Rodney Jones, the producer who claims he was sexually assaulted by Sean “Diddy” Combs, has made some new serious allegations against the embattled mogul.
Now, Jones alleges that Diddy, through intermediaries, has not only created defamatory stories about him on TMZ but has also sent agents to intimidate his 8-year-old daughter, the mother of his child, and ex-spouses.
These actions, which include attempts to coerce Jones into changing his legal representation to a lawyer closer to Diddy, have reportedly instilled fear among his family and associates, prompting them to file a police report.
Jones, who says he worked closely with Diddy to produce The Love Album: Off The Grid, filed the initial lawsuit against the Bad Boy founder in February of 2024 seeking $30 million in damages.
Jones accuses Diddy of a litany of severe allegations, including sexual harassment, drugging, and intimidation over a span exceeding a year.
According to documents, Jones alleges that Diddy coerced him into soliciting sex workers and participating in sexual activities with them.
Additionally, Diddy is accused of manipulating party guests by secretly adding substances to their drinks.
These claims are supported by purported evidence in the form of screenshots and images within the lawsuit documentation.
In reaction to Diddy’s alleged intimidation tactics, Jones has lodged complaints against the billionaire businessman to the state bars of California, New York, and New Jersey.
In another development, According to the latest court, Jones has agreed to drop all charges against former Motown CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam, with whom he entered into an agreement on March 21, 2024.
Moreover, Jones decided to dismiss the claims against Chalice Recording Studio without prejudice, allowing the possibility of refiling in Los Angeles, where the studio is based.
Despite these legal developments, the case against Diddy and other named defendants, including his’ son Justin, chief of staff Kristina Khorram, Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, and former CEO of Motown Records, remains tense.
Whilst Diddy’s camp has vehemently denied the allegations, claiming to possess overwhelming evidence of their falsity, the plaintiff reports a darker side of the interaction.
Simultaneously, pleas to engage with representatives of Universal Music Group, Lucian Grainge, and Motown Records about these serious claims have, as of yet, been left unanswered.
Just Kapri just dropped his latest track, “Aww,” and it’s fire! This dude’s been doing his thing and “Aww” is his 10th banger to hit streaming platforms. He’s all about blending killer lyrics, smooth melodies, and soulful vibes.
It’s more than just a song—it’s a journey of self-discovery. Kapri’s urging us to find our purpose and go beyond ourselves. None of that shallow stuff you hear in mainstream rap—this is real, authentic storytelling.
So, keep your ears peeled for Seven Days, Seven Nights, and make sure to follow Just Kapri on all your favorite streaming platforms. This guy’s on a mission.
The Jungle Brothers—original members of the Native Tongues collective that also included A Tribe Called Quest, Monie Love, Queen Latifah and De La Soul, among others—initially consisted of Mike G, Afrika Baby Bam and Sammy B. The trio’s debut album, Straight Out the Jungle, arrived in 1988 and since then, they’ve firmly etched their names in the Hip-Hop history books.
But some fans are wondering why Sammy B hasn’t been on their current tour. The chatter grew so loud that Mike G and Afrika Baby Bam decided to address it in a rare Instagram post.
“The Jungle Brothers, prioritize the privacy and security of our personal information, and as such, we do not engage in posting personal & private details on social media platforms of our private lives,” the statement begins. “Our social media presence is dedicated to promoting our upcoming shows, sharing new music releases, and maintaining connections with our cherished fans worldwide. It has come to our attention that there have been discussions regarding recent developments, which we feel compelled to address. Presently, we are on tour, and during this period, we will be featuring guest DJs.
“We are delighted to announce that DJ Red Alert will be joining us whenever possible. We extend our sincere best wishes to DJ Sammy B, and he will always hold a special place as a valued member of the Jungle
Brothers family. We kindly request that our followers refrain from posting any form of negativity on our platforms. We strive to cultivate a positive and uplifting environment for all members of our community. Thank you for your understanding and continued support & remember to KEEP IT JUNGLE!!!!”
The Jungle Brothers released seven more albums following their debut, including 2020’s Keep It Jungle. They have a star-studded show booked at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7, which includes performances by Jodeci, Faith Evans, The LOX, Naughty By Nature’s Treach, Sean Paul, M.O.P., KRS-One, Lisa Lisa, Rakim and many more. Find more information here and check out the post below.
Rick Ross’s ex-girlfriend Cristina Mackey has hinted at releasing a track aimed squarely at the “bawse.”
