(AllHipHop News) It has been a memorable seven days for Roddy Ricch. He released his debut studio album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, on December 6 and the project is on pace to open at #1.
Ricch also became the latest rap star to take part in Audiomack’s Trap Symphony concertseries. The 21-year-old West Coaster performed “Intro,” “Start Wit Me,” and “Ballin'” in Los Angeles with an eight-piece orchestra.
While Please Excuse Me includes features from Gunna, Lil Durk, Meek Mill, Mustard, Ty Dolla $ign, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Roddy hit the Peppermint Clubwithout any guests. A select crowd of fans and journalists were in attendance to watch hisset.
Roddy Ricch’s Trap Symphony follows previous performances by Migos, Chief Keef, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Rich The Kid, Trippie Redd, and Burna Boy. The Atlantic recording artist is taking his show on the road with “The Anti Social Tour” beginning December 28 in LA.
(AllHipHop News) Jarad “Juice WRLD” Higgins, 21, passed away in Illinois on December 8. Despite multiple reports of a potential drug overdose, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has been unable to establish an official cause of death after an autopsy.
Many Hip Hop artists have expressed their condolences for Juice WRLD’s death over the last several days. The Goodbye & Good Riddance album creator’s family has now released a statement to TMZ.
“We loved Jarad with all of our hearts and cannot believe our time with him has been cut short. As he often addressed in his music and to his fans, Jarad battled with prescription drug dependency,” stated Higgins’ family.
They added, “Addiction knows no boundaries and its impact goes way beyond the person fighting it. Jarad was a son, brother, grandson, friend and so much more to so many people who wanted more than anything to see him defeat addiction.”
Juice WRLD’s relatives also expressed hope that the conversations the rapper started in his music will help other people win their battles with addiction. They concluded, “We know that Jarad’s legacy of love, joy and emotional honesty will live on.”
(AllHipHop News) Cardi B.’s new security guard Price turned heads as he strolled into a courtroom with the rap star, but it’s her old bodyguard who may pay a steep cost for dealing crack.
The Feds say Bush is a kingpin who sold drugs to an undercover cop probing the gang’s activities in a long-term investigation.
The government recently presented their evidence against Bush that was collected during a sting operation.
Undercover cops say they have photos and text messages incriminating Bush, but most damningly, agents say they bought drugs from Cardi’s old security guard on April 18th, May 1st, May 21st, June 4th, June 20th, and July 26th.
A judge is holding Jeffrey Bush without bail due to his connections to the 5-9 Brims and Cardi B., which makes him a flight risk.
Sources told AllHipHop.com Bush may try and negotiate a plea deal. His next hearing is slated for February 7th, 2020.
(AllHipHop News) Tekashi 6ix9ine’s lawyer just presented a letter to the judge preparing to punish the rapper for a variety of crimes he committed with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
6ix9ine’s submitted a letter Judge Paul Engelmayer describing why 6ix9ine deserves way less than the 47 years he was facing after taking a plea deal over his role in a racketeering conspiracy with the gang.
“I find it difficult to find the right words to express what my life has been like for the last year. It honestly feels like my world is crashing down. There is no excuse, no justification and no apology good enough in the world to explain my crimes,” Tekashi 6ix9ine wrote. “While I have been incarcerated, I have had time to reflect on the recklessness and foolishness of my decisions. I wake up every morning asking myself was it worth it? I know my life will never be the same but hopefully this change will be for the better because beyond all of this, I still consider myself a role model to millions of people as an artist, a celebrity and as a human being.”
A dozen members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods were rounded up in November of 2018, for dealing drugs, assaulting 6ix9ine’s rivals and trying to kill each other.
The Brooklyn rapper, born Daniel Hernandez, started working with the Feds the same day he was arrested, on November 18th, 2018.
“Mr. Hernandez’s desire to break out of poverty and provide for his family and young daughter clouded his judgment in his quest for fame. As a result, he joined the gang without fully appreciating the consequences of this decision,” Tekashi 6ix9ine’s lawyer Lance Lazzaro wrote. “Within a one-year time span, he became surrounded by older seasoned gang members who did not have his best interest at heart. This decision of joining Nine Trey led to his rise and ultimately to his downfall.”
