Instead of looking at lyrical content, a new study conducted by CelebrityEndorsers.com examines Hip Hop acts’ financial moves.
CelebrityEndorsers claims to have tracked the lifetime endorsements and investments – including those done through social media – in order to create an information graph showing the rappers with the most business connections.
According to the website’s analysis, veterans such as Nas, The Game, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, T.I., and 50 Cent are among the most endorsed rap stars.
Nicki Minaj is the lone woman on the chart with T-Pain representing the rapper/singer demographic.
Atlanta’s Migos and Lil Yachty make the list as well.
“How we stop the Black Panthers/Ronald Reagan cooked up an answer”–Kanye West on “Crack Music”
(AllHipHop Opinion) It was the eve of the revolution that their grandparents had always dreamed and the Black Lives Liberation Army was gonna set it off bright and early at dawn against the evil forces that were destroying the hood. But during the nightly strategy session, somebody passed out a purple drink in double styrofoam cups and suggested they do a battle toast. So when they finally woke up at noon the next day, the revolution was over…they lost.
This current generation of millennials is, arguably, the most “woke” group of African Americans since the conscious Hip Hop Era of the late 80’s and some would say, with their skills at social media, since the Black Power Era. Since the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012, there has been an awakening of the masses and the high profile police involved shootings of Michael Brown, Sandra Bland and many, many others have fast tracked us on the road to the revolution that Malcolm X talked about 50 years ago.
But as in science, for every action there is an opposite reaction. So, for everything that wakes us up, there is always something to put us back to sleep.
Drug use has always been glorified in Hip-Hop to a certain degree. After all, when the early rappers said “ski” they weren’t talkin’ about a vacation in the Aspens .
But this new generation is on a whole ‘notha level.
Thanks to mainstream Hip Hop, getting high off of prescription medicines seems to be just what the doctor ordered.
The past decade has seen a rapid increase of rappers being self medicated via prescription drugs. You can hardly listen to the radio without hearing artists like Future rapping about pills like they just raided Grandma’s medicine cabinet.
Much of this madness originally came out of the Dirty South as rappers from Texas to Tennessee bragged about sipping on that Sizzurp aka Lean and some have died from taking too many sips of that Purple Drank. For the less hip, Lean is a deadly combination of soft drink, Kool Aid, codeine, cough medicine, Jolly Ranchers and anything else somebody feels like throwing in a cup.
Now enter something called “Legal Lean.”
Either some mad scientist or some hipster with a determined idea and too much time on his hands has come up with a way to push that potion in the hood, legally, by substituting codeine with natural stuff. The ingredients are different but the effects are supposed to be the same.
Now, while Legal Lean may be available near some college campuses so some wealthy white coeds can vicariously live out their Lil Wayne fantasies, most of the stores that sell this are in the hood.
Of course, the makers of Legal Lean think they are providing a service by giving cough syrup junkies an alternative. To hear them tell it, Legal Lean is to Purple Drank what Methadone is to Heroin.
After all it is 100% natural. But so are psychedelic mushrooms and if you really want to get funky with it, cocaine contains a 100% natural ingredient, as well.
So, once again the Black community is under a biochemical attack at a time when we need to be in our collective best state of mind to survive the Trump Era.
Fortunately, some groups around the country are not giving up the hood without a fight.
In Wisconsin, the Original Black Panthers of Milwaukee have staged successful campaigns against stores selling Legal Lean.
Also, in Durham NC, activists have started Operation #LeanBack to have the product permanently shut down, nationwide.
Every community activist should be fighting to get Lean up outta here, whether legal or illegal.
As always, you are gonna have some to defend destruction to the grave. But those of us who aren’t “gone off that Lean” have a responsibility to raise our voices in protest.
