There have been recent reports about LL Cool J not being invited to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Brunch. First of all, most of us are not invited and also most of us are not a peerless legend in Hip-Hop like LL Cool J. LL recently speculated that he believes he has not been invited because he once laughed at Jay-Z when he was a teenage rapper. There’s only a couple years between these guys age-wise. I suppose a teen LL could have fronted on Jay or something. But I am not so sure that is the issue.
Here’s the video of LL talking.
LL joked, “I love everybody. I don’t have no problems with none of these guys, man. If I laughed, okay, so what? Laugh at me. How many people have you laughed at or snapped on in the lunch room? Come on, B. Give your man a pass on that nonsense, man. This is ridiculous. I don’t even remember it. I laughed at you so now I can’t have no brunch? I can’t have no finger food?”
Sounds like LL really does want to go to the Roc Nation brunch. I think there’s more to it.
LL Cool J and Jay-Z had a seemingly cool relationship, but it hit a rough patch in 2006. LL eventually left the label he helped build, Def Jam. At the time, Jay was the president of the iconic recording house, but The Legend In Leather felt unappreciated and taken for granted. When Jay-Z became el presidente, he seemed to favor the younger acts more than the King. In a 2007 interview on VH1’s Behind the Music, LL expressed his frustration, saying, “That hurt. That was painful, and that created a lot of bruised blood in my spirit.”
Jay-Z stepped down in 2006, but it seemed like the damage was done. The word is 50 Cent had to mediate peace between LL and Jay. That’s weird. I wonder if that is true? I remember when they were both at an awards show and LL was giving Jay the iciest grill I had ever seen. Then everything was cool! I am not sure if LL was purposefully overlooked or he simply is one of the stars that simply has not been invited to the biggest brunch in urban America.
LL has so much going on, tours, Rock The Bells and more. Jay and he are doing the dang thing. Salute.
Amidst a nasty child custody trial, rapper Roddy Ricch has been accused of drug abuse— an accusation that could cause a potential block in the case and persuade the court to side with his children’s mother.
The “Ballin” chart-topper, whose real name is Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr., has a three-year-old child with Alexandra Kiser, however, their happy family is experiencing turbulent times, according to Radar Online.
She alleges, not only does she want full custody, but is seeking $20,000 a month in child support for the toddler’s care.
Kiser’s attorney says he can afford it because he is so rich.
“(He) is a very successful and highly paid entertainer who goes by the name of Roddy Ricch. He has a net worth of approximately $25,000,000. He commands fees of $500,000 for appearances,” the court documents filed on her behalf read.
She claimed in court that she believes he made $10 million in 2022.
The child’s mother says the rapper chooses his career over their child, missing milestone moments.
Her complaint states her baby daddy “lives his life without any regard to his parental obligation or responsibility to spend time” with their child.
“Rodrick misses important holidays with him, including this past holiday season,” she told the court. “I was hurt to find out on Christmas Eve when he came back from his trip that he hadn’t gotten or planned anything for our son for Christmas.”
While she says the rap star doesn’t spend time with his child anyway, she also says he is a drug addict, addicted to a sedative called Promethazine.
She is also hoping a judge blocks him from evicting her and the child from the home he pays for and stopping payments on the car to get her and the child around.
“He also leased the car for me in June of 2020 as a birthday gift and now wants me to pay for that as well. Rodrick opened a bank account for me last year with his bank so that he could send support to me more easily but money has never been deposited into that account,” she claimed.
Roddy Ricch has not commented on the custody trial.
He did tweet, “Allow nothing to disturb your peace,” which could be a subliminal shot at Kiser.
Of course I am happy with anybody that is also happy. At the same time, I realize this is the end of the dream in my head. The dream that I would have a path to be with Ashanti.
Nelly and Ashanti were spotted together in Las Vegas last month, hand in hand. According to sources with ET, the couple is “very happy” and “really enjoying their time together.” During the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight, the two were seen walking through T-Mobile Arena.
They also performed their hit “Body on Me” at a pool party like teenage lovers. The singers had an on-again, off-again romance that officially ended in 2014 but now appear to have reconciled. Nelly shared that time has allowed them to reflect on their past and see things differently, leading to their current friendship and romantic connection. Ashanti previously played coy when asked about the possibility of them getting back together.
