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FRESH HEAT – Lou Armstrong ft Juelz Santana – "Posed To Be"

Lou Armstrong gets the assist from Dipset rapper Juelz Santana. Juelz looks like he’s back to classic form with this verse, while Lou Armstrong spits Bostong street game over a hot beat. Def worth a few spins as we see NYC and Boston collab for a street banger.

Pharrell Talks Still Being Surprised By The Success Of 'Happy' (VIDEO)

Though it’s 2015, no one can forget how successful Pharrell Williams’ 2013 single “Happy” was.  It has sold over 12 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling singles of all time and has peaked at the number one spot in over two dozen countries. “Happy” reigned supreme throughout 2014 and Pharrell revealed in a sit down with GQ for his February cover story that he is still taken aback by the single’s success.

“Happy has been hard for me to understand,” said the Virginia native. “You go back and look at look at the lyrics and you realize that it’s so much bigger than you. It’s so much bigger than what you intended.”

The singer/producer, who also just released a single with N.E.R.D for the Spongebob Movie:Sponge Out Of Water  soundtrack, said that he is used to songs that he produced being that successful and is humbled that his words could affect billions of people.

“People say that that song has touched them but switch it around real quick and imagine how I feel. I’m humbled that anything that I could have ever uttered could end up being sung by over a billion people.” He ended with “I’m still shaken by it, but shaken with humility.”

Watch Skateboard P gush about the single below.

D'Angelo Will Perform On 'Saturday Night Live' This Month

D’ Angelo has been pretty quiet ever since he dropped his third studio album Black Messiah with very short notice. Now, he and his band the Vanguard have booked two high profile performances. It was recently announced that the “Brown Sugar” crooner would be headlining a show at the famous Apollo Theater on Feb. 7th but he isn’t stopping there. D’ Angelo will also be hitting the Saturday Night Live stage later this month. Comedian J.K Simmons will be taking over as the host for the episode as well.

[ALSO READ: D’ Angelo To Headline His First Show At The Apollo Theater]

Tune in on Jan. 31st at 11:30 pm EST to see D’ Angelo and the Vanguard hit the stage.

After his Apollo performance, D and his band will be heading over seas for his Second Coming Tour. Check out the dates below.

02-07 New York, New York – Apollo Theater
02-11 Zurich, Switzerland – Kaufleuten
02-12 Neu-Isenburg, Germany – Hugenottenhalle
02-14 Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
02-16 Paris, France – Palais Des Congres
02-17 Birmingham, England – Academy
02-18 Manchester, England – O2 Apollo
02-20-21 London, England – Eventim Apollo
02-24 Hamburg, Germany – Docks
02-25 Frederiksberg, Denmark – Falconer Salen
02-27 Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
02-28 Stockholm, Sweden – Annexet
03-02-03 Amsterdam, Holland – Paradiso Grote Zaal
03-04 Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivolivredenburg
03-06 Cologne, Germany – Tanzbrunnen
03-07 Brussels, Belgium – Forest National

Rihanna Designs A Fendi Bag For Charity

Besides working on her upcoming album, which may be titled R8, and settling into her new creative director position at Puma, Rihanna has also teamed up with Fendi.

It’s reported that RIRi collaborated with the Italian designer to create a handbag to be auctioned off for charity. She designed a 3Baguette handbag to be donated to the charity of her choice, which was her own Clara Lionel Foundation. Rihanna’s specially designed bag will be unveiled at Karl Lagerfield’s cocktail party at Fendi’s New York City flagship store on Madison Avenue on Feb. 13th.

Rihanna wasn’t the only one tapped to design bags for charity. Model Jordan Dunn, Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City, comedienne Rachel Feinstein and fashion blogger Leandra Medine will be personalizing 3Baguette handbags for charity as well.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Producer Zaytoven Talks “Beast Mode” Mixtape With Future + Working With Nicki Minaj, Usher & Migos

Xavier “Zaytoven” Dotson has been one of the leading production minds of the Atlanta Hip Hop sound for a decade. His early contributions on Gucci Mane projects such as Trap House, Hard To Kill, and Trap-A-Thon led to Zay’s later work with Rocko (“4 Minutes”), Lil Scrappy (“Bad”), Migos (“Versace”), and many more.

That extensive discography also includes tracks for another high-profile A-Town native – Future. To start off his 2015, Zaytoven connected with the Freebandz founder for their collaborative project Beast Mode. The 9-track digital release features appearances by Juvenile and Young Scooter adding to Zay’s list of recent artistic partnerships.

