Dame Dash recently stopped by Access Hollywood to promote BET’s new show ‘Music Moguls’ that features Dash, Birdman, Jermaine Dupri and Snoop Dogg. While Dame wanted to promote his recent endeavors, the hosts seemed more interested in getting down to the Beyonce “Becky with the good hair” scandal that involved his ex-wife Rachel Roy. Beyonce’s Beyhive drug Rachel Roy to hell and back when she made a reference to the Becky character on her Instagram. While Roy denied being Becky, we never heard how Dame felt about the incident until now. Dame revealed that he didn’t care about any of that, and he only cared about how it affected his children as the Beyhive even attacked their children on social media. Dame said,
“Whatever, I don’t care about none of that. The only issue I had was them putting pressure on my children. For me it’s the history between me and Jay, me being his partner at the time in Roc-A-Fella and Rocawear and all that and best friend … of course, on a human level, it would bother me.”
He also revealed that he turned to a therapist to help him get through the situation. Dame says he’s been in rap beef but never had to deal with anything that affected his children. It’s good to see Dame dealing with his anger in a different way.
It’s no secret that actress Nia Long’s name has been heavily dropped in Hip Hop for a while, and she’s been a longtime crush of many. Long previously explained to Larry King that she believed she is mentioned so much in Hip Hop because ‘Boys In The Hood’ came out in the classic and timeless Hip Hop era, and both artists and actors changed the game and gave urban music space to do it’s own thing. Nia seemed to be flattered that J. Cole was one of many that had a crush on her. She also recently stopped by Jimmy Kimmel, and Kimmel wanted to discuss her honorable Hip Hop mentions as well. While denying being “Becky with the good hair”, she revealed her feelings on being mentioned on Nas’ “Oochie Wally” track. Kimmel recited Horse’s verse on the track,
“Like Nia Long in a cherry thong with the lights on.”
To which Nia replied,
“When I heard that I got really nervous because I’m thinking has someone been in my panty drawer. Do I have a cherry thong? Did I have sex with a guy and wore a cherry thong? I was so confused. Then I thought maybe I need a cherry thong. So I actually went and got a cherry thong, and that’s how I got my husband.”
Rappers and their baby mama drama!!! Fetty Wap is at it again with one of his baby mamas, Love & Hip Hop’s Masika. Fetty & Masika couldn’t get along for much of Masika’s pregnancy, and the two seemed to have a 12th hour reconciliation right before baby Khari’s birth. As Fetty continued to hop around between his baby mamas, “day ones”, girlfriends, and sister wives, him and Masika’s relationship has gone sour again. The two jumped on Twitter to trade shots about bad parenting. Masika accused Fetty of being a deadbeat dad and a liar. Masika claims that Fetty isn’t involved in their daughter’s life, however just a few weeks ago she praised him for being a very involved father. Masika even went as far as to accuse him of being a social media father. Fetty told Masika that he never gave a f-ck about her. Ouch! A few screenshots and insults later, we have to wonder why this couldn’t be handled offline.
YRN member Migo Domingo had a discussion with DJ Smallz and responded to comments that Master P. recently made on Power 105.1 about rappers getting high.
That’s something I say in my day-to-day life. Nine times out of ten, I’m using it to describe something I’ve just seen, heard or experienced that’s a bit off center, more than unusual or downright weird.
With life as a Hip-Hop journalist being what it is, it’s become a quote used with catchphrase like frequency. I mean lets face it… you guys are online as much as I am, if not more. Between the things that rappers say in their songs, show on their socials and do in their daily lives, the music industry is good for at least eight of these a day.
But my brain kicked my catchphrase into overdrive once I sat down at my laptop, plugged in my favorite headphones and pressed play on Joe Budden’s diss to Drake; “Making A Murderer Part 1.”
Now before we get started, understand that I’m not going to spend a lot of time on backstory.
I will say that most of this comes from Joe’s rather harsh but honest critique of Drakes Views album. Now, was this something off-center, out of sorts or in any way weird for Joe Budden?
Nah, not really. And if you’ve been keeping up with Joe’s “I’ll Name This Podcast Later” podcast is pretty familiar about the friction brewing between the two. But if you haven’t or decided never to look it up, it’s going to seem as if this diss just came out of the sky. That’s being the case, I’ll assure you it didn’t and we can move on. Especially since that’s not what’s really important here anyway.