“I knew from previous incidents that the gang would retaliate against me for denouncing them in public. Prior to my arrest, I was kidnapped by members of the gang, became aware of the fact that the mother of my child was having sexual relations with one of my co-defendants and that they were stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from me,” Tekashi 6ix9ine complained. “I had a feeling of relief when I was arrested by the government because I felt stuck, like the gang had control of my life and that I would never be able to escape their grip. I needed to do something before it was too late.”
“Mr. Hernandez also provided extremely valuable assistance in interpreting text messages, social media posts, and telephone calls which are often difficult to decipher as a result of coded gang lingo and confusing conversations between co-conspirators,” according to Lazzaro. “Mr. Hernandez explained thousands of pages of text messages. He reviewed countless recorded phone calls and video surveillance in order to critically identify individuals and their roles in various criminal activities.”
The rapper’s cooperation with the Feds didn’t end with their investigation into the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, either since he’s also helping with other active investigations.
“Mr. Hernandez’s assistance even led to investigations involving additional agencies in other jurisdictions.” Lance Lazzaro wrote.
Tekashi 6ix9ine is slated to be sentenced on December 18, 2019, at 10:00 AM.
(AllHipHop News) Rap veterans Salt-N-Pepa have lost their longtime tour manager following a “difference in views.”
Tommaso Giuseppe had been in charge of masterminding the “Push It” hitmakers’ live shows for years, but he reveals they recently parted ways.
“I have worked really hard for the brand during my time working with Salt-N-Pepa…,” he explained in a statement issued to the New York Post’s Page Six.
“At the time of my decision, the team and I had a difference in views and therefore, we have determined it is mutually beneficial that I pursue other projects. I was allowed to relinquish my duties with the group.”
“We had a lot of fun and great memories together,” he added. “Regardless of my decision to leave, I will always cherish them.”
The hip-hop stars, comprised of Cheryl ‘Salt’ James and Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton, have yet to comment on the professional split.
“How can I say it?” the “Bodak Yellow” star, 27, considered. “Things are a little bit harder to balance, but it’s good for the mental. Like, if I’m playing with my daughter, I forget about the issues.”
“When I’m there by myself, a lot of thoughts go to my head, and when the thoughts go to my head, it just overwhelms me, and it puts me down, and it puts me on social media, and that drives me insane,” the Kream hitmaker shared. “So I just like to be where there’s a lot of people so I won’t be watching my phone.”
Although Cardi acknowledged that “social media really made me,” landing her a starring slot on reality TV series “Love & Hip Hop: New York” and ultimately leading to her being recognized for her voice, she added: “That’s how I got discovered… But now social media makes everything hard.”
(AllHipHop News) John Legend is furious over the backlash to his altered version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” as he believes it’s part of an attempt to discredit the #MeToo movement.
The “Ordinary People” hitmaker teamed up with Kelly Clarkson for the revamp of Frank Loesser’s iconic holiday track – about a guy trying to convince his date to spend the night with him – but changed the lyrics to remove hints of coercion that have caused controversy in recent years.
John was denounced by Dean Martin’s daughter, whose dad famously recorded the song.
John doesn’t understand as he says his new version was a bit of festive fun.
“The song was supposed to be silly!” he tells The Guardian. “It wasn’t supposed to be preachy at all. I never disparaged the old version. And, by the way, the original writer, or his family, gets paid for my version, too.”
The socially conscious singer blames the media storm over his new song on those looking to discredit #MeToo activists’ attempts to end sexual harassment in the wake of the scandal surrounding movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and accusations against America’s President Donald Trump.
“It’s interesting,” he adds. “this whole backlash to the #MeToo movement. People thinking we’ve gone too far speaking up for a woman’s right to not get raped or sexually harassed when some would argue we’ve not gone far enough when we have an admitted sexual assailant in the highest office in the land.
“People think that because some people have lost their jobs, or have been expelled from Hollywood, like Weinstein, that we’ve gone too far. I don’t agree. But people wanted the ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ war to be a proxy war for all that.”
In the original version, the woman asks the man, “What’s in this drink?” prompting some to suggest he may have added something to her cocktail, but the lyric is absent from the reboot and John instead sings it’s his date’s “choice.”
Speaking to the January issue of Vogue U.S., however, Cardi confessed she tuned in to her faith to help the couple through the rough patch.
“Everybody on social media acts like relationships is perfect,” she said. “(But) everybody has issues. I believe in forgiveness. I prayed on it. Me and my husband, we prayed on it. We had priests come to us. And we just came to an understanding like, bro, it’s really us against the world.”