The couple’s whirlwind romance lasted approximately six months before dissolving in early March 2024. They initially charmed fans with their public displays of affection and mutual adoration before splitting, which Mackey confirmed via an IG post.
“We had a clean break two weeks ago, and I never pretended to be the last. I embrace both positive and negative traction with love. And no, I won’t be appearing on anyone’s podcast,” Cristina Mackey said.
However, following their breakup, Cristina Mackey has opted to channel her emotions into her music, potentially adding a new layer to her growing discography.
During a recent live-streaming session, Mackey shared snippets of the song. The new track may signal a shift from amicable parting to potential acrimony.
Debuting the song on a live stream underscores Mackey’s determination to assert her independence and address the breakup on her own terms.
While the exact reasons behind their split remain shrouded in speculation, it’s clear that Cristina Mackey has been harnessing her creative energies post-breakup with new music, including a song titled “7 pm” that showcases her vocal talent.
Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera released his new book, Revolución To Roxy, on Friday (March 22). Per Music Radar,Manzanera writes about how he learned a riff from his 1976 solo album, K-Scope, had been sampled on the opening track to Kanye West and Jay-Z’s 2011 album, Watch The Throne. As a result, Manzanera has made more money from royalties than he ever did during his 50 years with Roxy Music.
As he explains, Manzanera fielded a call from a Roc-A-Fella Records representative one day, but he thought there’d been some kind of mistake. He noted, “I’m sometimes confused with Ray Manzarek who’s from The Doors. I think you probably mean him.” But it wasn’t an accident; the track “No Church in the Wild” featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream includes Manzanera’s riff throughout its 4:32 duration.
“Delving as deep as I knew how into the furthest recesses of my memory, I vaguely recalled being near the end of recording and at a loss for something new to play,” Manzanera writes in the book. “One evening I’d been sitting on the sofa and noodling with my guitar when I came across this riff which I quite liked. I played it only a few times, recorded it in the studio the next day, and then forgot all about it.”
Manzanera discovered he had no control of it being used by Jay-Z and Kanye West on the track, which was produced by 88-Keys (who sourced the sample), Mike Dean, Om’Mas Keith and West.
“I called the business affairs people at Virgin and spoke to an executive,” Manzanera continued. “I told her about the phone call from Roc-A-Fella Records and asked if she knew anything about it. She replied, “Oh yes we know about it. We’ve been discussing it with them for weeks.”
The representative explained the label owned the copyright, but they still wanted to give Manzanera one-third of the royalties. Watch The Throne album was released in August 2011 and ended up going platinum in the United States and Denmark, gold in the United Kingdom and was used in two car advertisements.
“Who knew that I would earn more money from a short guitar riff that I wrote one evening on a sofa in front of the telly in 1978 than I ever earned in the entire 50 years as a member of Roxy Music?” Manzanera writes. “Thank you, Kanye West, thank you Jay-Z, thank you Virgin and Universal, and thank you to the capricious mistress that is rock ‘n roll.”
Rising rapper Anti Da Menace is facing multiple charges after being arrested by the Atlanta Police Department (APD) earlier this week.
The young rapper, who has over 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and a total view count surpassing 41 million across his videos, is detained in Fulton County following his first court appearance.
Authorities have charged Johnson with armed robbery and participating in criminal street gang activity, among other allegations.
This legal trouble surfaced just weeks after he released “Banned from the A” on his YouTube channel, a track where he defiantly declared his gang affiliations and past encounters with law enforcement, even suggesting a readiness to engage in violent confrontations with the APD.
Despite the severity of the charges, it is not clear how this will impact his musical career.
His last album, *No Sympathy,* was released in 2023 and featured artists like Luh Tyler, YTB Fatt, Hunxho, and others.
The writers of The Simpsons predicted the future once again. Cypress Hill booked a show with the London Symphony Orchestra, turning an old Simpsons gag into a reality.
“We are thrilled to be performing with the London Symphony Orchestra in such a prestigious venue as the Royal Albert Hall,” Cypress Hill said in a joint statement. “It’s a dream come true, a collaboration only The Simpsons could have predicted.”
LSO’s managing director Kathryn McDowell added, “After years of social media teasing it, many fans may have started to believe it would only be a pipedream – but the LSO is delighted to finally be joining Cypress Hill on stage and in person and look forward to creating an unforgettable musical moment! Many thanks to the creators of The Simpsons for the idea and to AEG Artistic and PolyArts for making it all happen.”
