In an explosive revelation, Kanye West and his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s former bodyguard, Steve Stanulis, said he did not believe the two had a loving relationship.
Stanulis, who worked as their bodyguard for 15 days in 2016. Now he is premiering his tell-all documentary, “15 Days With Kanye,” and pushing how cold the two were to each other.
“It was like I discovered the Titanic,” he said. “I’ve never seen them snuggly or hold hands or anything romantic. You know, even like when they were together, they kissed each other goodbye, and I don’t mean like make out. I mean just like, ‘Hey, see you later, hun.’ I never saw any affection.”
Adding, “I just thought it was odd. I’d be with them sometimes 17, 18 hours a day, and she’d be doing her thing, and then he’d do his thing.”
He did admit he received a cease-and-desist letter from their attorneys. He also was finally paid the almost $4,000 he was owed for working those two weeks with the couple.
“15 Days with Kanye” will premiere on January 19th, 2023, at the New York City International Film Festival.
She called her time in the city “the most racist f##king demoralizing experience,” and said she was “too Black and beautiful to have a bunch of white people in [her] face playing with me over their weak ass currency.”
“I’m so sorry you guys – actually I’m not sorry – but listen last time I was in Brisbane and y’all threw s### on the stage and damn near almost f###### hit me in the face with a f###### bottle of soda or whatever that s### was,” she said in a video.
“That was the most racist, most demoralizing experience of my f###### life and right now I’m on a really good track. Brisbane, y’all are just going to have to take the L and smoke it,” she said.
“A few stupid ratbags in a mosh pit aren’t representative of our proud multicultural city, where around 1 in 3 residents were born overseas,” Schrinner captioned on Instagram.
“I encourage anyone who has been let down by Azealia’s selfish snub to instead support some of Brisbane’s incredible local acts.”
Many Aussies voiced their opinion on what was called a “selfish snub” by the African American artist.
One wrote on Bank’s Instagram under her video, “Tell us all again why [you] came back if [you] hate Australia so much for something that happened years ago? And please explain how throwing a bottle is racist?”
“People were throwing stuff cause your music’s sh*t and they wanted you off stage,” another wrote.
“No racism down under,” one more person commented. “Just people who don’t like sh*t music.”
The last person is wrong.
Just recently, according to an article called “The Darkness Down Under,” the country has been in the news about its treatment of indigenous people, who despite making up only “3.2 percent of Australia’s total population, yet they account for almost 30 percent of the country’s prison population.” Sounds pretty familiar, huh?
The article, published in the Daily Beast, states, “[The] history of Australia’s colonization—Aboriginal lands were taken without treaty, consent, or compensation—and the protracted struggle for equality and justice, it’s not surprising that First Nations people view police with deep fear and suspicion.”
Adding, “For more than 150 years, it was police and their trackers (both black and white) who were responsible for many of the massacres of Aboriginal people. It was governments and their police who often turned a blind eye to the vigilantes who ‘cleared’ the country of its rightful owners. It was police who took children from their families and facilitated their ‘re-education’ in state and religious institutions.”
Banks might be bratty, but statistics show she might not be wrong about the prejudice in the continent country.
Reacting to the sad news, Ellen took to Twitter to pay tribute to her friend, who served as the DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for many years.
“I’m heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him,” she wrote. “Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children – Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.”
In addition, a number of other celebrities remembered Stephen via social media posts, including Jimmie Allen, Questlove, Yvette Nicole Brown, Paul Feig, Jason Alexander, and Leah Remini.
In her message, Kerry Washington described the star as a “bright light.”
“The world lost a bright light today. Twitch brought joy and love to people all over the world through music and through dance,” she commented. “My heart is heavy today for his family and all of those who knew and loved him.”
Elsewhere, Adam Lambert noted he was “shocked and saddened.” “tWitch was a warm, joyful, and loving person that I had the honor of working with on tv a bit. Always the most genuine and down to earth and humble energy. Sending his family my deepest sympathies,” he posted.
And Dwayne Johnson offered his condolences to Stephen’s family too.