Reflecting on her decision to stand by the “Red Room” star, she added, “people were so mad at me; a lot of women felt disappointed in me,” but explained: “If you love somebody and you stop being with them, and you’re depressed and social media is telling you not to talk to that person because he cheated, you’re not really happy on the inside until you have the conversation.”
Fame Enterprises alleges the pair sampled large portions of a song called “I Can’t Do Without You” by George Jackson.
The problem is, they never bothered to ask for permission from Fame, which is a storied R&B imprint based in Alabama.
During the 60s and 70s, artists like Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, and many other famous artists passed through Fame’s legendary studio.
In the latest round of legal filings, attorney Rick Hall says Kanye and Pusha T’s actions were equivalent to an armed robbery.
“It is no different than if Defendants came into Plaintiff’s studio in Alabama and stole Plaintiff’s equipment,” Fame’s lawyer Rick Hall said in a new filing.
In October, Kanye and Pusha’s lawyers attempted to move the case from being heard in an Alabama Court, arguing: “To establish general jurisdiction, Defendants’ affiliations with Alabama must be “so continuous and systematic as to render [them] essentially at home” in Alabama.
Fame’s lawyer sees things differently and wants the case to be tried in Alabama, where the company conducts business, and where the original recording of “I Can’t Do Without You” was created.
“They wrongfully stole the Plaintiff’s intellectual property that was created and located in Alabama and owned by an Alabama resident,” Fame’s lawyer Rick Hall argued. “They then used that property to create a product that was sold to others for a profit across the country, including in Alabama.”
In a new interview with Elle U.K. magazine for its January 2020 issue, the star confessed the “painful” experience made her learn “to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else.”
“I began to search for deeper meaning when life began to teach me lessons I didn’t know I needed. Success looks different to me now,” she explained during an Ask Me Anything with fans via social media when asked how she measures success now. “Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger.”
The “Formation” star, who is nominated for the Best Original Song in a Motion Picture prize at the 2020 Golden Globes for her track “Spirit” from “The Lion King,” added: “It’s difficult for me to go backwards.
“Being number one was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That’s fulfilling,” Beyonce said.
Beyonce and Jay also welcomed twins Rumi and Sir in 2017 and, when asked how she feels about people commenting on her appearance, the diva admitted, “children and maturity have taught me to value myself beyond my physical appearance and really understand that I am more than enough no matter what stage I’m at in life.
“Giving zero f##ks is the most liberating place to be. Also knowing true beauty is something you cannot see,” she mused, adding, “I wish more people focused on discovering the beauty within themselves rather than critiquing other folks’ grills.”
The January issue of Elle U.K. is on sale December 12th, 2019.
(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop star Lizzo is hitting back at her haters after baring her backside in a revealing dress at a recent Los Angeles Lakers basketball game.
She was honored by the Lakers cheerleaders as they performed a dance routine to her smash hit “Juice,” and Lizzo celebrated the tribute by dancing along, before bending over to show off her provocative outfit for the cameras.
Her daring moves split opinion on social media as fans praised the star for her energy and self-confidence, while others insisted Lizzo should cover up in public.
The criticism prompted the musician to take to Instagram late on Monday to address her detractors, making it clear she couldn’t care less about their opinions.
“Who I am, and the essence of me and the things I choose to do as a grown a## woman, can inspire you to do the same,” she defiantly posted.
“You don’t have to be like me. You need to be like you. And never ever let somebody stop you or shame you from being yourself. This is who I’ve always been. Now everyone’s lookin’ at it, and your criticism can just remain your criticism. Your criticism has no effect on me. Negative criticism has no stake in my life.”
She continued, “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been… I’m surrounded by love, and I just wanna spread that love – and also spread these cheeks. And if you really, really don’t like my a##, you can kiss it.”
Lizzo went on to hail Rihanna as her “inspiration” by sharing video footage of the Bajan beauty dancing in a sheer gown on Twitter.
(AllHipHop News) Beyonce’s father Mathew Knowles has claimed his daughter and bandmate Kelly Rowland were sexually harassed by Jagged Edge members when they were teenagers.
Mathew made the shocking claims in an interview with Vlad TV to promote his latest book “Destiny’s Child: The Untold Story,” telling the outlet that two members of the American R&B group made advances towards Beyonce and Kelly when their band toured with Destiny’s Child in the early 2000s.
