USHER has revealed he always hoped to make music with Justin Timberlake.
In an interview with People magazine, the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer shrugged off old comparisons to the former NSYNC star, revealing that he always wanted them to team up for a song.
“I’ve always wanted to do a record with Justin and have reached out many times, but we’ve never managed to make it happen,” he said. “I think that he’s an amazing performer.”
USHER insisted that he never felt like he and Justin were in competition with each other when they were at the height of their success in the 2000s.
“I’m in competition with no one other than myself, and I’ve always tried to beat my own record. Beat my own expectations and try and better myself. And if anything, I’ve been motivated by people like Justin,” USHER stated. “I think that he has a legacy that should be respected and not compared to anybody else.
“I’m confident enough to celebrate any and every artist and can stand on the stage with any of them, and we entertain and have a great time because music is a place of celebration.”
The pop stars are both releasing new music this year. USHER dropped his album Coming Home two days before his Super Bowl performance on Sunday, and Justin is gearing up to release his album Everything I Thought It Was in March.
At the same time Grandmaster Flash and The 3 Emcees, (Keith Cowboy, Mele Mel and The Kidd Creole) were putting it down at park jams in the South Bronx, Harlem’s own DJ Hollywood had already begun making a name all over the city.
He is New York’s first DJ who could rap simultaneously to the Disco tunes he spun. He has garnered a huge following with a clientele that allowed him to do as many as three appearances in one night. Many will tell you it is Hollywood that they heard first not only to rhyme, but also sing to the records he would spin.
Now, to ensure that the party started popping as soon as Hollywood walked into the establishment, the man traveled with his own entourage of around eight people. Enter The Corporation.
Kareem was Hollywood’s personal OJ driver who rode around blasting these Hollywood tapes in his fabulous White on White Oldsmobile 98 that had this blaring sound system. This group soon began to take on its own persona. The Corporation complimented everything that Hollywood did. They were his own personal party starters.
Captain Jack, LTD (Loves To Dance) Mommaship and the rest of The Corporation knew Hollywood’s call and response routine almost better than Wood. For example, LTD would be dancing and just scream outta no where:
Holly!!!
Hollywood- What
The Whole 371 Club- “Shake Yo Wood”
Hollywood- What You Say!
Repeat. Holly!!! What, Shake yo Wood!!!!
All it took was one time and the whole club would be doing it next. When I tell you that the floor in 371 would be bouncing up and down along with the crowd, that is no exaggeration. The line to get in stretched around the building. There were easily 200 people in the club, all worked into a disco rap frenzy, courtesy of Hollywood.
The man knew he could work that room.
Meanwhile, at the Legendary Charles Gallery on 125th Street, another Rapping DJ was also making the room shake. Eddie Cheba was duplicating Hollywood’s success.
My idol. Mr. Eddie Cheba.
You’d be remiss without mentioning this man when you talk about the greats of the formative era. Eddie Cheba rose to prominence in a very crowded field at a time when your name meant something.
Hollywood, Luv Bug Starski and Reggie Wells. These Cats called their own shots because they knew just by telling an audience or if people knew that they were going to be there, it was going to be a packed house.
Mind you, this was all word of mouth.
By 1976, Eddie Cheba had moved across the bridge from Harlem to The Bronx as well. Witnessing Eddie Cheba at Club 371 on a Saturday night can best be described as a sweatfest. I’m talkin’ bout workin’ it out.
Eddie Cheba, too, could master the room.
Eddie Cheba- Who does it sweeter?
Club 371- Cheba Cheba Cheba
I would literally stand at the door of the DJ booth and marvel. He even had his own flashlight guy, Bobby Bob Malone, positioned on top of the club’s speakers going off.
Eddie Cheba was a Kool M#### f####. His whole playboy aura persona demands respect. The whole gang and the fine women that accompanied him. His control over a crowd. He made the whole s### seem easy.
Out of all the great personalities who rhymed and manned the decks at the same time, Eddie Cheba was hands down one of the premier party rockers of that era.
So why aren’t two of the first people to invent rapping, crowd participation, remixing a whole song, and singing their own lyrics (for example, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now) are not considered the precursors to Hip-Hop?
They made money hand over fist at least a year before the Hip-Hop “Emcee” even moved from park jams to indoors. They have flyers that predate the majority of Hip-Hop pioneers.
Yet when it comes to getting credit for the art form they helped to create, these two are primarily ignored and referred to as “The Disco guys” as if early Hip-Hop pioneers didn’t play Disco at their park Jams.
Because they did. So what’s the difference?
I’ll try and explain the difference. In the early stages of Hip-Hop there was a DJ and there was an Emcee – two separate entities.
Flash didn’t rap. The Furious 5 didn’t DJ. The Emcee is there to compliment the DJ and display superior rhyme skills while practicing crowd participation.
Hollywood and Eddie Cheba can retort: “we didn’t need the Emcee because we did all that simultaneously.”