“Man I am so sorry to hear the heartbreaking news about Twitch. Great guy. Sending his family all the love, light, strength and mana. I’ve lost a lot of friends to the struggle. You never know what’s happening between the ears. So sorry Boss family. Stay strong,” he added.
Stephen and his fellow “So You Think You Can Dance” alum Allison Holker Boss married in 2013. They had two children together – Maddox, six, and Zaia, three – and he also adopted her 14-year-old daughter Weslie.
Gunna got his walking papers after affirming that Young Slime Life was a gang and accepting a plea deal, and now two additional members of YSL, Lil Duke and Slimelife Shawty, were released from jail.
However, Slimelife Shawty, the artist whose real name is Wunnie Lee, said he didn’t “snitch” to get out.
He took to social media to tell his 436,000 fans on Instagram to clear up any misconceptions that might arise now that he is a free man.
“Yea I’m home, ain have to snitch to get here d***head. I admitted you slime life was a gang c## it ain’t illegal for no group to be a gang look it up that don’t hurt nobody anybody can be a gang, plus the founder already admitted it stupid,” Slimelife said on his IG Story.
He added, “What I pose to say if a founder admitted it. What I den do was say Yes it’s a fact people in YSL commit crimes like murder and ect c## ion no nun bout that.”
Joe Coscarelli, a writer for the New York Times, took to social media, to explain that Lil Duke also accepted a plea deal, signing it a year and a half ago while he had a #1 song on Billboard.
“Like Gunna, Slimelife Shawty faced just one count: conspiracy to violate RICO,” he tweeted. “Lil Duke of YSL also took a plea deal today a year and a half ago, these guys were on a Billboard No. 1 album.”
A 63-year-old man was attacked in Central Park, New York on Wednesday (December 14) in what the New York Police Department is calling an antisemitic incident.
The victim was strolling in the park when he was ambushed from behind by a man in his mid-40s. As a result of the attack, the victim fell and suffered wounds, including a broken hand and a chipped tooth. The suspect reportedly yelled antisemitic slurs at the victim, as well as “Kanye 2024,” before escaping on a bicycle with a trailer attached and a sign that read: “Hungry Disabled.”
Scott Richman, who heads up the New York/New Jersey division of the Anti-Defamation League in New York/New Jersey, told CNN Ye’s antisemitic rants have emboldened people to commit crimes against Jewish people.
“When public figures with huge platforms fan the flames of antisemitism, people will copy it and begin to think it’s normal,” Richman told the outlet.
The victim is in stable condition, and the suspect is still at large.
Officers are asking for the public’s help in identifying the assailant, who is described as a light-complexioned man wearing a brown jacket, multi-colored hat, beige pants and white sneakers. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
According to ABC7 New York, there was a 70 percent increase in hate crimes in New York City last month compared to the same month the previous year, with a particularly high increase in antisemitic attacks, which rose by 125 percent. The NYPD released data showing there were 45 hate crimes motivated by antisemitism in November, compared to 20 in November 2021.
Antisemitic hate crimes have been rising throughout the year, with concerns about racism on social media being cited as a contributing factor. Mayor Eric Adams has pointed to social media as a major spreader of hate, while Richman has noted social media allows both good and bad voices to be heard and allows haters to find others with similar hateful views.
Kanye West has faced widespread condemnation for praising Adolf Hitler and making antisemitic comments during recent interviews. During one shocking conversation with far-right radio commentator Alex Jones of Infowars, West stated he sees “good things about Hitler also” and launched into an antisemitic tirade, stating “every human being has something of value that they brought to the table – especially Hitler.”
In response, the Anti-Defamation League’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, described West’s comments as “vicious,” while the Republican Jewish Coalition “vehemently condemned” the rapper and called on political leaders to “reject these messengers of hate.”
Nick Cannon has explained why his late son Zen Cannon didn’t undergo chemotherapy.
During an appearance on “The Checkup with Dr David Agus,” the television personality reflected on his and Alyssa Scott’s decision to forgo chemotherapy for their son Zen after discovering their baby had brain cancer.
