When you reach the plateau that Rick Ross has reached in the rap game, it almost seems like there is very little to strive for. He’s sold as many albums as one could imagine, he’s built a Maybach Music Empire and he’s papered up beyond belief. But, as you will see in this Breakfast Club exclusive interview, Rick Ross is far from finished and he’s making sure he’s physically fit to keep putting out music. Take a look at Rick Ross talking about his dramatic weight loss, Mastermind and Stalley’s Ohio album.
ON WEIGHT LOSS:
I’m still a big boy, I’ve been on that Ross fit program, it was something at about a year and a half ago, and I just kept doing my thing and I’ve dropped a few of em you know… You should do that Ross fit, you just turnin up and you just goin hard.
I was quitting everyday, and then they started dragging me out on those runs and I couldn’t quit.
ON MASTERMIND DELUXE:
You know it was just something that I wanted to do. When I recorded the music, if you go back and listen to my interviews speaking on Mastermind, I was saying that I felt had two albums. I wanted it to have a rich feel to it. I wanted it to have a Napoleon Hill nostalgia to it in the beginning. That throwback Puff feel. This that Geeci Liberachi.
An American cameraman has tested positive for the Ebola virus while working with NBC News in West Africa, NBC reports. The cameraman, 33-year-old Ashoka Mukpo, was hired by NBC as a second videographer to assist the network’s chief medical editor and correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman in Liberia while she covered news about the outbreak.
Mukpo was hired on Tuesday and began showing symptoms on Wednesday, feeling tired and achy. After quarantining himself he sought medical advice at Medecins Sans Frontieres Treatment Center and was diagnosed 12 hours later.
Snyderman told Today show anchor Matt Lauer on Friday (Oct. 3) that Mukpo “should have a very good prognosis” considering that the amount of Ebola he has is low.
Mukpo is the fifth American to test positive for the Ebola virus and be evacuated from West Africa. He will be returning to the states to receive treatment.
Deborah Turness, NBC News president, has issue a not to the NBC staff saying:
“We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible. He will be flown back to the United States for treatment at a medical center that is equipped to handle Ebola patients.
We are also taking all possible measures to protect our employees and the general public. The rest of the crew, including Dr. Nancy, are being closely monitored and show no symptoms or warning signs. However, in an abundance of caution, we will fly them back on a private charter flight and then they will place themselves under quarantine in the United States for 21 days — which is at the most conservative end of the spectrum of medical guidance.”
Billboard reports that rapper Too Short was cited yesterday (Oct.2) at a California airport for having a loaded handgun in his baggage. The day before, the Oakland native was going through the checkpoint at an airport when a Transportation Security Administration employee saw that he had loaded gun through a baggage scanner. After being busted, Short, born Todd Shaw, fled the scene and left all of his belongings behind. He returned the following day with his lawyer to retrieve his things and was cited on misdemeanor possession of a loaded handgun in a public place. The 48-year-old has been released and is set to appear in court on Nov. 3rd.
Oh Snap! This is the crazy sort of rumor you don’t hear often! Lecrae is the uber successful and dope rapper with a Christianity shwing! But, I heard there is somebody that may be praying a different prayer Apparently, a man that was on the verge of dying had one request, before passing through those pearly gates. He wanted a call and a prayer from Lecrae. From what I understand, he tried to get the rapper, but was unable to do so through several channels and it seemed like he simply got dissed as he faced the Lord above. He never get that call and still hasn’t. Clearly, he’s clear that Lecrae is a busy man and quite frankly, probably gets these sorts of requests all the time so it may have not been a diss at all. And, to keep it real, the dude that faced death is a good person so he’s not looking to tear him down. And I say “faced” death, because his ailment ended up working out – so to speak. He’s not going to die from this. He is disappointed though. Lecrae isn’t a preacher. He’s a rapper. We probably should cut him a break in that regard.
Y’all know Nicki Minaj “barbz” play no games when it comes to the queen, and many of her fans took offense to a few comments LHHNY star Erica Mena made when Lil Kim stopped by 106th and Park recently.