At the end of the day, Ashanti wants that baby and Nelly is the man to give it to her. Could have been an illseed, but that’s for another life. Anyway! God bless and nobody can be feeling worse that Irv Gotti. He said some weird, nasty stuff about our Ashanti! But she has found her peace anyway. Lets pray that Nelly does right by her and we all get to see another royal couple emerge.
Tory Lanez is behind the wall after being convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. But the rapper made a preemptive move before his incarceration. He recorded a song, which just dropped. On “Ginobili,” the rapper melodically rhymes to his detractors. He does not specify, but it certainly feels like he’s talking about the high profile case. “All of you n#ggas that s###### on me, I promise you’ll reap what you sow,” he spews. The Canadian-born artists faces up to 22 years in prison and deportation.
This week, Chance The Rapper officially announced Acid Rap concerts at the Barclays Center in New York City on August 26 and at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 21.
Acid Rap dropped in April 2013. The groundbreaking project featured BJ the Chicago Kid, Vic Mensa, Twista, Saba, Childish Gambino, Action Bronson, Noname, and more acts.
Chance The Rapper’s Acid Rap earned a Best Mixtape nomination at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards. The reviews website Metacritic lists Acid Rap with an 86/100 score which signifies universal acclaim.
In addition, then-President Barack Obama added the Acid Rap track “Acid Rain” to his 2016 Summer Playlist. Chance rereleased Acid Rap on streaming services in June 2019. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart that year.
Thirteen acts will enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 Class. Hip Hop representatives Missy Elliott and DJ Kool Herc made the final list for this year.
Audacy interviewed Greg Harris, the CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, about the latest inductees. In particular, Harris reflected on the two Hip Hop selections during that conversation.
“We have roughly a dozen Hip Hop artists in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Missy is the first [female rapper],” said Greg Harris. “This was her first year of eligibility. She went right in. First-year nominated, first-year eligible.”
Greg Harris added, “Such a unique sound – groundbreaking, pioneering, and influential. And so we’re thrilled she’s in.” Virginia native Missy Elliott burst onto the music scene with her classic 1997 album Supa Dupa Fly.
Many music historians recognize DJ Kool Herc as one of the original creators of Hip Hop culture. Hip Hop enthusiasts often cite Herc’s “Back to School Jam” on August 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, as the starting point of Hip Hop.
“I do think because it’s the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and we have the godfather, the founder, Kool Herc, going in, and the event is in New York… I think we should expect something like that as at least part of the show,” said Greg Harris about a possible Hip Hop tribute at the upcoming Rock Hall ceremony.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will formally induct Missy Elliott, DJ Kool Herc, and the rest of the Class of 2023 on November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
According toEntertainment Tonight, the St. Louis-bred rhymer and New York native have rekindled their relationship. A source told the outlet, “Nelly and Ashanti are back together and both of them are very happy.”
Nelly and Ashanti first began dating in 2003. They supposedly met at a press conference for that year’s Grammy Awards ceremony. The two Grammy winners called it quits 10 years later.
Ashanti addressed the gossip of a potential rekindling of a romance with Nelly during a December 2022 episode of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live. A viewer asked Ashanti about the viral clip of her performing with Nelly in Vegas.
“I saw a lot of comments and my reaction was… wow,” Ashanti said about possibly reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend. “It was a lot of comments and a lot of people wanting that. What I will say is we’re in a better place.”
Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones continues to partner with the AXE brand. On July 11, the Atlanta native and AXE will launch a new manga titled Shonen Baby.
Fans can only access Lil Baby’s upcoming “digital art experience” by purchasing an AXE product from the Fine Fragrance Collection at Walmart. They will then receive Shonen Baby as a downloadable digital comic.
“Manga is incredibly popular among our guys, and we know how much of a manga fan Lil Baby is,” says Caroline Gregory, Global Brand Director at AXE.
Gregory continues, “We wanted to bring fans closer to the Lil Baby universe, scaling up our presence in the metaverse through a fresh and interactive digital experience to showcase all that the AXE Fine Fragrance Collection has to offer.”