Cypress Hill will perform their classic album Black Sunday and more with the LSO at London’s Royal Albert Hall on July 10. Tickets go on sale on March 27. Cypress Hill and LSO promoted the event with a video featuring their spin on The Simpsons joke.
“Did we actually order the London Symphony Orchestra?” B-Real asked.
Sen Dog responded, “Maybe we did.”
Eric Bobo concluded, “We better get to rehearsal then.”
The Cypress Hill and LSO gag was featured in the “Homerpalooza” episode of The Simpsons. The bit involved a stage manager trying to figure out which festival performer ordered the LSO for the event. The stage manager suggested someone did it while they were high, singling out Cypress Hill. The trio wondered if they requested the orchestra before quickly assuming they did. The group started rehearsing a rendition of their hit single “Insane in the Brain” with the LSO, receiving the approval of Marge Simpson.
An elderly woman firmly believes she’s in a relationship with Post Malone, but her granddaughters are convinced she’s simply being catfished. The wild story unfolded during a recent episode of The Dr. Phil Show where the woman, Gail, opened up about her obsession with the multi-platinum artist. She told Dr. Phil she’s been in a relationship with him for nearly three years. But her granddaughters and daughter Michelle know it’s not true.
“They think I’m mental, they think I’m crazy, they worry about me, but I’m fine,” Gail said. “They think I’m being scammed by someone overseas. They don’t believe it’s Post Malone. I have questions why Post Malone would pick me. I know there’s a big age difference, but we love each other and we’re best friends. I would marry him if I could.”
Gail also said she’d get plastic surgery to look younger if she could afford it. She admitted she’s sent the person she thinks is Post Malone multiple $50 and $100 gift cards, but insisted he reciprocates with gifts.
“The first gift he sent me was my promise ring,” she continued. “He’s actually sent me a few rings. I confirmed it wasn’t a real diamond, but it’s still special because it comes from Post Malone […] I’ve talked to him on the telephone three or four times. When we’ve talked, it’s never his voice. He talks to me with a Jamaican accent to protect his identity.
“I have sent Post Malone around $3,000. It was just to prove to his family I wasn’t using him for his money […] Everything about him makes him interesting to me. He’s good looking and I do find his tattoos attractive.”
Dr. Phil asked why they’d never met and Gail explained he always had an excuse, whether he was busy traveling for a show or other music-related obligations. Watch the clip below.
The next season of Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league will stream live on the Elon Musk-owned X platform. The Hip-Hop mogul’s decision to partner with the social network formerly known as Twitter did not sit well with some fans.
“Love and respect Cube but his alignment with a white [supremacist] is all we need to know. I get it, money matters, so do you my guy. Just keep it 100 and don’t Trojan horse for them. White Supremacy is who you are and represent. Enjoy!!” @UltimateRapLife posted on X.
That account, which currently only has 360 followers, also tweeted, “I still have respect for Cube, always will. However, I’m not blind to his who he aligns with. I like the BIG3. Both things can be right at the same time.”
Ice Cube saw what @UltimateRapLife had to say about his business connection to Elon Musk. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer responded, “Shut yo b#### ass up! I ain’t aligned with nothing, punk. I draw my own f##### lines.”
Shut yo b#### ass up! I ain’t aligned with nothing, punk. I draw my own f##### lines. https://t.co/hnKX3IMTNa
Ice Cube also faced accusations of encouraging antisemitism. Kanye West claimed the AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted album creator influenced his “antisemite vibe.” Cube denied having any hostility towards Jewish people.
The BIG3’s 10-week 2024 season kicks off on Saturday, June 15 in Oakland, California. The 3-on-3 basketball games will air on CBS. Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz’s BIG3 will also stream on Paramount+ as well as X.
“The BIG3 is coming in hotter than ever for season seven,” said Ice Cube in a statement. “4-point shots, no garbage minutes, and players actually playing defense – everyone knows you can only get that in the BIG3.”
MC Lyte recruited fellow Hip-Hop legends Big Daddy Kane and Salt of Salt-n-Pepa for the new single “Woman” produced by Warryn Campbell. The rap pioneer discussed the Raheem DeVaughn-assisted song’s creation in an interview with AllHipHop’s Chuck Creekmur.
“Big Daddy Kane and Raheem DeVaughn, who does the hook, were in town in Los Angeles and we’re friends,” MC Lyte told AllHipHop. “So, I’m talking to Kane. I’m like, ‘Where are you?’ He said, ‘Oh, I’m here.’ I’m like, ‘Come by the studio.’ Same thing with Raheem. And so, I gotta tell you – Warryn’s studio isn’t close. You got to kind of go all the way out to get to the studio. So, you really mean to be there. You have to be intentional about it. And so we were able to get in the studio, listen to a couple of tracks, and we did two other songs as well.”