As Kendrick Lamar said on Be Humble
“I let my soul speak, you let the meds talk…”
Min. Paul Scott is founder of the Black Messiah Movement. He can be reached at in**@*****************ed.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista
(AllHipHop Music) The homie Annimeanz is back with new visuals for “Dirty 30,” a new song with political undertones. The West Coast Hispanic from Cudahy, CA (located in Los Angeles) has his latest produced by Curtiss King, one of Killa Cali’s dope new sound generators. With “Dirty 30,” Annimeanz continues to carve out a nice, fresh lane for himself with lyrics, beats and swagger. Check it out.
(AllHipHop News) Kendrick Lamar is arguably the best rapper alive.
His DAMN album debuted at #1 with the largest first-week sales numbers of the year, and the project has since spent 16 consecutive weeks in the Top 5 on the Billboard 200.
I mean, it’s like beating a dead horse. We already know what it is. Are we gonna keep talking about it or are we gonna take action? You just get to a point where you’re tired of talking about it. It weighs you down and it drains your energy when you’re speaking about something or someone that’s completely ridiculous. So, on and off the album, I took it upon myself to take action in my own community. On the record, I made an action to not speak about what’s going on in the world or the places they put us in. Speak on self; reflection of self first. That’s where the initial change will start from.
On wack artists:
A wack artist uses other people’s music for their approval. We’re talking about someone that is scared to make their own voice, chases somebody else’s success and their thing, but runs away from their own thing. That’s what keeps the game watered-down. Everybody’s not going to be able to be a Kendrick Lamar. I’m not telling you to rap like me. Be you. Simple as that. I watch a lot of good artists go down like that because you’re so focused on what numbers this guy has done, and it dampers your own creativity. Which ultimately dampers the listener, because at the end of the day, it’s not for us. It’s for the person driving to their 9-to-5 that don’t feel like they wanna go to work that morning.
On ghostwriting:
It depends on what arena you’re putting yourself in. I called myself the best rapper. I cannot call myself the best rapper if I have a ghostwriter. If you’re saying you’re a different type of artist and you don’t really care about the art form of being the best rapper, then so be it. Make great music. But the title, it won’t be there.
On being a Pop artist:
It gets tricky because you can have that one big record, but you can still have that integrity at the same time. Not many can do it … wink-wink [laughs]. Still have them raps going crazy on that album and have a Number One record, wink-wink. Call it whatever you want to call it. As long as the artist remains true to the craft of hip-hop and the culture of it, it is what it is.
Read the full Kendrick Lamar interview with Rolling Stonehere.
(AllHipHop News) The phrase “fake news” has been thrown around a lot over the last eight months, but it may be appropriate for some of these herpes stories connected to Usher Raymond.
After articles suggested one of the singer’s accusers, Quantasia Sharpton, may have been lying about having sex with Usher, TMZnow claims to have sources saying the accusations are definitely not true.
The entertainment website reports:
Our sources say Usher told them he may have pulled her up onstage … he doesn’t remember, but he absolutely didn’t hook up with her.
As for why he may have picked Sharpton out of the crowd and brought her onstage, the sources say Usher “looks to bring a diverse group of people up onstage, not just supermodels.”
One source says he believes it’s “an esteem booster” to choose various people Usher sees in the audience and single them out.
Sharpton held a press conference with celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom where she stated Usher pursued her following a concert, and they then supposedly had unprotected sex.
The presser also included Sharpton admitting she was not currently infected with herpes and had no proof that Usher was infected either.
On her Facebook page – under the name Angel Valentino- she posted “I need some money” and “Enjoying my last couple of hours as a regular girl” just prior to her coming public with the allegations.
Usher reportedly does not have herpes, and he is supposedly considering lawsuits against individuals accusing him of knowingly transmitting the virus.
However, Glover fans should be excited to know he spoke with BBC Radio 1 about making more music.
“I’ve been working on that here,” said the rapper-actor. “You guys have been very instrumental in my music. So I’m very happy about that. London has been very inspirational.”
The Georgia-raised entertainer insists the wait will be well worth it.