AXE released a 15-second teaser for Shonen Baby on the company’s YouTube channel. In addition, the July 11 virtual launch event will feature exclusive clips from Baby and a Q&A with the creative team behind the manga.
“I’m a huge anime fan because that genre tells powerful stories with a lot of energy and action,” says Lil Baby.
He adds, “I was all in on the chance to co-produce an AXE manga. I got to flex my creative skills and share another part of my story. I hope people enjoy this other medium from me.”
Memphis-bred rapper GloRilla sparked an online debate yesterday. One tweet from the “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” hitmaker went viral.
“Being da smartest person in da room is NOT a flex 💯,” tweeted GloRilla on Wednesday morning. That post collected over 3.8 million views on the Twitter platform.
GloRilla did not elaborate on her take, but she did return to Twitter to double down on her point. The Interscope recording artist wrote, “And if you think it’s a flex, [it] says a lot about you, 😂😂d######.”
2022’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” became GloRilla’s breakout song. The collaboration with record producer Hitkidd peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “F.N.F.” earned Glo her first Grammy nomination.
GloRilla followed up “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” by dropping “Tomorrow 2” with Cardi B. That Gold-certified single debuted at No. 9 on the Hot 100 and remained on the chart for twenty-two weeks.
The trailblazing artist acknowledged the significance of the historic achievement in a series of social media posts. She also expressed her gratitude following the Class of 2023 announcements Wednesday (May 3).
“I want to say this is HUGE not for just me but all my Sisters in HIPHOP,” Missy Elliott declared. “This door is now OPEN to showcase the hard work & what many of us contribute to MUSIC. I have cried all morning because I am GRATEFUL thank you.”
After admitting “I can’t stop crying,” Missy Elliott also took the time to congratulate the other music icons welcomed into the Hall of Fame. Among them, Chaka Khan, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, and many more.
“I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to all the other LEGENDARY artist who will now be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” she penned. “They have committed DECADES of hard work and IMPACT on music. I thank you for the TIMELESS music you have shared with the World.”
In a follow-up tweet, Missy Elliott thanked God and her supporters for giving her the strength to persevere.
“It’s times I have gotten on line & seen your irrelevant your a flop your washed up & it would crush me at times. BUT God you made me STRONG I kept going & you allowed my decades of WORK to SPEAK 4 itself. I am HUMBLED thank you all my Supporters. I LOVE YOU.” Read her tweets below.
I want to say this is HUGE not for just me but all my Sisters in HIPHOP this door is now OPEN to showcase the hard work & what many of us contribute to MUSIC. I have cried all morning because I am GRATEFUL thank you @rockhall & all on the committee & Supafriends💜 https://t.co/agHv7puauj
I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to all the other LEGENDARY artist who will now be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame👑 They have committed DECADES of hard work and IMPACT on music I thank you for the TIMELESS music you have shared with the World🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💜 https://t.co/w1NbHM7oVM
It’s times I have gotten on line & seen your irrelevant your a flop your washed up & it would crush me at times🥺BUT God you made me STRONG I kept going & you allowed my decades of WORK to SPEAK 4 itself🙏🏾 I am HUMBLED thank you all my Supporters💜 I LOVE YOU💜 pic.twitter.com/gkHUttWoU5
Janet Jackson & Ciara Pay Tribute To Missy Elliott
The Portsmouth, Virginia native was congratulated by some of her famous friends, including Janet Jackson. “I’m SO proud of you sis!!!! 😘😘😘,’ she tweeted.
Ciara also hopped on Twitter to thank Missy Elliott for inspiring her fellow artists.
“You deserve it all! Will never stop thanking you for the inspiration you give us all! I love you so much!,” wrote Ciara.
Congratulations to my sis @MissyElliott on being inducted into the @rockhall!! You deserve it all! Will never stop thanking you for the inspiration you give us all! I love you so much! pic.twitter.com/FJffNr00UH
Snoop Dogg said artists should take a leaf out of the striking writers‘ book and take action over streaming models.