“Now, remember the girls are minors. They’re 16-years-old. The guys are 21, 22-years-old. I have a fiduciary duty with minors, by the law, there’s a certain way I have to manage that,” he explained.
“I got a call from Kelly and Beyonce, and I talk about this in the book in detail, saying that they were constantly being harassed by two of the members of Jagged Edge. I couldn’t have that. I literally had to put the guys off the bus in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. That began all of this drama.”
“An attorney called me out-of-the-blue to tell me that I would be getting a certified letter… to tell me that, at this point, that he was now on an interim basis managing LaTavia and LeToya,” he explained. “And that they would finally go and search for a final manager, but for now he was the interim manager.”
Roberson and Luckett were replaced in 2000 by Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin.
Franklin quit the group after just five months, leaving Destiny’s Child as the trio it became famous as.
Neither Beyonce, Kelly nor Jagged Edge has responded to the allegations made by Mathew.
(AllHipHop News) Singer Lauren London has teamed with Puma bosses to honor the legacy of her late boyfriend Nipsey Hussle with a new sports brand.
London announced the Forever Stronger campaign in a new video.
“I got a question only Lord knows; does life birth us twice?” she asks in the Danny Williams-directed video she narrates.
“Lauren London is proud to join forces with Puma to support her on this next chapter of her journey,” a statement reads. “This piece was a creative vision Lauren wanted to bring to life to signify the continuation of her marathon alongside Puma. Forever Stronger.”
Nipsey, who is the father of Lauren’s son Kross, was shot and killed outside his Marathon clothing store in Los Angeles in March.
(AllHipHop News) DaBaby’s “Kirk Tour” rolled into Toronto, Canada on Tuesday night. The Charlotte-bred rhymer brought out a hometown hero for the show. Drizzy Drake hit the stage inside the Rebel venue.
The “Money in the Grave” performer congratulated the 2019 rookie of the year contender for “killing this sh*t.” Drake also announced he was currently finishing up his next album, and DaBaby hinted at possibly providing a feature for that project.
Earlier in the day, DaBaby posted on Instagram that he was having difficulty entering Canada. He wrote, “Somebody call Drake & tell em they done had Baby hemmed up at Customs for 3 hours.
The past is the past, Ima angel now
We don’t wanna see our rap sheets we here for the #KirkTour .”
“The Kirk Tour” is set to hit Royal Oak, Michigan tonight (December 11) before traveling to New York, Vancouver, Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, and Miami Beach over the next three weeks. DaBaby’s North American trek is in support of his chart-topping Kirk album which was released in September.
(AllHipHop News) Google has released its list of top trending searches of 2019. The tech company’s “2019 Year in Search” showcases people, topics, events, and places that captured the country’s attention this year. Numerous Hip Hop artists made several categories for the United States.
Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was murdered in March, landed at #3 in the “Searches” category. The Victory Lap album creator was also #2 on the “Passings” list. Actor Cameron Boyce’s (Jessie, Grown Ups) death in July was the top “Passings” trend on the search engine.
Cardi B’s headline-generating appearances at the Grammys and the Met Gala probably helped her place at #2 for “People of the Red Carpet” behind Pose star Billy Porter. Additionally, “Cardi B baby” was #5, with “Kim Kardashian Kanye West baby” coming in at #4, in the “Babies” section.
21 Savage (#2), Lil Nas X (#4), and A$AP Rocky (#5) made the Top 5 for “Musicians and Bands.” Indicted R&B singer R. Kelly placed at #1 for that category. Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” capped the “Songs” list. Post Malone & Swae Lee’s “Sunflower” (#4) and Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” (#5) were also trendy “Songs” searches.
“Where is 21 Savage from?” ranked at #4 on the “Where is…?” list. This year saw the Atlanta-raised rapper detained by U.S. immigration officials for overstaying a visa. Savage was born in the United Kingdom and traveled to America with his family as a young child.
NFL free agent Antonio Brown (#1), former Empire actor Jussie Smollett (#2), YouTuber James Charles (#3), comedian Kevin Hart (#4), R. Kelly (#5), and 21 Savage (#6) led the “People” list. Brown also topped “Athletes.”
Avengers: Endgame was #1 for “Movies,” and Game of Thrones was #1 for “TV Shows.” Ava DuVernay’s award-winning Netflix miniseries When They See Us was the third-most trending search for television programs. The Drake-produced Euphoria for HBO (#7) and the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly (#9) were in the Top 10 as well.