S2S reports:
“Filling in for the show’s regular hosts, Erica welcomed Lil Kim to “106 & Park” and the “Love & Hip Hop: New York” made it clear that there’s little debate in her mind when it comes to which artist reigns supreme.
While interviewing Kim, Erica made reference to others “biting” Kim’s style, and later mentioned Nicki by name. Although Erica said that Kim and Nicki were “running New York” together, many Nicki fans were still offended.
“Erica Mena really just came for Nicki Minaj,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another shared the same sentiments: “@iamErica_Mena is such a hater she’s always somewhere SNEAK dissing The Queen #NickiMinaj #QueenofRap.”
After receiving criticism from Nicki’s fans, Erica took to Twitter to explain herself, and she was unapologetic.”
Mena then later tweeted, “If me speakin on how I feel is shade then so be it. I speak my mind jus like ALL NEW YORK Women Do! PERIOD They Spit & live it jus like I DO.”
Mena may need to watch what she says, you see what the people did to Karrueche.
Since the news broke that DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9” are joining forces for a collaborative album, Hip-Hop purists have been rejoicing. In each of their own rights, they’ve both contributed a great deal to rap. Neither has ever compromised. DJ Premier is undoubtedly one of the best producers Hip-Hop has ever seen and Royce Da 5’9” is a phenomenal lyricist from Detroit that only a select few can compete with.
But prior to the announcement of PRHYME, the title of DJ Premier and Royce’s joint album, Nickel Nine and Premo have also worked together numerous times. Therefore, we’ve ranked their top 10 collaborations to date.
Don’t get it twisted… all of these records are good. But some are still better than others.
10. “Writer’s Block [Remix]”
Premo’s remix of Royce Da 5’9” and Eminem’s “Writer’s Block” does a great job of bringing his excellent signature sound to an already dope song. StreetRunner and Sarom’s original instrumental is not only a solid beat for rappers, but one that could also fit easily into the score of a Tim Burton movie too. One isn’t better than the other; both instrumentals do the Detroit emcees justice.
9. “Hood Love”
Alongside Bun B and Joell Ortiz, Royce closes out Street Hop on a high note. Not surprisingly, the song was ideal on continuing to promote Slaughterhouse and it set the stage for Bun B and Premier to work together on the Trill OG highlight, “Let ‘Em Know.”
8. “Hit Em”
Nickel Nine goes in on this one and gets The Bar Exam off to a strong start. In addition to Premier’s beat, the song is also memorable for the Gangstarr and Guru mention before the final chorus comes in. “I’m a Gangsta as well as a Star / Put ‘em together, and you caught me pickin’ up where Guru left off.”
7. “Something 2 Ride 2”
Royce’s collabo with Phonte on Street Hop exudes a mellow vibe that comes across perfectly via Premier’s use of Archie Bell and the Drells “Right Here is Where I Want to Be” for a sample. Lyrically, Royce is worthy of the beat too. Cause my pencil is priceless, so what you running for? / N***a I’m comin’ for you; if I’m the hyphen, then you the underscore.”
6. “Ding! Ding!”
Placed in the first third of The Bar Exam mixtape, this Premier-produced original track holds its own while Royce also raps atop previously used instrumentals throughout the release. Additionally, while Royce Da 5’9” is obviously regarded as a spitter, the most memorable thing about this song is how Mr. Montgomery proves that he can really put feeling into his raps as well.
5. “Second Place”
Over DJ Premier’s signature boom-bap sound, Royce rightfully proclaims that the only way he’ll see second place is if he “runs a marathon backwards.” The scratched “10 Million Stars” sample is very fitting for anyone who even thinks they can give 5’9” a run for his money, and so in the words of LL Cool J: Kiss the ring, be gone.
4. “My Friend”
This song is a little more eccentric than what people have come to expect from DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9.” The song is about Royce’s penis, but it isn’t just an excuse to rhyme dirty. Instead, it’s a clever ode to an organ – ranging from its sexual prowess to the act of masturbation to even how it is loyal to Royce himself. By no means is it anything to be taken that seriously, but it isn’t too silly to just be written off as a gimmick either.
