(AllHipHop News) Afro-jazz legend Manu Dibango has died after contracting the coronavirus, Covid-19.
The 86-year-old Cameroonian saxophonist, best known for the 1972 hit “Soul Makossa,” passed away on Tuesday, his publisher Thierry Durepaire told Agence Presse France.
“He died early this morning in a hospital in the Paris region,” Durepaire said.
A message on the star’s official Facebook page confirmed that his death had come after he contracted coronavirus.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on March 24th 2020, at 86-years-old, further to covid 19,” the statement reads. “His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible.”
The musician pioneered Afro-jazz, fusing funk with traditional Cameroonian music.
“Soul Makossa” was popularized after DJ David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and played it at his The Loft parties – with the song then being licensed by Atlantic Records and reaching 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Dibango was also a member of the seminal Congolese rumba group, African Jazz, and has collaborated with the likes of Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Ade, and Don Cherry.
Agence France-Presse reported that Jackson had previously admitted to borrowing the line and settled out of court and that when Rihanna asked him for permission to sample it, he allegedly approved the request without contacting Dibango beforehand.
The Afro-jazz star’s claim was reportedly ruled inadmissible.
BLXST is your new favorite R&B artist. If you’re one of those music-lovers always on top of the new new, you probably have BLXST in your rotation.
The South Central producer turned artist is best known for his collaborations with fellow Los Angeles native, Bino Rideaux — who worked very closely with Nipsey Hussle.
In fact, BLXST is the genius beatmaker behind Kalan.FrFr’s breakout single “Right Wit It.” The viral hit is actually how Bino caught wind of BLXST in the first place.
The dynamic duo would go on to put out an entire tape last year titled Sixtape, which left fans in a frenzy. During each of Bino’s multiple sold-out shows up and down the West Coast, BLXST was brought out as a special guest and fans knew every word.
BLXST describes himself as “a multi-talented individual from South Central LA, who’s defining the new sound for LA. I’m bringing the two-step back. I’m bringing back it’s cool to love people again, all those vibes.”
AllHipHop: How did you get your name?
BLXST: Actually, I made it up on some young dumb s##t a long time ago. But I stuck with it. I love it now because I have a two-year-old son. I’m a superhero, that’s how I look at.
AllHipHop: What have you learned from fatherhood?
BLXST: Patience for sure. Because he’s like that cartoon or video game Crash Bandicoot, he’ll be running around the house smashing s##t. [chuckles]
AllHipHop: Growing up in South Central, what were you seeing?
BLXST: Regular everyday s##t. I moved to the Inland Empire during high school years too, so I had the best of both worlds. I lived with my dad, then lived with my mom. If you’re from LA, you get it. I don’t really know how to explain what LA’s like. I’ve never really moved anywhere else other than California.
AllHipHop: Were you in the streets at all?
BLXST: No, I was definitely in the studio. As far as younger, I was playing sports and skating. I got into the studio probably when I was 17.
AllHipHop: How was that?
BLXST: It was cool. I used to record myself before I got into a bigger studio. I have my laptop in a USB mic, I plug it up and teach myself how to record. It’s always been music, I fell in love with it. I was producing for myself. I’d say simultaneously as an artist and a producer at the same time. I fell in love with creating music.
AllHipHop: Who did you look up to?
BLXST: I used to like Ryan Leslie. I like how he made everything from scratch from top to bottom. You could see him make a beat, then write a song to it. That was my first time seeing that s##t was possible.
AllHipHop: At what point did you realize this could be a career?
BLXST: I guess getting feedback from my peers as I progressed, which helped me believe in myself more.
AllHipHop: “Emotions” is such a vibe. Bring us back to that studio session.
BLXST: That was at the crib. I just made a beat at home and recorded to it. Sort of like the Ryan Leslie vibes, in my solo element.
AllHipHop: Inspired by your girl?
BLXST: Yeah, you can say that. Of course, it’s a female dedicated record. It’s definitely inspired by a girl. Nothing specific as far as a story. I’m in that love bag, I’m a lovable guy. [chuckles]
AllHipHop: What does it mean to bring love back into R&B and hip-hop?