Next, you have to consider the cadence.
Hollywood and Eddie Cheba would pause after a rhyme, while there is no break in Mele Mel’s pattern – it is rapid fire. There is a clear difference. The Disco rappers’ cadence doesn’t work well on top of Hip-Hop beats.
It sounded corny – trust me – some tried. There’s a reason that cadence didn’t survive and Mele Mel’s is still used to this day.
Next, Hip-Hop scholars will point out that Hollywood and Cheba didn’t play or rhyme to Hip-Hop beats, but instead played Disco. Thus the term “The Disco Guys.”
Hollywood and Cheba were older and played to a more mature crowd that honestly turned their noses up to Hip-Hop. It was something that “kids” did.
I clearly remember Hollywood and Eddie Cheba frowning on Hip-Hop and didn’t want to be compared to that. There most certainly was no Breakdancing at Club 371 and definitely no sneakers.
I surmise that the clear answer here is a generation gap.
In 1976 Disco was still ruling the clubs, radio and the charts, but it was on its way out. You had our older brothers and sisters still going to 371 to hear the latest tunes from The Trammps and Donna Summer.
Where as the kid brother was in the parks with a linoleum mat practicing B-Boy moves to a new kind of music that was just beginning to bubble, because Hip-Hop was still new. It was a fad they said.
So Hollywood and Eddie Cheba wanted nothing to do with it – at first. Eventually the two would come around, but it was after the fact.
When Sylvia Robinson was forming The Sugarhill Gang she originally wanted Hollywood, Eddie Cheba and Luv Bug Starski, but she was rebuffed by both Hollywood and Starski.
They didn’t see the vision.
So I believe that is why two of the greatest pioneers of the formative era are greatly under appreciated and overlooked for their contributions. Guys like Kid Capri, Ron G, Brucie B and all the mixtape DJ’s that came after owe that style to Hollywood and Eddie Cheba.
To celebrate 50 years and still not recognize Hollywood and Eddie Cheba is not a celebration. It’s a miscarriage of our history.
Dr. Clarence B. Jones, a seminal figure in the American civil rights movement, is largely regarded as a hidden figure in the broader context. But, during the recent Super Bowl extravaganza, his likeness was transmitted to millions and millions in the largest television broadcast ever. Dr. Jones assisted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in crafting the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. He continues to fight hate and advocates for civil rights. His leadership has also fostered a partnership between the Black and Jewish communities in America is a testament to the power of unity in the face of discrimination and prejudice.
This groundbreaking Super Bowl ad not only marks an innovative approach by the FCAS to combat antisemitism but also serves as a potent reminder of the enduring legacy of Dr. King’s message of unity and equality. At a time when our nation grapples with rising hate and division, this ad stands as a beacon of hope, urging Americans from all backgrounds to stand together against intolerance.
USHER’s Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show set had a lot of people talking. One particular on-stage moment with Alicia Keys went viral following the NFL’s mid-game spectacle on Sunday (February 11).
While performing their chart-topping “My Boo” duet at the Super Bowl, USHER hugged Alicia Keys from behind. That embrace led to social media users and other celebrities suggesting the R&B icon went too far with Swizz Beatz’s wife.
Alicia Keys took to Instagram on Valentine’s Day to express her affection for Swizz Beatz with a heartfelt message on the app. She wrote, “I love u sooo deeply. Beyond words. Beyond lifetimes. Beyond skies and universes. We soar!!!!”
Additionally, Alicia Keys shared a second Valentine’s Day-themed Instagram photo carousel. The 16-time Grammy Award winner captioned that post, “You mesmerize me… I can’t wait to spend the rest of forever loving you.”
Despite the online backlash aimed at USHER, the Coming Home album creator did not receive any public heat from Swizz Beatz. In fact, the Verzuz co-creator praised USHER and Alicia Keys for their record-breaking performance.
“Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing!!! Y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium,” Swizz Beatz wrote on Instagram. He also added, “Congrats @usher and my love @aliciakeys that song is a classic. We don’t do negative vibes on this side, we make history.”
New Jersey emcee Albee Al sat down with AllHipHop.com’s Nikki Duncan-Smith to talk about his new project, Albee For President.
In the interview, he breaks down a few things that distinguish him from other emcees trying to get the culture’s vote to be a “Voice of the Voiceless.”
The first thing he says that should earn your vote is that he understands Jersey girls better than anyone else, offering insights into their distinct qualities based on where they are from.
Albee Al then talks about what makes him a representative for those with no voice, and why this project will resonate with them. He also talks about how dope emcees from the Garden State are and how he wants to continue representing the spitkickers that have paved the way for him.
AllHipHop: It’s 2024, an election year. And y’all worried about Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Well, we got Albee for president. What’s going on, Albee? What’s going on?
Albee Al: How are you doing? Albee for President. What’s up? What’s up? What’s up?
AllHipHop: You’re dropping a new project, and you got a bunch of people on there. Talk to me a little bit about these collaborations that you have.