Beef on wax is pretty common in Hip-Hop but over the last few years, the fans of the genre have gotten pretty used to subliminal shots from their favorite artists instead of the direct call out technique most might prefer. The strategy being to diss another artist in a subtle way instead of out-right so when/if the target responds directly, the iron-clad defense of “I wasn’t even talking about you”, followed by the all too familiar “You aint important enough for me to diss” or “I must be on your mind” or “he’s just trying to start a beef to get attention” or any of the thousands of verbal deflections rappers who throw stones and hide their hands like to employ can be used. The subtle jab or “sneak diss” can also be ignored by the intended target, who pretends they didn’t hear it and thereby allowing the attacker to claim a silent victory.
We who study and dissect Hip-Hop from the wordsmiths of the game often observe the undercover jabs from the likes of Jay, Kendrick, Pusha, Drake and others as all involved look to keep things political and none want to legitimize their opponent by acknowledging a beef or be seen as a hater.
The “and now… this is happening” moment came to me after the song went off. After hearing a scathing diss from very accomplished and highly respected MC (including from the targets own words) Who decided to jump over the political correctness and attack a subliminal with a direct shot.
Knowing that the casual Hip-Hop listener or Drake stan will attempt to dismiss this as a cry for attention or label the track a shot by an unworthy opponent based on sales and commercial popularity, Joe dug into Drake line after line anyway.
The diss wasn’t about sales or money, the two crutches most causal fans jump to in defense of their favorites. This will break down into two different categories; bars and truth. It’s the place most modern MC’s aren’t familiar with but in a rhyme war with a guy like Budden, it’s the only place Drake can win. He can’t out spend or out swag or out profile his opponent. This time, Drake has to out RAP him. And while Drake has avoided directly responding to more challenges than he’s accepted, we do have Charged Up & the Grammy nominated Back To Back. Two shiny examples of what a Drake rebuttal looks like and proof that he can go there when he wants.
My “and now… this is happening” moment came when I realized, the easy exits like: Joe’s a hater, Joe’s broke, Joe’s looking for attention” Joe’s just trying to promote himself” have all been closed. Those excuses will only work on casual listeners who never looked beneath the surface of the slick-talk thats been Drakes second language these last few years. The tactics that have kept him safe from head on collisions with the likes of Pusha-T and Kendrick Lamar won’t really work here and the excuses to avoid it will only result in a loss in the eyes of all that know.
And now that I’ve put the headphones down and had my “and now… this is happening” moment, there’s only one question left….
Rihanna’s new video has made history as the first artist to premiere a music video on IMAX. DOPE. The video is a throwback of sorts, a big-budget, trippy ride that has the pop star looking like an alien from Star Trek. Not ironically, the song also appears on Star Trek Beyond’s soundtrack.
(AllHipHop News) Drake may have “thought” about dissing Joe Budden after a clip of a French Montana song made the rounds on social media in May, but Joey just went into attack mode with the song “Making a Murderer (Part 1).”
It all started back in May, when French previewed a few minutes of a track that had some bars from Drake that apparently made references to Joe Budden’s 2003 single “Pump, Pump It Up.”
The theory is that Drake replied on the unnamed French Montana song, in response to Joe Budden’s criticism of the Toronto rapper’s#### album Views.
Also, Joe felt that Drake’s song “4 P.M. In Calabasas” also contained subliminal jabs aimed at the Slaughterhouse MC.
“Making a Murderer (Part 1),” which was produced AraabMuzik, also takes a slight shot at Meek Mill as well.
“My plan isn’t about Meek; it ain’t about Drake, but I wanna rap,” Joe Budden told Pitchfork.com. “I’m at a point in my life where I wanna rap. Time is measured by the second and I come from competitive hip-hop. That’s the MC I am. That’s the MC I always will be. The MC in me is not about to recondition to today’s world. I gotta be who I am at all times. I wanna rap.
Uh oh! Gucci Mane could soon be facing charges for Slim Dunkin’s murder! According to HipHopEnquirer, Dunkin’s father has filed a suit against 1017 Brick Squad, Gucci Mane’s label, for $11 million dollars. The charges are blaming the label and Gucci for playing a part in Dunkin’s death, in 2013, as Dunkin was scheduled to be in a 1017 Brick Squad video shoot. Apparently the charges are also against Gucci’s Warner Music Label for failing to provide adequate security on set of the music video shoot.
Slim Dunkin was killed by Vinson Hardiman after Hardiman shot him in the chest during an altercation. Hardiman was convicted of aggravated assault, but not murder. Dunkins’s father plans to seek justice by filing a civil suit against Gucci for his son’s wrongful death. What are your thoughts?
Fredo Santana and partner in crime Chief Keef dropped a new track that would make the NRA proud with “Gun Violence.”
In their world, pistol play is nothing, and they let it be known on the new track, which is taken from Fredo’s highly anticipated new mixtape “Fredo Mafia.”