MC Lyte praised Campbell, a Grammy Award-winning producer, for being the perfect collaborator for this stage of her career The two bonded after the death of Heavy D.
“Warryn and I formed a brother-sister relationship once Heavy passed,” MC Lyte said. “Heavy was sort of our connection. And whenever I would visit Heavy in the studio, who else would be there? Warryn. And then also Warren was on the A&R team at Elektra EastWest when I was with a major record label. And so we formed a bond. I’m also a member of his church, California Worship Center.”
She continued, “Being in a studio with him has been such an invigorating process because the only thing that’s necessary for me to bring to the table is truth. And I don’t have to put on airs. I’m not the same girl who rapped ‘Ruffneck.’ And so, I don’t like going into [the] studio with producers who expect the same of me, which can sort of keep you in this cycle of trying to do something that was. So, anyway, it’s a pleasure to work with him in the studio.”
MC Lyte’s “Woman” dropped on Friday (March 22). The anthem was released to celebrate Women’s History Month.
Rick Ross dissed his ex Tia Kemp on Future and Metro Boomin’s new albumWe Don’t Trust You, which dropped on Friday (March 22). Kemp reacted to Rozay’s “baby mama still the biggest opp” line from the song “Everyday Hustle” after fans alerted her on social media.
“Future don’t f###### know me,” she said, initially questioning why she got dissed.
Kemp had no interest in listening to the track, but she had plenty to say about Future and Ross. She trashed both men and issued a stern warning to Rozay.
“They probably ain’t worth listening to,” Kemp said. “Them two old dusties on there lying with 13—put both of they children together. They got two football teams! Him and Future need to sit they old a#### down somewhere. Whose nuts probably scrubbing to they f###### knees because they done dropped them in every f###### state ‘round this b#### with a seed here and there.”
She continued, “You don’t want to f### with Tia. They don’t want to f### with me, him or his peer. They better make they songs about the w##### out here they screwed around with and having them hidden babies with ‘cause I don’t give a f### about him, Future or the m############ past. I’ll slap the s### out of [Ross]. I wish that b#### would try me again.”
Kemp wasn’t the only person targeted in a diss on Future and Metro’s We Don’t Trust You album. Kendrick Lamar shook up the scene by firing shots at Drake and J. Cole on the song “Like That.” K. Dot notably referenced “the big three” line from Drake and J. Cole’s collaboration “First Person Shooter.”
“M######### the big three, n####, it’s just big me,” Lamar rapped.
Listen to the disses on “Everyday Hustle” and “Like That” below.
Azealia Banks claimed Beyoncé and Roc Nation engaged in payola to help “Texas Hold ‘Em” reach No. 1 on Billboard’s country music chart. Banks bashed Beyoncé and Billboard after the publication ran a story about Banks’ history of feuds.
“It’s becoming INCREASINGLY obvious you let your staff take payments to spew any b####### in these weak attempts to control narratives,” Banks wrote on Instagram in response to Billboard’s article. “But, the fact that my message regarding beyonce and roc nations treatment/sabotaging of black female artists/writers behind the scenes and her audacious expectation that black women somehow join her in a moment of pride for being ‘the first black woman to top the country charts’ ( Ugh I almost vomited ) was enough for their team to pay for this weak attempt at damage control is very tickling.”
She continued, “I think it’s pathetic that in the year 2024, a global superstar and her husband’s overwhelmingly desperate attempts to snag an ‘album of the year,’ – obviously to pump some steam into the curious attempt to ‘disrupt’ the power structure of the music industry with their own DSP – Tidal , needs to hinge on these offensively infantilizing epithets like ‘first black woman (to spend payola at country radio LOL)’ as if she deserves something special simply for being black. This post-BLM propaganda isn’t masking how both songs pale in comparison to literally every single artist making contemporary white americana country music.”
Banks reiterated her disappointment with Beyoncé’s country music, saying “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” were not good songs. Banks believed her opinion was validated by alleged attempts to discredit her.
“I want to celebrate her for evolving in her craft, womanhood and skill,” Banks wrote. “If the songs were good you’d be writing about them and not Azealia’s opinion on them. but the songs are not good, she doesn’t seem cognizant, as if she’s in a chemical straitjacket, the pr statements are unnecessarily political/redundant…..”