Zen died in December 2021 of the condition at five months old. Nick recalled, “Seeing your son hooked up to all of those machines – and he had to go for a shunt two or three times, and that was heartbreaking every time – even in that short amount of time, I couldn’t imagine him having to go through chemo.”
Alyssa and Nick reportedly realized chemotherapy would “suck everything out” of their baby, with doctors telling them the “best case scenario” was for Zen to live for “three or four years.”
Nick also said doctors told the couple the treatment would “not really” extend the child’s life.
In the end, they wanted to prioritize Zen’s “quality of life” and give him the “best existence he could have” in the time they had left.
Nick reflected on his journey of undergoing chemotherapy for his lupus and what treatment would have been like for Zen.
“My hair was falling out. I wouldn’t even call it pain; it just sucked everything out of you,” he revealed, adding, “I couldn’t imagine that on a newborn and what that would do.”
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have unveiled the first glimpse of their new baby. On Saturday (December 17), the Barbadian billionaire uploaded video of her son to TikTok, giving her 6.1 million followers a peek into her new life as a mother. In the clip, Rihanna giggles as the baby smiles at her. She asks, “Are you trying to get mommy’s phone?” From there, it looks like the baby is trying to put the phone in his mouth.
Rihanna also shared a handful of photos of the couple’s seven-month old, the first since his birth in May. The pregnancy reveal arrived in January with an exclusive photo shoot obtained by PEOPLE. The couple was photographed in New York City, where Rihanna debuted her baby bump wearing a long pink jacket. Her oversized outerwear was unbuttoned at the bottom to reveal her growing bump adorned in a gold cross with colorful jewels.
Speaking to Vogue last month, Rihanna admitted she’s still adjusting to the work-life balancing act motherhood requires.
“I used to get tired and just push through and keep going,” she said. “This is a tired that you have no control over it. Your body is shutting down,” the 34-year-old confessed. “And just recently, I pushed through three days at the studio in a row – like, slept in the studio – to get a song done because it’s a project that’s really important to me coming out. I believed it, and I wanted to be a part of it, so I got it done.”
Rihanna is going to have a busy start to 2023. The superstar is performing at Super Bowl LVII in February and she’ll have to juggle being a mom, running her Fenty empire and working on new music at the same time. Rihanna finally returned with new music in November with the song “Lift Me Up” from the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film.
Weed is still very much illegal in the state of Idaho, something Nathan “Doggface” Apocada was reminded of recently. TMZreports Apocada, who went viral skateboarding to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” in 2020, was arrested by Idaho State Police over weed possession. Apocada was pulled over by a state trooper who noticed the tags on his red Chevy Silverado were expired.
The officer claimed he smelled marijuana, then noticed edibles in the glove box while Apocada was searching for his registration. Apocada was asked to step out of the car and fully admitted he was in possession. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper discovered three packages of THC gummies and a marijuana dab scraping tool with a sticky residue.
Apocada was arrested on two misdemeanor counts—marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia—booked into Bonneville County Jail and quickly released on $600 bond. Apocada told a different version of the story, saying, “The officers failed to read me my Miranda rights. Initially, when officers found weed they said they were only going to write a ticket. They then found a gun and told me I was under arrest because I had a felony on my record and I wasn’t allowed to possess a firearm.
“However, I do not have a felony on my record, which I told the officers. Despite me telling them this, I was taken into custody. I was held in jail for several hours without bond before they told me they made a huge mistake. Then I was told I was only being held on the weed charge and could bond out.”
Apocada is an outspoken advocate for the sticky icky icky. He made his rap debut on April 20, the international smoker’s holiday, with Snoop Dogg on “Low Rider (No Lighter).” His Instagram page, which boasts 2.6 million followers, is filled with videos of Apocada getting lit. It might be time for him to consider moving to another state.
Kehlani has claimed a fan sexually assaulted them as they were escorted through a crowd after a show in Manchester, England.
The “Honey” singer, who prefers they/them pronouns, told fans in a since-deleted Instagram Stories on Monday that they were sexually assaulted following their concert at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.