“I’m not the type of person to rush anything. I feel like if you rush it, you’ll start to get something you don’t want and then you start to question why you even liked it,” he told BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo. “So, I’m not gonna make anything until it’s ready. But to be completely honest, it’s almost ready. I’m pretty happy with a lot of the things, and I think it’s better than the first season.”
The 2016 season of Atlanta earned six Primetime Emmy Award nominations including nods for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
(AllHipHop Features) Nick Cannon, the media mogul with many hats, has struck gold with his new movie, “King of the Dancehall.” After starring in films like “Love Don’t Cost A Thing”, “Roll Bounce” and “Drum Line”, Cannon definitely knows the recipe to a good young adult movie.
Nick, who plays the character “Tarzan”, goes to stay with his cousin, played by Busta Rhymes, in Jamaica. Tarzan quickly finds a beautiful love interest and gets caught up in the Jamaican Dancehall scene.
Consider “King of the Dancehall” the Black Jamaican version of “Step Up” and “Save The Last Dance”. Its entertaining and has an all star cast. Whoopi Goldberg plays the mother of Tarzan. Louis Gossett Jr. and Kreesha Turner have compelling lead roles and singer Beanie Man narrates the story.
AllHipHop had a chance to catch up with Mr. Cannon at a screening in New York last week. Check out the interview below.
(AllHipHop Rumors) G-Unit has been force for quite some time….but not so much recently. Clearly, 50 Cent has been doing his thing and Lloyd Banks killed that Funk Flex freestyle. Other than that, not so much. All of that may change soon as the unit SEEMS to be set for a comeback. The info came from Buck, who posted an IG message that was quite cryptic. The message suggested that there is a mixtape called “Power” on the way. Looking good for The Unit!
Stars From The Hit Reality TV Show Made Appearances At Hollywood’s Newest Exotic Nightclub Experience
Hazel-E, Chanel West Coast, Alexis Skyy, and more were spotted living it up at the newest exotic nightclub in Hollywood, “Diamond District”. It’s located in the heart of Hollywood, and last night the premium nightlife destination was filled with lights, cameras, and action! Fashion Guru EJ King, Actress/Model Tori Brixx, and Althea Heart were also in the building.
Diamond District has a full Caribbean infused kitchen provided by Taste of The Caribbean LA, and the party hours well exceeds 2:00 AM each and every Monday.
(AllHipHop News) DMC aka King DMC is set to take on Baltimore Comic Con, furthering his long-standing relationship with the world of fantasy.
The rapper, known for his lyrical ability, has transitioned a lot of his creative energy into the world of comics. To solidify this, he created Darryl Makes Comics, his publishing company that creates books for all ages. The 2017 Baltimore Comic-Con takes place on September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th at the Inner Harbor’s Baltimore Convention Center.
“Baltimore has a ton of Run-DMC fans,” said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. “Having DMC to our show to flex his comic book muscles is going to be amazing, and his music fans get to meet a whole new side of Darryl. We’re really excited about this, as we’re sure his fans, old and new, will be!”
DMC explained his affinity for comic books as a young kid that would emerge as a super star emcee in Hip-Hop.
“When I started with Run-DMC, I was a nervous little nerdy kid,” said DMC. “I didn’t want to get up in front of a crowd and rhyme; but what gave me confidence, out there on stage was pretending that I was the Hulk on the microphone.”
DMC has already published several comics under his publishing imprint and they will be on full display as DMC signs autographs.
Darryl Makes Comics is dropping another issue in late 2017. “Hip-Hop was always based on creativity,” DMC says, “so what we’re trying to do with this comic book is not trying to create anything that’s new; we’re just going to show the world what’s already there…the beauty and the creativity of it.”