Other noteworthy tracks over the last few weeks sporting the Trap music visionary’s tag include Nicki Minaj’s “Want Some More” and Usher’s “Still Got It.” The pianist also extended his expertise beyond album work by providing the score to his own 2014 film Finesse.

AllHipHop.com caught up with Zaytoven to discuss Beast Mode, his other production efforts, and what else he has planned for the rest of the year.

"Beast Mode" Cover Art
“Beast Mode” Cover Art

How did the project with Future come together?

Future reached out to me. He was in the studio, so I sent him some beats. He ended up recording on all the beats, and he wanted me to come in and hear them. I went to the studio and listened to what he did. It sounded so authentic, so I made some more beats for him right then. It seemed like every beat I made, he wanted to rap on it.

It really went from that. We did more songs, and then it went to, “We need to just do a tape, me and you.” I said, “I’m with it.” We had done so much work together in the past. It was almost spontaneous.

Are you planning on doing videos or touring together?

Most definitely, we almost made it like Beast Mode is a group. We’re going to do some dates, and we’re definitely gotta do videos to hype up the project.

There’s a song on the tape with Juvenile called “Aintchu.” Who came up with the idea to kind of recreate Juve’s “Ha” delivery?

Believe it or not, when I made the beat, I didn’t make it with any thoughts of Juvenile in mind. Future came with the hook, and he almost sounded how Juve did on his song back in the day. As soon as he did that, Future said, “Juvenile would sound good on this.”

I had been rocking with Juvenile for the last couple of years, so I said, “I’m gonna call him right now. He’d love to hear that.” We sent it over to him, and he jumped right on it. Juvenile sounds how he did when he made 400 Degreez. He sounded perfect on there.

You have a record on Nicki Minaj’s new album. Were you in the studio with her when she recorded “Want Some More”?

No I was not. Me and Nicki had worked together a long time ago – back before she got as big as she is now. They reached out and wanted some beats. I was working with Yung Berg. He was working with her on [The Pinkprint] album. He was the one that called me and said, “Hey man, this one track that you gave me, we’re doing it with Nicki for her album.”

What was your reaction when you heard the way she tackled that beat?

That’s the Nicki I think most of her fans fell in love with. Her rapping her bars that way, putting her characters on it. I was so happy she went that direction with it, because the track is already bumping and sounds like it needs to be in the club. She came and ripped it up. I was very happy with how that turned out.

The Migos “Versace” track came back up recently, because Logic did an interview where he talked about other people like Drake and J. Cole using that “Versace” flow. It started a debate on whether that is consider “biting” or just part of the Hip Hop game. What’s your opinion on that?

I would really say it’s biting. Guys like Migos – what made those guys popular was their flow. That’s what made them stand out. I know last year after the song came out, every rapper that’s in the game was using that same flow. So I almost see it as biting, because people will wear it out.

It will make Migos seem less special when everybody else is doing the same thing they did. It starts getting watered down when everybody uses it, so I think it’s a form of biting.

Speaking of Migos, who decided to put Migos and Usher on a track together?

I did a song for Usher – “Papers” – a few years back and it went number one faster than all his other songs went number one. So when his people reached back out to me this time they said, “We need a track for Usher. We’re working on his album and we want you to give us the same kind of music you’re giving to Migos.”

So when I sent them the beat they hit me back like, “We got one. Now what we need you to do is get Migos to get on the song.” I was thinking that anyway. To me, that was the perfect combination.

You played a really big role in the Atlanta sound over the last decade. How do you feel about Trap music extending beyond just Southern Hip Hop? It’s even been heavily incorporated into EDM.

It’s flattering to see something that I feel I helped create is so much a part of music right now. Even R&B, all these people want Trap music. It’s almost the dominant sound of music right now.

When people call for a track, they’re calling for something that’s heavy bass hitting. The biggest artists want Trap – from Beyoncé on down. They’re not really looking for soft, subtle R&B music right now. They’re looking for something that can go in the clubs, something that can play on the radio, something the younger people can identify with. So it’s flattering to me.

You did the score for the Finesse movie. How is that process different for you as opposed to producing an artist’s album or song?

It’s me just composing my own music to what I see. An artist is almost 50% of a song, so it’s up to them to finish the song. They’re the last instrument to go on the track.

