(AllHipHop News) Rapper Drake served up a treat for his hometown fans on Sunday by joining his R&B proteges dvsn onstage in Toronto to celebrate the Canada Day holiday weekend.
The “Hotline Bling” hitmaker made the surprise appearance during the duo’s headlining set at the Canada 150 event, where he delivered a brief speech about the significance of the national holiday, which fell on Saturday (July 1).
“We celebrate our Indigenous people,” he told the audience, according to CBC News. “We celebrate the land that we’re standing on tonight. I just came for the party, though. I’m gonna be honest.”
Drake then took the opportunity to deliver a short performance of his hits “Jumpman,” Gyalchester, and “Fake Love,” with his other OVO Sound artists Majid Jordan and Roy Woods also making guest appearances for the bash.
(AllHipHop News) Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland has been arrested and released on bail.
The disastrous festival, co-founded by rapper Ja Rule, was axed not long after guests started to arrive at the Great Exuma, Bahamas site in April, to find a lack of accommodation and poor facilities.
He was released over the weekend, after a night behind bars, having posted a $300,000 bail.
He was ordered to move back in with his parents, who watched the court proceedings, following his appearance at the U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York.
As he left the courtroom, having been represented by a public defender, McFarland chose not to address the charges he is facing.
“I’d love to speak, I’d love to say something,” he said. “We’ll set it up for a better time.”
However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Greenberg did release a statement after the Saturday hearing, noting: “It is clear that he (McFarland) did not understand the gravity and the severity of the charges until now. He is now forced to face reality.”
“(McFarland) promised a life-changing music festival, but in actuality delivered a disaster. McFarland allegedly presented fake documents to induce investors to put over a million dollars into his company and the fiasco called the Fyre Festival,” he said.
Ja Rule has not been arrested or charged.
Acts including Migos, Lil Yachty, and Major Lazer had all been slated to play at Fyre Festival.
Blink-182 were also set to appear but pulled out after they discovered the chaos surrounding the proposed event.
Ja Rule and McFarland recruited big name celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid to promote the festival, with ticket holders paying up to $12,000 .
In the days following the Fyre Festival’s cancellation, Ja Rule issued a personal apology but deflected blame.
“I’m heartbroken at this moment,” he wrote in a Twitter message. “My partners and I wanted this to be an amazing event. It was NOT A SCAM. I truly apologize as this is NOT MY FAULT… but I’m taking responsibility. I’m deeply sorry to everyone who was inconvenienced by this.”
Midwest powerhouse Think And Grow Records presents Blazo’s first leak single “Ima Dog” produced by Heavy Keyyz. Following up off his latest project release “Tables Always Turn”, Blazo has garnered a major independent buzz with over 1 million views on his latest video and is working on his highly anticipated follow up release “Sleepless Nights Volume 1.” This single kicks off with an infectious hook and smoove word play that keeps the listerners attention, Blazo displays his hustler mentatlity and his motivation to why he is a dog for the money.
(AllHipHop Editorial) I must attest that about two weeks ago, I stumbled upon the most interesting and intriguing Instagram page I’ve seen yet. Then on Friday June 30, 2017 when Jay Z dropped 4:44 and shouted the page out in his song BAM, I was convinced that I stumbled upon the most interesting and intriguing Instagram page thus far. Once again, HOV has confirmed my thoughts. The page that I’m referencing is a pictorial historical account of New York City during Reganomics and the debilitating crack era. There are pictures and actual accounts of individuals who have been immortalized through the rhymes documented by New York rappers written in their black and white composition notebooks.
These rhymes that I’m referencing were ultimately shared with the world through music; however, until you can put a picture with a name, a story and individuals that can bear firsthand witness to the accounts that we’ve heard our modern day Dead Poets rap about, they remain just mystical urban myths. In my opinion, that’s the reason why this site is so extremely significant because it gives validity and authenticity to many of the stories we’ve heard in song. I don’t know who #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa is, but he might arguably have the best hip hop oriented Instagram account with true references to the individuals who helped write the narrative of this thing of ours called, Hip Hop.