In 2014 DMC’s childhood passion came to fruition when he, along with his Editor-in-Chief Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez and Senior Editor Riggs Morales, teamed up with some prominent fixtures in the comic book world to craft his first 48-page graphic novel, a 100% authentic, unapologetic, indie comic book under the Darryl Makes Comics imprint. The graphic novel, DMC #1, garnered critical praise and attention when it debuted in 2014 featuring some of the comic industry’s finest talent. The story was created by DMC and Damion Scott (Batman, Robin, Solo), with Ronald Wimberly (Vertigo/DC, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Prince of Cats) serving as creative consultant to develop the script. Each chapter is visualized by different teams of artists, including Chase Conley (Black Dynamite), Jeff Stokely (Six-Gun Gorilla, The Reason for Dragons), Felipe Smith (Peepo Choo, Ghost Rider), Mike & Mark Davis, the Mad Twiinz (Black Dynamite, The Boondocks), Shawn Crystal (Arkham Manor), and colorist Chris Sotomayor, not to mention cover art from industry legends Sal Buscema and Bob Wick, and graffiti pioneer MARE 139 (Style Wars).
Baltimore Comic Con will offer a plethora of artists, writers, creators and celebrities. Take a look at the exhaustive list:
In addition to on-site CGC grading, this year’s confirmed guests for the show include: Joel Adams (Bucky O’Hare Graphic Novel Coloring Book), Neal Adams (Harley’s Little Black Book), Zeea Adams (Neal Adams Monsters), Scott Ethan Ambruson (Azteca: Ciudad Paradiso), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Marty Baumann (Toybox Time Machine: A Catalog of the Coolest Toys Never Made), Carolyn Belefski (Curls), Lee Bermejo (Batman: Noel), Reilly Brown (Slapstick), Harold Buckholz (Wild Lion), Mark Buckingham (Everafter: From the Pages of Fables), Greg Burnham (Tuskegee Heirs), Buzz (Superman: The Coming of the Supermen), Jim Calafiore (Surviving Megalopolis), Chris Campana (The Rhode Warrior), Richard Case (King: Jungle Jim), Christa Cassano (Ghetto Clown); Elias Chatzoudis (Peepland), Frank Cho (Skybourne), Amy Chu (KISS), Matthew Clark (Wonder Woman), Steve Conley (The Middle Age), Gerry Conway (Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Amanda Conner (Harley Quinn), Paris Cullins (Blue Devil), Kristina Deak-Linsner (Dawn/Vampirella), Vito Delsante (Stray), Todd Dezago (The Perhapanauts), Mark dos Santos (Imperial), Charles C. Dowd (A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls), Emily Drouin (Eplis), Joshua Dysart (Imperium, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Joe Eisma (Morning Glories), Tod Emko and Piggy (A Piggy’s Tale), Mark Evanier (Groo: Play of the Gods), G. D. Falksen (The Ouroboros Cycle), Tim Fielder (Matty’s Rocket), David Finch (Batman), Meredith Finch (Catwoman: Election Night), Ramona Fradon (Convergence: Plastic Man and the Freedom Fighters), Franco (Tiny Titans), Bob Fujitani (Doktor Solar), John Gallagher (Underdog), Shannon Gallant (GI Joe), Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman), Mike Gold (The Pilgrim), Michael Golden (Doctor Strange), Jason Gounger (Legio Ex Mortis), Daniel Govar (A Year of Marvels: The Uncanny), Jimmy Gownley (Amelia Rules!), John Green (Hippopotamister), Dawn Griffin (Zorphbert & Fred), Scott Hanna (Wonder Woman), Dean Haspiel (Dark Horse Presents), Cully Hamner (Blue Beetle), Glenn Hauman (The Whisper Campaign), Marc Hempel (Sandman), Phil Hester (Mother Panic), Ken Hunt (Talon), Laura Innes (The Dreamer), Brian Joines (Bill & Ted Go to Hell), Arvell M. Jones (Marvel Premiere), JG Jones (Batwoman), Justin Jordan (Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern), Kata Kane (Altar Girls), Chris