(AllHipHop News) Last week, Lonnie Rashad “Common” Lynn released his new single “Black America Again” featuring Stevie Wonder.
The politically charged song covers police brutality, racism, Black Lives Matter, urban violence, the media, and more.
Common stopped by The View this week to further share his thoughts about these issues as well as the ongoing presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
“Donald Trump is just not prepared to be a president,” stated the rapper/actor when asked about Monday night’s debate. “I thought that Hillary Clinton… I can see her experience.”
In addition, the interview included Common being questioned about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s silent protest of kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.
“I truly relate to what Colin Kaepernick is doing. He’s standing up for justice,” responded Common.
He added, “The courage that Colin Kaepernick is showing is phenomenal. One of my heroes is Muhammad Ali, and I haven’t seen an athlete take that type of stance since Muhammad Ali.”
Along with Jesse Williams, Rosario Dawson, and others, Common took part in the upcoming EPIX docu-series America Divided.
The five-part television show follows celebrity correspondents as they examine specific inequalities related to their own biographies.
Common’s episode features him traveling to his hometown of Chicago in order to examine policing and mass incarceration.
The Academy Award winner also serves as an executive producer for the program premiering on September 30 at 9 pm.
Race will certainly be a topic addressed on America Divided. Common spoke about the relations between African-Americans and Caucasians in this country while on The View.
“Because Black people have been done so wrong, white people that do care, they don’t want to offend us,” offered Common. “I think it’s important we just have those open, honest conversations.”
(AllHipHop News) Mississippi Hip-Hop super producer/rapper David Banner has weighed in on a recent judgment awarded to him in a legal dispute with rapper Lil Wayne.
Banner’s lawsuit also claimed he was stiffed out of $15,392 for the 2009 track “Streets Is Watchin” off the We Are Young Money compilation.
“As entertainers, our business is very complex and it should not be a matter public display,” David Banner told AllHipHop.com. “America has always attempted to pit Black men against each other like gladiators then laugh when we clash.”
David Banner won the legal dispute because lawyers for Young Money never responded to the lawsuit.
The judgment is part of Lil Wayn’es ongoing legal issues, which includes a $51 million Dollar lawsuit against Cash Money Records for failing to pay advances and royalties.
David Banner said never wanted the legal fiasco to go public, since there were so many more pressing issues the rapper was attempting to tackle, including police brutality and black-on-black crime.
“I have never commented on this case, it is only a matter of public record,” David Banner told AllHipHop.com. “I value all my clients and dread when our business ever plays out in the public. (Focus on cops killing innocent African people!)”
Clothing designer Dwayne Walker sued Shawn “Jay Z” Carter, Damon “Dame” Dash, Kareem “Biggs” Burke, Roc-A-Fella Records, and Universal Music Group for breach of contract and copyright infringement.
Walker claimed he created the famous logo for Roc-A-Fella, the record label co-founded by Jay, Dame, and Biggs in 1995.
The defendants said the image was actually designed by Roc-A-Fella art director Adrien Vargas .
Roc-A-Fella Records Logo
U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan ruled that Walker was not entitled to any royalties.
Judge Carter’s decision stated there was not enough clear evidence an alleged contract between the two parties ever existed.
“This leaves only plaintiff’s own self-serving testimony that he drafted the contract, that he and Dash signed it, and that he lost track of it in 1998,” wrote Judge Carter. “This testimony alone is not enough.”
Walker asserted he designed the Roc-A-Fella logo in 1995 and license it to Jay, Dash, and Biggs in return for $3,500 and 2% of revenues for ten years after the first year of use.
His lawsuit was based on the argument he never received the 2% royalties and still owns the copyright to the logo.
Judge Carter also dictated Walker should not have waited five years to sue after supposedly finding out he was owed royalties.
Rapper and actor Common will perform and speak at the upcoming #PathToPossible Protest March in New York City. The social and civil activist, whose Black America Again track served as an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement, will headline Wednesday’s (September 28) protest about New York’s racial achievement gap in public education in Brooklyn. “Every kid from every neighborhood deserves a great education, and New York City’s public charter schools are bringing this vision to life,” Common said in a press release. The march will take place in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
(Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Samsung)
Lil Wayne has been ordered to give producer David Banner $164,00 over allegations the rapper failed to pay him for work. Banner sued the hip hop star’s Young Money Records label in July last year (15), claiming Wayne owed him money for work on three tracks, “La La” and “P##sy Monster” for Wayne’s 2008 album Tha Carter III, as well as the song “Streets Is Watching,” from a 2009 Young Money compilation album. According to court documents obtained by TMZ.com, a judge entered a default judgment in the producer’s favor after staff at the record company failed to respond to the case. The judge has ordered record label executives to pay Banner the $154,000 he initially claimed plus interest, making a total of $164,303.
