Kid Cudi has unveiled the album art for his upcoming album, Speedin’ Bullet to Heaven. The art is simple, with much of it blurred as Cudi is in the middle of a wide, grassy space.
Cudi also revealed the track-listing for half of the double disc album via Twitter. He has already dropped two singles from the album, “Wedding Tux” and “Judgmental C###.”
The former G.O.O.D Music signee will also be heading out on the “Especial” Tour later this month where he will perform in 16 cities starting Nov. 30th.
Rick Ross is readying his Black Market album for its Dec. 4th release and has released the track-listing. Throughout the 17 tracks, the project boasts more R&B features with appearances from Chris Brown. Mary J. Blige, John Legend, The-Dream and Cee-Lo Green. Nas and Future are the only two rhymers among the playlist.
Atlanta-based rhymer Sy Ari Da Kid shares his desire to stack pesos in the new music video for “Bankroll.” The clip was filmed in the ATL with Dontell Antonio of Composite Media handling the directing duties. Viewers can also catch the track’s producers Will-A-Fool and Zaytoven as well as Cassius Jay making cameos in Sy Ari’s latest visuals.
Watch the AllHipHop.com premiere of Sy Ari Da Kid’s “Bankroll” video below.
(AllHipHop News) Acclaimed filmmaker Denzel Washington will be honored at the 2016 Golden Globe Awards with the special Cecil B. DeMille Award. Washington will join Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Steven Spielberg, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, George Clooney, and numerous other recipients celebrated for their “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.”
“Washington’s long and storied career is earmarked by his countless roles in front and behind the camera,” stated Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Lorenzo Soria. “It is the HFPA’s privilege to honor his contributions to the entertainment industry with the Cecil B. DeMille Award.”
Washington is a 2-time Golden Globe winner (Glory, The Hurricane) and a 2-time Academy Award winner (Glory, Training Day). His career also includes critically acclaimed performances in Cry Freedom, Malcolm X, American Gangster, and Flight. The 60-year-old star also won a Black Reel Award for directing Antoine Fisher, a “Best Actor” Tony Award for his portrayal in the August Wilson play Fences, and a Grammy Award for narrating John Henry.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn’s 73rd Golden Globe Awards are scheduled for January 10th. Ricky Gervais is returning as the host for the event.
(AllHipHop News) It has been 10 years since Missy Elliott released her last studio album The Cookbook. The rapper/singer/producer returned in a big way with the Pharrell-produced single “WTF (Where They From).” The video for the track has already collected over 12 million views on YouTube in just four days.
Missy connected with i-D for an exclusive interview. The hit maker that crafted records with Aaliyah, Timbaland, Lil Kim, Puff Daddy, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, and many others talked about the pressure of making a comeback after a decade-long hiatus, the scene-stealing puppets in her “WTF” video, and the state of the music industry in 2015.
Oh the pressure was definitely more! When me and Tim put out those records [9th Inning andTriple Threat], you know, we just put them out, that’s why we never put a video out. But this time the pressure was really on because I knew I had shot a video so now it wasn’t just about, “Are they gonna like the record”. I knew that people know me for my videos and so the expectation from those who grew up on my music was high. My goodness. I swear to God, I felt like I sweated out my tracks the night before the video dropped! My weave was messed up waiting for this video to come out!
On the “WTF” video:
Once [Pharrell and I] did the record, I knew it was time to shoot a video. The puppet idea I had seen somebody do on the street. I held onto that idea for five years because I didn’t have a record that matched that idea. So I showed Pharrell the clip I had, and he said ‘You know you got to do a video for this’. Believe it or not, we have been making this video since March. The puppets themselves took two and a half, to three months to make. It was very detailed. We had people from StarTrak working on this video, so it was a lot.
On modern music:
I think the music industry, it’s a lot of great artists out there. Adele, she’s most definitely killing the right now. I understand someone like a Rihanna. She’s a superstar, I get it. Beyoncé, well she’s from our era, and she’s beyond that! What I love about Kanye is that he doesn’t fit the mold either. He does what he feels. People might look at him like, “Kanye at it again”, but I can respect the fact and I can tell when he does his music it’s not “I’m doing what’s hot right now”. That’s what I felt in the studio. So I can appreciate artists like that. People, I think they are fiending for more of that, that’s why Adele could take that rest and come back. That’s how it used to be. She’s shown people that when you’ve got talent, those solid fans will wait for you. So, yeah, it’s a lot of great stuff out there.