First of all, I can’t go any further without acknowledging the dopeness of the name #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa. Obviously the name itself was borrowed from a verse spit by the King of New York, Biggie, when he rapped “today’s a new day, got the suitcase in the Sentra, go to room 112, tell them Blanco sent you.” But what’s even more fitting and compelling to me, is the title of the song that the verse/name was borrowed from and its chorus. The title of the song is “N##### Bleed.” And the hook goes, “N##### bleed just like us, picture me being scared of a n#### that breathe the same air as me. N##### bleed just like us, picture me being shook, we can both go to war let the m############ beef cook. N##### bleed just us, picture a n#### hiding, my life in that man’s hands while he just deciding. N##### bleed just like us, I’d rather go toe to toe with all of ya’ll, running ain’t in my protocol.” The reason why the song name and hook is so important and fitting is because it surmises the mentality of all the men highlighted on the account who chose not to be deterred by another man nor immobilized by fear of another man. And it also serves as a grim reminder of the ultimate doom the highlighted men were willing to risk in pursuit of the tangibles and intangibles they were chasing.
Hey, but as rap aficionados and purveyors of the sport, visit this Instagram page to make the connections between the stories and the story tellers. I’m certain that you remember the street stories we heard in songs about Jay-Z, DeHaven and Emory? Well go to #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa to see the old pictures reminiscent of the times Hov rapped about and get a chance to possibly dialogue directly with DeHaven, Emory or maybe even Jay-Z.
Do you recall hearing the name Baby J or Mane from Harlem World lure? Well go to #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa to see the actual photos of the young street legend and read all of the comments. See a young 50 Cent, affectionately known as Boo Boo, standing in front of his first big body Benz that he rapped about in song. Check out the real people who actually birthed the style and fashion that is still prevalent in our culture today. See original Dapper Dan apparel adorned by real street New York heavy hitters. Look at Mike Tyson’s close ties and affiliations with street dudes and hip hop associates. Learn the real stories.
You know what else is cool about #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa? It’s the cosigns that many of today’s artist give by either liking pictures and/or leaving comments sharing personal knowledge as it relates to the post. Now granted, this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, for obvious reasons. But if you’ve ever read a Don Diva magazine and loved it in its entirety, like I have on many occasions, then I can promise that you’ll be completely engulfed by #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa. It’s like a present day amplified interactive electronic version of a Don Diva magazine, on an Instagram page, minus the sticky pages. Check it out. #TeLLeMBLaNcoSentYa.
(AllHipHop News) Mary J. Blige publicly protested her estranged husband’s spousal support request during her headlining set at the 2017 Essence Fest, questioning why she should have to pay for his alleged infidelities.
Blige claims her former manager betrayed her by having an affair with her protegee, singer Starshell, and she channeled her heartache into her new album, Strength of a Woman.
The “No More Drama” hitmaker has been vocal about her marriage breakdown since filing for divorce, and over the weekend, she used her show in New Orleans, Louisiana to offer up a little advice on love to her audience.
“You can’t have two queens,” she told her male fans, as she shared a few words of wisdom about how to treat a woman.
She continued, “For me ladies, I’m a little crazy – maybe a lot – but I’m more selfish with my relationships. And (what) I will not appreciate is my man coming home comparing me to Suzy on the job… Don’t ever compare me to nobody (sic) because there’s only one Mary J. Blige out there.”
Blige then took aim at Isaacs, without directly naming him, as she criticized a U.S. judge’s decision to award her ex financial support.
“How is it that somebody gets to cheat and destroy everybody’s life but I’ve got to pay for it?” she told the crowd. “That ain’t fair (sic)!”
Blige has been using her onstage performances to work through the pain of her split, recently giving emotional renditions of Love Yourself and Set Me Free, which detail her marriage woes, at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.
“I love you to death Mary J. Blige, I can’t even begin to understand why you are going on about this the way you have been,” he wrote. “I never wanted to discuss our life airing the laundry. You know me better than that. You and I really need to talk and stop all this negative nonsense. I love you and I always will regardless of your actions.”