When I’m scoring, it’s all me. I’m creating the atmosphere. I’m creating the tone for whatever’s happening in the movie. I treat it like that. I sit and watch a scene over and over and then give it a mood whether it’s funny or dramatic.

What else can we expect from you this year?

Definitely more music. I’m shooting another movie this year. I got a book coming. I’m going to be touring with the movie. A lot of cities want me to do a screening for the movie. I’m doing Q&A’s with different colleges. I’m going to do a tour with the book. So I’m going to be moving around a lot this year.

Future + Zaytoven (via Instagram)
Future + Zaytoven (via Instagram)

Follow Zaytoven on Twitter @ZaytovenBeatz and Instagram @ZaytovenBeatz.

Stream/Download Future and Zaytoven’s Beast Mode below.

Amber Rose's Family Missed Her Wedding To Wiz Khalifa Because He's Black (VIDEO)

On OWN”s Light Girls  special, many women with a lighter complexion shared their stories of discrimination and unfair treatment due to their skin tone. Model Amber Rose was one of the women to tell her story and made a tearful revelation during her testimony. Rose is half Creole and half Italian and revealed that her Creole side of the family did not attend her 2013 wedding to Wiz Khalifa because he is black.

“My family feels like they are more superior or better than an African American because we’re Creole and we have culture and that’s something that I’ve battled with most of my life,” said the Philadelphia native. “It’s more of the older people in my family.”

Watch Amber Rose talk about her family wanting to pass for white and more below. If you missed it last night (Jan. 19) on OWN. click here to see more testimonies.

Nipsey Hussle Talks Consumers Shelling Out $1000 For Copies Of His "Mailbox Money" Mixtape

(AllHipHop News) In 2013, Nipsey Hussle made a turnover of $100,000 by selling 1,000 copies of his Crenshaw mixtape for $100 each. The West Coast emcee upped the ante the next time around by only offering 100 copies of his new Mailbox Money project at a value of $1,000 per CD. And people are buying them.

[ALSO CHECK OUT: Jay Z Buys 100 Copies of Nipsey Hussle’s $100 Mixtape]

Nipsey did an interview with The Guardian, and the 29-year-old rhymer revealed he has already sold 60 copies of the $1000 edition of Mailbox Money. That means the revenue for the New Year’s Eve release is already at $60,000.

“As much as I believe in it. Every time I get a transaction, I get a text on my phone, and I’ve been hitting them back,” said Nipsey. “The feedback and the connection I have with these people help me understand the psychology of the person paying $1,000 for some songs that, realistically, you could download for free.”

The 15-track tape is available online as a free digital download. One of the perks that comes with buying the physical copy of Mailbox Money is the purchaser gets an invitation to a private listening session.

The sales tactics used by Nipsey may seem like a gimmick to some. But for Hussle his high-priced moves are about survival in a business that for years has been more financially favorable to the corporate end of the industry than the artistic end.

“The labels aren’t letting us live. They’re not letting artists own anything! We’re going to end up 60 years old without a pot to p### in – no catalogue, no mailbox money, no residuals,” Nipsey explained. “We’re supposed to be in control. We’re supposed to own this s**t. Unless you don’t have the mental capacity to do so, but that doesn’t apply to me.”

[ALSO READ: Nipsey Hussle & YG Bring Out Yo Gotti & Troy Ave in NYC]

Stream/download Nipsey Hussle’s Mailbox Money below (via Datpiff).

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Hip-Hop Rumors: Karrine Steffans Vs. Christina Milian Over Lil Wayne

A few days back Karrine Steffans dropped what seemed like a subliminal shot towards Christina Milian and her new relationship with Wayne. On the caption under a street sign “Wayne” Steffans wrote:

“And most importantly, little girl, be careful not to claim a man who belongs to the world.”

Milian responded via TheShadeRoom on the picture:

Screen Shot 2015-01-20 at 8.36.26 AMPicture: TheShadeRoom

Karrine clapped back once again and apparently shared screenshots of she and Wayne’s text messages where he says the shade thrown from Milian was very unlady like:

Screen Shot 2015-01-20 at 8.41.02 AMPicture: TheShadeRoom

Superhead has a new book dropping soon. You think all this nonsense is to get her sales up?

 

Hip-Hop Rumors: Did Future Clap Back At Baby Momma Ciara With New Song?

Ciara sent shots her ex’s way on her new song ‘I Bet.’ But now Future may have a response to their messy a** breakup as well.

