TI came up to him, he said, “I know you.” I’ll never forget that.
AllHipHop: Oh really!
Rapman: Yeah. Working with Mike in America is like working with flipping Denzel Washington. He is the man out there. He’s got all the juice, they love the show (“Top Boy”, they love him. It’s basically like how he is in that’s UK is how he is over there. So don’t let him be like that, “Really?” He knows, it pops off over there.
AllHipHop: You had me fooled for a second there, Mike, I got to admit. Massive show. We’ll talk about that in a minute. But it’s clearly a different story, but what would you say are the differences for someone that may not know?
Micheal Ward: I’d say the clear difference between “Top Boy” and Blue Story is in “Top Boy” it’s more about the drugs. Yeah, it’s money driven. Whereas I believe anyway, Blue Story is a lot more love driven. People are acting more from real impulse emotions. You know what I’m trying to say? Or for real proper situations that I feel like even if you take the situations that happen outside of the urban world it is still something that could happen. These are still things that can arise without it being in a gang. These are things that, stories that can be told in loads of different ways.
So I feel that Blue Story and “Top Boy” are just so different when it comes down to that. And yeah man, it’s just for me it was important to show the two differences and why? Because obviously “Top Boy” has a message and Blue Story has a message and I feel that that was what was important for me just being able to tell the two messages completely different.
And yeah, I believe that with content from the UK, especially from the urban UK it’s good to show that, especially now that we can have something from the same world, but how different it is just shows that we’ve got so much talented people over this side of the pond also man, you know what I’m saying?
AllHipHop: Definitely, I… Well, let’s talk about the Hip-Hop part of the movie. Rap, how do you marry it? You do all the rap vocals.
Rapman: Yeah. It’s like a musical, I narrate through… Put it this way, Shawshank Redemption, if Morgan Freeman was spitting, it would be that, but he’s not reacting while he’s saying it, he’s just narrating it. I’m just doing it in my own style. And originally in the script, it wasn’t in the original script. I wrote it as a traditional script, but the producers were like, “Look, if you put your USP on it, not only does it make it different, it really attracts your audience that are there for what Rapman does? And some people love it, some people hate it. But what I personally like about it is that it’s unique.
AllHipHop: So how important are the States to you guys?
Rapman: And I second it, to be honest. You know what it is? Look, we are super proud of our city, we’re UK London boys and we love it, but we’re like, I don’t know the size, not even a quarter of the States. And it’s not only because we just enjoy the accent and the food, it’s a bigger playground over there. So we would love for this film to resonate over there because it’s a bigger audience to see what we sweated on, a bigger audience to see the story we’re trying to tell. And a bigger audience to get our message and to be entertained by like what Michael said, by UK talent that they normally wouldn’t see.
Rapman: And I think it’s a good year for America to see the UK talent because if you think about the last Top Boy was what, seven years ago or something like that?
AllHipHop: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Rapman: And before then, nothing crossed over. I’ve never seen a UK show cross over like “Top Boy” has, ever. And if Blue Story the Movie, I know we had a cinema round, we would have definitely got it popping over there. And we’ve already had rows of messages from loads of people from the States who have been watching it illegally. “I’m from New York, I love it. I’m from LA, I love it.”
So we’ve been getting the messages and I’ve been to LA screenings and seeing the way they react to it. Mike has been at New York screenings, he’s seen the way they’ve reacted to it. And we just know as long as you guys see it, we know you’re going to enjoy it because they call it the British Boy-N The Hood you know? And the reason why that is because it hits you with similar mottoes of what Boy-N The Hood hit you with.
(AllHipHop News) Marshall “Eminem” Mathers is widely considered one of the best lyricists and hitmakers in Hip Hop history. But who does Em consider to be at the pinnacle of songwriters?
During his three-hour Music to Be Quarantined By radio show on Shade 45 Sirius XM, Eminem spun classic records by some of the culture’s idols. Before playing 2Pac’s “If I Die 2Nite,” he offered his opinions about the late emcee.
“Okay, this next song is from an artist that I feel like might be the greatest songwriter of all time,” stated Em. “Debate what you want about emcee skills and all that, because he had that too. This is one of them songs by 2Pac that, to me, he was showing you, ‘I can write heartfelt sh*t and I can write lyrical, crazy sh*t too.’”