Earlier this week, Banks brutally scrutinized Beyoncé, Jay-Z and the Cowboy Carter album. Banks also embraced her trolling by posting a photo of herself in a cowboy outfit.
Big Sean dropped the first official music offering of his next era. “Precision” serves as the Detroit rapper’s first single in two years.
“I studied the target. I’m never gonna miss it. I call that precision,” Sean raps on his latest song. Teddy Walton, Tom Kahre, FNZ, Zacari and Aaron Bow earned production credit for the track.
Big Sean appears to be gearing up to release another full-length project soon. The 35-year-old Def Jam recording artist has not put out a studio album since Detroit 2 in 2020.
Sean currently has five studio albums in his discography. 2020’s Detroit 2 debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 103,000 first-week units. He also reached the top of the Billboard 200 with 2015’s Dark Sky Paradise and 2017’s I Decided.
Jermaine Dupri, like many that hail from the Renaissance known as the 1990s, reflects on the significance of Freaknik, the iconic spring break event born from historically Black colleges and universities in Atlanta. In a chat with Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur, he acknowledges Freaknik’s pivotal role in shaping the city’s massive Hip-Hop and cultural landscape and the eventual emergence of Atlanta as the epicenter of the genre.
Executive Producers Luke Campbell, Jermaine Dupri, 21 Savage and director P. Frank Williams bring forth a captivating narrative called “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told.” The documentary delves into the Freaknik era, that started in the 1980s well into the 90s. Originating as a Black college cookout, Freaknik swiftly gained notoriety for its tales of spontaneous encounters, but eventually became a monster. At its zenith, Freaknik commanded attention, halting traffic and captivating the city, evolving into a cult phenomenon that young Black people had to attend.
The documentary features 21 Savage, Lil Jon, Killer Mike, Jalen Rose, Too $hort, Shanti Das, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Erick Sermon, CeeLo Green, Rico Wade, Kenny Burns, and more. JD discusses Freaknik’s indelible imprint on Atlanta’s cultural landscape and the world.
Story continues after video.
AllHipHop: What’s good, my brother?
Jermaine Dupri: What’s happening? How you?
AllHipHop: I’m good, bro. You’re in this new documentary, “Freaknik: The Wildest Story Never Told.” You were in the A at that time. You weren’t there all the way at the beginning of it all, but what’s your perspective on Freaknik as a legacy?
Jermaine Dupri: Well, I mean, I was in Atlanta. I just wasn’t of age 16. If you 16, that’s when you become a virgin to Freaknik. And like ’91, ’90, ’91 is when I kind of got hip to Freaknik. And Freaknik for Atlanta, and the culture of Hip-Hop becoming so dominant in this city and the city paying attention to Hip-Hop and the Falcons and everything. Freaknik created all of those avenues. What people were doing with Freaknik made all of the Fortune 500 companies pay attention to it. Like, “Damn, Freaknik is…okay.” You know what I mean? And if you took advantage of Freaknik the way I did with So So Def, you also realized that it was companies in this city, music companies that was putting out music. So I give Freaknik damn near 60% of the credit for catapulting the Atlanta South music scene.
AllHipHop: Wow, that’s incredible. Yeah. P. Frank Williams, the director, referred to it as a musical documentary. I never took it that way.
Jermaine Dupri: Yeah, nah, that’s what it is. It’s definitely a musical documentary that it’s also a Hip-Hop documentary. That’s another thing that people, I noticed that people don’t understand that it’s a Hip-Hop documentary that we haven’t had. Right. It’s a southern hip hop documentary, but we haven’t had a Hip-Hop documentary in the last 10 years, as far as I’m concerned, that brings the age group between parents and their kids as close as the age groups are now. And Freaknik actually deals with these younger parents and having these kids. And this was that generation where parents start having kids closer to their actual younger age…my mother had me when I was 16, so when she was 16. So that era of kids being born when their parents are 16 and this, that, and third, we never really had a documentary or anything, a Hip-Hop story or anything in the culture that actually that deals with that. This is the first.
AllHipHop: Definitely. Who do you think goes harder? Gen X, the freaknik generation so to speak, or the current day?
Jermaine Dupri: Freaknik generation. I mean, the inspiration and motivation behind five individuals at a school that didn’t have money to go to spring break or go home for spring break and see their family and they decide to create a picnic. And they didn’t just want to make it a regular picnic, they decided to make it a different type of picnic and put a different name at the front of it. And make it something special for the rest of the kids on the campus that didn’t have money to go home. That in itself is a story that when I’m trying to get things done and I’m trying to do it for all the money in the world, these type of stories hit me dead in the face.