3. “Shake This”
Like “Ding! Ding!,” “Shake This” is another record which shows there definitely can be emotional depth to Royce’s outstanding bars. The song has a real “me against the world” mentality to it and that is what makes the end of the third verse so powerful. “I’mma do it this time, I’m feeling really defined / Unsigned to signed, n***a the city is mine.”
2.“Hip Hop”
DJ Premier has said that the “Hip Hop” instrumental was originally for a Mary J. Blige remix. However, when the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul passed on the beat, it was sent to Royce. And the results are a standout cut on his Death is Certain set. The song says it best: “Me and Preem, both names go together / Like they ain’t supposed to be separate like D&D.”
1. “Boom”
Track number 11 on Rock City [Version 2.0] is the highlight of Royce and Premier’s collaborations thus far. It’s an example of the two of them each doing what they do best. From Premo’s scratching to Nickel Nine’s outstanding lyricism (“Everybody claiming they the best, and they head the throne / Since B.I.G. is gone, if you ask me, they ‘Dead Wrong’”), “Boom” is the bomb and the ticks and clavinet make it even more explosive.
What’s your favorite Royce Da 5’9” and DJ Premier collaboration so far? Please let us know in the comments section!
The killing of the 18-year-old Michael Brown back in August sparked outrage in the city of Ferguson, MO and beyond. While some were rioting and looting, others decided to take another route to cause change. It turns out that voter registration booths were present while peaceful protests were going on in the city and surrounding neighborhoods. USA Today reports that since the killing of the unarmed teen, St. Louis County has seen a spike in voter registration with 4.839 people getting registered. The residents of Ferguson account for 3,287 of them. This boost is believed to have been sparked by Brown’s killing and motivated more residents in Ferguson to have an interest in politics. Since two-thirds of the Ferguson population is African American, the black vote will be more prevalent at the upcoming election.
“It’s a great move when people come out and register in mass like that,” Anthony Bell of the St. Louis 3rd Ward committeeman told USA Today. “They are sending a signal that we want a change. It doesn’t give justice to the Michael Brown family, but it will in the future give justice to how the administration is run in a local municipality like Ferguson.”
New voters will be able to hit the polls in November and vote for the county executive and then again in April for city council representatives.
(AllHipHop News) Fashion has been an important part of Hip Hop since its inception. From Run-DMC rhyming about their Adidas to Migos’ breakout hit “Versace,” rap stars have used their music to relay which particular brands they are rocking at the moment.
PicClick decided to review rapper’s lyrics to determine which brand gets the most mentions in Hip Hop. The result? Gucci was named the most talked about fashion brand in rap music, and the top three artists to rap about Gucci were determined to be Nas, Jay Z, and Lil Wayne.
Right behind Gucci came Nike, Prada, Versace, Chanel, and Armani. Lil Kim was crowned the top “brand dropping artist.” The rest of the top ten included Nas, Jay, The Game, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, The Notorious B.I.G., Foxy Brown, Gucci Mane, and Cam’Ron.
Oscar and Grammy Award winning powerhouse vocalist Jennifer Hudson brought the house down last night at her Soul Session hosted by V-103 and The Georgia Lottery. The night was an intimate night of soul at the Riverside Epicenter in Austell, GA (an Atlanta suburb).
Jennifer Hudson performs at V103 Soul Session
Hudson opened her performance with her fan favorite singles “Spotlight” and “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)”. She then transitioned to a special performance version of a track off her new J Hud album titled “Bring Back The Music” with some improv between her and her background singers. Hudson said, “Can we bring back the music the stuff we can feel… The Chaka Khan, The Donny Hathaway.” She went on to say, ” Why can’t singers be on the radio with the rappers? Can we bring back the love, the chords… no Pro Tools.” She then asked her backup singers what they missed; one broke into a beautiful rendition of Jill Scott’s “A Long Walk” and another sung a nice Luther Vandross medley. Another one of her singers belted out a Patti LaBelle “If Only You Knew” cover hitting high notes that only Patti LaBelle and Mariah Carey Could hit.