BLXST: The love was always there, n##gas is scared to love. It’s not a cool thing to say “I have feelings for a female.” I was just talking to Vic (manager) in the car, how you can’t go on Twitter and tweet some lyrics without putting quotations around it to make it cool. If it comes from my song, it’s more acceptable.
AllHipHop: How important is social media for your career?
BLXST: That’s a good question. It’s very important in this day and age of course. I’m not the real sociable type of artist, but I know understanding music as a business is very important as far as branding yourself. I try to keep a balance with it.
AllHipHop: What’s the relationship you & Bino Rideaux share?
BLXST: So I met Bino through Kalan.FrFr. I produced a record for Kalan called “Right Wit It.” That was going viral across LA, then Bino reached out to Kalan asking “who produced that?” Bino didn’t even know I was an artist at the time, he thought I was just a producer. I sent Bino a pack of 5 beats, he made a song to every one of them.
AllHipHop: That’s how your guys’ project came about?
BLXST: No, that’s not how the Sixtape came about. That’s previous before the Sixtape, because he dropped a tape called Sorry For Tha Wait. I produced 6 songs on there, one of the songs was “Savage.” “Savage” was one of those songs that kicked off the Sixtape, so we put it on both of those projects.
AllHipHop: What’s the vibe in the studio with Bino?
BLXST: It’s dope. It’s pretty easy, his workflow is just like mine. Go to the studio and keep going, as if it’s coming out of the top of his head.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to have him bring you out at his shows?
BLXST: S##t is crazy. The fans love every song on that tape so when you perform and the fans make it easier for you, the energy is better. It’s reciprocated like that.
AllHipHop: Did you know Nipsey as well?
BLXST: Nah. I had a chance to meet him actually at the “Racks In The Middle” video shoot, through my boy Keefa (with Roddy). I met him. He said he heard of me before through the production I did for Bino, but that was my last time ever seeing him.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next from BLXST?
BLXST: Right now, I’m working on my solo project, which is due top of April. I’m ready to let that thing go. I don’t want to give the title away yet, it’s not all of the way 100% in concrete.
AllHipHop: Any features?
BLXST: Right now, I do. I have one feature, I’m trying to get another feature. I’ll say Bino’s on there for sure. Most of it is just me though. It’s a time where I need to display every angle of who BLXST is creatively, so I’m not really heavy on features right now.
AllHipHop: What are some goals as an artist at this point in your career?
BLXST: Just to establish my foundation. With that being Eagle, which is my brand. My label. I want to bring out other artists long term, other producers. Short-term, getting a connection with my fans. Letting them know who BLXST is. More visuals, and connecting with the streets.
AllHipHop: What is it about BLXST that fans love?
BLXST: I’m a cool R&B guy, but I still give you that street feeling at the same time. It’s not no corny type. I’ve made it acceptable for people to be who they are as an individual.
AllHipHop: Top 5 artists in rotation?
BLXST: Mm, that’s a good question. Currently, I rock with Ty Dolla $ign. Roddy. I’ma keep it home-based, Bino. I’m listening to BLXST, throw him in there. Drake of course.
AllHipHop: You rap and sing, talk about being versatile.
BLXST: It’s cool. I really started off rapping and singing at the same time, but I go into certain modes. I’ll be rapping for most of my recordings, then I’ll go into an R&B thang out of nowhere. It’s fun to not have limits on what I could do. I could put myself in different positions, work with more artists, and not have a cap on your expectations of me.
(AllHipHop News) Alicia Keys’ memoir “More Myself: A Journey” is getting a star-studded audiobook recording, with Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama all contributing to the project.
Bono and Alicia’s husband Swizz Beatz will also feature on the recording of the book, described as part autobiography and part narrative documentary, which is released on March 31st.
In addition to the A-list line-up, the “Girl on Fire” star will also include previously unreleased musical recordings that detail her recording process, including song ideas and musical riffs.
“This audiobook has so much amazing energy, I’ve never experienced something so intimate. It’s nuanced and surprising and musical and emotional! I love it, and I am grateful to all my friends and loved ones for joining me on this ride,” Keys said in a statement. “Recording this was a meditative experience, and I cannot wait for the world to hear my story from my own voice.”