Albee Al: I got a few big features on there that, you know what I mean, I build a lot of relationships in the industry or whatever. So I got my boy, Money Man, on there. Shout out to Money Man. We got a big song going out right now, a million views on YouTube. It’s called El Presidente. Yeah. We shot the video in San Francisco. It’s fire, man. It is just a vibe. It’s a nice little bounce. You know what I’m saying? Everybody rocking with it. I got another feature with Mozzy on the West Coast.
AllHipHop: Oh, we love Mozzy over here. We love Mozzy.
Albee Al: So I’m connecting the dots all over the nation. You feel me? Because it’s the presidential run campaigns. I got a feature back at home base, my boy Rowdy. My boy Rowdy Rebel from GS9. Me and him got a big feature going on, and I just was working with a lot of new producers, LilC4 out in Jersey.
AllHipHop: That’s what I was wondering. So I can tell that there are some new things there. It sounds a little different from some of your previous works. What is it like working with new producers?
Albee Al: I like it. I like it because the best part about working with a new producer me is if I’m in the studio, nine times out of 10, I got my producer that’s already there. I love working with new producers. I just love it because they hear new sounds and I like a challenge to myself.
AllHipHop: Serious question. What’s your beef with Faith? Why you got issues with Faith Evans?
Albee Al: Oh man.
AllHipHop: Yeah, don’t act like you don’t. Don’t act like you don’t. I listen to lyrics.
Albee Al: Oh, you did your homework. You did your homework. Look, it ain’t no beef. It is just that coming from where I’m from, I’m from Jersey or whatever, I know Newark females. That’s a city. That’s another city. I’m from Jersey City. You got to know Jersey to know a Newark female, A Newark female is always going up the score.
AllHipHop: All right. So I need you to explain the difference. I’m going to give you some cities, and you got to tell me what these girls are like. Okay? What are the girls from Teaneck like?
Albee Al: Teaneck Girls are like uppity. But a prime example of a Teaneck girl was like… You seen ATL? See like Nunu. She is hood, but she ain’t really hood. You know what I’m saying? She’s from the nice part…but when she finds some hood dudes, she like the thrill, but they ain’t really for her though.
AllHipHop: Okay. So what’s the Jersey City girls? What are they like?
Albee Al: Jersey City girls…they like gangsters, man. They don’t even like the nine-to-fivers. You feel me? That’s cool. If she rock over to nine-to-fivers, I’m pretty sure she cheating on him with a gangster somewhere down the line. Jersey City girls is vicious.
AllHipHop: All right. So, what about Montclair?
Albee Al: Montclair is sort of like Teaneck. But they don’t really rock with the hood, period, though. You got to find a Montclair shorty. They ain’t really popping up in the hood.
AllHipHop: All right. What about Trenton girls? Trenton girls. What are Trenton girls like?
Albee Al: Trenton is the ghetto. You know what I’m saying? It’s really the ghetto. It’s like, “Come on.” It’s crazy. It’s vicious out there. I’m telling you.
AllHipHop: All right. Then did we get to Camden? What’s Camden like?
Albee Al: Camden is the same way man. Camden is like Trenton.
AllHipHop: Jersey got a lot of MCs. And how do you distinguish yourself with all of the great… Like people sleep on Jersey, but y’all like the eighth borough of New York.
Albee Al: Nah, nah. We jersey. We jersey. We ain’t no borough of New York. No, we not. No, we not.
AllHipHop: But if you were to compare the boroughs and you compare Philly and the places where they say the MCs are, Jersey as a state… How do you distinguish yourself? Let’s start there. How do you distinguish yourself from the MCs that are in your state?
Albee Al: I just try to stay original. I got my own sound. I come from the era where we stand on the block with the camera rolling, and you play an instrumental, and we just go. I’ve always got that MC, that Hip-Hop in me that I could just go with a beat on. It’s my feel. I come from that. You know what I mean? Any beat. It could be the same beat. Keep it on for 20 minutes, we going to rap on that beat. You know what I’m saying? Bring it back. I got my own lane, and everybody rocking with it. So I don’t try to do nothing else but me. Everybody got their own style, got their own…I’m a household name in Jersey.
AllHipHop: I like that. So, as we look at Albee for President and what you have going on, what makes this project outside of your features outside of the new producers, what is significant about this project that’s different from the other things you’ve given?
Albee Al: What’s different about it is I usually talk about the jails or whatever in my music because I come from that. But I really touch on being locked up and the situations that happen when you are locked up. Because I got a lot of core fans that’s incarcerated. So I just wanted to tap in with that because Albee for President is also a metaphor for me. It’s saying I’m the President for the streets…I’m the voice of the streets. You could come to me for anything, when you going through something that is involved in hardship and pain and jail s### and real s###, period. So that’s what I’m trying to represent.