The Music to Be Murdered By album creator also said, “Like, the play on the ‘p’ words and all that sh*t and how he was doing it was so crazy, mixed with the feel that 2Pac could give you. Which is constantly why I feel like he was always saying, ‘Can you feel me?’ Because you felt Pac. You can’t just listen to Pac, you feel Pac. If you listen to him, you’re gonna feel him.”
At the moment, only three Hip Hop performers have been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Jermaine Dupri, and Missy Elliott. Tupac “2Pac” Shakur was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2017, becoming the first solo rap act to be enshrined in the museum.
Back in April, Khia took shots at Trina by claiming she could beat her in a VERZUZ IG Battle.
This did not carry over well into the social media realm, as people flooded the comments of various outlets who posted Khia’s clip from last month.
I’d say “guuuuurl,” but I’m from New York so, SON..
Is Khia out her damn mind?! As Trina’s fans started rolling into these social media feeds, many waited patiently for the “Baddest B*tch,” herself, to chime in. Now, a month later, she finally has.
Yesterday, 99 Jamz Miami posted a clip of Trina, during a recent interview, where she addresses the situation.
“I”m a queen. This is called royalty over here. I’m not stepping off my throne to address no bum, no chicks that are beneath me, and nobody that’s not worked as hard as I’ve worked for anything.”
She then adds, “Make sure you have enough records. Make sure you’re on my level if you think you can go toe-to-toe with me because you can not.”
The beef between Trina and Khia dates as far back as the year 2000 when Trina dropped, “Da Baddest B*tch.” The single was a hit, and according to Khia, she was the one writing Trina’s raps but never got her credit. Ever since then, it’s been a never-ending cat fight. Trina even called Khia a “cockroach.”
(AllHipHop News) Last October, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson announced he was releasing a memoir titled Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. The book is now out, and it features 50 Cent discussing numerous topics connected to his life.
Part of Hustle Harder includes Jackson reflecting on the careers of his G-Unit soldiers Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. According to the Queens-raised rapper, Banks’ introversion was his own worst enemy.
“Years ago, I told Banks to film a video of his life and posted it on YouTube, introduce people to his lifestyle, let the camera follow him around for a while, and see how he moves. Maybe some he says or does will create a spark, go viral, and then he’ll have some heat around him again,” wrote 50.
The G-Unit leader added, “What I didn’t want him to do sit there writing punchline after punchline, and then grow resentful when no one seemed to care about his mixtapes anymore. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If that’s so, Banks’ temperament was a little crazy. I’m not saying anything here that I have not said to Banks directly.”
50 Cent went on to say that he encouraged Banks to join Instagram in the early days of the social media platform. However, Banks apparently told his boss that idea was “corny” and deceased Hip Hop icons The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac “didn’t do that sh*t.”
In an attempt to relieve himself from guilt, 50 insisted he really tried to help Banks build his legacy, but he felt The Hunger for More album creator was “stuck in either a time or a mind-frame.” Later in Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter,50 also addressed how the energy of the “wild” Tony Yayo affected G-Unit as a business.
“Transitioning from a street lifestyle to a more public persona was going to require a new mindset. Yayo didn’t seem to register that. If I got into a disagreement with another artist, Yayo’s reaction was ‘let’s just bang ’em,’ because that would have been his response back in the neighborhood,” explained 50 Cent.
He continued, “If we got $100,000 for a series of club appearances, Yayo wasn’t thinking about putting it in the bank. His first thought would be, ‘Hey, this could get us three and a half kilos of cocaine. Let’s flip those, and we’ll be sitting on some real money.’ Time and time again, I’d have to tell him, ‘Yayo, we can’t do that.'”
(AllHipHop News) The next battle from Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz series is scheduled to take place on May 9. R&B queens Erykah Badu and Jill Scott will face on Instagram Live.
Could a future Verzuz matchup be between “Money, Cash, Hoes” collaborators DMX and Jay-Z? If it was up to one of those New York-nred men, that would be the case.
X appeared on N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN‘s Drink Champs podcast. When N.O.R.E. asked the 49-year-old emcee who he would want to battle right now, the rap legend simply answered, “Jay.”
Yonkers’ DMX and Brooklyn’s Jay-Z battled at least two times face-to-face in the past. One of those historic faceoffs happened in The Bronx in the 1990s and has since become a Hip Hop folklore. The late Big L reportedly recorded Hov’s bars that day.