The book was originally slated to drop last fall, however, the singer moved the date to coincide with the release of her seventh studio album, Alicia – which was slated for May but has since been postponed, along with its accompanying tour, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(AllHipHop News) When is the last time you had a solid party jam?
A song that can sweat your hair out, have your head-bobbing until your neck hurts or hearing simply a joint that will make you feel good songs that bang from your speakers-type joints, are few and far between.
But Killer Mike says that his super group’s Run The Jewels has a joint that might satisfy that itch.
Their new song, “Ooh LA LA” featuring DJ Premier & Nice & Smooth’s Greg Nice.
RTJ premiered the song that will appear on his anticipated album Run The Jewels 4 with Zane Lowe via FaceTime.
Killer Mike describes the song as a banger for “the party right before everyone leaves or somebody gets beat up.” While El-P says that this song is a “classic jam.”
The choice to let Greg Nice hop on the track, specifically sampling Gang Starr’s “DWYCK,” was intentional production decision.
“There’s not a lot of classic undermined golden age material that hasn’t been turned into a jam…and I’ve been plotting on this for probably the last three albums,” El-P said during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music.
“We don’t intentionally do old school music… But our influences and who we are come from an era that is very real,” El-P added.
(AllHipHop Music) Most people don’t know the name of Lenny Cooke, but the basketball legend was ranked higher than both LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in the early 2000’s. Sadly, he didn’t make it to the NBA like his one-time peers. He did, however, have a tremendous impact culturally to the point where a documentary on him was released in 2013.
He must have also impacted Marv Won, the legendary rapper from Detroit. He has crafted “Lenny Crooke,” and ode to the baller than “had the streets on fire” back in the day. Check out the visuals.
(AllHipHop News) Jada Pinkett Smith has shared relationship advice for couples in coronavirus quarantine in the latest episode of her Facebook Watch series, “Red Table Talk.”
The actress, who is married to “Aladdin” star Will Smith, reflected on navigating the tough situation during the chat with motivational vlogger Jay Shetty, Dr. Ramani Durvasula, her daughter Willow Smith, and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris.
In the episode, they are presented with the question, “I love my wife, but I need some alone time during this quarantine. How can I tell her that?” with Jay and Jada volunteering their best advice.
“If you’re just seeking more space in your relationship I think one of the bigger mistakes we often make is that we express what we want but we don’t explain why we want it,” Jay said.
Jada agreed, adding: “I think that’s true because if you say to somebody, ‘I need space,’ sometimes that’s a trigger for one step towards divorce. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that. It just means, ‘Hey I need two hours, please’.”
The advice comes as officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) urge people to stay home and practice social distancing amid the global health crisis, which has seen more than 423,400 cases of coronavirus confirmed worldwide, with over 18,900 deaths registered.
The full episode of “Red Table Talk” airs on Facebook Watch on Wednesday at 12 pm ET.
(AllHipHop News) Kim Kardashian has accused Taylor Swift of lying about the 2016 video chat she had with the reality star’s husband Kanye West.
Full footage of the call, surrounding the rapper’s plans to poke fun at Taylor on his track “Famous,” was leaked over the weekend, with the newly-released audio showing that Kanye fails to mention he was going to call Taylor a “b##ch” in the song.
Taylor responded in a statement on Monday night as she said the footage “proved I was telling the truth the whole time about *that call*” – adding “you know, the one that was illegally recorded, that somebody edited and manipulated in order to frame me and put me, my family, and fans through hell for 4 years.”
Following her statement, Kim took to her Instagram Stories to respond, although admitted she felt “really embarrassed and mortified” to be commenting on such a trivial matter considering the global coronavirus pandemic.
I didn’t feel the need to comment a few days ago, and I’m actually really embarrassed and mortified to be doing it right now, but because she continues to speak on it, I feel I’m left without a choice but to respond because she is actually lying.
“Because she continues to speak on it, I feel I’m left without a choice but to respond because she is actually lying,” Kim wrote. “To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that ‘Kanye never called to ask for permission…’ They clearly spoke so I let you all see that.”