So this album alone is I tapped in so much on… It ain’t for everybody, but people going to rock with it. But I really went hard for the jails. Because that’s where I got my main source of income in there. I’m number one on J-Pay right now. I ain’t dropping albums since May. You know what I mean? I don’t care who dropped. I’m number one on JPay. CorrLinks. I’m number one on CorrLinks. I’m really big in there. So I got tired of getting caught up in what’s going on out here. Everybody is chasing this type of record. I’m like, no I’m going to tap in with my core fans and just give them what they want.
Lil Jon has revealed Justin Bieber turned down an appearance during Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show because he “wasn’t ready” for the undertaking.
Fans had widely expected Justin to make an appearance alongside his friend and former mentor during the sporting extravaganza on Sunday, but he ended up watching the performance from his seat at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Lil Jon, who performed Yeah! with USHER and Ludacris during the set, revealed to TMZ on Wednesday that Justin was asked to be in the show but he ultimately turned it down.
“We wanted to put Justin in the show, so we had the idea of doing a version of the show with Justin in it,” he said. “But I think Justin just wasn’t really ready. It’s a lot of rehearsal, a lot of responsibility, a lot of time and a lot of eyeballs (on him). I don’t know if he was ready to do all of that, you know what I mean?”
Lil Jon clarified that Justin said no before rehearsals got underway.
“He was thinking about it but I think all of the work that goes into it and then all of the eyeballs and everything else, I don’t know if he was ready to have that undertaking,” he continued. “It’s a lot of time you have to dedicate to being in a show like this. It’s not just, ‘Okay, let’s go do one rehearsal then you get on stage.’ A lot of time’s dedicated – so I don’t know if he was ready to do all of that.”
Lil Jon added that Justin and USHER are still “really good friends” and the 29-year-old wanted to support Usher in person at the game.
Justin Bieber performed live in public for the first time in two years at the NHL All-Star Weekend earlier this month.
He previously canceled his world tour after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused partial facial paralysis.
In addition to Lil Jon and Ludacris, USHER was joined on stage by Alicia Keys, Will.i.am, H.E.R. and Jermaine Dupri during the Super Bowl, which was viewed by an average of 123.4 million people, making it the most-watched U.S. TV broadcast since the 1969 moon landing.
Killer Mike upset some Grammy watchers when he won three trophies in the rap categories at this year’s ceremony. For example, the Atlanta MC’s Best Rap Album victory for Michael sparked a negative response from popular Twitch streamer Kai Cenat.
“I don’t know who this is,” Kai Cenat said about Killer Mike after the 2024 Grammy show. “Hey brother, God bless you. Congratulations. Who decided this m###########? Who the f### decided this m###########?!”
Killer Mike responded to what Kai Cenat had to say about his “Grammy sweep” over his rap peers during a GQ interview. The 48-year-old rapper/entrepreneur also addressed the AMP crew member again on The Breakfast Club.
“I know my man Kai was upset. Shouts out to Kai Cenat,” the Run The Jewels representative said on the radio program. “Hey man, I didn’t know who the f### you was either. But listen, now that I know, my n####, let me bring a broom through your room, player.”
Killer Mike continued, “You know my partner, Offset. He f#### with me. See if we can put it together. ‘Cause I ain’t hating on none of y’all little n#####. I ain’t hating on no old n#####. I’m not hating on no n#####. I wanna see you win.”
Ice Spice scored several mainstream hits with songs produced by RiotUSA. The duo crafted the Bronx-bred rapper’s breakout hit “Munch (Feelin’ U)” which arrived on DSPs in August 2022.
This week saw Ice Spice commenting on RiotUSA’s sexuality. An X user posted a screenshot of an unanswered DM sent to Riot. The @ISLANDBARBZZ account tagged Spice with a request for her to connect him with her in-house producer.
“He don’t like boys,” the openly bisexual rapper wrote on X in response to @ISLANDBARBZZ. Spice’s tweet surpassed 4 million views and 50,000 likes. It also triggered more speculation about RiotUSA.
Celebrity news blogger KenBarbie claimed Ice Spice and RiotUSA are an official couple. KenBarbie tweeted, “I’m actually more surprised that y’all haven’t figured out that’s her man yet.”
In addition to “Munch (Feelin’ U),” RiotUSA worked with Ice Spice on other Billboard Hot 100-charting singles such as “In Ha Mood” and “Think U the S### (Fart).” He produced two Nicki Minaj-assisted tracks as well.
Spice’s “Princess Diana” with Nicki Minaj peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 rankings. Their “Barbie World” collaboration made it to No. 7. The song off the Barbie soundtrack also earned two Grammy Award nominations, including Best Rap Song.
RiotUSA will likely play a major role in Ice Spice’s upcoming debut studio album. The son of New York City radio personality DJ Enuff should have numerous production credits on the Y2K project scheduled for release in 2024.
Vince Staples’s new Netflix limited series premiered today (February 15). The 30-year-old rapper/actor took the reigns of the comedy for the global streaming giant.