(AllHipHop News) Typically, when the world talks about rappers, they have them pegged as gluttonous show-offs with a proclivity to flash their money, cash, and fame around in ways to inspire fans’ envy and idolization.
Words like BALLIN’ … MAKIN’ IT RAIN … DRIP …CAKIN’ … BLING … BANK … paint their overall narrative.
But since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of your favorite top artists have stepped out of their rich and famous lifestyles to share some of their abundance with those suffering from the onset of the disease.
And while it would seem easy to say that Killer Mike and T.I. have stepped outside of their rap star personas to help others, that would simply be an untruth.
These two, both graduates of Frederick Douglass High School, have been giving back for years.
They have both been educating and empowering their communities well before this national crisis — without fanfare.
Unlike the typical rappers that you hear about on The ‘Gram, they have always moved differently.
They have done so forever without care or media alert, only with the service spirit only present from people who have hearts wide open for the people they love.
The pals have come together to feel 500 Atlanta residents hot meals during these season of quarantine.
Tip and Mike have collaborated with PAWkids, a family enrichment center, to give foods to people in the Grove Park community in Atlanta, serving up the grub in the Bankhead Seafood parking lot.
Fans outside of the Trap capital of The South might not know that the dynamic duo has been helping out over the last couple of weeks. Under the radar, they have provided many needy families with food, hygiene products and even dropping off some cash to families with their backs against the wall.
Wealthy men like these the GRAMMY-Award winners could very easily sit back count their duckets in the safety of their homes and would be in their right to worry only about the people in their households.
But no. They masked and gloved up, reached in their pockets, and lent their celebrity names —sure to draw attention to PAWkids and donations— to support others. Bravo gentlemen.
(AllHipHop News) Congrats to Meek Mill and girlfriend Milan Harris. The pair welcomed their baby boy today (May 6), which is also Meek Mill’s 33rd birthday.
“Milano dropped me off a king on my birthday! #thebestgift,” Meek tweeted.
The rumors have been swirling for quite some time, but gossip mongers never quite got the verification they sought. They do now.
Rumors swirled in the latter part of 2019, but shy of confirming. She did confirm at a personal appearance that she was pregnant in December.
Slayter is the newest artist signed to Jonny Shipes’ Cinematic Music Group, someone they’ve been developing for years.
Born in Puerto Rico but moving to uptown Dyckman at one year old, Slayter has been rapping since the young age of 5. His music yields lyrics of his upbringing in New York via vivid storytelling, unveiling his deepest, truest emotions over dark, trapped-out production.
Most recently, he tapped Sada Baby on “Louis V Umbrella,” with an explosive visual to match. Slayter spits on the first verse, “How we in the hills we just some n#ggas from the ghetto / 30 on the chain feeling like gold medals, rose gold bezels.”
Fast forward to 2020, fans can’t wait for his forthcoming project fittingly titled World Got Me F##### Up Vol.1.
One thing Slayter can count on is music as a coping mechanism to get what he needs to off his chest. His vibrant personality includes love for exotic sodas, wild trips to Ibiza, and his new kitty named 30 Clip.
Slayter embodies the definition of a rose rising from the concrete, a success story proving music can be the ticket out the trenches. AllHipHop caught up to discuss his upbringing, working with Benny The Butcher and more.
AllHipHop: How’s quarantine life over there?
Slayter: S##t wack man. I’m always outside, so I’m not used to this. Every once in a while, I pop out to the studio. Get my studio fix, go back to the crib. I got the mask though, so I’m staying safe.
AllHipHop: Coming up in Dyckman, what was the household like growing up?
Slayter: I was really young. Growing up was regular. Staying out the way. I was trying to stay out of trouble.
AllHipHop: Biggest influences?
Slayter: Not going to lie, a lot of Puerto Rican music. I was bumping a lot of Don Omar, Daddy Yankee. Then I was bumping 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks was my favorite at the time. He’s that n##ga. Jadakiss. I really wanted to be a Justin Bieber, no cap.
AllHipHop: When did you realize this music thing was forreal?
Slayter: S##t, when I signed. Oh s##t, I’m signed to the record label. This is my job, this is what I have to do. When I signed, I was 24.
AllHipHop: How’d you land at Cinematic Music Group?