At the time when they spoke the song had not been fully written yet, but as everyone can see in the video, she manipulated the truth of their actual conversation in her statement when her team said she
To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that “Kanye never called to ask for permission…” They clearly spoke so I let you all see that. Nobody ever denied the word “b####” was used without her permission.
“Nobody ever denied the word ‘b##ch’ was used without her permission. At the time when they spoke the song had not been fully written yet, but as everyone can see in the video, she manipulated the truth of their actual conversation in her statement when her team said she ‘declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message.’”
Continuing, Kim added: “The lie was never about the word b##ch, It was always whether there was a call or not and the tone of the conversation. I never edited the footage (another lie) – I only posted a few clips on Snapchat to make my point and the full video that recently leaked doesn’t change the narrative.”
The mother-of-four added that, had Taylor not “lied and forced me to defend” Kanye, the video of the call “would have remained private or would have gone in the trash.”
This will be the last time I speak on this because honestly, nobody cares.
Sorry to bore you all with this. I know you are all dealing with more serious and important matters.
Concluding her statement, Kim wrote: “This will be the last time I speak on this because honestly, nobody cares. Sorry to bore you all with this. I know you are all dealing with more serious and important matters.”
Tekashi 6ix9ine, who is supposed to be released at the end of July, wanted the judge to let him out and serve the rest of his 24-month sentence for racketeering in the safety of his home.
“The Court is constrained to deny Mr. Hernandez’s request. Having canvassed potential sources of legal authority, the Court concludes that it lacks the legal authority to thus modify his sentence. And counsel for Mr. Hernandez, in his letters, has not identified any available such authority,” wrote Judge Paul Engelmayer.
In an unfortunate twist for the rapper, Judge Engelmayer said he would have released the rapper to home confinement, had he been able to see the worldwide pandemic.
“Had the Court known that sentencing Mr. Hernandez to serve the final four months of his term in a federal prison would have exposed him to a heightened health risk, the Court would have directed that these four months be served instead in home confinement. The Court accordingly denies Mr. Hernandez’s motion for relief,” Judge Engelmayer ruled.
(AllHipHop News) Cardi B is furious that celebs are sharing their diagnosis and is panicking fans.
The 27-year-old rapper took to Instagram Live on Tuesday to have her say about the multiple stars who have revealed their positive tests for the Covid-19 virus, such as Slim Thug, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Idris Elba and Olga Kurylenko.
Referencing the fact that some of the showbiz carriers had stated they don’t have any symptoms, Cardi explained: “I wanna let these celebrities know, the confusion that the general public has…if a celebrity is saying I don’t have no symptoms…but I went and got tested and I got positive, that causes confusion. That makes people be like ‘wait a minute, I went out…I might just have it. I’m scared!”
“The coronavirus is very much real. First things first,” she continued. “A lot of celebrities, you have the luxury to pay $34,000, or whatever the f##k it costs to get tested and treated. A lot of these people don’t f##king have that money. Some people don’t even have enough to f##king afford healthcare. And I feel like all this s##t, for coronavirus treatments, for testing, I feel like the government should take that s##t, charge that s##t to the game, and not charge people for it.”
And while the United States is currently offering tests to older people in their 40s to 60s who have a cold, they have to wait four days for the results.
“If you are positive for coronavirus they will tell you to quarantine in your home and come back if your fever goes 100 and some s##t degrees. I don’t feel like that’s right,” the Bodak Yellow star added.
Cardi’s thoughts on the global pandemic, which she has been sharing on her social media pages, have already sparked the creation of a hit song.
(AllHipHop Features) The seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic grows greater each day. At the time of this writing over 400,000 cases have been confirmed, with fatal cases nearing 20,000. World governments have advised citizens to stay indoors to avoid physical contact. While governments continue to find their way to address this, HipHop has been stepping up to bring aid, support, and encouragement during these unprecedented times. Here are a few of the outstanding things being done by our community.
Through her non-profit the Clara Lionel Foundation, Rihanna Donated $5 Million to Coronavirus Response Efforts. The donation will be used to support healthcare equipment, improve healthcare facilities, provide support to local food banks and aid in virus prevention.