Kemple (Red Vengeance), Kazu Kibuishi (Harry Potter covers), Matt Kindt (Ninjak), Sharlene Kindt (Dept. H), Tom King (Batman), Barry Kitson (Avengers), Todd Klein (Starstruck), Tony Kordos (Batman and Robin Eternal), Evelyn Kriete (Weird Tales), Alisa Kwitney (Convergence Batgirl), David Landis (Papercuttables), Greg LaRocque (Stargate Atlantis: Hearts and Minds), Hope Larson (Batgirl), Ken Lashley (X-Men Gold), Mike Lilly (Red Agent), Joe Linsner (Harley Quinn), Mike Lopez (Life’s a Beach), Nate Lovett (Actionverse featuring Midnight Tiger), Andrew MacLean (Headlopper), Elliot S! Maggin (Superman, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Mike Maihack (Cleopatra in Space), Mike Manley (Judge Parker), Mark Mariano (Claire Lost Her Bear at the World’s Fair), David Marquez (Civil War II), Billy Martin (X-Men Gold), Laura Martin (Wonder Woman), Alitha Martinez (Black Panther: World of Wakanda), Ron Marz (Dread Gods), Darryl McDaniels (DMC), Ed McGuinness (Spider-Man/Deadpool), Mike McKone (Old Man Logan), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Steve McNiven (Secret Empire), Frank Miller (Sin City, Friday only), Chris Miskiewicz (Love is Love), Terry Moore (Motor Girl), Mark Morales (Deathstroke), Tony Moy (The X-Files: Season 10), Jamar Nicholas (Leon, Protector of the Playground), Melody Often (Amazing Forest), Denny O’Neil (Green Lantern/Green Arrow, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Jerry Ordway (Superman), Greg Pak (The Totally Awesome Hulk), Tom Palmer (DC/Looney Tunes 100-Page Super Spectacular), Jimmy Palmiotti (Harley Quinn), Dan Parent (Your Pal Archie), Paul Pelletier (Cyborg), Andrew Pepoy (Archie), David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Brandon Peterson (Revolution), Khoi Pham (Teen Titans, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Keith Pollard (Fantastic Four), Lyle Pollard (Scarlet Huntress), Carl Potts (The Punisher War Journal, Saturday and Sunday only), Mark Poulton (A Cat Named Haiku), Kyle Puttkammer (Hero Cats), Afua Richardson (Black Panther), Rafer Roberts (Rai: The History of the Valiant Universe), Don Rosa (Donald Duck), Craig Rousseau (The Perhapanauts), Stephane Roux (Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack), Andy Runton (Owly), Julie Fujii Sakai (Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz), Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo), Stuart Sayger (Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas), Greg Schigiel (Pix), Bart Sears (Dread Gods), Jeff Shultz (Archie), Alex Simmons (Archie), Louise Simonson (Faith), Walter Simonson (Ragnarok), Matt Slay (Equilibrium), Megan Sloane (Lark’s Killer), Andy Smith (Earth 2), John K. Snyder III (Suicide Squad), Charles Soule (Astonishing X-Men), Mark Sparacio (Sheena, Queen of the Jungle), Joe Staton (Dick Tracy), Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther), Karl Story (Black Panther), Rob Stull (Executive Assistant: Orchid), Peter Tomasi (Superman), John Totleben (Convergence: Swamp Thing), David Trustman (Godslap), Billy Tucci (Shi), Ted Tucker (caricatures), James Tynion IV (Detective Comics), Ethan Van Sciver (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps), Gus Vazquez (Big Hero 6), Emilio Velez Jr. (Dodgeball Teens), Mark Waid (Avengers), Michael Watkins (Pantha), Todd Webb (Mr. Toast Comics), Mark Wheatley (Doctor Who), Freddie E. Williams II (Batman/TMNT), Marcus Williams (Tuskegee Heirs), Bill Willingham (The Kamandi Challenge), Ron Wilson (The Thing), Renee Witterstaetter (Joe Jusko: Maelstrom), Marv Wolfman (Raven, courtesy of Hero Initiative), Rich Woodall (Kyrra: Alien Jungle Girl), David Yardin (Jean Grey), Kelly Yates (Torchwood), and Thom Zahler (Time & Vine).