The Death Row honcho showed solidarity with the Writers Guild of America strike over compensation, questioning, “where the f### is the money.” He addressed the topic during a panel with his business partner Gamma’s Larry Jackson and Shirley Halperin, Variety‘s executive music editor.
“[Artists] need to figure it out the same way the writers are figuring it out,” Snoop stated. “The writers are striking because [of] streaming, they can’t get paid. Because when it’s on the platform, it’s not like in the box office.”
Snoop Dogg Asks “Where The F### Is The Money?”
He continued, “I don’t understand how the f### you get paid off of that s###. Somebody explain to me how you can get a billion streams and not get a million dollars?… That’s the main gripe with a lot of us artists is that we do major numbers… but it don’t add up to the money. Like where the f### is the money?” Check out the clip below and watch the panel at the end of the page.
Last month, Snoop Dogg announced a partnership with Gamma that includes a long-term licensing agreement. The multimedia platform now has exclusive global rights to market and distribute the Death Row Records catalog. During the Milken Institutes’ Global Conference panel, Larry Jackson discussed Gamma’s “revolutionary” compensation structure.
“Snoop could’ve gone to any three of [the major labels]… but [he] would be getting paid on a biannual basis. But now [that Gamma] has the… financial analytics dashboard, we’re paying Snoop once a month,” Jackson explained. “There are certain artists that are coming to our distribution company and getting paid once a week — you gotta understand how revolutionary this is, this doesn’t exist in the music business like this.”
The Gamma founder also opened up about royalty rates and streams on YouTube Shorts, claiming they received $16,000 for 500 million streams.
“YouTube, y’all m############ need to break bread or fake dead,” Snoop Dogg replied.
Timbaland has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to make his dream collaboration a reality.
The superproducer always wanted to work with The Notorious B.I.G. but never got the chance before the legendary Brooklyn rapper’s untimely passing. Nonetheless he used AI to produce a deep fake Biggie song over an original Timbaland beat.
Timbaland acknowledged the significant issues AI technology presents but believes he has an answer. He took to Instagram Wednesday (May 3), to share the song while espousing the potential benefits of the new tech.
“We know that it’s a lot of talk about AI and feelings of violating certain things,” Timbaland explained. “But let me tell you something. I got a solution, we’re working on it.”
He continued, “It’s gon’ be beneficial to everybody but in the meantime, I got to share something I’ve been working on because I always wanted to do this, and I never got the chance to. I always wanted to work with Big and I never got a chance to until today. It came out right. PLAY!” said Timbaland before previewing the song.
Check out the track where a deep fake Biggie raps about other slain rappers.
While fans in Timbaland’s comments section were divided, Snoop Dogg is clear about cloning dead rappers’ voices to make new music.
Last month the Death Row honcho was asked about a possible AI-generated Biggie and Tupac album.
“I don’t really know about that, with the AI,” he told Baller Alert. “Because, that’s kinda like, computerized voices. You know? [But] I think if they can find some old tracks with their vocals, and put them together, that sounds better to me.”
Desiigner has updated fans after checking himself into a mental health facility after being hit with charges for allegedly exposing himself during a flight.
The “Panda” rapper took to Instagram on Wednesday night (May 3), revealing he checked in to a facility last week but still wants to give his fans the music he’s been working on over the past year.
“I turned 26 today and i want to thank ya’ll for holding me down,” Desiigner began. “I admitted myself into a facility last week to focus on my mental health. But before that i had planned to release TIIMMY TURNER 2 this week as a surprise to my fans. I recorded this joint a while ago and it reflects on where i’ve been mentally over the past year.”
Desiigner explained he asked his team to drop the song Friday (May 5) as a birthday gift to his fans. “Sorry i can’t promote it the way i like to cause i’m off the grid,” he added. “But i just want to give you some new music while i take time away to become a better me. ”
He continued, “I’m going through a tough time right now but i won’t let my struggles define who i am. I will come back stronger and make more music that connects with all of you on a deeper level.” Desiigner concluded by urging others to seek help if their suffering from mental health issues. Read his post below.