Lecrae has helped the homeless in Atlanta, setting up portable washing stations. Lecrae has partnered with Love Beyond Walls around the Atlanta metro area to provide a way for the homeless and displaced people to regularly wash their hands.
In pursuit of prison reform, Meek Mill’s criminal justice organization REFORM Alliance introduced a plan to prevent the spread of coronavirus behind bars. REFORM alliance which is co-founded by Jay-Z, Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft shared an announcement about the public health threat. The press release indicates how COVID-19 spreads most quickly in crowded and closed environments, and how our jails and prisons are at high risk for an outbreak.
Stephen Curry and wife Ayesha have donated to the Alameda County Community Food Bank as well as to Feeding America.
Oakland is closing schools bc of COVID-19. We support this decision but are concerned a/b the 18,000+ kids that rely on school for 2+ meals daily. @eatlearnplay is donating to @ACCFB to ensure every child has access to the food they need. Join us & donate https://t.co/nDqF7OoO0Zpic.twitter.com/nFp0w1eFqH
Ciara and her husband, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson, revealed on Instagramon March 17 they are donating one million meals toFood Lifeline, nonprofit providing meals in the Seattle area.
Kim Kardashian is donating 20% of profits from her Skims Cotton Collection restock to Baby2Baby’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Program; the collection restocks on March 23. Baby2Baby donates everything from diapers and wipes to hygienic materials, blankets and more.
As a mother, helping families in need during this time is especially important to me. @baby2baby is on ground providing essentials to children & families impacted by COVID-19 & are working around the clock to get them diapers, blankets, hygiene products, school supplies & more. pic.twitter.com/cDQh3Z6m7N
Rita Ora has released #StopTheSpread merchandisein support of the UN Foundation and the World Health Organization to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The collection includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers and hats. All proceeds benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO.
Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks has pledged to donate $100,000 to help workers at Fiserv Forum Stadium. The Bucks organization announced it would match his contribution as well as that of teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo.
A big All-Star assist by @khris22m who has just announced he will match @Giannis_an34 $100,000 donation to impacted Fiserv Forum workers.
As promised earlier today, the Bucks organization will match player donations to part-time arena workers. pic.twitter.com/RgmzXInYzn
With the phenomenon of Cardi B & DJ Markkeyz song taking off on the charts, Cardi has dedicated the proceeds fo the song will go to relief and support. Additionally, Cardi has used her platform which reaches tens of millions to educate on Xenophobia. Recently on her IG Live, Cardi has been speaking against racially-charged behavior against Asians and Infected.
On behalf of the many others, we are grateful for the selfless acts aimed to help those at risk, impacted or displaced by the COVID-19 outbreak. Really looking forward to seeing more of this behavior as we go deeper into this pandemic.
(AllHipHop Rumors) D-Nice has caused a ripple effect after he has been doing God’s work with his “Club Quarantine” on the Mark Zuckerberg’s platform Instagram. When I say “God’s work,” I mean people were down and out, depressed over the coronavirus and really down. Makes sense! It’s a pandemic that is killing people. We are not officially in a depression, but we are going that way FAST.
That said, D-Nice and others like DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Beverly Bond and many others have been entertaining the people and keeping their minds at ease. D-Nice, for example, went a total of 9 hours one day on his “party,” which is streamed live from his pad in Los Angeles. He has continued to party for a purpose and spread love all over the globe. I love it and, for the first few days, I got some exercise and stuff like the rest of the world.
It has only been about a week that D-Nice has been doing this whole thing. And it absolutely got gentrified once it went mainstream, but the music stayed the same and the jams were flowing. That may be the issue. I am getting word that the record labels are coming in to get what they are owned. Simply, they want money for the songs that are entertaining us. Well damn.
Even in a pandemic, killing innumerable people, people are looking to get “their coin.” I guess I get it since this is America and capitalism is the beast that nobody really wants to discuss. Not to get too deep with it, but I want people to realize some things…. I will say that my sources are not specifying what labels are looking to get paid so it may just be one or two. There is already software in place on IG for people to get cake when you use their music, but I guess in a DJ environment, there are challenges. I am not even sure how they will do it.