Like, Jermaine, you got to figure out another way to get this done. You know what I mean? We live in a world where everybody always want to call and get as much money as possible, but if you really want something to happen and you don’t have no other choice, you’ll figure it out. And you don’t see a lot of that in this generation, but that generation did that, and to me, that’s motivation for me.
AllHipHop: Yeah, no doubt. You talked about Hip-Hop . Do you see parallels because parallels to Hip-Hop, because the way it started and the way it ended was completely different.
Jermaine Dupri: When you say parallels as far as what
AllHipHop: The trajectory, I mean, obviously if you start something off with a few people, they’re in on it, and then it just slowly gets bigger and bigger and bigger. And then before you know it, it’s [massive]. Somebody I think described Freaknik as a monster.
Jermaine Dupri: Point. Yeah. Yeah, I did. So what happens is that at least with Freaknik, nobody was having a conversation. I think that was the thing. The city should have at least talked to the DC Metro Club to figure out what it was that they actually was doing. And then the city should have blocked off that corner of Piedmont Park where they started having a party, because now in Atlanta, this is where Music Midtown is held at in that same spot that she talks about having that picnic, that’s where Music Midtown is held, and it’s a situation where all these people come, it’s a festival, and it’s done right there. They could have done the exact same thing. They could have been the first group of people to have a festival, but they weren’t having conversation with the city, and the city didn’t go and make a move to have a conversation with them. And things just kept going and kept growing. And if you don’t have some kind of communication, things going to get out of control.
AllHipHop: Was it all business for you though? Did you have fun and did you indulge at a point at Freaknik?
Jermaine Dupri: Oh yeah, hundred percent percent. I mean, it was business for me from, I mean, not from a monetary standpoint. It was a business. It was a business move for me, fun standpoint. It was like when you getting your name out there and you’re trying to build your brand, you are more so concerned about putting your brand in front of as many people as possible as opposed to you making money. And that might be the wrong way to go about it. Somebody else might have a different way, but that’s the way I went about it. I just was like, and me being from the South and already getting flack for the crisscross record and people trying to treat us, we weren’t supposed to be in Hip-Hop in the first place. My determination was just like, I’m here. Y’all got to see me, and I ain’t got to come to y’all city. It’s 150,000 people in my city. They going to see me when they come here at least. That was fun.
AllHipHop: Yeah, we talk about the DC Metro Club and Erick Sermon is in there, and the impression is obviously this is a love letter to Atlanta, but also there were other forces that were convening in Atlanta at that point in time. Even myself, I considered moving to Atlanta in the nineties. I was like, yo, I felt like it was either New York or Atlanta ultimately. Yeah, I moved to New York, but it could have gone either way.
Jermaine Dupri: Yeah, I mean, well, like I said, this was the rise of Atlanta’s musical explosion. It was the rise while what I was doing. I don’t think the rest of the country was paying no attention to it. Erick Sermon is on Peach Street. Jermaine Dupre is in College Park. Dallas Austin’s in College Park, Rico Wade and the Dungeon family, they in the S.W.A.T.S., they creating something too short, move to Atlanta, move to the swats, and I don’t think people, and by the way, all this stuff is happening and Freaknik is happening. You got the energy of Freaknik and then you got this synergy that we putting out and we trying to put out records and we trying to make, so all the records and everybody just start connecting it to Freaknik and then the start playing the music. That was another thing. Then we got a radio station in this city once we got another radio station, hot 1 0 7 9, which was 90, what was it? At first it was something else. At first it was hot, something at first. And once they came and they started playing hip hop and they was playing, and the way that they got in was they was playing more music from here, more people from Atlanta. I remember when that station first jumped off, I used to have people saying, Jermaine, do you own this radio station? They used to play so many of my records because they wanted to brand it as the Atlanta radio station.
AllHipHop: Luke definitely brought a different energy. Obviously he’s from Miami, not to shade Luke or anything like that, but is that ultimately when things started to really shift into some of the other things that were not as communal, if you will?
Jermaine Dupri: Nah, because Luke was here before. He was at the parties before I was. Luke was at the parties that I couldn’t get into. So Luke actually helped Freaknik get bigger, you know what I mean? So he actually increased the crowd flow. So I mean, it could be a bad thing, but I look at what Luke did, he increased it and made it really like, and he put the freak in the word freak. The word freak didn’t have nothing to do with shake off and shaking your booty and Luke Skywalker, none of that. It didn’t have nothing to do with that. They was using the word freak from the Chic record.