Chance the Rapper and Salt-N-Pepa will join Alicia Keys at her annual Black Ball in New York in October. A$AP Rocky and Patti Smith will also hit the stage at Alicia’s Keep A Child Alive charity event, now in its 13th year. The star-studded concert will take place at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 19. “We have an electric lineup of performers both legends and newcomers this year and I know the energy in the room is going to be ALIVE,” Keys wrote in a press release, revealing the gig will live stream for the first time on Jay Z’s Tidal online service. “(It gives) so many people the chance to join in the fight against AIDS, and experience this truly magical night where all my worlds come together!”
“I think we all gangsters and we ain’t supposed to be on the internet with our sh*t. N*gg*s should have learned that a long a*s time ago. I feel like when it’s real sh*t, if it’s beef or whatever the f*ck they want to call it, n*gg*s should speak like men together. Everybody’s watching on the internet so why would you want to talk sh*t on the internet? I don’t do that with girls or anybody. Let’s just keep it adult.”
What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Ty? Have there been a lot of senseless beefs over the years and recently?
Hip Hop legend Nas’ forthcoming album may be completed, but fans still don’t know many details about it.
Mass Appeal’s own, Dave East, recently dropped a little bit of info about Nas’ highly-anticipated project when he stated that he may be appearing on it.
“It’s fire; I might be on it,” East told Billboard.
The East Harlem native also plans to keep the momentum going with the upcoming release of his forthcoming project ‘Kairi Chanel’ on September 30th.
East also has plans to revive New York’s rap scene and breathe fresh air into it. He wants to make the same mark on New York Hip Hop and Hip Hop as a whole just like those such as Jadakiss and Fabulous did.
One thing you don’t have to worry about with his possible feature on Nas’ album or his forthcoming mixtape, is ghostwriting. Dave is quick to let it be known that he definitely writes all of his lyrics!
(AllHipHop News) Chicago Roc Nation rapper Vic Mensa recently was featured in VEVO’s “Why I Vote,” series where he reflected on previous encounters with police brutality and explained how voting can bring change.
“Affecting change in the hood is why I vote,” declared Vic in VEVO’s campaign to encourage citizens to take their part in political change.
According to Rolling Stone, Vic believes in voting as a great catalyst for change at both the local and national level.
Although Vic was raised in a very well educated household, the rapper’s hometown has long been infamous for its high crime rates, destitution, and despair, with the midwest city being dubbed ‘Chiraq.’
“All my earliest memories with police officers are like, ‘Hey, get your fu##ing hands out that hoodie before I punch you in the fu##ing face!'” Mensa recalled. “‘What the f##k did I do? What’d I do? What law did I break?’ You live with that enough and there’s not really any turning back.”
In the five minute video the artist also reflects on being snatched up by police at a local protest of 17-year old Laquan McDonald’s death at the hands of police in 2014.
“We hadn’t broken any laws. We were just organizing on the street, as is our right as Americans,” the rapper stated.
Vic’s strong remarks follow the September 16 shooting death of unarmed Tulsa,OK black man Terrence Crutcher by law enforcement.
Now there is no denying that the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, has hits on hits, but many have argued over the years that she isn’t the greatest singer.
She’s won because of the soul in her music and the fact that her music explores the themes of love and pain that everyone can relate to.
Well, she just sung to Hillary Clinton about social injustice and police brutality and for most, it was a painful experience.
We adore Mary and her hits, but this was rough.
She may have just topped her legendary fried chicken jingle. The context is there, but eh… We’ll let you be the judge. What are your thoughts?
The California rapper dropped a new music video for his Meek diss record “Pest Control.”
Game has insisted the Philadelphia representative “snitched” on him in a robbery case involving Sean Kingston.
While Kingston, Meek, and local police denied the Dreamchasers head offered information about the jewelry heist, Game used his perception of the situation as the catalyst for “Pest Control.”
(AllHipHop News) Angela Simmons, Romeo Miller, Damon “Boogie” Dash, Kristinia DeBarge, TJ Mizell and Egypt Criss are returning to WE tv’s docu-series Growing Up Hip Hop.
Season 2 will also feature newcomers Swizz Beatz’s brother André King as well as Briana Latrise, the daughter of Mary J. Blige’s estranged husband Kendu Issacs.
King, Latrise, Simmons, Miller, Dash, DeBarge, Mizell, and Criss allow cameras to follow each of them as the relatives of famous music figures deal with their careers, relationships, and more.
The Growing Up Hip Hop season 2 premiere episode is scheduled to air October 13th, 10pm ET/PT. Season 1 episodes are available for streaming on wetv.com.
(AllHipHop News) MTV will be resurrecting its classic ‘TRL’ brand for one day only in an effort to encourage the youth to vote on National Registration Day.