(AllHipHop Rumors) Wale is never one to hold back how he feels. He is quite the expressive rapper.
Apparently Wale felt the need to address a few rappers.
“Some of these politici…..I mean rappers have some amazing PR…good two shoes all American boy holier than thou swag,” tweeted and deleted Wale.
Folks automatically felt like Wale was talking about Chance The Rapper! I mean the entire tweet sounds like a shot at Chance!
Either Wale must feel like his image and persona is fabricated, or maybe Wale forgot that people can grow and change.
Some fans believe that Wale may have been saying that Chance’s persona is fake and that he’s a hypocrite. Others argued that although Chance went from “acid rap” to being a politician to being holier than thou, there’s nothing wrong with growing and getting closer to God.
Some people also believe that Chance is an industry plant whose push is annoying and forced.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Wale was talking about Chance? If so, does he sound like a hater?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXi4mVUFe5B/
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Richie Wess is back with a new album and the sixth solo release underneath YTC Entertainment entitled “Lord Finesse.” This is also his follow up to last year’s “Richie Boomin” EP, which was solely produced by young producer extraordinaire, Metro Boomin.
Wess is best know for his collaborations with Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, The Game and more; and for his new 8-track LP, he enlists some other big names in the game; OG Maco, Fat Joe, Jay Critch, Jose Guapo [and more].
(AllHipHop Features) “It’s here. The word of God is here. The new books of the Bible will be to you in less than two months,” declared Cyhi The Prynce in the final moments of my phone call with the G.O.O.D. Music rapper/songwriter.
After releasing well-received mixtapes like Royal Flush, Ivy League Club, and Black Hystori Project, Cyhi is finally ready to deliver his debut studio album.
No Dope On Sundays is a continuation of the East Atlanta emcee’s extensive musical catalog that combines lyrical prowess with urban Gospel-like proclamations.
His work on the Kanye West albums Yeezus and The Life Of Pablo earned Cydel “Cyhi” Young multiple Grammy nominations, and now he’s on the verge of offering his own official LP to the world.
In part one of my conversation with Cyhi The Prynce, we discussed No Dope On Sundays, his exit from Def Jam Recordings, collaborating with Kanye, and Jay-Z’s 4:44 album.
AllHipHop.com:Can you explain how you came up with the title for the album?
Cyhi The Prynce: The title was something I used to say every time I’d write a super-dope song. I’d be like, “My story’s going to change the streets. It’s no dope on Sundays and you ain’t going to find a dime bag of weed. Then my manager was like, “You should name the album No Dope On Sundays.”
When he said that, it kind of stuck with me. So I just rolled around to it for a minute, and I was like, “Yeah, let’s go with No Dope On Sundays.” I always felt like my music could touch anybody, even the most sinful people, and make them want to reflect on what they’re doing.
AllHipHop: You’ve been releasing mixtapes throughout your whole career. Why did you decide to finally release your official studio album?
Cyhi: I’ve been wanting to put out an album. My upbringing in the music industry was a lot different than other artists these days. A lot of my early start came from the streets. I was young at the time with a lot of talent. But I was always around OGs that had a lot of money. I tried to do it with my family a few times but that didn’t work.
So I tried to branch outside of that, and I got with a young guy in the music industry that worked at Def Jam. He was close to L.A. Reid. Then Def Jam and L.A. Reid parted ways. Def Jam didn’t want to drop me from the label because I wouldn’t be part of G.O.O.D. Music. The guy who left Def Jam had my rights, so I couldn’t put out new music until Def Jam and him got their situation together.
So I would put out mixtapes just to stay relevant and to build my fan base. But now that I’m clear of all those messy situations, I can finally put out music that I want to do. This was my first album I officially put together with a budget.