All of this has not stopped D-Nice from doing good. He’s teaming up with Michelle Obama to party and register people to vote at the same time. Bro’s star was already pretty high, but now I am sure the rates are going through the roof! Congrats to him.
Now, I am wondering what Instagram is going to do. Will they limit people to one transmission a day? Will they make us chill until a certain time to transmit again? They are not making any “money” off of this either so I am sure that has caused IG to consider what they need to be doing. Hip-Hop has always innovated, but these folks are getting on it quick to squash our fun, even in a pandemic!
(AllHipHop News) The Buffalo-based Hip Hop collective known as Griselda is not letting up on their takeover of the culture. Griselda’s Conway The Machine is teaming up with veteran producer The Alchemist for a new joint project.
ALC Records, Drumwork Music Group, Griselda Records, and Patta Soundsystem are presenting Conway and Alchemist’s LULU. Plus,Patta worked with the two creators on a LULU capsule collection consisting of a security jacket, vinyl EP, and a snapback sports cap.
“Shoot Sideways” is the first released track from LULU. The song features Top Dawg Entertainment representative Schoolboy Q. New York City-bred emcee Cormega will also appear on the EP.
(AllHipHop News) Many celebrities are taking steps to assist the millions of people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Even the representatives of the late King Of Pop are contributing $300,000 to Broadway Cares, Three Square Food Bank, and MusiCares.
“This virus strikes at the heart of the communities we are close to. We learned today that the legendary Manu Dibango (‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’) passed away from the virus,” says John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson.
The statement continues, “Other performers and support staff in music and on Broadway are sick or have been left without work and are facing an uncertain future. And in Las Vegas, which has been so welcoming to Michael Jackson, the entire city has been shut down leaving thousands of workers and their families devastated and without an income.”
The Estate of Michael Jackson will provide $100,000 to help fund 300,000 meals to the needy in Nevada and to maintain Three Square Food Bank’s supplies. Cirque du Soleil and the Estate’s Michael Jackson: One production opened in Las Vegas in February 2013.
“Before the pandemic, 1 in 8 Southern Nevadans lived in a food-insecure household and that number will increase exponentially with the displacement of thousands of workers in our community. Thank you to the Estate of Michael Jackson for stepping up to help children, families, veterans, and senior citizens who may need help now more than ever,” says Michelle Beck, Chief Development Officer of Three Square.
In addition, the Jackson Estate is donating $100,000 to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund. The iconic entertainer is said to have loved attending Broadway performances and the Estate is currently working on the MJ the Musical in partnership with Lia Vollack Productions.
“With every passing day that theaters remain dark, entertainment and performing arts professionals face unprecedented and immediate challenges,” says Tom Viola, executive director Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Viola adds, “This incredibly generous donation from the Michael Jackson Estate will help ensure those onstage, backstage and behind the scenes get lifesaving health care, emergency financial assistance, and counseling during and after this crisis.”
The Recording Academy’s MusiCares nonprofit organization will receive $100,000 from the 13-time Grammy winner’s Estate as well. MusiCares established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help people in the music industry affected by the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent cancellation of live events.
“MusiCares is very grateful for the outpouring of generosity we’ve seen from many in the music industry to grow the COVID-19 Relief Fund,” said Steve Boom, MusiCares Chair. “The challenges that our industry is facing right now are enormous. It is contributions such as these that will help our community survive in this unprecedented time of tremendous need.”
(AllHipHop News) Not too long ago, there was a public discussion happening about whether R&B was currently suffering on a mainstream level. Ari Lennox is one of the new-generation singers helping to preserve the survival of the genre.
The Dreamville Records songstress released her critically-acclaimed debut studio album, Shea Butter Baby, in May 2019. Lennox recently announced she is ready to drop a remixed version of the project.
“Shea Butter Baby Remix EP drops this Friday!! Can you guess who is on the project?” tweeted Ari on Tuesday night. She did not provide more details about the forthcoming collection.