The new mixtape “Fredo Mafia” features Ballout, Tadoe, Yung Gleesh, Z-Ro, Chief Keef, Wooh Da Kid and more.
Dizzy Wright continues to release a stream of music and this time he’s back with the song “Why You Do Me Like That.”
The song is from Dizzy’s new 702 EP, which takes listeners on a journey throughout his hometown of Las Vegas.
The rapper gets some help from Omaha, Nebraska rapper Skate Maloley, while Alex Lustig designed the sounds for the track.
“I made “Why You Do Me Like That” for the fans, just to remind them that we see everything, we’re aware that people will pick you up to tear you down when you get bigger then they expected,” Dizzy Wright said. “So we’re here to go against all odds and play with the fans and pretty much make a army out of them. That’s why I made it.”
(AllHipHop News) Rapper DMX and his estranged wife have reportedly reached a divorce settlement.
The “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” star and Tashera Simmons separated in 2010 and she filed for divorce in 2013 after 11 years of marriage.
The former couple has been battling in court over property, child support payments, and financial issues since their split, but the former couple reached an undisclosed settlement on Tuesday (June 28) in Westchester County Supreme Court.
DMX and Tashera reportedly have until August to file the legal papers before a judge can sign off on the divorce.
The reported settlement comes two months after DMX reportedly lost his New York home to foreclosure in April.
The 45-year-old bought the Mount Kisco home in 2000 for $649,000, but was sued by bosses at Compass Bank for $740,000 in back mortgage payments, interest, late charges and a negative escrow balance.
(AllHipHop News) Several of the members of the 2016 XXL Freshman Class hit New York City’s PlayStation Theater for the annual concert celebrating the rappers’ selection to the coveted list.
Desiigner, G Herbo, Denzel Curry, Dave East, Lil Yachty, and Lil Dicky were on hand to run through some of their songs for the crowd.
Check out clips from the 2016 XXL Freshman Class Concert below.
(AllHipHop News) Earlier this year, TDE CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith let the world know he was “praying” for a Black Hippy project to arrive in 2017. Will Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Schoolboy Q actually connect for a collaborative effort in the near future?
According to Q, a Black Hippy album is not likely to happen. The creator of the Blank Face LP spoke with Hot 97 about the Top Dawg Entertainment collective.
“It would be hard for a Black Hippy album to happen, because when we first started we were all in the studio together,” explained Schoolboy. “But now we’re so busy, the only time we really kick it is in the studio.”
He continued, “We be wasting like thousands of dollars in the studio. It probably took us forever just to do [Jay Rock’s] ‘Vice City’… Now we done talked for 10 hours we don’t wanna rap no more. It’s like let’s just get another session.”
(AllHipHop Features) Live from Maryland comes a fresh wordsmith that is ready to put his section of America on his back. As the DMV Hip Hop scene continues to spread worldwide, Ezzy Babe is making sure people recognize Montgomery County as an important staple of that movement.
The Silver Springs born rapper once attended Morgan State University in Baltimore. Even though Ezzy admits school was not his thing, the time spent at the HBCU did inspire a single that would help draw eyes to him as an artist.
“Growing up you freestyle with your friends, but a lot of people don’t take it seriously. I noticed I was a lot better at that than my friends were. They would make comments like, ‘Why don’t you do it?’” says Ezzy. “Then we made the ‘Morgan Girl’ song some years back, and that jumped off. That really started my career.”
The aspiring emcee born Brendon Perry began gaining traction in the B-More/DC area thanks to his 2009 ode to the ladies of Morgan State. The campus hit borrowed from the soundscape of K. P. & Envyi’s skating rink classic “Swing My Way,” six years before Bryson Tiller incorporated the cut into his Top 40 smash “Exchange.”
At the time “Morgan Girl” was building a buzz, Perry introduced himself to the music world as B-Ezzy. However, the stage name was eventually replaced with the more search-friendly Ezzy Babe.
“It was just too many B-Ezzys. It was getting on my nerves. I would search Twitter for my name and other stuff would come up,” Perry explains. “I just put the ‘B’ to the back and created something. Now when I search my name all my music comes up. It’s a lot better.”
More music from B-Ezzy/Ezzy Babe arrived after he officially stepped onto the rap court. His Addicted To The Game mixtape earned a co-sign from DJ Smallz, and 2014’s “Mo County Anthem” featured an appearance by fellow Capital Beltway representative Phil Adé.
The success of the track led to Ezzy being selected as a DMV Spotlight participant for WPGC 95.5, one of Washington’s most popular urban radio stations. The rising rhymer also displayed his marketing acumen by promoting “Mo County Anthem” as if it was a product from AT&T or McDonald’s.