Slayter: It was one of Jonny Shipes’ interns, he showed him my music. Shipes signed me. Not going to lie, Shipes has been trying to sign me for a couple years. First, I didn’t know s##t about how the label works. I remember the first video I shot, back then I was in high school. I didn’t know s##t about budgets, I get a Lamborghini for my video.
COLD AT NIGHT “COLD AT NIGHT was my first tape. I’m like “damn, I spent a lot of money out the budget on this s##t.” We spent mad money on videos, different studios, things I learned you can do for cheaper on your own. We originally shot a video 3 times that we didn’t end up using. For my second project, World Got Me F##ked Up, we were a little smarter with the spending. I did most of the videos on my own, one of them even with a handheld VHS camera. We also got mad organic features. I got 22Gz on that, Jay Critch, Benny The Butcher, Maxo Kream, Sada Baby, Luh Kel”
AllHipHop: How’d you link with Benny The Butcher?
Slayter: Benny The Butcher’s a real legend. I met Benny at Rolling Loud, I came up to him and told him I f##k with his s##t. Then I seen him again at Cinematic, we chopped it up a little bit. He’s like “lil bro, let’s work.” He has one of the best verses on my tape, he went crazy. It’s a posse cut: me, Benny the Butcher, Smoke DZA all on the same track.
AllHipHop: A posse cut, that means you f##k with hip-hop.
Slayter: Exactly. I’m trying to bridge the gap with the old heads in hip-hop. Right now, music is different.
AllHipHop: What is your take on the state of hip-hop right now?
Slayter: Now, it’s getting realer. But last year when they had the punks, tatted up on the face, hair-colored. You know who I’m talking about. This year, you have artists like Yungeen Ace, Polo G, J.I. We’re coming back with this s##t, we don’t have to do extra s##t to get attention. Just good music. Before, that s##t hurts my ears man. It was cool, but it wasn’t real music. I like music with soul.
AllHipHop: What does it mean to be “Hood Famous”? What’s your relationship with Yungeen Ace?
Slayter: I’m 4 minutes away from my block, I’ma show you. We really in the hood right now. RIP Pop Smoke [shows painted mural]. This is Hood Famous, I’m on the block with my chains on. We can walk around outside. Yungeen Ace, we’re signed to the same label. Mind you, there’s 20 other artists assigned to the same label. But me and him, we’re vibing. We don’t really f##k with a lot of people, we’re to ourselves. Me and Ace just clicked. We really only made 2 songs. Every time he comes to New York, he calls me like “where you at Slayter?! Let’s get in the studio.” Get in the studio, make more songs.
AllHipHop: How do you create a vibe in the studio?
Slayter: I usually smoke. It depends on the song I’m making. If it’s a personal song, I like to be by myself in the studio.
Slayter: My cat 30 Clip’s at the crib with my cousin, he’s babysitting while daddy’s at work. I don’t bring him out because he has no fur, it’s cold outside. I got him last month, it’s great. He actually makes me happy. He’s funny man, he’s so funny. Every time I’m in bed and I’m looking for him, I can’t find him because he’s so small. When I wake up, he always ends up sleeping next to me. [laughs] I have to make 30 Clip an Instagram. His name was Draco at first, my man’s friend’s like ”f##k Draco, name him 30 Clip.” We stuck with 30 Clip. Shipes said “add the Mister,” so now his name’s Mr. 30 Clip.
AllHipHop: Who’s in your Top 5?
Slayter: NBA YoungBoy, Kodak Black, Polo G, Lil Baby, and Slayter.
AllHipHop: You named YoungBoy and Kodak together…
Slayter: Yeah, I’m mad they’re beefing right now. I’m mad what’s going on right now, I wish that didn’t happen. I don’t like taking sides when s##t has nothing to do with me. If YoungBoy was my man man for real, if I knew YoungBoy for real, I’d ride with him. If Kodak was my man man, I’d ride with him. But I don’t really care what they got going on.
AllHipHop: How big is loyalty to you?
Slayter: Loyalty is everything. If you’re my man and you’re even around someone you know I got problems with, it’s over. You’re not my man anymore, stay that side. I’m good without you. I got a small circle, a really small circle. I could count 5 friends. I got family, a proud big family. But I barely have friends.
AllHipHop: What are some goals as an artist at this point?
Slayter: I’m about to do a partnership with Cinematic, Coldgame Cinematic. I’m about to sign my first artist, 41st Narco. We’re in the process right now. He just dropped his first song ever 5 days ago, “Big Homie.”