“Who’s Vince Staples? Well, that’s a tricky question,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “He’s kind of famous, but he’s not. He’s kind of rich, but he’s not. He’s also kind of a criminal. But he’s… not? Follow him on his daily adventures, where anything that can go wrong usually does.”
The Vince Staples Show also stars Vanessa Bell Calloway and Andrea Ellsworth. Guest appearances from Naté Jones, Arturo Castro, Scott MacArthur, Bryan Greenberg and Myles Bullock make up the cast too.
Kenya Barris, Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Corey Smyth, and William Stefan Smith executive-produced the show. Staples is credited as a co-creator.
“I am excited to partner with Netflix and Kenya Barris on The Vince Staples Show,” the West Coaster stated about his eponymous series in 2022. “This has been something I have been developing for some time and I am happy it’s coming to fruition.”
In addition to leading his five-episode program on Netflix, Vince Staples released several albums, including 2022’s Ramona Park Broke My Heart, throughout his entertainment career.
Staples also acted in motion pictures such as Dope and White Men Can’t Jump. The Motown Records-signed artist had a recurring role on the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary as well.
Killer Mike revealed Jay-Z wanted to share the limelight on Grammys night until an unfortunate incident with an “overzealous” security guard messed up his plans.
On Wednesday (February 14), during an interview with The Breakfast Club Mike opened up about his nightmare arrest after sweeping the Grammys.
While much has been said on the topic, Killer Mike shared a little-known tidbit about Jay-Z, who planned to honor him before cops hauled him off to jail. Hov had reached out to Mike to share the stage with him while he accepted the Dr. Dre Impact Award.
“What’s crazy is Jay was hitting me,” Killer Mike recalled. “I didn’t realize as I was going through my thing Jay was hitting me like ‘Hold on stick around I want to toast you.’ And then he hit me later and was like ‘I was going to concede my time to you for the speech.’ So shout out to Hov!”
Jay-Z wanted to celebrate Killer Mike, who had just won Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance. Although he only found out about the plan once it was too late, Mike and Hov saw the funny side of it.
“It’s love though,” Mike shared. “Me and him laughed. He said ‘You wanted to go and get locked up during the biggest moment. I was laughing. It was hilarious.”
Killer Mike On The Grammys Arrest Conspiracies
He also addressed the conspiracy theories surrounding his arrest, refusing to dismiss them but insisting any attempt to take him down is futile.
“It could be,” he replied when Charlamagne asked if he believed the conspiracies. But look. It didn’t work against Martin [Luther King Jr.], it didn’t work against Malcolm [X], didn’t work against Mandela. didn’t work against Method. Whatever the devil give you … God, if you stay in tune, man. He’ll multiply the good over the bad.”
Ultimately, Killer Mike said he’s grateful for the experience.
“I’m thankful for the Grammys, I’m thankful for the b#######. B####### is the best fertilizer on the farm. I got a chance to sit by myself for three hours and thank God and invoke praise and be grateful for the things that I received.”
Thankfully, good news awaited Mike the following day. “I woke up the next morning to one of the best phone calls I got in my life,” he said. Mike had received word of a kidney donor for his youngest son.
Bow Wow has opened up about the lean addiction that left him “losing my mind” and hospitalized before eventually quitting the drug.
According to Bow Wow, he was at the height of his lean addiction while recording Face Off in 2007, his collab album with Omarion.
“I was sipping lean,” he said during his recent appearance on The Art of Dialogue. “I was sipping so much syrup.”
The Fast and Furious star admitted he “was drinking that s### like crazy and “I was losing my f###### mind. That lean s### had me f##### up. I was just always irritated.”
Bow Wow reveals Lean addiction led to hospitalization and collapsing after getting off stage while on tour with Chris Brown.
Bow Wow explained that the lean made him fly off the handle, and he would feel a constant itch, one of the side-effects of the drug. His addiction got so bad that he was drinking the substance at all times. At one point, he was consuming so much that Lil Wayne gave him a “baby bottle” full of lean while shooting a video.
However, Bow Wow eventually realized the severity of his lean addiction when he collapsed while on tour with Chris Brown.
“The opening night was in Cincinnati and when I got off stage, I collapsed,” Bow Wow recalled. “I went straight to Cincinnati University Hospital. My stomach was so f##### up that I ended up going back home to Atlanta after the first show.”
Things only worsened once Bow Wow returned home and his body began withdrawing from lean.
“I’m throwing up, I’m shivering in the bed, I’m sweating, I’m going through it…I didn’t know I was having withdrawals. That’s how much lean I was consuming,” he explained.
Bow Wow was too sick to return to the tour and credits his publicist, the late Pattie Webster, with keeping the news a secret. She issued a statement informing the press that the rapper was unable to return due to dehydration.
Freddie Gibbs made his new romance Instagram official on Valentine’s Day, but his ex-lover isn’t ready to forget about him just yet.