The soulful songstress asked her energetic audience “Can we go back to that timeless music that still lives on.” Hudson’s performance was an intimate gathering; and up close and personal musical interlude. Everything was perfect from the size of venue to the stage lighting. Both enhanced the intimacy of the performance. Fans were able to observe Hudson’s phenomenal vocal prowess as she displayed the power, range, and control behind her grand voice that captured the heart of R&B fans 10 years prior when she auditioned in Atlanta, Georgia for American Idol.
Check out a video recap of her performances courtesy of Briana Cruddup of FreddyO.com
Check out photos from the event below. Photos by Paras Griffin/ Getty Images
(AllHipHop News) A$AP Rocky’s new video for “Multiply” opens with Juicy J telling listeners to “watch out for these ‘ol backstabbing, broke ass, jealous, hating ass n***as.” Juicy does not name exactly who he is referring to in the comments, but Rocky does throw a few shots at some streetwear brands later in the song.
The A$AP Mob frontman calls out the Been Trill art collective and Hood By Air fashion line during his verses on “Multiply.” This comes as a change from Rocky’s previous endorsement of HBA.
Rocky raps on the track:
I ain’t really f**king with that Been Trill/Swear them n***as booty like tip drill/Nah, I ain’t really into throwing shots/But these motherf**king better give my props…
HBA s**t is weak. You can keep that.
A$AP Rocky previewed the song earlier this year at Coachella, but he dropped the full video for the track overnight. Besides the new visuals, it has also been announced that Rocky signed with the William Morris Endeavor talent agency for worldwide representation.
(AllHipHop News) The 2007 Will Smith led “zombie” movie I Am Legend is apparently about to get another installment. According to AV Club, Warner Brothers studio is looking to reboot the blockbuster hit based on a spec script by Apple Store employee Gary Graham.
The franchise’s producer Akiva Goldsman asked Graham to convert his A Garden At The End Of The World story into a Legend sequel. There is no word yet if Smith will be attached to the project.
The original I Am Legend made over $500,000,000 worldwide. It grossed a December record of $77,211,321 in its opening weekend. The movie also starred Willow Smith, Emma Thompson, Alice Braga, and Salli Richardson.
(AllHipHop News) Nas spoke with BET about the new Time Is Illmatic documentary. God’s Son was also asked about other topics related to Hip Hop including the criticism of Iggy Azalea. Nas expressed he feels the Australian born rapper will overcome the hate thrown her way.
“Hip Hop is a rough place, and you’re gonna get punched around no matter who you are. I think Iggy Azalea knows that. She’s a really intelligent woman. She loves Hip Hop,” said Nas. “Hip Hop, you need tough skin no matter what color your skin is. The most important thing is having tough skin. I think she’ll be alright.”
Esco’s comments about the “Black Widow” performer come at the same time T.I. defended Iggy against critics. The Hustle Gang boss suggested fans should judge Azalea based on the art she creates and not where she is from or looks like.
(AllHipHop News) Rick Ross’ authenticity and honesty has been questioned throughout his career, mostly because many people feel his musical persona does not reflect his real past. The latest person to call out the Bawse’s credibility is former University of Miami and Tampa Bay Buccaneers football player Warren Sapp.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame member made an appearance on the Sway In The Morning show, and when Sapp was asked about a rumored $100,000 bet he made with Ross over the Super Bowl, the 7-time Pro Bowler did not mince his words about the MMG leader.
“How many times have you known Ross to lie?” asked Sapp. “Anytime since he been out, when have you known Ross to lie?… The correctional officer part. The whatever else and all the rest of it. Come on man.”
He added, “Ross is messing with how I feed my family. I can’t be associated with known gamblers. I’m sitting on the stage with him because I’m hosting a party he’s coming through. So he’s yelling at me, ‘Yo, Sapp I got some dudes over in Brooklyn. Ima hit them for $100,000.’ I’m like, “Don’t bet that Ross.’ He goes out. TMZ is following him with cameras, so he conjures up a lie.”
Sapp later explains he responded to a Ross twit pic about the situation without fully reading the message. He also made it clear he does not gamble and tells Sway that in this new “social media world” everything people see is not real.