AllHipHop: Was that whole situation what you were referring to on “MovIn’ Around?” There’s a line where you talk about getting a release from your label.
Cyhi: Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. A lot of people don’t know I left the streets for the music industry because I thought the music industry was going to save my life. But the music industry didn’t do nothing but send me back to the streets. I got my situation together, hustled my way back up, and now I’m back to putting out my album.
AllHipHop: You’re no longer on Def Jam. But are you still associated with G.O.O.D. Music?
Cyhi: Yes, definitely. When I was at Def Jam I was on an All-Star roster. Also, people knew that my friendship and writing abilities with Kanye were strong. They didn’t want to interrupt that. So I was put to the back burner just to make sure there’s somebody there to make sure the cash cow does what he has to do.
But once Travis Scott came to the team and he was part of G.O.O.D. Music but he wasn’t actually on Def Jam – he was like, “I’m on Sony.” I was like, “That would be great.” He still gets his own marketing and his own label to push him. That’s what I decided to do. I thought, “I need to get with a major outside of Def Jam to add value to my project.” Once I figured out how to maneuver, I just inked a deal with Sony Music. And it’s off to the races.
AllHipHop:You mentioned Kanye. He’s credited as an executive producer on your album. How involved was he in the creation of the album?
Cyhi: He was very involved at the beginning because I started working on the album at the beginning of the “Saint Pablo Tour.” But due to his recent health issues, he kind of had to back off. He had to get his family and his life where he wanted to get it.
I had to take all the notes that he gave me and finish them off myself. What I started doing was sending it back to him and say, “How do you like that?” He would say, “You should do this. You should do that.” Then I would make the tweaks. But he was heavily involved in the beginning.
AllHipHop: You wrote with him on [The Life Of Pablo]. Can you talk about what that process is like?
Cyhi: I was like his hype man in the studio. That was kind of like my job. [laughs] I don’t want to make it seem like I’m doing everything, but I do put in a lot of work. At the same time, it’s more so a brainstorming thing. He wants the best musicians, the best producers, the best engineers, the best writers, the best rappers.
He knows when I’m in there the bars got to be A-1. He knows when I’m in there the concepts and things we’re coming out with… he knows he has someone he can reflect off of what he saying, somebody who can bounce around ideas.
Also being able to see the process of how to start a record from scratch and build it to a finished product, that’s what I needed to see. That’s what I learned, and you guys will hear that growth on my album as well.
AllHipHop:You can hear that on “Nu Africa.” There was one particular line on there that caught my ear. You mentioned a bunch of different celebrities and how you would like to possibly see them contribute to helping the continent of Africa. You said something about Jay and Beyoncé buying land in Egypt. Jay dropped 4:44, and some of the themes on that album were financial independence and support of black-owned businesses. I was wondering what you thought about the messages he talked about on that project.
Cyhi: Since my album’s coming out, I can wave my flag now. For the past five years, I’ve been setting the template for the whole music industry and nobody even knew it. If you listen to Royal Flush and you listen to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, to me, that was a Royal Flush. It was just done way better.
When you listen to Watch The Throne, I was the one on that prince/king vibe. I was even in those sessions. I was supposed to be on the album. A lot of people don’t know that. So when you hear Black Hystori Project, you hear “New Slaves,” you hear “Blood On The Leaves,” you hear Yeezus.
That’s what I always brought to my peers. They gave me different ways to make my music, and when I come in the room I also bring my vibe. I also played my album for Jay-Z, and Jay-Z is the one that told me to put out “Movin’ Around” first.
We’re all family. People don’t know it, but I’m a very intricate part of that circle. So when you hear those type of similarities, that’s because we’ve had conversations. That’s because we’re drinking wine at Easter together. And that’s where we want to move the world.
I love 4:44. It was incredible, and my album is kind of in that same direction. But like I said, I was the one who waved the flag first, in my opinion.