He also vowed it is time for him to “tell the truth” in another post, although he has yet to share his side of the story.
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Young Thug has become the latest star to publicly support Planned Parenthood by donating profits from a recent show to the women’s health organisation.
The 25-year-old, who is already a father of six, knows first-hand how tough it can be for youngsters to gain access to free or affordable sexual health care under the current U.S. system, so he has vowed to help out by handing over proceeds from his New York City concert on Thursday to the non-profit firm.
He told fans of his plans in a post-gig message on Twitter, writing, “I’m donating the proceeds from my show… to @PPFA. I was a teenage parent. Planned+unplanned parenthood is beautiful.”
He follows in the footsteps of artists like Katy Perry and Halsey, who have recently cut cheques for the organization amid concerns new U.S. President Donald Trump will slash federal funding for the company, while rapper/actor Common and rockers The National performed at a Planned Parenthood benefit concert in Washington, D.C. in January.
Nitty Scott, MC plans to release her new project “Creature” later this month, July 21st, but first the Brooklyn emcee releases a dope visual to her single “PXSSY POWAH!” directed by Damien Sandoval.
(AllHipHop Rumors) Okay, let’s not act like people weren’t already thinking this new Amber Rose/21 Savage relationship is nothing more than a way to get attention from the blogs.
I mean, 21 got an album coming out this week and Amber has a SlutWalk to promote.
So it’s not that shocking the phrase “publicity stunt” has been thrown around.
What is kind of surprising is that Amber’s ex-husband Wiz Khalifa appears to be co-signing the new couple is faking it.
“Major stunts being pulled,” wrote Wiz on Instagram.
The comment is actually a caption for a picture of Wiz with his girlfriend Izabela Guedes. ?
Wiz’s possible shady IG post came after a video made the rounds online of Amber and 21 engaging in a somewhat awkward kiss.
Some people also think it’s weird how quickly the two were publicly confessing their love for each other.
According to reports, they just started dating a few weeks ago.
21 did rap on “Feel It” that he “can’t fake love, I just want someone who really care,” so who really knows what’s happening with those two.
What do y’all think? Are 21 Savage and Amber Rose a real couple or is it all just for the Gram?
(AllHipHop News) Jimmy Iovine is arguably one of the most influential people in the history of the music business.
The Brooklyn-born executive is partially responsible for the success of Interscope Records, Beats By Dr. Dre, and Apple Music.
Iovine sat down with Pharrell Williams’ Beats 1 Radio show OTHERtone, and he discussed what inspired him to leave the record industry for the tech world.
“In 2003, I met [Apple co-founder] Steve Jobs, and I felt about Steve Jobs the way I felt about the music industry when I first got into it,” said the entertainment biz veteran. “I got into the music business because I wasn’t cool and I wanted to be cool. So I figured I could at least get close to cool. When I saw Steve Jobs, I said, ‘Uh oh, the party’s at Steve’s house.’ They were the cool thing now. At that moment, I aimed my car outside the record business.”
The OTHERtone conversation also included Iovine speaking about new acts – because of their direct connection with fans – being able to sign label deals giving the artist more control and revenue.
“You have all these artists that are getting buzz, getting action on their music. Then what happens is all the labels bid,” Iovine stated.
In addition, he covered the power grab in the music space by concert promoters, corporate brands, streaming services, and YouTube.
“Then you add in that the labels haven’t done anything about YouTube. Now you got YouTube out there with 500 million people where you get your music very elegantly for free,” said Iovine. “Young artists like to chart so now you have Billboard counting YouTube plays the same as Spotify and Apple Music’s paid plays.”
He continued, “So [the artist goes,] ‘There are 500 million people on YouTube, so I’m gonna go promote my record there even though I get paid here, but I want a number 1 record.’ That’s called ‘fake news.'”
The 64-year-old near billionaire also warned that labels and performers need to focus more on the art and not just on profits.