“I did bus ads on the Metro for that. It was super big, super crazy,” Ezzy informs AllHipHop.com. “I wanted to get around to doing a video for it, but me and Phil’s schedule was jacked up. Time wound up passing, and I was on to the next thing. That was definitely a good start for me.”
Last year, Ezzy Babe dropped the full length project Layup Lines (The Pre-Tape). Vybe, June G, Paul Cabbin, and others provided production for the tape with DMVLife’s “Best Mixtape DJ” winner DJ 837 serving as host.
Layup Lines was the first body of work Ezzy had released since his days at Morgan. His initial intent was to just provide more content to the public, but it ended up gaining positive feedback.
“It did better than I expected it to do. I was just putting out some music, because I hadn’t put out a project in a while,” he explains.
Up next are several new collections. Live From Maryland will consist of previous songs from Ezzy’s catalog comprised into one set.
That will be followed by Rock Star Like CDR. Former University of Memphis basketball standout Chris Douglas-Roberts (aka RockstarCDR) is the inspiration behind the Rock & Roll infused EP.
In addition, an untitled studio album is nearly complete. A joint project with Ezzy Babe’s frequent collaborator Lil Zay is in the works as well.
As his status in the Hip Hop community continues to rise, Ezzy will likely connect with more acts. Perhaps he will get to hook up with two of his biggest influences – Meek Mill and Big Sean.
“I’ve been a big Meek Mill head for a long time. It was Pac before that,” reveals Ezzy. “I like Big Sean too. I used to listen to him in my dorm room a lot. I like how he carries it, his versatility. That’s something I try to base my music off of – doing street records and commercial records. I don’t want people to put me in a box like how you can’t put Big Sean in a box.”
It is also true that the DMV music scene cannot be simply labeled with a certain style. Numerous acts from the Mid-Atlantic foster distinct vibes that are establishing each individual as his or her own entity.
While Wale had a major hand in The District breaking through to the mainstream and XXL Freshman class alumni Logic, Shy Glizzy, and Goldlink aided in further shattering that ceiling, the locale still does not have a great deal of old heads to look to as examples.
The region is just now beginning to form into a nationally recognized Hip Hop hub. But in Ezzy’s eyes, his comrades from the city are still putting in the necessary effort to succeed on their own merits.
“Once Shy and Goldlink made it, they definitely shined some light on the city. It’s some dudes here. And not just rap. There’s R&B and everything,” says Ezzy. “It’s all about exposure and making the right moves. There ain’t too many people who made it from here. There really ain’t no blueprint for people to follow, so everybody’s just kind of doing their own thing and hope for the best.”
For his own career, Ezzy is constantly putting in the work that is required to get to the next level. And the up-and-comer is doing it all as an independent artist.
“I’m just trying to build and get these projects out there. It’s just things you gotta do to get to where you want to get to,” says Ezzy Babe. “I’m trying to get enough paper to put myself in position I’m trying to be in, because everything is funded by myself. I ain’t as lucky as some of the other artists in the area, so I gotta grind a little harder.”
He continues, “But I think in the next year or two I’m gonna soar off. Every release gets bigger than the last one.”
(AllHipHop News) After months of comparisons being made between Future and Desiigner and recent rumors of tension between the two star’s camps at the BET Awards, it appears as if the Atlanta hit maker and the Brooklyn newcomer will not be collaborating any time soon.
In a new cover story for Rolling Stone, Future basically confirmed he has no interest in being associated with Desiigner. The “Wicked” rhymer even made it clear he did not want the 19-year-old rapper’s name to appear in the feature.
“I never worried about anyone else,” said Future. “I don’t even want his name in the article.”
The Freebandz head also discussed his inspiration for some of his most celebrated work – lean. The substance was the focal point of projects such as 2011’s Dirty Sprite and 2015’s DS2.
Future admitted during an interview with France’s Clique TV that he was ‘not at addict” and he “does not have to do it all the time.” He even declared himself to be sober, and in the RS piece Future expounded on his use of codeine.
“At first, it wasn’t something that I loved,” Future admitted. “It wasn’t till I discovered what I loved about it. Some people take drugs and they don’t understand the high. They take it just to be high.”
He added, “It started making me more relaxed. Sometimes you experience anxiety, and it did me some good for that. I don’t feel like I ever abused it. I used it for what I felt was needed.”
2016 XXL freshman and Miami rapper Denzel Curry stopped by Sway In The Morning on Shade45 for his 5 Fingers Of Death freestyle. He delivers an energetic, near three minute long, off the top flow, over various Miami artist beats. Check it out below..