“I’ve made video after video after video and deleted it because I don’t want any video of me as angry, triggered, crying upset as I am anywhere,” they wrote. “I don’t care how sexual you deem my music, my performances, my fun with my friends dancing at clubs, or ME.”
The singer continued, “That does not give any of you the right to cross a boundary like sticking your hands up my skirt & pulling my underwear to TOUCH MY GENITALS as I am being escorted through a crowd after performing. This s### made me sick to my stomach. As a victim of sexual assault, I am endlessly triggered and mindblown.”
Kehlani previously opened up about their experience as a sexual assault survivor in a 2019 episode of the “Sunday Gems” podcast.
The European leg of their “Blue Water Road Trip Tour” just wrapped. They are set to begin the Pacific leg of the tour on January 20th, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand, and finish in Tokyo, Japan, on February 15th, according to their website.
Snoop Dogg and Master P rebranded their Snoop Loopz cereal after being forced to change the name.
The two announced their product’s new name, Snoop Cereal, in an Instagram video. Snoop Dogg and Master P’s video displayed three flavors of their cereal, which will be released in 2023.
‘When you are consistent in working hard and operating with integrity, God opens doors that no man can close,” Master P wrote on Instagram. “Instead of giving our customers one cereal, we now have three flavors. Our new cereal brand name is SNOOP CEREAL.”
He added, “Salute to everyone that has been on this journey with us, building Broadus Foods, a family name brand, as we create economic empowerment and opportunities for more minority-owned companies. @snoopdogg and I are humbled and honored to have a distribution deal with POST sharing our vision of adding diversity and helping us put Black-owned products into grocery stores nationwide.”
Earlier this month, Snoop Dogg revealed he and Master P weren’t allowed to use the Snoop Loopz name. The name presumably posed legal problems due to its similarity to Froot Loops, a long-established cereal brand.
Snoop Cereal is just one of the breakfast foods made by Snoop Dogg’s Broadus Foods, which he launched with the help of Master P. The company also offers grits, oatmeal, maple syrup and pancake mix as part of its Momma Snoop line.
Watch Snoop Dogg and Master P show off the flavors of Snoop Cereal below.
West Coast emcee Kendrick Lamar is back with his latest artistic vision. Lamar called on an Oscar-winning actress to make an appearance in the “Count Me Out” music video.
“Count Me Out” opens with the voice of British actress Helen Mirren. The 77-year-old Hollywood legend plays the protagonist’s therapist in the Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar-directed mini-film.
Throughout her career, Helen Mirren has won an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. She is best known for starring in productions such as The Queen, RED, F9, and Phil Spector.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Count Me Out” lives on the pgLang co-founder’s fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. That Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records-backed LP hit DSPs on May 13.
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart by opening with 295,000 first-week units. Kendrick Lamar’s most recent body of work pulled in over 343 million streams in its first seven days. Mr. Morale also found success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The Recording Academy nominated Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers for Best Rap Album and Album Of The Year for the upcoming 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Kendrick Lamar scored eight total nominations. He has already won 14 Grammys.
Additionally, Kendrick Lamar recently found out that Hip Hop icon Jay-Z enjoyed a lot of the Compton native’s music this year. Jay-Z chose the Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers cuts “N95,” “Rich Spirit,” and “Savior (Interlude)” for his annual “Year End Picks 2022” Tidal playlist.
Hip Hop continues to be one of the most popular genres of music on the club circuit and among music fans worldwide. Both indie and major artists are charting hits and gaining momentum on streaming platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, and other major music outlets.
Female rappers are rising to global recognition with artists like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion holding their own as modern rap stars. Their rapid-fire lyrical performances and fashion appeal are raising the bar for women in hip-hop with an emphasis on combining music and fashion in new ways to express their identity as artists. On the indie artists’ list, there is a new artist who is gaining momentum with solid talent in all of the above.
Jess Marie is a new hip-hop artist hailing out of North Carolina with talent that is undeniable when it comes to freestyle. At the same time, Jess Marie is an entrepreneur with a fashion-based company that is rising in popularity as a model of her success.