Desiigner Facing Criminal Charges After Admitting To Masturbating During Flight
The Brooklyn native reportedly faces indecent exposure charges after allegedly masturbating on a plane and revealing himself to multiple people. Flight attendants allegedly told him several times to stop before friends escorted the rapper to the back of the plane.
After landing, he allegedly told authorities the incident occurred because he “didn’t really get much cootie” while in Japan.
Heem, a member of BSF, concluded his 2020 by releasing his Long Story Short project. Since then, he has been active by contributing to several tracks, including DJ Premier’s “Times Is Rough” and Grafh’s “Promise.” On May 12, he is set to unveil his second album, titled “From The Cradle To The Game.” For the album’s lead track, he collaborated with Conway The Machine and Stove God Cooks, both of whom are favorites of DopeHouse. The result of their collaboration is “Cocaine County,” which serves as a preview of the upcoming project.
What TF is going on? I swear to God, this country is going to hell in a hand basket. I cannot really conceptualize what it is to murder somebody that this ex-marine found out. Apparently, it is legal to kill Black homeless people, because the man walked with no charges at the time of this writing.
According to eye-witness, disturbing videos on social media, a homeless man was murdered on the New York City subway on Wednesday after being put in a chokehold for 15 minutes (15 MINUTES? TWICE AND MUCH TIME AS GEORGE FLOYD!!!!). The man must think he’s a hero because he referred to himself as a vigilante. For those of you that don’t know the English language, a vigilante is somebody that takes the law in his/her/their own hands.
The victim, the homeless man, has been identified as Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old Black man, who was asking people on the train for food. According to reports, Neely became “aggressive” and started screaming at people, according to witnesses. Neely also reportedly said he didn’t care about going to jail and threw his jacket on the ground.
A white passenger, the unnamed ex-marine, then put Neely in a chokehold, killing him according to witnesses. Remember 15 minutes. EMS workers tried to revive him after the brazen assault, but Neely did not make it. Juan Alberto Vasquez told the New York Post that they did not think the brother was going to die and that he had simply “passed out or ran out of air.” He also said Neely had not posed a physical threat to anyone.
And yet, the still unnamed 24-year-old white a$$ ex-Marine was taken in custody and released without charges. Why didn’t Jonathan Majors get this treatment? Anyway, this is BS. I will say this, they are talking about charging him. This is all BS and nonsense to me! That is straight up murder!
Drake asked potential buyers to pay $88 million for his lavish estate in Beverly Hills, California.
According to TMZ, Drake sought to sell his 25-square-foot estate a year after buying it from singer Robbie Williams. The OVO star listed the property for $88 million, which is much more than the $75 million he paid for it.
Drake’s Beverly Hills estate features seven bedrooms and a garage big enough for 11 cars. The property includes an elevator, game room, gym, pool, tennis court, wine cellar and more.
Last year, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford bought two of Drake’s Hidden Hills houses for $11 million. The Canadian rapper also sold his “YOLO Estate” for $12 million.
Drake put his Beverly Hills estate on the market after rearranging the dates for his It’s All a Blur Tour. The tour was originally supposed to start in New Orleans on June 16, but he rescheduled various dates for it to start in Memphis on June 29.
The hitmaker added a dozen shows as part of the revamped schedule. The new dates include stops in Memphis, Columbus, Milwaukee and Denver.
Drake’s tour will wrap up with two concerts in Toronto in October. Find tickets for the shows here.
A Tribe Called Quest wasn’t on the list of the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees on Wednesday (May 3), the second time the group has failed to make the cut. Q-Tip’s cousin and Tribe affiliate Consequence didn’t hold back his feelings when it came to discussing the topic.
“I’m going in everybody’s faces right to make sure Hip-Hop remembers who’s getting snubbed,” he says in the clip. “This is the family tree […] This the tree that brought you G.O.O.D. Music. This the tree that allowed Common Sense to be Common. This is the right hand mans of De La Soul. Stop me when I’m lying […] We gonna stop putting disrespect on their names. We’re not going to do that […] On the political side, what I ain’t really feeling is we gotta explain 0 for two?”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrzAARWNMzI/?hl=en
Consequence expanded his thoughts in the caption, writing, “Trent sent me the @billboard article discussing @atcq SNUB as it relates to this year’s Inductees for the @rockhall. I must admit that what Trent sent me revved me up because as you guys know I am 100 over my family. Whether I deal with them everyday or NOT. For the narrative to now be that A Tribe Called Quest is 0-2 with @rockhall becomes an issue of value and politics.