(AllHipHop News) Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons was hit with a barrage of backlash when users of the RushCard – a prepaid debit card Simmons founded – were unable to access their funds for weeks. The problems occurred after the company changed to a new processor.
Besides users being unable to pay their bills and the horrible p.r. from the incident, the RushCard is now being investigated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Simmons did a lengthy interview with HipHopDX about the fallout from the RushCard debacle.
“It was one of the most devastating times in my adult life. I know how hard people work to get money. I know how damaging it could be if people were not able to get to their money,” said Simmons. “It’s true that we built almost a virtual bank. We built a company that people relied on for everything, from automatic bill pay to early direct deposit to transferring money to family members. We know that this was a very big thing.”
Simmons also talked about how the purpose of the RushCard was to give its mostly low-income users “dignity and access” by exposing them to the digital economic system. However during an interview with AllHipHop.com, Chicago artist Rhymefest criticized Simmons for what he sees as the Def Jam Records co-founder’s exploitation of the African-American community.
“I answer this to Rhymefest, with all respect due, a lot of people criticize what we do. We work on a very, very small margin,” stated Simmons. “Let me give you an example: The funds that we created will pay for everybody’s free usage of RushCard between now and March. Between now and February 29, there will be no fees. This cost is more than all the profit we were going to make in a year.”
(AllHipHop News) The consensus among many Hip Hop fans is that Ice Cube was the top emcee in N.W.A. The legendary collective’s estranged former manager Jerry Heller claims Eazy-E thought another one of his musical partners was the best when it came to rhyming.
Heller spoke with the Murder Master Music Show last month. According to the 75-year-old music industry veteran, Eazy preferred MC Ren’s lyrical ability.
“Eazy always felt Ren was the best rapper in the group,” said Heller. “Ren’s just a quiet, behind-the-scenes kind of guy.”
(AllHipHop News) Years ago, if a performer wanted to reach a national audience, the most successful route was to sign to a major label. However, there were some independent artists that were able to connect with millions of fans without the backing of a corporation.
DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia sat down with Hot 107.9 to promote his new solo album Master Of Evil. The Memphis native also discussed how he and his group managed to make a comfortable living by starting their own independent label Prophet Entertainment/Hypnotize Minds.
“It was great. Back in those days, CDs were like $16.99, so we were getting $8.50 a unit for those records. We were selling like 500,000… 300,000 – 400,000,” said Paul. “So we were making millions and millions of dollars off the independent game. That’s why today I still do the independent game. It ain’t $8.50 these days, because it’s like $9.99/CD. So we do like $6.00 [a unit].”
Paul explained it costs more money to be independent, but in his eyes the payoff is worth it. According to the Oscar winner, major labels only pay around $1.50 for every album unit sold.
(AllHipHop News) Rick Ross and 50 Cent have been engaged in a public feud for years. The conflict began again recently as the two rap stars blasted each other on social media.
What would it take for Rozay to settle things with Fiddy? Ross appeared on The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore last week, and during the “Keep It 100” segment he was asked if he would be willing to be friends with 50 in order to end racism.
“The universe offers you a deal. You can end racism forever, but you have to become good, close friends with 50 Cent,” said Wilmore. “You have to hang out at the pool together, you got to go eat together, take ski trips together. I don’t care, whatever, you guys are pals. Do you do it?”
Ross replied, “I’m gonna keep it 100. I’m going to stop racism. If I gotta take him to Wing Stop and have him eat some lemon pepper wings to stop racism, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
The leader of Maybach Music Group released the tracklist for his upcoming album Black Market due out on December 4. The project features appearances by John Legend, CeeLo Green, Nas, DJ Premier, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, Future, and The-Dream.
E-40 drops a bangin track with Rayven Justice on hook. The joint is produced by Rick Rock and it slaps with a heavy clap and bass kick. On the right system this song will be flight and you know 40 knows how to do it. PREACH 40!!!
While most people know Toronto for Drake and the OVO movement, Tory Lanez has made it clear that there is whole other movement of rappers in T.O. that are being heard. Enter SYPH a Mississauga-native who gets Toronto stand out Tory Lanez on the track thats picking up after its recent video.