The original Shea Butter Baby included contributions from fellow Dreamville representatives J. Cole and JID.Ari Lennox also provided vocals for the label’s chart-topping, Gold-certified Revenge of the Dreamers III compilation which arrived in 2019 as well.
(AllHipHop News) Netflix’s Hip Hop competition series, Rhythm + Flow, crowned Inglewood, California emcee D Smoke as the winner of the first season in 2019. The popular show is officially coming back for another installment.
Last year, recording artists Belcalis “Cardi B” Almánzar, Chancelor “Chance The Rapper” Bennett, and Tip “T.I.” Harris served as judges for Rhythm + Flow. All threechart-toppingentertainers are returning for season two.
“Me & @Tip and @iamcardib. ARE BACK FOR SEASON TWO OF #RhythmAndFlow IF U THINK U GOT WHAT IT TAKES GO TO http://rhythmandflow.com AND UPLOAD A VIDEO!!! THIS IS REAL YALL TAG SOMEBODY I NEED TO SEE , tweeted Chance The Rapper.
T.I. posted, “Excited to announce that @rhythmflow will [be] back for Season 2!!! Things aren’t easy right now, so let’s show the world some love. Flex your talent by dropping your audition below and make sure you go to http://RhythmAndFlow.com to officially submit – we want to see you on S2!!!”
Cardi B added, “Excited to announce that @rhythmflow will be back for Season 2! Things aren’t easy right now, so let’s show the world some love. Show us your talent and make sure you go to http://RhythmAndFlow.com to officially submit your audition – we want to see you on S2!”
Besides the three permanent stars, Rhythm + Flow also featured numerous other celebrities appearing as mentors, collaborators, and guest judges. Nipsey Hussle, Killer Mike, Quavo, Fat Joe, Royce Da 5’9”, John Legend, Big Boi, Lupe Fiasco, Jadakiss, Miguel, Teyana Taylor, Jhené Aiko, Tory Lanez, Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Khaled, King Los, and more music industry insiders took part in S1.
Excited to announce that @rhythmflow will back for Season 2!!! Things aren’t easy right now, so let’s show the world some love. Flex your talent by dropping your audition below and make sure you go to https://t.co/Dy42u9lz6o to officially submit – we want to see you on S2!!!
Excited to announce that @rhythmflow will be back for Season 2! Things aren’t easy right now, so let’s show the world some love. Show us your talent and make sure you go to https://t.co/vS2nDB7P9P to officially submit your audition – we want to see you on S2!
(AllHipHop News) As the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases rises to over 50,000 in the United States with more than 750 deaths, the ongoing pandemic continues to dominate news coverage. Several state governors have issued “stay-at-home” orders to their citizens in an attempt to stop the spread of the contagious disease.
Celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Kevin Durant, and Slim Thug have publicly confirmed to testing positive for COVID-19. While Meek Mill has not come out to say he is also infected with coronavirus, the Hip Hop star did tell his 9.4 million Twitter followers that he recently dealt with a serious medical scare not long after the outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China.
I was extremely sick in December around christmas time with flu like symptoms… everyday I said to myself a older person cannot survive this! I lost like 15 pounds and could barely move! I never been that sick.. a doctor never told me what it was.
“I was extremely sick in December around Christmas time with [flu-like] symptoms… [every day] I said to myself [an] older person cannot survive this! I lost like 15 pounds and could barely move! I never been that sick.. a doctor never told me what it was,” tweeted Meek on Tuesday afternoon.
Initially, scientists and medical experts determined that people over 60 and individuals with underlying health conditions were more at risk of coronavirus. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States national public health institute, determined that around 40% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were between the ages of 20 and 54.
(AllHipHop News) For many people around the world, Cardi B has become one of the most heeded voices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her March 10 video about coronavirus “getting real” has been viewed more than 25 million times, and that social media rant was turned into an iTunes-charting song.
Since the “getting real” clip went viral, Cardi regularly goes on Instagram Live to talk about coronavirus and other topics. Over 100,000 users faithfully click on the broadcasts to watch the “Be Careful” rapstress share her unvarnished thoughts.