On his new track ‘Just Like Bruddas,’ Future spits:

“Half a million dollars on a ring , I’m taken percocets. Sh** ain’t been the same, they talkin’ bout me on the ‘Gram, they say I turned my back on my baby mama…”

Listen to Future’s new song below and decide for yourselves:

Hip-Hop Rumors: Amber Rose Family Boycotted Wedding To Wiz?

We’re all aware that racism is very much so alive and kicking, but you’d be surprised at how much it still exists amongst our own people.

In the documentary ‘Light Girls’ which premiered last night, Amber Rose dished on how certain members of her family did not attend her wedding to Wiz because he’s African-American.

“”With my family, they feel like they’re more superior or better than an African American because we’re Creole and we have culture and that’s something I battle with most of my life,” Rose said. “”It’s more of the older people in my family.”

Peep the clip below:

Video:E!Online

More Details Emerge About August Alsina's Backstage Brawl; Camps Previously Fought

(AllHipHop News) August Alsina and members of his camp were caught on video brawling backstage at a concert. Early reports claimed the melee started because the show’s promoter, Loose Cannon Slim, was upset that Alsina arrived late to the venue.

[ALSO READ: August Alsina Involved At Brawl At Peace Event]

TMZ now reports it was the New Orleans crooner’s anger over having to perform before Atlanta rap group Migos that allegedly sparked the confrontation. A source associated with Slim also told the site the promoter’s crew had been detained by the venue’s security over a previous fight with Alsina in a dressing room. That supposedly left Slim alone when the hallway incident with August and others broke out.

The event was held at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. It was billed as the “State of Emergency 2” concert with a focus on promoting Better Family Life’s “Put Down The Pistols” non-violence program. Yo Gotti, Fabolous, and 2 Chainz were also part of the lineup.

August got into a verbal altercation with another club promoter in September 2014. The Def Jam artist was upset he was asked to address the crowd when he was not at the venue to perform.

[ALSO READ: Hip-Hop Rumors: August Alsina Argues With Club Promoter]

Watch video of the fight below.

50 Cent Accused Of Stealing The Concept Of "Power" Show From Writer Curtis Scoon

(AllHipHop News) While 50 Cent was proclaiming the new Fox series Empire borrowed marketing strategies from his own Starz program Power, another Queens native was seeing 50’s show as a ripoff as well. Curtis “The Snake Charmer” Scoon jumped on Twitter to claim that the G-Unit boss stole the Power concept from a show he had been developing since 2008.

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent Accuses Fox’s “Empire” Of Copying The Marketing Strategy Of “Power”]

Scoon accuses 50 and producer James Dubose of taking the idea for Power from a script he developed for a potential project titled Dangerous. Scoon says Dubose originally wanted Brooklyn rapper Maino for the lead role, but eventually 50 cent was also brought into the process.

“Dubose informed his staff and [screenwriter] Byron, 50 Cent was interested in Dangerous and would be coming to his office for a meeting. I have the email,” wrote Scoon. “Sure enough Maino and 50 came to the office a few weeks later. I have sworn affidavits from people who were there.”

From there Scoon alleges 50 was hesitant about being involved with the project because of the past issues between the two. While never arrested, Scoon faced rumors (which he denied) of being involved in the death of 50 Cent’s mentor Jam Master Jay.

Scoon has also been connected to Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff. The convicted Queens drug lord clashed with 50 for what he saw as the rapper revealing too much street information on the song “Ghetto Qu’ran” as well as Supreme’s support of 50’s rap rivals Murder Inc.

“I believe once 50 heard my name he wasn’t going to do the project in its original form. I’m smarter, more talented and much more authentic,” Scoon added. He later posted, “I don’t really care about 50 like that. He’s like a speck of filth on the bottom of my shoe. I focus on the ‘man.'”

This is not the first time 50 has been accused of taking an idea from someone else for his own product. Sleek Audio recently won a $16 million lawsuit against 50 for wrongfully using the headphone company’s product design and confidential private client information for SMS Audio.

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent Loses $16 Million Court Case To Sleek Audio]

Read Curtis Scoon’s tweets below.

Boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley Addresses Rumors Trey Songz Stole His Girlfriend

(AllHipHop News) Mr. Steal Your Girl strikes again? There had been talk that R&B star Trey Songz lured Shane Mosley’s girlfriend from the boxer. Mosley has now come out to address the rumors Trigga “stole” his woman.