On Wednesday (February 14), Gibbs took to social media to announce his new relationship with OnlyFans model Jasmine Grenaway. The duo professed their love for each other in a joint Instagram post featuring a video of the couple on a romantic vacation in Dubai.
“Happy Valentine’s Day @freddiegibbs,” Grenaway penned in the caption. “I’m in love with you unconditionally. Thank you for existing. You are my soulmate.”
However, it appears Gibbs’ former flame, Destini Creams, wasn’t about to let Valentine’s Day pass without a shout-out to her ex.
Back in May last year, the adult film star went viral after calling out Gibbs in a Twitter rant. She accused him of ditching her while she was pregnant and continued hurling insults and accusations at him. She also claimed to possess a photo of Gibbs “spreading your a######.” However, she insisted she would “spare them that one though,” and not post the graphic image.
While Freddie Gibbs remained relatively silent and did not engage with her posts, “Spreadie Gibbs” began trending as social media users got their jokes off.
However, fast forward to the present day, after Gibbs soft-launched his new boo, Creams shared an explicit photo of somebody doing exactly what she described in the May tweet.
Although she did not name the star of the extremely NSFW image, she hinted it was Freddie Gibbs and alluded to the unfortunate “Spreadie Gibbs” nickname.
“spredding love,” she wrote alongside the photo. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Gibbs seemingly responded to his ex with a post promoting his upcoming Netflix Comedy Fest appearance. He shared the flyer over the Geto Boys track “Quickie” which includes lyrics which might explain the photo.
“I guess I better let her,” Gibbs wrote in the caption alongside crying with laughter emoji.
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Pam Grier has been making audiences hot under the collar for decades, and it was no exception when she met Snoop Dogg, but she thinks Drake will have a slightly different reaction.
The pair met while working on the 2001 movie Bones and had their first encounter at the airport.
“His heart started racing and he became overheated and over-anxious at the airport lounge and when we got on the plane to Vancouver,” Grier recalled during an interview with The Canadian Press Wednesday (February 14).
“We started talking in the lounge, and he said, ‘Wait a minute. I gotta go to the men’s room.’ He goes into the men’s room and he faints,” she revealed. “Security had to come in and get him and wipe him off. He told me he fainted, but I didn’t believe him.”
The Death Row Records boss recently shared his side of the story during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show last month.
“My heart was beating fast, ” Snoop explained. “Jen, my heart was beating fast (da, da, da, da). So, I’m like, ‘I hear what you’re saying, Pam. Give me a minute.’ I go to the bathroom and faint.”
Once Snoop Dogg regained his composure, Pam Grier was able to impart some valuable career advice.
“He said I inspired him and I made him a better actor and a better person,” she added.
If making Snoop Dogg faint wasn’t enough, Pam Grier also has her sights set on making Drake blush. The Hip-Hop fan who said she’s still “at the clubs listening to some awesome hip-hop and rap,” wants to know more about her influence on the Canadian superstar rapper.
In a 2010 interview with Nardwuar, Drake confessed that Pam Grier was “really responsible for shaping my taste in women.”
“He grew up on me,” she told the outlet. “I want to know what magazine he was looking at when he was thinking of me. Or he wasn’t telling the truth, but I don’t know him as someone who is not truthful, so it would be interesting to ask him. He’ll blush.”
Furthermore, Pam Grier said Drake should tell her himself while she’s in his hometown for the Toronto Black Film Festival, although hopefully he won’t faint like Snoop Dogg.
“He should come to the film festival,” she stated. ‘If he’s not in a recording session.”
Drake is playing the proud husband to Sexyy Red’s mom-to-be in his new self-directed “Rich Baby Daddy” music video, which sees SZA take on the role of protective bestie.
In the visuals, released on Valentine’s Day (February 14,) Drake cosplays a suburbanite who’s recently moved out of the hood, documenting the first stages of wedded bliss with his new wife via his old-school camcorder.
The six-and-a-half-minute-long video sees the couple celebrate New Year’s together before the pregnant rapper’s waters break. An excited Drake continues to film in great detail while SZA chastises him.
The trio head off to the hospital to deliver their verses, and the baby, as more friends join them to celebrate the birth of their little one.
SZA was also on hand to help Sexyy Red announce her real-life pregnancy back in October while the St. Louis native was on her Hood Hottest Princess Tour.
Sexyy Red also hit the road on Drake’s It’s All A Blur tour, where she teased the “Rich Baby Daddy” collab, all while keeping her pregnancy under wraps.
“Touring was stressful at first because nobody knew I was pregnant,” she told Billboard in January. “I’d be in the bedroom trying to suck my stomach in or wear clothes to show I wasn’t. It hurt to just be onstage all day holding your stomach. It’s hard to hide it.”
SKG has focused on working hard to rebrand herself from her Death Row Record days. She has built an audience for herself of millions
of followers with all of her social media handlers combined. Being the first generation in her family born in Los Angeles, Ca. SKG birth name ; Helecia Choyce, family roots started back in New York, where music and culture was very important.