“Right now, everyone wants to get paid and be famous. So touché. But the record industry, as it is right now, has to become part of the solution,” offered Iovine. “And part of the solution is not just saying, ‘You can’t do this. We have copyrights.’ If they want to do that, they should turn all of that toward where the music is free.”
During his tenure at Interscope, Iovine helped launch the careers of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, The Neptunes, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Wale, Lady Gaga, and others.
The story of Jimmy Iovine and his longtime business partner Andre “Dr. Dre” Young is being explored in HBO’s upcoming 4-part documentary The Defiant Ones.
(AllHipHop News) Lyrical master Raekwon took time to rate the bars of some of his fellow Hip Hop performers.
In an edition of BET’s video series, The Chef gave 1-5 marks for lyrics by Vince Staples, Ghostface Killah, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, RZA, Method Man, The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, G-Eazy, and himself.
“You know that’s a five. We ain’t even gonna go there,” said Rae when presented his own lines from Fat Joe’s “John Blaze.”
The New York rap legend is currently out on tour in support of his latest album The Wild.
“The title, The Wild, represents the times that were in and the vibe I’m getting from what I’m seeing going on in the world. And it’s me expressing my energy from the wild side,” Raekwon told AllHipHop.com in February.
He added, “I look at today’s industry as being a jungle. There are different rules. Me being out in the wild for so long and looking at what it is today, it’s just different. All that I’m doing is expressing myself in the greatest way to let people know that I still get busy on the mic, I can still swing around this jungle and still be the king at what I do.”
Hell’s Kitchen-native Sean Scott starts the summer off right with his new banger titled “Bizerk.” Laced with hard hitting production from his in-house producers DJ SwanQo and Sean Allen, “Bizerk” serves as the lastest leak off “ScottSZN” and a follow up to his previous “Banned From TV” re-work, “Been Waiting.”
Stream the Cash Money founding member inspired cut below.
Last year, vocalist WasionKey shook up the net with his viral single titled “No Body.” In celebration of the record reaching 1M+ streams, the CT-native follows up “Castles.” Picking up where “No Body” left off, this song finds the rising talent continuing to plead for a second chance at love, taking inspiration from Bill Wither’s classic “Just The Two Of Us.”
New Jersey’s own Trav Torch is currently putting the final touches to his upcoming debut LP titled “Bachelor Life: Sex & Heartache,” and with that said, he brings his contemporary R&B sound to the masses with a new record “Sex Tape.”
Press play below and be on the look-out for more to come from Trav Torch in the coming months.
(AllHipHop News) It’s been two years since Meek Mill released his last studio album Dreams Worth More Than Money.
The Maybach Music Group rapper is ready to let loose his next LP titled Wins & Losses.
Meek spoke about the forthcoming project with Los Angeles’ Real 92.3 during the BET Awards weekend.
“You know if it’s called Wins & Losses we got a lot to talk about,” said Meek.
This will be the Philadelphia representative’s first official album since his highly publicized feud with Drake, but he did release the Dreamchasers 4 mixtape last October.
The wait for Wins & Losses should not be long.
“It’s turned in. It’s done. All we’re doing is mixing and mastering and making it sound spectacular,” Meek revealed.
The Roc Nation affiliate recently released a video for The-Dream-assisted song “Young Black America.”
For those wondering how much Beyoncé participated in her husband’s latest body of work, 4:44 producer No I.D. spoke about the superstar’s contribution in an interview with the New York Times.
“I always call Bey our de facto A&R. Pillow talk is the strongest conversation on the planet,” said No I.D. “Every song has to get past her ears, in my eyes. She came by a lot and played a good part in helping us get over hurdles on certain records. Of course she’s genius-level with that.”
No I.D. was asked if he and JAY ever spoke about the impact of Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
“No, we never directly spoke about that album. Mainly because if he talks about himself, it’s going to bleed into that regardless,” he responded. “But there’s a difference in talking about it for the sake of response and for the sake of honesty and the truth. The truth needs to explain why you are the way you are, why you did what you did. We know what happened. We got it. But what were the circumstances that led to this and how do you feel about it?”