[ALSO READ: Earl Hayes Accused Wife Stephanie Moseley Of Affair With Trey Songz; 50 Cent Comments]

According to TMZ, the California bred athlete released a statement saying he was not in a relationship with Bella Gonzalez at the time she started seeing Songz. Mosley added that if Gonzalez had cheating with the “Na Na” performer Trey would have been “knocked out.”

“Yeah she was a stripper, yeah I was stupid to date her, but she was single when she was f**king with Trey,” said Mosley. “We didn’t live together so she can do what she wants.”

Mosley believes his ex-wife Jin Mosley leaked the story to the press in order to embarrass him. Jin stars on the Bravo reality show Friends to Lovers.

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent Shares His Thoughts On Potential Mayweather Vs Pacquiao Fight (VIDEO)]

 

Nas, Chance The Rapper & Mike Tyson To Appear On Madonna's "Rebel Heart" Album

(AllHipHop News) In his short career, Chance The Rapper has already teamed with Lil Wayne, James Blake, Justin Bieber, and Wale, but his latest collaboration is the most surprising one yet. The 21-year-old Chicago native is set to appear on a track off Madonna’s new album along with former boxing champion Mike Tyson.

[ALSO READ: Chance The Rapper Announces New Album With The Social Experiment]

The song, titled “Iconic,” is not the only cut from Rebel Heart featuring a Hip Hop artist. Queens legend Nas was tapped for the tune “Veni Vidi Vici.” Nicki Minaj also reunited with the Queen of Pop for the previously released “B***h I’m Madonna.” The superstar performer worked with Kanye West for her 13th studio LP as well.

Madonna’s Rebel Heart is scheduled for release on March 10.

[ALSO READ: Madonna Talks Working With Kanye West On “Illuminati” & Nicki Minaj On “B*tch I’m Madonna”]

August Alsina Involved At Brawl At Peace Event

R&B crooner August Alsina was caught in the mix of a all-out brawl, at a concert that was supposed to promote nonviolence.

The singer was caught exchanging words with the show promoter Cannon Slim, who was allegedly mad that Alsina was late to the “State of Emergency 2” concert.

Slim allegedly swung on the singer and a fight erupted. Allison jumped into the fracas, but was swept away by his own security.

In the footage, Fabolous can be seen watching the drama from his dressing room.

Alsina eventually performed for the crowd.

Bobby Brown: "Remembering Whitney Houston"

Despite public opposition from the family of late singer Whitney Houston, actress and friend of the songstress Angela Bassett decided to move forward with the unauthorized biopic that recently ran on Lifetime; which largely focused on the complicated relationship between Houston and former husband Bobby Brown, whose marriage serves as the focal point of the film.

Said Bassett, “If you walk through life and your children walk through life and think it’s all about unicorns and rainbows, or sunsets and sunrises, or stars and cotton candy and are ignorant of pitfalls, then you can fall into one unaware.” She added, “We make choices that affect our future, she made choices that affected her life.”

Speaking candidly about the state of their union, following the film Bobby Brown sat down with Access Hollywood’s own Shaun Robinson to reveal his favorite memories and more during a recent special titled Bobby Brown: Remembering Whitney Houston.

Regarding rumors of infidelity:

“There was infidelity on both sides. Both of us cheated on each other.”

In response to criticism from Cissy Houston:

“I’m sorry for how she feels about me. I am not a bad person. I loved your daughter tremendously. She was my heart, if there was anything more I could have done, trust me, I would’ve done it.”

Being served with divorce papers at a Chinese restaurant:

“I was hurt, I was basically mortified. I was like, ‘Wow, I did not see it coming. She got everything in the divorce.” He added, “Property, jewelry, cars…I left with my sobriety.”

On security snubbing his other children during the funeral:

“It was disrespectful. It was no fault of the family, it was security. So I just kissed the casket and me and my kids, we left.”

Revealing what he will remember the most:

“She has a long list of things she should be remembered for but for the most part, that voice. That voice and that heart.”

Check out the interview below:

FRESH HEAT: Kidd Adamz "A Sweet Lick"

Bouncing back like he never left, after a brief hiatus Miami Gardens artist MC Kidd Adamz delivers with the Sam Brave directed visuals for “A Sweet Lick.” Produced by Play Picasso, the track is the second single from his upcoming second Fweagovelli project set to drop this Spring.