(AllHipHop News) Kendrick Lamar was in Canada for “We Day Toronto” last night, and the TDE emcee used the opportunity to perform his new track “i” live on stage for the first time.
K. Dot was a surprise guest for the education-based event held at the Air Canada Centre. Over 20,000 students, educators, and guests were on hand for the day-long celebration in the “largest (and loudest) classroom in the world.”
(AllHipHop News) New Orleans rapper Trademark The Skydiver is set to release his The Return Of The Super Villain this winter. The project will be available in physical and digital format, plus a limited vinyl edition.
The Jet Life member is also heading out on the “Smokers Club Tour” along with headliners Redman and Method Man. The tour begins October 14 in Providence, Rhode Island. The Return Of The Super Villain is scheduled for release on December 2.
Check out the dates for the “Smokers Club Tour” and Trademark’s latest single “Keep It 100” below.
Tue-Oct-14 – Providence, RI – Lupos Heartbreak Hotel
Wed-Oct-15 – Boston, MA – Paradise
Fri-Oct-17 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
Sat-Oct-18 – Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theater
Sun-Oct-19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
Tue-Oct-21 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
Wed-Oct-22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
Thu-Oct-23 – Chicago, IL – Concord
Fri-Oct-24 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
Sat-Oct-25 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
Sun-Oct-26 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
Tue-Oct-28 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
Wed-Oct-29 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
Fri-Oct-31 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theater
Sat-Nov-01 – Salt Lake City, UT – Depot & Complex
Sun-Nov-02 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Center
Mon-Nov-03 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
Tue-Nov-04 – Bend, OR – Midtown Ballroom
Wed-Nov-05 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Comm. Ctr.
Fri-Nov-07 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
Sat-Nov-08 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Sun-Nov-09 – Los Angeles, CA – House of Blues
Mon-Nov-10 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
Tue-Nov-11 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory
Wed-Nov-12 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee
Sat-Nov-15 – Austin, TX – Emos East
Sun-Nov-16 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
Mon-Nov-17 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
Tue-Nov-18 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
Wed-Nov-19 – Birmingham, AL – Iron City
Fri-Nov-21 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theater
Sat-Nov-22 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Sun-Nov-23 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore
Tue-Nov-25 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre Living Arts
Wed-Nov-26 – New York, NY – Best Buy Theater
Ever since Nas began his venture with Mass Appeal Records he has been building a strong lineup of MCs to represent it. Now, the God’s son has added Harlem spitter Dave East to the roster. East has been making a name for himself with the single “Broke” and “Still” from his summer mixtape, Black Rose, which dropped back in July.
Nas confirmed that he signed East to Mass Appeal’s lineup during his surprise visit to Angie Martinez’s show on Power 105.1 on Oct. 1st. Unfortunately, he was tight-lipped saying “that’s a real new one, I can’t really talk about that one yet.”
Mass Appeal’s lineup is steadily growing with Nas already snagging the likes of Fashawn, Boldy James, Bishop Nehru and hip hop duo Run The Jewels.
There was word that the indie label would drop a compilation album last month but the date was pushed back.
Los Angeles’ Thurz has released “Right Now”, the third track off Designer EP, due out November 4th via Red Bull Sound Select. While “Perfect Words” (feat. Kelsey Bulkin) showcased Thurz’s smooth and laidback style and “21” an upbeat party jam, “Right Now” features his passionate and hard hitting lyrics that give insight into the emcee’s personal life. Right Now was produced by Aaron Harris.
Ever since Childish Gambino released his album Because The Internet in late 2013, the former Community star has risen to one of the most prolific musical artists to date. Bino’s music style is innovative to say the least, but his skills of storytelling has taken the concept of an album to the next level. In August, Gambino announced that he was going to release his new mixtape, STN MTN/ Kauai, with the song “Sober” as one of the leading singles off of the project. Well, if you were waiting for the project to release, it’s out now. STN MTN/ Kauai is a separated project, with STN MTN as the Gangsta Grillz hosted mixtape and Kauai as an EP on iTunes. You can check out and download the mixtape below, or stream the entire project off of Gambino’s site.