Rolling Stone reports that the show will touch on issues such as, racial injustice, immigration, educational and gender inequality, and national security.
Entertainers set to make an appearance at the special event include Ty Dolla $ign, who will perform tracks “Campaign,” “No Justice,” and “Zaddy,” from his Campaign mixtape, along with conscious Chicago rapper Vic Mensa, and singer-actor Mack Wilds.
Additional celebrities set to take part in the political special are writer-producer Joss Whedon, model Kendall Jenner, Fifth Harmony vocalist Camila Cabello, along with many others.
The young millennial generation may have an impact on this coming election more than ever. A recent MTV elect this poll indicates that if no millennials voted Trump would best Clinton 44 percent to 41 percent, while if all millennials voted Clinton would come out on top 44 percent to Trump’s 39 percent.
Also, the poll found that if only half of the millennial population voted the results would be too close to call.
The one-hour special “Total Registration Live,” will air Tuesday September 27, 6pm EST. The show will be broadcast live on MTV, MTV.com, the MTV app, as well on the music platform’s Facebook and Youtube pages and the Elect This website.
(AllHipHop News) Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is set to take part in yet another Starz series.
After the popular Power drama, 50 Cent has announced he also plans to produce a new television show about the infamous criminal organization known as the Black Mafia Family.
BMF was headed by Terry “Southwest T” Flenory and Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory.
Both brothers were sentenced to 30-year sentences in federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering.
DJ Smallz spoke with Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. about playing his father in 50’s BMF program.
“He always wanted me to play him. He always told me he wanted a TV show,” said Lil Meech. “He wanted me to play him, so yes I’m looking forward to it.”
The younger Flenory is currently taking acting classes to prepare for his upcoming role.
“It’s easy,” added Lil Meech when asked about the task of playing his dad. “My dad’s a very good guy. He’s not like [how] people portray him as a bad guy. He’s always a family provider.”
However, the Cleveland, Ohio rapper is not just blasting his former associates on social media. He is also planning to release a new album on September 30.
He is also planning to release a new album on September 30.
Cudi revealed some of the featured guests on the forthcoming Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin.
According to a tweet posted by the 32-year-old rhymer, Andre 3000, Willow Smith, Travis Scott, and Pharrell will appear on his sixth studio album.
Cudi’s previous solo LP was 2015’s Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven.
That project was met with mostly negative reviews, unlike Cudder’s 2009 debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day which receive critical acclaim.
Even his frenemy Kanye recently acknowledged Kid Cudi’s impact.
Ye told a crowd in Houston, “He’s the most important artist of the past ten years, most influential.”
Drake’s life has so many different layers. Suddenly there is one other layer. It would seem that Drake’s former homies have started their own group. Drake has had so many foes come out in recent months…this ain’t a shocker. It does add to the gumbo of beef and conflict that has been swirling around. Check out Donnie, Puffy L’z, Smoke Dawg, SAFE, Jimmy Prime & Jay Whiss go in! Remember Mo G? he got beat up after talking bad about Drake and revealing some of the inner most secrets of OVO.
To celebrate the release of his new politically charged album, Campaign, Ty Dolla $ign invited fans out to a pop up shop in Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday from 11am-8pm.
The mid-Wilshire pop up event was hosted by media personality Karen Civil and sponsored by Hemper, Green St., and The Herbal Chef.
The event also featured an interactive photo booth, live screen-printing from Mega Merch, art gallery including works from artists Gabe Shaddow, Justin Fry and Nil Ultra. Campaign is available at all DSPs now.
Ty’s also hosted a “Dollay Day Concert” with Respect My Vote! to energize young people to vote in the upcoming election.
The Campaign mixtape features Future, Migos, Travis Scott, Trey Songz, Wiz Khalifa, and Meek Mill. The album is available everwhere, now.
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddowe and artwork
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
A pop up shop celebrating the release of Ty Dolla $ign’s album Campaign with exclusive merchandise and artwork
Photo credit Gabe Shaddow
Fetty Wap truly p##### off the students at Syracuse University after he cancelled his headlining performance minutes before he was scheduled to hit the stage.
Fetty would’ve closed the sold out music festival at the Skytop Field on Syracuse University’s campus, but uhhhh he fell short.
Apparently Fetty and collaborator Monty were late getting to the venue due to unforeseen travel delays according to the University Union.
Students were furious that the union claimed they were unable to push his performance time back or refund their admission.
Fans were also upset that Fetty has a history of failing to show up on time for concerts, and a history of cancelling shows or drastically cutting his sets short.
Although refunds were given, all has not been forgiven.
Maybe Fetty was with his newly emerged mystery child. A picture of Fetty Wap with a rumored mystery son of his has been floating around from this weekend.
That boy Fetty does not believe in a condom! How many kids does he have now? We are losing count! Get it together Fetty!