As an artist, Jess Marie has a signature flow dropping dope lyrics from written lyrics to freestyling off the cuff on the level of a veteran as a new artist. Jess’ natural skills on the mic and on-camera presence validate her position as the Queen of the Carolinas
Her new music release “Ay Papi” is lit with a cinematic music video that shows her creative process on the mic and her flawless fashion style. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jess Marie in a one-on-one interview to talk about her movement.
AllHipHop:When did you know that you were going to pursue music?
JM: I’ve always been musically inclined, but I actually started pursuing my career in music in 2017.
AllHipHop:Are you a model and stylist? Are these your passions as well?
JM: I’ve modeled in the past. I wouldn’t say I’m a model, just very photogenic. I am not a stylist, but I can put outfits together very well.
AllHipHop:What musical artists do you enjoy listening to who inspire you?
JM: I enjoy listening to all of the greats. To name a few, I’d say Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Jay-Z, J Cole, Monica, and Brandi.
AllHipHop:What inspired you to become a recording artist?
JM: What inspired me the most was really life’s obstacles. I go through things in life and write songs about it. I have a way with words, and I know how to put them together well.
AllHipHop:Tell us about what inspired you to record “Ay Papi”.
JM: “Ay Papi” was just a fun song that came about one night in the studio. After hearing the beat, it made me think of Diddy and Caresha’s interview on “Caresha Please” when Diddy mentioned he was a “250K Papi”.
AllHipHop:What is the message that you’d like to share with fans?
JM: Never give up on something you are passionate about. Even if and when the going gets tough, there is light at the end of the tunnel leading to success.
BoobieBlood, is gearing up to bless his fans with a slew of new material and frost upcomes to his “kome shop” project. The new collection from the Minnesota rapper is slated to arrive summer of 2023, which he announced on his Instagram story along with the release time frame, Boobieblood also posted his Album cover art for the project which features the rising hip-hop star counting money in front of a trap house with his recently signed wyldlyfe music group artist “Two8 Blocka”.
While fans can anticipate the project to be here by the summer, which he deems will be his best work, they can also look forward to his anticipated “Main Fokus” EP hitting us this coming February, the studio EP has been awaited by loyal supporters for some time now, and he’s planning to drop 2 songs before the release so his fans know what to expect, this month he released “my elevation” with T-Rell and “determination”.
He’s also scheduled to perform in Phoenix Arizona & Las Vegas, Nevada at the end of January with label mates from “Bentley Records”, with which he also has a distribution deal through. Check out his cover art and hit singles “On Purpose” and “My Elevation”.
One of the hardest songs to come out of NY right now is “Henny No Chaser” by Brooklyn East New York’s own Iceman D.B.H. The song has been creating a buzz in the NY club scene and has a lot of artists in the industry paying attention to the young talented artist. He even had the opportunity to do an interview with “Off The Porch” and his sound is very unique.
He dropped the visuals for the hit single and it’s been getting a lot of great responses from people all over the hip-hop world. He is definitely someone you need to be on the lookout for. It’s not hard to tell he will be a force to reckon with. We can’t wait to see what he has in store for the new year.
Ghost 674’s life was changed forever by a song. Ghost 674 has been recognized by one of the biggest record labels in the industry because of “T’d RN.” Ghost 674 has signed with Knxwn Sounds, one of the biggest record labels in the industry. With this signing, Ghost 674 will have all the tools he needs to advance his career. A plethora of new music is being created by Ghost 674 in the studio right now.
In the music industry, Ghost 674 has broken through the barrier after years of consistent work. Ghost 674 recently released a viral single titled “T’d RN” that has become a global phenomenon. In just under 30 days, “T’d RN” has accumulated over one million streams on Spotify. TikTok stars have used “T’d RN” in their videos, rapidly escalating its popularity.