As the melodic piano circles around the track Tory Lanez and SYPH trade verses over a building track and show that Toronto has more talent on deck like Bautista of the Blue Jays. Tory Lanez is a rapper we’ve enjoyed and supported for several years now so this is dope seeing him on this infectious song thats spreading across the blogosphere putting on for his city.
Social Club member Fern brings together N.O.R.E & Clemm Rishad for a new collab entitled “Supreme”. The song appears on his 5-track EP, “68 & Douglas”, due out December 4th and follows up the Cap-1 featured song. You can hear “Supreme” below and head over to iTunes to pre-order the album.
Just a few years ago the group Social Club saw commercial charting success on the Billboard Gospel and Christian Album’s charts and they’ve continued that success charting on the Gospel and Christian album charts over the past three years consecutively.
Rich Homie drops the Album Before The Album (ABTA) and it starts off FIRE. With a few controversies, a few beefs and a whole lot of money in his first few years in the game, you know that Rich Homie has a whole bunch of stuff to talk about. The project has a certain level of momentum and energy that doesn’t let up, press play and you will see.
Master P’s son Romeo Miller is a triple threat. Not only did he have a successful run as tween rapper, but he also acts and is pretty nice on the basketball court. After playing basketball at USC, he left school and focused on furthering his career on the big screen. But his dad says that if it wasn’t for him being a celebrity, he would be in the NBA.
“If he wasn’t Romeo he’d probably be in the NBA right now,” he told TMZ.
P also spoke on Snoop Dogg’s son’s, Cordell Broadus, decision to leave the UCLA Bruins because he felt he was only playing to make his father happy.
“If you’re doing it for somebody else, then you shouldn’t do it,”he said. “When Romeo played he played for himself. I wanted him to be the best player he could be.”
Khloé Kardashian discusses Lamar Odom and how his progress has been since his incident on a bunny ranch in Las Vegas. While Lamar’s progress has been good, Khloé explains how the stroke affected Lamar and their relationship. Check it out below as she talks about the divorce, her new book and more!
New visuals to the single “For the Love of the Money” by New York based artist Jay Ham of Uniik Society. Produced by EQ IIIRDEYE and Directed by Canadian Express and Forever Dreamin’ Astro.
Bay Area revolutionary hip-hop firebrand Paris returns with the third single and video from his new critically-acclaimed double album, Pistol Politics. “Hard Truth Soldier (Redux)” features the trademark snarl and aggression that have made him a political rap stalwart, and serves as what he calls “a general statement of purpose, emphasizing the principles of self-love, self-reliance and self-determination”.
Paris has a long lasting career filled with incendiary lyrics and shocking videos, and “Hard Truth Soldier (Redux)” continues in that tradition by showcasing his well-known unapologetic revolutionary stance of self-empowerment. He raps,
“Take us back to black businesses with black business/ Black wealth and black people doing for self/ Take us back to days so we moving in step/ ‘Til we raise up, understand it’s freedom or death.”
While some may criticize his music and imagery as controversial and exclusionary, Paris responds coolly. “We’re all entitled to our opinions. But remember, if I’m not inciting emotion and sparking analytical thought, my art’s not effective. Love of self does not mean hatred of others. These messages of pride and upliftment are seldom heard in hip-hop now — and when they are, it’s rarely with force. To me, hip-hop is at its best when it’s challenging, when it’s aggressive, and when it speaks to the condition of the People. This is that revolutionary knock.”
Paris’ latest album Pistol Politics is available now at Guerrilla Funk, iTunes & other fine retailers everywhere.
Ahhhhh man what happened to Hip Hop is the question on many people’s mind daily. Lately Omelly & Young Thug have been on the receiving end of jokes and memes for their less than satisfactory freestyles. This makes you miss the Rap City days for sure and appreciate battle rappers even more. The question is… who’s freestyle was the worst one?
Well it looks like August Alsina is on his Fetty Wap stage! A side chick woman claims that she is pregnant by him, and she is tired of hiding it and playing side chick. So apparently no one is using condoms huh? The woman called August a cry baby and says that he begged her to get an abortion. She also claims that August doesn’t want her near any other man while he is back with another one of his girls time and time again. People have to do better from both sides. SMH! Do you think August has a baby on the way, or is this just another woman seeking fame and attention?
Nicki Minaj is now venturing into the fashion world. The Head Barb has announced via Instagram that she will be unveiling her line at K-Mart on Black Friday. The “Only” rapper will also be premiering a limited edition couture line via a new website.