SKG, always had a passion for music and poetry, while working hard to keep her name mentioned amongst the greats, as well as artist in the new era of female rappers.
SKG, came up around one of Hip Hop’s most precious eras.
From Tupac Album to Modern Day Industry with features from Boosie, Anthony Hamilton and Paul Wall. SKG continues to drop heat. When it comes to rappers, SKG can go head to head on the beat with any male or female artist in the game. Expanding genres, SKG has decided to embark on a new musical journey, diving into the heart of spoken word.
Spoken word can have many elements, including rap, hip-hop, storytelling, theater, and jazz. Characterized by rhyme, repetition, improvisation, and word play, spoken word poems frequently refer to issues of social justice, politics, race, and community. Related to slam poetry, spoken word may draw on music, sound, dance, or other kinds of performance to connect with audiences.
When you combine spoken word and hip-hop, a new generation of artist are born.
Taking control, SKG speaks from her soul on her new spoken word track, “Discuss Of A Black Man”. SKG, spoken word has a purpose to unite and uplift women from all walks of life.
Produced by BMFs very own producer; S’Class, who’s worked with artist such as, Jeezy, Dr. Dre, Ras Kass, Nipsey Hussle, Too Short, E-40, Beanie Siegal, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, COLD187UM, Chief Keef, Young Dolph, Eve, Ice Cube, Jay rock and many other influential artist that’s helped shift the culture.
The spoken word track features African sounds with high drums and African chants.
SKG expressed her excitement about the new project and crossing over in genres: “I love spoken word and my only request would be, “Don’t put me in a box, let me fly and land”.
SKG , said she’s looking forward to exploring and making different genres of music while performing across the world.
A 28-year-old resident of Memphis was apprehended for the murder of Tomanuel Benson, the brother of the prominent Memphis rapper Blac Youngsta.
Memphis police were called to a shooting at the BP gas station on South Parkway East in Memphis on August 18, 2023. Upon arrival, they discovered Benson suffering from a gunshot wound, an injury that would tragically prove fatal.
The investigation that followed quickly identified Ewing as a suspect, leading to the issuance of warrants for his arrest on charges of Second Degree Murder and Criminal Attempt Second Degree Murder, Violations of the Sex Offender Registry Law, and other charges related to firearms offenses.
Following a concerted effort by U.S. Marshals in collaboration with the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Randy Darnell Ewing Jr. was captured last night after a brief chase.
The capture of Ewing resulted from a targeted operation in the Lamar Avenue and Winchester Road area. When officers spotted Ewing, a foot chase ensued, culminating in his apprehension with the aid of a K-9 unit named Marko.
At the time of his arrest, Ewing was found to be armed, adding a layer of danger to the pursuit. Following his capture, Ewing was treated for injuries sustained during the arrest before being transferred to the Shelby County Jail.
So far, detectives have yet to release a motive for the slaying of Blac Youngsta’s brother.
The man accused of hatching the brazen plot to murder Young Dolph apparently believes a job is more valuable than his life.
Hernandez Govan is facing charges that include first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
He has been out on a $90,000 bond since May of 2023 and has been on a 24-hour house arrest lockdown ever since. According to local reports, Govan just filed paperwork with Judge Jennifer Mitchell, asking her to relax the terms of his house arrest so he can find work.
According to Govan, he wants to be able to find gainful employment so he can support his wife and daughter. A previous attempt was denied by Judge Lee Coffee, claiming Govan had violated the terms of his bond by traveling outside of Shelby County without permission.
Judge Lee Coffee also warned Govan that he was most likely a marked man due to his involvement in the murder of Young Dolph.
“Memphis Shelby County, Tennessee is the first most violent metropolitan area in the country. This case has generated a substantial amount of publicity, and if you’re running around free… somebody might be trying to kill you,” Judge Lee Coffee told Govan, who seems to be unmoved.
So Govan is taking another crack at getting some freedom despite the dire warning because Judge Coffee was forced to recuse himself from the trial.
In addition to Govan, the two main suspects accused of pulling the trigger, Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith Jr., have been charged with the rapper’s murder, which occurred in November 2021 when Young Dolph was fatally shot at a local bakery.
This decision was influenced by concerns that local jurors, given the widespread media coverage and the intense emotional impact of Young Dolph’s murder on the Memphis community, might not be able to remain impartial.
Both Johnson and Smith have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges of first-degree murder.
In addition to these two, other individuals are implicated in the case, including Govan and Jermarcus Johnson, who has accepted a plea deal for his role as an accessory after the fact.
Kanye West is back on Instagram, this time going on an all-caps rant about the Taylor Swift Super Bowl LVIII controversy. A rumor, which a West rep called “fabricated,” started circulating online that claimed Swift had the erratic rapper removed from one of the Allegiant Stadium Suites on Sunday (February 11).