A young rapper, Ghost 674, is rapidly gaining popularity in the music industry. As a 12-year-old growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Ghost 674 discovered his passion for music. A Disney Channel show called “Let It Shine” ignited the creative bug in him. It was intuitive to Ghost 674 that music would be his life’s path. As a result of this instant inward knowing, Ghost 674 embarked on a journey of musical discovery. He studied the lyrical process of artists such as Lil Wayne and Young Thug. It was Ghost 674’s daily task to create lyrics to well-known songs of the time and perfect his cadence.
Ghost 674’s rise to fame was built on hope, hard work, and consistency. Having little money to fund his dream, Ghost 674 began working at McDonald’s. His goal was to save all he could in order to buy music equipment and studio time. His powerful lyrics are a result of the trials and tribulations Ghost 674 has endured. It is Ghost 674’s goal to create music that people can listen to and relate to. A dream he has is to make music that helps other people overcome life’s difficulties.
2023 will be the year Ghost 674 takes over the music industry. In addition to music, concerts, and appearances, fans can expect collaborations throughout the year. In the future, Ghost 674 is sure to have a big presence thanks to Knxwn Sound’s backing. Keep up with Ghost 674’s latest music by checking out his new single “T’d RN” on Spotify and following him on Instagram.
Iyanna “Yaya” Mayweather was sentenced to six years of probation for stabbing a woman at NBA YoungBoy’s residence in 2020.
According to court documents obtained by KPRC-TV, Mayweather received Deferred Adjudication of Guilt on Thursday (December 15). Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
“We resolved the case between Iyanna and the State,” Mayweather’s attorney Kent Schaffer said in April. “The agreement calls for Iyanna to be on deferred adjudication for a period of six years after which she will have no felony conviction and the case will be dismissed. She is eligible to have the deferred adjudication end after two years pending her good behavior.”
The 22-year-old woman, who’s the daughter of undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, stabbed Lapattra Jacobs during a confrontation in April 2020. Jacobs is the mother of one of NBA YoungBoy’s children.
A TMZ story claimed Mayweather, who was 19 at the time, referred to herself as NBA YoungBoy’s fiancée during an argument with Jacobs. The incident escalated to violence, resulting in Mayweather stabbing Jacobs with two knives.
Mayweather was arrested and booked in a Houston jail. She was released after posting a $30,000 bond.
Jacobs was taken to a local hospital following the attack. Her injuries were not life-threatening.
Last year, Mayweather gave birth to a son named KJ. NBA YoungBoy is the father of the child.
You have been building this career for quite some time now, and revealed an interesting origin story on your socials that doesn’t take you from the streets to the beats, but rather to university to complete a doctorate in pharmacology before mastering your musical craft.
AllHipHop: What side of this inspiring story did you choose to incorporate into the album?
Tef XL: Great question. I have a lot to unpack on my journey from the streets to where I sit today. Code Switch is a trilogy about my journey from the streets to being a successful executive and leader. Code Switch Volume I: The Prequel focuses on my awakening while in the streets and the struggle to rise above those hardships. On this album, I chose to take listeners back to my roots, Duval County, and speak on what was going through my mind when I was in the midst of hustling. Those experiences forced me to elevate my perspective on what I could accomplish with intention, money, and time.
AllHipHop: Listening to Serenity, I felt a powerful spiritual component in the lyrics that reveal a strong almost stoic perspective on how the character sees his environment and his struggle. Where did the inspiration for this mindset come from?
Tef XL: Thank you. Serenity was produced by MacTrakz and the heavy drums and soulful melody forced me to reflect on the purpose behind my street hustle. When I sat with myself I realized a common thread we all have or seek is a life of peace and freedom. The first thing that came to mind for the hook was the Serenity prayer and how it can exist as a relatable anthem to a street hustler. On this record, I share the vulnerable mindset of that hustle and fighting for what I wanted … the big American dream of wealth and prosperity.
AllHipHop: My favorite track is B.O.W, one of those powerful motivational beats that get you out of bed kicking. Does this “Eatin Sleep Repeat money on my mind” attitude follow you throughout the creative process? Can you run us through your daily ritual when writing a song like this?