AllHipHop: And I notably recall when all the exits were blocked off and you’re just in the highway. And that didn’t even stop nothing really.
Jermaine Dupri: Yeah, because what that did was it pushed you to the outskirts of Atlanta and where I’m from, College Park…all the way to Old National. So people was getting off on Old National and they was going to Frozen Paradise that was down the street on Old National, and then Old National became Freaknik. Oh, I ain’t got to go downtown. It’s right here in my hood. You what I’m saying? Like I said, Freaknik was amazing because you couldn’t really kill it. You couldn’t kill it once it was in the city.
AllHipHop: Oh, by the way, my niece worked on “Freaknik” as a researcher at Hulu. She works at Hulu. She sent a text to our group today and I was like, “I’m literally about to talk to JD right now.”
Jermaine Dupri: That’s dope.
“Freaknik: The Wildest Story Never Told” is out now and can be streamed on Hulu.
There’s some major drama going on right now, and I’m not sure what to think of it. First of all, I thought it was so funny that former Living Legends MC Murs admitted to being so washed, he thought Kendrick Lamar had beef with Ice Cube after hearing Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” But when Kendrick mentioned the “big three,” a lot of people thought there were shots fired at the OG legend. So, don’t feel TOO bad, bro.
No, Kendrick is going straight at Drake and J. Cole. I have to admit, I don’t know if I am ready for this. I am more interested in seeing them work together and build something mighty in this Hip-Hop world.
Here’s where we are: On “Like That,” Kendrick Lamar takes aim at Drake and J. Cole:
“Sneak dissin’, first person shooter, I hope they came with three switches”
“For all your dawgs gettin’ buried / That’s a K with all the 9s, they gon’ see pet cemetery.”
At any rate, Kendrick licked off several shots toward his counterparts, making it clear that he’s the top dog. Metaphorically, speaking, “First Person Shooter“ ends with Drake proclaiming himself to be the goat. And also, there are a whole lotta dogs barking in the background to represent his vicious nature. It sounds perfect on the song, but what does that mean as far as upholding that title? I’ll have to use a term back in the day: “We gonna see about ya.“ And nobody “sees” people the way Kendrick Lamar does.
So when he starts flipping different cadences and vocal tones, apparently angry, you know it’s going to be some SH#T. The only thing is, I would love to see him do this on a full project. His last project was extremely artsy and theatrical, causing speculation that he had forgotten about his core base. But K. Dot is back.
Now the question remains: what will J. Cole and Drake do? All are pushing 40 (not that that matters). But it does seem that they are all economically and creatively in a less competitive space. But all that is out of the window. I could see Drake replying. J. Cole seems to be a peacemaker, but his dominance lyrically might have to show up in the battle world now. This is NOT a Lil Yachty feature.
I need you guys to go down into the comments and give on this one. I’m really not sure what to think because I really want these gentlemen to collaborate. By the way, Drake and J. Cole are on tour together so they are on the same page as me. But, I am thinking I better get on code with K. Dot. HA! As evident with “Control,” he’s not here for it.
GloRilla proved her run as a national Hip-Hop figure did not end after earning RIAA plaques for her “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and “Tomorrow 2” singles. She scored another hit in 2024 thanks to “Yeah Glo!”
As “Yeah Glo!” rises up the Billboard Hot 100 ranks, GloRilla looks to give her fans a new body of work. The Collective Music Group recording artist announced EhhThang EhhThang will drop in April.
“F## IT [speaking head emoji]. I’M DROPPING A MIXTAPE!! Yeah Glo[speaking head emoji]. EhhThang EhhThang 4/5,” Glo tweeted on Thursday (March 21). That X post included a song snippet.
Previously, GloRilla’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” with Hitkidd (No. 42) and “Tomorrow 2” with Cardi B (No. 9) made it onto the Hot 100. The RIAA certified “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” as platinum. “Tomorrow 2” reached 2x-platinum certification.
Playboi Carti contributed to one of the biggest songs of 2024 as a feature on Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival.” Some social media users seem to think Lil Yachty wants to replicate Carti’s success by stealing his style.
It appears Yachty will release new music in the near future. Twitch personality Kai Cenat shared a snippet of a new track by the Atlanta-bred rapper during a recent livestream.