(AllHipHop Rumors) We are all tired of having to say R.I.P. to rappers who lost their lives to senseless violence.
When people die, all responses to their death are not positive. DJ Burn One clearly had some unresolved issues with rapper Yung Mazi, which was evident by some of his tweets about the fallen rapper.
“mazi’s story should serve as a cautionary tale to all young finessers. karma is real. We don’t morn finessers in the city. folks don’t want the truth. they’d rather say rip and keep it moving. there are lessons to be told to the youth,” said DJ Burn One.
Burn One made it clear that he couldn’t mourn a man who he says was known for being a finesser. He also said all money isn’t good money. Burn One chalks Mazi’s death up to karma. A Twitter user even replied to Burn noting that Mazi had been living on borrowed time.
What do you think about DJ Burn One’s tweets? Was he being too harsh?
It’s crazy to think that there are really people in the world that decide to be jealous of others instead of being happy for other people, and instead of working harder to better themselves.
It’s no secret that Love & Hip Hop’s Stevie J. and Joseline Hernandez have had a tumultuous relationship, so who knows what reason they decided to have a baby together.
Steebie and Joseline have been involved in a nasty battle over who will get custody of baby Bonnie Bella.
Stevie J. is now putting his baby mama Joseline on blast for allegedly being jealous of Cardi B!
According to Stevie J, Joseline won’t let him see their daughter because she’s allegedly jealous of Cardi’s success.
Joseline has to do better because she had wayyyy more time to build her career than Cardi did!
“Apparently, since Cardi B winning, Joseline won’t let me see the baby…see you in court,” said Stevie.
Joseline’s problems are the fact that her music isn’t good and there has been alleged rumors of drug use, so I’m sure that’s not helping!
Do you think that Joseline has really revealed that she’s jealous of Cardi, or is Stevie just trying to p### her off even more? If I was Joseline, I would feel like this was the ultimate low blow and ultimate shot at my career, especially since Joseline’s musical career isn’t popping.
(AllHipHop News) French Montana scored the biggest hit of his career with “Unforgettable” featuring Swae Lee.
At the moment, the record sits in the #3 position on the Hot 100 and has collected over 24 million global streams on Spotify in the last week.
Even though French could not remember the producers behind his chart winner when he was on The Breakfast Club, the beat makers are appreciative of the success, even though it was originally sent to the OVO camp.
The production team that goes by 1Mind (made up of Sebastian, Mac, and Michael) spoke to Billboard about “Unforgettable.”
“I kind of felt that at the time because that’s what I always feel when I make a beat: ‘Yo, this is going to be huge!’ [Laughs] I guess I knew that the beat was really good. We all knew. We wasn’t sure what was going to happen to it,” said Mac. “[OVO] messaged us back and said, ‘Keep this beat. It’s great.’ So we were all optimistic about it, even though they didn’t use it. Then, once we heard the Swae reference, we were like, ‘Yo, this is going to be a huge song.'”
The Indianapolis-bred trio also stated they were not upset about French forgetting who produced the track.
“The producer isn’t always in the studio with the artist when the song is being made. So it’s pretty understandable, especially when the beat is being passed around and a lot of people are working on it,” added an uncredited 1Mind member.
TyShawn Dion premieres his latest record exclusively with us titled “40’s On Melrose,” bringing back that classic feel in the hood of 40’s in a brown bag, mobbin’ on the corner in Melrose.
“40s on Melrose” came to me as I was out in LA to shoot my visual for “Humble Pie”. During that time, I was staying on a school bus turned makeshift tour bus with a few of my friends from the city right on the corner of Melrose Ave. and began to think like damn… this is some hood ass s###- we’re like 2,000 miles away from the hood back in MA, sitting pretty parked by the red in one of the most boujee areas of L.A. in a run down bus. After hanging out with some of the creatives in the area, I couldn’t help but to be inspired by the things they were attaining.”