AllHipHop: So you have to work on your own s##t and your artist?
Slayter: Nah, not even. Look, I’m focusing on myself. The more I progress, the more he will too. I’m giving him game. Like “bro, should I drop this?” I have no problem doing little s##t like that.
AllHipHop: Are you religious?
Slayter: I believe in God, and I believe in heaven. I know my grandmother’s watching me, I know my father’s watching me.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
Slayter: You have to believe, I have “believe” tatted right here. You have to put that positivity into the universe. World Got Me f##ked Up on the way. I like your Drake poster in the background, don’t be surprised if you see Drake hope on one of my tracks.
(AllHipHop News) Tory Lanez is not only one of the most successful artists of his generation, but he is coming into his own as a businessman and philanthropist.
One way he has married the two is with the launch of “Tory Lanez Dream City Fund’ in partnership with The Los Angeles Dream Center and Lanez’s The Dream Project.
To make it even more bananas, he enlisted Amazon Music to match his premier donation. Together they will donate 100,000 diapers to families in need.
According to reports, during the pandemic, there is a need for everyday resources such as diapers, especially sizes 4 to 6 at the Dream Center daily.
With only limited quantities of diaper donations, the Tory Lanez Dream City Fund will additionally cover meal distribution on-site through walk-ups and drive-thru at select Dream Center locations nationwide, home deliveries to the most vulnerable within the community including senior citizens, and at mobile food banks at community sites, like Nickerson Gardens and Skid Row.
And why not?
With the debut of his Quarantine Radio program on Instagram, the Canadian crooner has started an initiative that will support families by providing means and diapers for those impacted by the dreadful coronavirus global pandemic.
Quarantine Radio has broken records with views that have met epic (and historic) numbers.
But what do you do when you have this incredible degree of success? You give back.
It is just that simple, especially when you are clear where you come from. Not too long ago, Lanez remembers growing up with a family that understood the struggle. Giving back is a simple gesture to fans that he cares about.
The Dream City Project is founded with his father and aims to help inspire and mentor the youth/ The Dream Center, a charitable organization that provides support to struggling families, individuals, and communities is a perfect partner as they share a similar mission.
(AllHipHop News) Self-confessed “lightweight” 50 Cent dupes associates into thinking he’s a big drinker by refilling champagne bottles with ginger ale.
The rapper and actor insists he’ll never be drunk “In Da Club” because he stays “cool” by sipping soda instead of bubbly.
“I’ll have a drink but when I do I’m so lightweight that a little bit and I’ll be lit… I’d be like, ‘Yo, I’m feeling like somebody else right now!'” he told The Talk. “I’ll pour out the first bottle of champagne and I’ll send it back and I have them fill it with, like, ginger ale, so I’ll be drinking ginger ale, while everybody else is drinking what they’re drinking.”
The rapper admits that consideration made him come up with the ginger ale ruse after realizing that his friends would stop drinking whenever he decided to.
“When I stop and don’t drink they kind of stop too…,” he explains. “It limits the fun that they would have.”
Earlier this year, news broke that Drake was teaming with Troy “Smack White” Mitchell’s Ultimate Rap League in order to stream battles on Caffeine. He also launched his own “The Boy” channel on the live broadcasting platform which currently has 93,000 followers.
“I’ve always loved URL and admired what Smack and his team have been able to create, it just wasn’t easily accessible,” said Drake. “It’s exciting to be in a position where I’m able to bring Caffeine to the table and help provide URL with the tools they need to elevate the viewing experience and make it more accessible to fans.”
URL is presenting a high-profile match-up this week. Maryland’s Tay Roc will engage in a war of words with North Carolina’s T-Top. The two socially-distancing lyricists are set to go two rounds virtually as fans from around the world will be able to watch live via Caffeine.
Last month, 10,000 viewers tuned it to watch URL’s first-ever remote battle featuring K-Shine and Nu Jerzey Twork. An average URLtv live battle on Caffeine reportedly brings in more than 100,000 viewers. The channel has 176,000 followers at the moment.
“URL Presents: T-Top vs. Tay Roc” hosted by Smack White and Jay Blac is scheduled for Friday, May 8 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. To sign-up for Caffeine for free visit www.caffeine.tv. Besides Drake, other celebrities with Caffeine channels include Offset, Doja Cat, and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