One online critic reacted to the Lil Yachty preview clip by posting, “Carti can’t try 1 new sound without rappers immediately biting him, he’s generational.”
Yachty fired back by tweeting, “Biting him? How did I bite him? The beat? if that’s the case I been workin with Cardo since 2019-2020 on record y’all fans be smoking the strongest d##k.”
biting him? how did i bite him? the beat? if that’s the case i been workin with cardo since 2019-2020 on record yall fans be smoking the strongest dick https://t.co/rlcaSRsoP7
Cardo Got Wings produced the title track on Lil Yachty’s recently released Something Ether EP. Lil Boat and Cardo also worked together on 2023’s “Van Gogh” by fellow Atlanta native J.I.D.
Something Ether dropped on February 23. The 6-track, 16-minute effort joined a Lil Yachty discography that includes five studio LPs. 2023’s Let’s Start Here became Lil Boat’s third Top 10 album.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” featuring Playboi Carti and Rich The Kid spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The collaboration became Carti’s first Number One on that chart.
Has Sexyy Red stamped her name among the all-time greatest women in Hip Hop history? Rapper/YouTuber DDG made that bold declaration about the “Pound Town” performer.
“[Sexyy Red] top 5 female rapper of all time,” DDG tweeted on Wednesday (March 20). The Pontiac, Michigan native’s post amassed more than 2.3 million views on the X social media platform.
Red shared her reaction to DDG putting her in contention for the title of GOAT female rapper. The St. Louis representative wrote, “Dey not gon like you fa dis one [face with tears of joy emojis].”
While Sexyy Red did not break out on a mainstream level until 2023, the self-described Hood Hottest Princess has been releasing music for over five years. For example, her Ghetto Superstar mixtape arrived in 2021.
“Pound Town” became her first national hit when the Tay Keith-produced single peaked at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Hip-Hop superstar Nicki Minaj hopped on the official remix/sequel.
GloRilla shared her hilarious reaction to her recent meeting with President Biden and Vice President at the White House’s Women’s History Month reception earlier this month.
The “Yeah Glo” hitmaker was asked about the meeting during a recent appearance on CNN.
“It was so cool, I was geeked,” she recalled. “Everybody don’t get to meet the president and the vice president.”
Elsewhere during the conversation, GloRilla deftly dodged questions about politics with a hilarious deflection.
“Did they talk to you about what they wanted politically? Did they want your endorsement?” host Laura Coates asked.
“That aint got nothing to do with me,” she replied before singing “I’m just living my life like it’s golden.”
GloRilla continued, “I’m not gonna talk politics, I love the president, I love everybody. But at the end of the day, the day gotta end.”
Coates then read a text GloRilla received from her mother following her meeting with President Biden.
“I’ve come from being the woman with a bunch of kids, living in a blue house with no real furniture in Frayser to the classiest, most beautiful, and most talented rapper of this generation’s mom who’s moved on up to a beautifully furnished house. Get ’em, Glo!” her mother wrote in a text the rapper shared on Instagram.
Glo said the message “meant everything to me,” before reflecting on her humble beginnings.
“Because we really did come from absolutely nothing,” she added. “It was just a proud moment for my momma.”
Chrisean Rock has responded to rumors she’s set to appear on Ray J’s new reality TV platform, Tronix Network.
However, according to Chrisean, she’s not had any offers from Ray J but insists any future reality show appearances will be nothing like her past endeavors. Rock claims she’s in her “elevating era” and wants some acting roles and is even working on owning a network of her own.
“I got no clue what rayj talking bout on the breakfast club but wuddup wit it,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories Thursday (March 21). “Just letting yall know im in my elevating era so popping off like I use to ain’t me no more.”
Chrisean Rock said she laid a blueprint for future reality TV stars and wants a change. “I’m making room for big dog stuff instead,” She said. Rock also claimed fans are more likely to see her in 50 Cent’s BMF than another “’Bad Girls’ type show.”
She continued, “Also im spreading my interest into owning a network,” before adding, “every thing will be coming soon.”
Ray J discussed his new venture during a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club although he didn’t mention Chrisean Rock specifically. He described Tronix Network as “that digital ratchet reality TV that’s at the cutting edge.”
Chrisean Rock and Blueface appear in the trailer for the network. However, the clip is from an old Blue Girls Club episode. The show will air on Tronix as The House of Blueface.
Rock doubled down on her response to Ray J in an Instagram Live “PSA” to her fans. She explained that she’s been taking some time out and spending time with her son, but big things are on the horizon. Check it out below.