While the album’s title track is an open apology to Beyoncé, JAY tapped the “Sorry” singer for vocals on the 4:44 song “Family Feud.”
“‘Family Feud’ is about separation within the culture. Like, new rappers fighting with old rappers, saying all these things. So, the line is, ‘Nobody wins when the family feuds’,” stated JAY.
Hours before Blonde hit Apple Music, Ocean dropped the visual album Endless via Def Jam.
By distributing the LP without Def Jam, the R&B singer-songwriter’s profit share for Blonde potentially rose from 14% to 70% of total revenues.
Ye’s supposed issue with Tidal came to light following JAY-Z addressing his Watch The Throne collaborator on the 4:44 album.
“But you ain’t the same, this ain’t KumbaYe. But you got hurt because you did cool by Ye. You gave him 20 million without blinking. He gave you 20 minutes on stage, f-ck was he thinking?” raps the Tidal frontman on “Kill Jay Z.”
4:44 also features the Brooklyn emcee questioning new artists signing to major labels.
“Y’all out here still taking advances, huh? Me and my n-ggas taking real chances, uh,” he rhymes on “The Story Of O.J.”
The Roc Nation boss also had words for Apple Music and its executive Jimmy Iovine on his 13th album.
On “Smile,” JAY says, “F-ck a slice of the Apple pie, want my own cake. In charge of my own fate. Respect Jimmy Iovine, but he gotta respect the Elohim as a whole new regime.”
With “Kanye West vs Tidal” making headlines across the internet, the real story may be how it is the latest round in the ongoing “streaming wars” as well as serving as a flash point in the long-running struggle between major labels and artists.
(AllHipHop News) As 21 Savage prepares to release his Issa project this Friday, the Atlanta rhymer is also dealing with some backlash for a rumored romance with Amber Rose.
21 and Rose have not publicly spoken about the status of their relationship, but they have been seen holding hands in photos.
The “X” rapper did offer a response to anyone critical of him appearing “soft” because of his dating situation.
“n-ggas really think a man expressing his feelings to a girl is soft but yall will tell da n-gga who gone snitch on you u love him everyday,” tweeted 21.
Amber also posted an Instagram meme of a man with a rose in his mouth while holding a handgun, and she tagged the “X” rapper in the pic.
(AllHipHop Rumors) People are really taking this Jay-Z thing to new levels and I am not sure why. They are just taking this 4:44 TOO FAR. Boosie is taking it somewhat personally it seems. He insists he’s going to keep putting money to his ear no matter what Jay-Z says. LOL! “He’s not a god to me,” Boosie says. “If he tell you to stop wearing Jordans, you gonna stop wearing Jordans? Most of y’all just d—k riding.”
But, he just in his feelings when he says, “Your words don’t move me though.” The record label called him and checked him on this and then he went even harder. LOL! Wow. I am not sure what is going on, but I think its time to log off. Not telling anybody what to do or anything.
(AllHipHop News) A rap show in St. Louis, Missouri, was the scene of unimaginable chaos, after a shooting broke out at a popular nightclub where a rapper was performing.
Finese 2Tymes, born Ricky Hampton, 25, of Memphis, Tennessee, was performing at Power Ultra Lounge in downtown Little Rock.
Police said a gang related dispute in the crowd escalated, resulting in a wild shootout that left 25 people with gunshot wounds.
“THE VIOLENCE IS NOT FOR THE CLUB PEOPLE. WE ALL COME WITH 1 MOTIVE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THATS TO HAVE FUN,” Finese 2Tymes wrote on his Facebook page.
The message was not enough, since federal marshals arrested the rapper on charges of being a “fugitive from justice.”
Little Rock’s mayor blasted the club, and vowed to shut the venue down for promoting the show, which featured the rapper flashing guns and promotional material for the performance.
“A promotional video with a gun on the front cover inviting people to a concert should also be totally unacceptable in our community,” Mayor Mark Stodola said in a statement.
Fortunately, all 25 people who suffered from gunshot wounds are expected to recover.