“The ‘concentrated push’ is based on maneuvering between politics and popularity. NOT the value or merit of the musical catalogue and/or its compositions. I feel no anger or venom towards the @rockhall but I do think a conversation is needed at this point because of the domino effect of perception. Congratulations to Missy Elliott, Kool Herc, Chaka Khan and Don Cornelius, Sheryl Crow and everyone who has been Inducted this year!!! All I ask is that you … Do Right By My Family.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation tapped LL COOL J to announce the members of the Class of 2023. Missy Elliott joins Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against The Machine, The Spinners and Willie Nelson in the performer category.
Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc will receive the Rock Hall’s Musical Influence Award, R&B singer Chaka Khan will receive the Musical Excellence Award, while Soul Train creator Don Cornelius will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Other 2023 honorees include Link Wray, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin.
Jamie Foxx addressed the public for the first time since he suffered an undisclosed medical emergency in April.
The entertainer thanked his Instagram followers in a post on Wednesday (May 3). He spoke out via social media after several outlets reported he remained in the hospital.
“Appreciate all the love!!!” he wrote. “Feeling blessed.”
Jamie Foxx’s medical complications will prevent him from hosting his game showBeat Shazam. FOX announced Nick Cannon will step in as the temporary host.
“Nick Cannon has offered to fill in as guest host for his friends, Jamie and Corinne Foxx,” FOX revealed. “Kelly Osbourne will be filling in as guest DJ. Everyone at FOX Entertainment wishes Jamie well as he continues his recovery, and we greatly appreciate Nick’s willingness to jump in and help this summer.”
Jamie Foxx thanked Nick Cannon for taking over the hosting duties on Instagram Stories.
“Appreciate ya my boy @nickcannon,” the multi-hyphenate wrote. “See u all soon.”
Jamie Foxx was working on a movie titled Back in Action before his medical emergency occurred. His family asked for privacy following the health scare.
Back in Action reportedly resumed filming by using stunt doubles. The film co-stars Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close.
A Maryland-based producer sued 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Scott Storch and more for copyright infringement.
According to court documents obtained by Music Business Worldwide, David W. Smith claimed 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” and Terror Squad’s “Lean Back” were substantially similar to Smith’s song “WHACHACOM4?” Smith believed the defendants were “specifically aware” of his song, which dropped in 2003.
“Plaintiff authored the music in the Copyrighted Work in or about 2002,” Smith’s lawyer wrote. “Plaintiff subsequently collaborated with an individual named Molik S. Hippolyte, a rapper who performed under the name ‘Moe Wet,’ who authored the words and lyrics in the Copyrighted Work. In January 2003, Plaintiff and Molik recorded the Copyrighted Work on Plaintiff’s digital audio workstation. Plaintiff first published the Copyrighted Work on April 22, 2003.”
Smith cited “striking similarities” between his song and “Lean Back,” including the principal melodies and percussion effects. He dismissed the notion of Scott Scorch creating the beat based on a melody hummed by Fat Joe.
“[Fat Joe], [Remy Ma] and Defendant Storch copied substantial qualitative and quantitative portions of the sound recording and/or musical composition of the Copyrighted Work, including constituent elements that are original,” the lawsuit argued.
Smith reiterated many of the same allegations in his complaint against “Candy Shop.” He noted Fat Joe allegedly co-produced the 50 Cent single with Scott Storch.
“[Fat Joe] and Defendant Storch misappropriated compositional and structural musical elements that exist in the Copyrighted Work when co-producing the [50 Cent] Copyrighted Work,” Smith’s lawyer contended.
Smith asked for a percentage of the revenue from “Candy Shop” and “Lean Back” as well as damages. He listed 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Scott Storch and several record labels as defendants.
“Godfather of Harlem” tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) who in the early 1960s returned from 11 years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles.
Season 3 found Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem.
Bumpy taking on the Cuban mob put himself, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but also the Latin assassins, and ultimately the CIA.