(AllHipHop News) Back in July, attorney Joseph Tacopina complained that Cardi B “treats her trips to the courthouse like a runway show.” Tacopina represented New York City bartenders Jade and Baddie G who claim Cardi sent people to assault them inside the Angels Strip Club in 2018.
Cardi B took issue with what the lawyer had to say about her court attire over the summer. She responded, “I don’t dress [inappropriately] when I go to court. I dress like a young f*cking lady. Where am I supposed to get my suits from? H&M? Why are you worried about the way I dress? That just goes to show you that y’all do this sh*t for press.”
The Grammy winner appeared to be trolling Tacopina yesterday when she arrived for her latest hearing wearing a black feathered coat with a hood and long train. Cardi’s entrance into the courthouse resembled a model walking in a runway show. She posted photos of the full outfit to her Instagram page with the caption, “Court .”
Earlier this year, a Queens grand jury indicted Cardi B (born Belcalis Almanzar) for multiple crimes, including two counts of felony attempted assault, over her alleged involvement in the altercation with Jade and Baddie G. Previously, the “Bodak Yellow” hitmaker turned down a conditional discharge plea deal which would have required her to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
(AllHipHop News) Last month, Roddy Ricch found out he scored three nominations for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. Now, the Compton rapper is also on pace to earn his first #1 album with Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial.
According to HitsDailyDouble, Ricch’s debut studio LP is projected to collect 85,000-95,000 first-week units. That gives the Atlantic recording artist a slight lead over The Who’s Who (80-90k) and Camila Cabello’s Romance (70-80k).
Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial features contributions from Gunna, Lil Durk, Meek Mill, Mustard, Ty Dolla $ign, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. The self-described “illustrator of the streets” released the singles “Big Stepper,” “Start With Me” and “Tip Toe.”
In addition, Juice WRLD’s Goodbye & Good Riddance is likely to jump back into the Top 5 after the Chicago rhymer’s death on Sunday. His 2019 project, Death Race For Love, opened at #1 in March and looks to be headed back to the Top 10.
(AllHipHop News) The latest round in the back-and-forth between Nick Cannon and Eminem kicked off last week when Fat Joe released his Family Ties album. The track “Lord Above” included Em throwing shots at Cannon and his ex-wife Mariah Carey.
Nick then shot back at Eminem with two diss records: “The Invitation” and “Pray For Him.” The former song included the Wild ‘N Out leader rapping, “I called Joe to set you up and you fell for the job.”
TMZ spoke to Fat Joe about his part in the Eminem versus Cannon feud. The Hip Hop veteran made it clear he is friends with both men. Joey called Em a GOAT of rap music and praised Cannon as a “money magnet” and a “talented man.”
When asked if Nick was really responsible for Eminem even being on “Lord Above,” Joe responded, “That’s not true. That’s not true. I’m honored to be on a song on my album with Eminem and Mary J. [Blige].”
Individuals connected to Juice are now suggesting race may have played a role in his issues with law enforcement, including the Homeland Security officials that found three handguns and 70 lbs of marijuana on his final flight.
Sources who regularly interacted with Juice and were close to him tell TMZ … all of the run-ins he had with cops are more than suspicious. The fact feds just happened to show up at multiple airports where he and/or his private jet were searched is enough for Juice’s inner circle to believe this might well have something to do with race and rappers.
Juice WRLD (born Jarad Higgins) died on December 8 after traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago on a private jet. He apparently suffered a seizure from taking multiple Percocet pills on the plane, but the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office was unable to establish an official cause of death after the initial autopsy.
Last Sunday, recording artist Lizzo shocked the internet and NBA fans at the Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game when she stood and twerked her ass off. The singer decided to give the audience an extra show as the Laker Girls performed to her single, “Juice.” She had our mouths wide open as she turned around to face the camera and show her shirt cut off from the back revealing the black thong she was wearing.
The “Truth Hurts” singer also caught us by surprise as she confessed her love for Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns. During an interview, she proudly said, “Let me tell you something, both teams look great, I’m personally cheering for number 32.”
She continued with, “that’s my baby!”
When asked if she knew Towns, she replied, “Nope” with a laugh.
The Timberwolves lost that night against the Lakers 125-142.
Looks like Lizzo wanted to catch her man that night as she showed the entire facility what she was really about. Maybe Towns is an ass dude and can admire the persistent his not-so-secret admirer showed him last night?
Do you think Lizzo was trying to show out for Towns?