The Instagram post included a “Swiftie Emergency” announcement that read, “Beyonce’s new single ‘TEXAS HOLD ‘EM’ is challenging Kanye West for a #1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Let’s BUY AND STREAM TEXAS HOLD ‘EM to block him from the top spot!!! REMEMBER he just DRAGGED Taylor on his latest Instagram Story.”
West attempted to soothe the Swifties’ feelings but ultimately seemed to make things worse. He wrote, “WHEN I SAID THAT I’M THE NEW JESUS B#### I WASN’T EVEN THINKING ABOUT TAYLOR SWIFT. THAT WAS A WHOLE LINE BEFORE BUT I APPRECIATE THE FREE PROMO. LIL WAYNE ACTUALLY MENTIONS TRAVIS KELSEY ON VULTURES 2. THIS ALBUM IS ACTUALLY SUPER POSITIVE AND FUN IT’S ALL ABOUT TRIUMPHANT. LAST YEAR WAS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING FOR ME, MY WIFE, MY CHILDREN, FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I’VE BEEN BANNED FROM HOTELS, KICKED OUT OF COMPANIES, AND EVEN NOT ALLOWED TO EAT IN SOME RESTAURANTS.
“EVERYONE SAW VULTURES 1 GET TAKEN OFF OF PLATFORMS TO LIMIT OUR FIRST WEEK NUMBERS. THIS REMINDS ME OF THE MISTREATMENT OF MY PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN. REMEMBER I WAS ON TAYLOR’S SIDE WHEN SCOOTER BOUGHT HER MASTERS BEHIND HER BACK. SHE AND BEYONCÉ ARE BIG INSPIRATIONS TO ALL MUSICIANS WE ALWAYS SAY HOW BOTH SELL OUT TOURS AND MOVIES ALSO, I’M SURE I’VE BEEN FAR MORE HELPFUL TO TAYLOR SWIFT’S CAREER THAN HARMFUL.”
He continued: “TO ALL TAYLOR SWIFT FANS I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY UUUM IM NOT YOUR FRIEND EITHER THOUGH LOL. ALSO I DIDN’T GET KICKED OUT OF THE SUPER BOWL WE LEFT OUR SEATS TO GO TO YG’S BOX AND SEE DIFFERENT FRIENDS. MY WIFE HAD NEVER BEEN TO A SUPER BOWL SO I WANTED TO WALK AROUND AND HAVE A NICE TIME. WE HAD SUCH A FUN DAY.”
“OH AND TO SHAQ I GREW UP LOOKING UP TO YOU,” he added. “I WOULD LOVE TO HANG WITH YOU AND JAMIE SOMETIME JAIMIE SALTER IS LIKE A FATHER FIGURE TO ME. THE MEDIA MAY CONTROL THE NARRATIVE BUT THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.”
Kanye West and Taylor Swift have beef that stretches back years. There was West’s infamous mic snatch during Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the exhaustive debate over Swift’s conversation with ‘Ye over the song “Famous.”
In March 2020, the unedited conversation was leaked online and painted a much different picture of the one Kim Kardashian originally released in 2016. Swift acknowledged the leak but used it to bring attention to her favorite charities in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But Kardashian eventually fired back at Swift, accusing her of lying (again).
“To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that ‘Kanye never called to ask for permission,’” she tweeted. “They clearly spoke so I let you all see that. Nobody ever denied the word ‘b####’ was used without her permission. At the time when they spoke the song had not been fully written yet, but as everyone can see in the video, she manipulated the truth of their actual conversation in her statement when her team said she declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message. The lie was never about the word b####, It was always whether there was a call or not and the tone of the conversation.”
Swift’s publicist, Tree Paine, countered, “I’m Taylor’s publicist and this is my UNEDITED original statement. Btw, when you take parts out, that’s editing. P.S. who did you guys p### off to leak that video?” She continued, “Kanye did not call for approval, but to ask Taylor to release his single ‘Famous’ on her Twitter account. She declined and cautioned him about releasing a song with such a strong misogynistic message. Taylor was never made aware of the actual lyrics, ‘I made that b#### famous.’”
A new drama series based on USHER’s music is in the works. It has been announced that a new drama series based on Black love, inspired by the performer’s music, is in development at Universal Studio Group’s Universal Content Productions (UCP).
According to the official description, the as-yet-untitled series will center around “Black love and individuals looking to find a place to call home. The series will explore music, style, sex, romance and secrets that threaten to tear relationships apart.”
The eight-time Grammy winner will executive produce the series alongside screenwriter Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Katie Zucker and attorney Kenny Meiselas. A writer has not yet been attached to the project.
“My 30-year catalog has resonated with so many people no matter where they were in their lives,” USHER stated in a press release. “I’m happy to be working with UCP to bring the music to life. I hope the series resonates with you the way my music continues to.”
The announcement comes just days after USHER headlined the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show. He also released his ninth studio album, Coming Home, earlier this month.
The musician is set to kick off his upcoming tour, “Past Present Future,” supporting his new album on August 16 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