One of Cardi’s recent IG Lives caught some backlash because she joked about celebrities possibly getting paid by to say they have coronavirus. Infected actor Idris Elba seemingly responded to the music superstar by calling the conspiracy theory “absolute bullsh*t.”
Cardi then returned to Instagram to post a 4-minute reply to her critics. She specifically suggested that the general public is getting mixed messages about COVID-19 from government officials, medical experts, and famous entertainers.
“If [President Donald Trump] is getting on a podium saying, ‘Hey, listen, if you do not have any symptoms of the coronavirus… do not get tested because we don’t have enough tests to test everybody,'” stated Cardi,
She continued, “But a celebrity is saying, ‘Hey, listen, I don’t have no symptoms. I’m feeling good. I feel healthy. But I went and got tested and I’m positive for the coronavirus.’ That causes confusion. That makes people be like, “Wait a minute now. I don’t have no symptoms, but I know I went out that day. I might just have it. I’m scared because I’m around my kid, I’m around my grandparents. What should I do?'”
Cardi went on to say that the middle class and working poor in this country are not being treated the same as wealthy Americans and celebrities when it comes to coronavirus medical care. She also blamed the federal government for not doing more to prevent the virus from spreading to the United States from China.
(AllHipHop News) Kevin Hart is set to be a dad again – his wife is pregnant with the couple’s second child.
Eniko Parrish has announced she is expecting via Instagram, posting a photo of herself posing with a baby belly.
“Baby #2,” the 35-year-old captioned the shot, adding: “In the midst of all of this we’re counting our blessings and couldn’t be more grateful! Soon to be a family of 6!”
The mom-to-be will be hoping to avoid the marital issues that plagued her first pregnancy this time around – Hart allegedly cheated on his wife in September 2017.
Parrish addressed the scandal in Hart’s new docuseries, “Don’t F##k This Up,” explaining she found out her man was being unfaithful when someone sent her video of Kevin making out with another woman.
“I was pregnant at the time,” she said. “I was about seven to eight months pregnant, I was having breakfast, I opened my phone and immediately I just lost it. I called him crying… I’m, like, p##sed. Right then and there I kept saying, ‘How the f##k did you let that happen? You publicly humiliated me…’
“Everything’s on Instagram, everything’s on social media. It was an ongoing fight all the time. Every single day. I kept questioning him, like, ‘If this is what you’re gonna do, I don’t want to be a part of that’.”
Hart publicly apologized for his actions on the show.
“The worst part is just knowing how you made somebody feel,” he said. “When I got to see that firsthand with Eniko, when I got to see the effect my reckless behavior had, that was crushing. That tore me up. That really tore me up… That’s probably the lowest moment of my life, because I know what I was responsible for.”
“I’m thankful for my family, my friends and I’m thankful for the people that simply ride with me and have been with me, ’cause you stood by me,” he said in an Instagram video as he recovered from spinal surgery. “My fans, thankful for all of your love and support. So don’t take today for granted because tomorrow is not promised. More importantly, I’m thankful for God. I’m thankful for life. I’m thankful for simply still being here. The road to being a bigger and better version of me. Looking forward to an amazing 2020.”
(AllHipHop News) Netflix’ hit show, *Rhythm + Flow* is set to come back for its second season.
The first of its kind, this musical competition series combined the firey-eyed talent development and nurture of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “The Four” and the intensive nature of SMACK/ URL’s battle rap league, rolled up into a dope lyric fest of rap entertainment.
Returning are the shows original judges, The Boogie Down’s Cardi B, Chi-town’s Chance the Rapper and T.I. aka the “King of The South” and the “Founder of Trap.”
After discovering and putting D-Smoke on the map in a new and fresh way, the trio is bringing back the same model to find the next Hip-Hop sensation.
What does being a Hip-Hop sensation look like?
If you look at the talent that made it to the very end, you might be in the ballpark if you can do the following:
– Rap your ass off
– Be purposeful, knowing what type of artist you are from the start
– Be versatile, but not all over the place
– Have a sense of style
– Remember lyrical miracles are not always what makes stars
Like its previous season, Netflix reminds us that “the judges will join other industry legends in a multi-city search to find raw, undiscovered artists looking for their come up.