The series is also a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
Swizz Beatz has been the executive music producer for the series since inception, and the hitmaker certainly delivered some eargasmic records.
Swizz spoke with AllHipHop’s Rea Davis about working with Jadakiss on “Hustle, Repeat,” crafting music for the ’60s time period, episodes around the Civil Rights Movement that impacted him, and the future of Verzuz.
AllHipHop: What was it like working with your brother Jadakiss on that single [“Hustle, Repeat”]?
Swizz Beatz: Aww man. Get money, hustle, repeat. Working with my brother Jada, I mean that’s what he does. He gets money, hustle, repeat since ‘98, and to be able to have him be a part of “Godfather of Harlem” has just been like a dream come true to bring your family on the ride with you, and be a part of something so epic with Forest Whitaker. The show is the only thing like it on TV, and I had to bring my bro in, so it was an honor.
AllHipHop: You are such a creative. You’ve been doing this for so long. Did you face any challenges with crafting music that fits the ‘60s timeframe?
Swizz Beatz: I didn’t really have a problem making the music because I was allowed to do what I wanted to do. Because I was able to pick like songs to where you didn’t know what time period it was. You just know what you felt when you were watching the film, and that’s the thing. I may put an old school vibe in it, but it’ll have a new school person on it, or an unknown person on it. You know we didn’t really go for what’s the hits on the radio. We went for what made the film look amazing, and what made Bumpy Johnson look great.
AllHipHop: So each season, you get to change the musical landscape because of the year in which the show takes place, how did you change the landscape and push the envelope in Season 3?
Swizz Beatz: Well Season 3 had more of a Latin vibe with Jose Battle, which was a gangsta in the streets, also a C.I.A. agent. Then we were dealing with Cuba, and so we were able to mix a Latin feel into it, which we didn’t have in Season 2. So, I love these challenges to be able to like deal with the surprises. So it was like, okay, this season we are going to lean more towards the Latin vibe. Jade Herrera’s going to do the speech, and they are going to try to assassinate him. Malcom X… so this is going to be the vibe and the tone. Okay we got the notes; let’s deliver.
AllHipHop: Knowing what Black people have faced in this country, were there any scenes that made you emotional?
Swizz Beatz: Knowing what we dealt with in this country as African and African Americans, a lot of scenes, they really definitely touched me. Everything Malcolm went through touched me. Everything Ali went through touched me. Even the gangster himself, what Bumpy Johnson had to go through because when you look at what he really was doing, he was really trying to change his environment and change the community although he had to start off in a negative way. He was eventually trying to get to a positive way, but he just faced so many challenges getting to that way, and a lot of us we start from the negative, and we start from the poor and the weak because that’s the cards we were dealt. I look at myself as coming from the Bronx to racing camels in Saudi Arabia and to graduating from Harvard. You know um, we look at a person like Bumpy that we might can ridicule and say all of the negative things, but there were a lot of positive things that he did, so that was an educational point for me, as well. It’s not how you start; it’s how you end it, although his didn’t end all the way well, but I know that’s where he wanted to go.
AllHipHop: Who are your Top 5 favorite producers and Top 5 favorite rappers dead or alive?
Swizz Beatz: I’m bad with “Top 5’s.” I’m not gonna lie because l commend all of the producers, you know whether they were hot yesterday or hotter today. I just commend them for even giving their time to the craft and contributing to music. I could easily say Dr. Dre, this one, that one, but it was so many other producers that even inspired Dre, that even inspired me, that inspired so many producers. I just give my hat off to all of the producers that took their time out to do something positive and give our community and our culture some sh#t we could dance to.
AllHipHop: What’s next for Verzuz?
Swizz Beatz: Verzuz is coming back real soon. You know like um, sometimes you gotta take time out to regroup. What we built was phenomenal in the pandemic which lasted outside the pandemic, but the company got so big that we had to regroup. The way we are coming back…we’re coming back unexpected. We’re coming back new. We’re coming back fun. We’re coming back creative. The things that we were when we started. Just know that we are taking this time out to come back in a bigger and better way. [A way] that the people are going to love.