Tef XL: Yeah man, B.O.W is one of my favorite records. When I wrote it I was literally writing as if it was my first and last to write or record. It’s just one of those tracks that as soon as I got it from Mactrakz I was itching to write the hook. I felt like the hook needed to drive the song and represent how I go about anything I’ve accomplished in my life. I focus on WHAT I want, HOW I’m going to get it and then ACT to accomplish it. I get obsessed with achieving “IT.” “Everyday I grind for a life I define …” I felt like the verses needed to reflect my winning mindset and attitude towards being in the music game. My goal is for the world to “feel” something when they hear my music and I felt B.O.W was the track to make that happen, “….now my name is international!”
AllHipHop: The song Pronto with WAX is a distinct product from the rest, are you the beat maker behind this ride-or-die track?
Tef XL: Pronto is a banger for sure! WAX and I grew up on the streets of Duval, he gifted me with the hook and a verse on the record, which was produced by MarcoSolo (from Duval), engineered by MacTrakz (from Duval), and hosted by OG Bigga Rankin (from Duval), the 904 dream team. As far as my role in production, my vision is present, however, I stay in my lane when it comes to music production. As a team, we are at our strongest when we come together and overlap our individual crafts to make the best record possible. We have so much mutual respect for each other that we are able to accomplish whatever we put our hearts behind when it comes to music.
AllHipHop: Duval county, which you mention in the track The Calling, is this the origin of the TEF XL sound or the TEF XL attitude? What lessons did you learn from this part of your life that you carry with you today?
Tef XL: Yes, Duval County in Jacksonville, FL is where I’m from. I grew up on the southside of Jax and learned how to hustle in a project housing complex called Caravan. The bulk of my street experiences (being shot multiple times and the loss of close friends to street violence) occurred in Caravan or tie back to that period of my life. The Calling was a track produced by Dj Pain 1, a multi-platinum producer with a rich approach to his craft man – I felt like the voice of the beat was calling me to the table to talk about my journey from the streets of Duval “..TEF Go Head, Go Head, Go Head, Go TEF!”
In the first verse I talk about what it felt like to break away from the streets, clear my head, listen to my heart, and pivot. I didn’t want to die, I wanted to live and live big. On the second verse I share what it feels like to step back into the rap game after over a decade of being out and talking the real talk.
Yeah, Duval is an interesting city that has a melting pot of talent and has gained a lot of attention in the hip-hop space over the past few years thanks to artists like Nardo Wick, Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, Lil Poppa, Seddy Hendrinx, and a host of other talented artist and musicians.
AllHipHop: There are a lot of sprinkles of wise quotes, in Bigga Speaks, its pure 16 seconds of wisdom. Why did you choose to put this in the middle of the album and what is the origin of this philosophical perspective?
OG Bigga Rankin is a lifelong friend of Jax. Bigga and I go way back to when he was running his clubs called Cool Runnings. I and my homies used to pull up to the club and I’d grab the mic and freestyle over tracks. Back in those days, Bigga would record the club music he played and distribute it as mixtapes. Shortly after he started producing WRNR mixtapes. We actually did a WRNR mixtape together back in the early 2000s called “Bulletproof” which received widespread praise by the local hip-hop scene.
Bigga is a very wise and spiritual person so, in the “Bigga Speaks” interlude I felt it was best to give homie his room to breathe and speak wisdom “…Only L’s are life lessons..”
AllHipHop: No pressure no diamonds Alonda Rich’s chorus repeated throughout the track “no pressure” was this a central theme to your experience working with Fat Joe? Was he the first legend you have worked with?
Yeah, No Pressure featuring Alonda Rich was another track produced by DJ Pain 1. Ms. Alonda Rich did her thing on the hook and inspired that “let it go” mindset around the pressure that comes with the relentless drive to be successful. Success is elusive to most because it comes with so many challenges and difficult decisions, overthinking and pressure can kill a dream. Big ups to Fat Joe for the tag on the introduction …”No Pressure, No Diamonds Right,” I mean what a surreal moment to have one of raps finest know your work. He knows the climb and approached our partnership with energy and respect, he’s solid.
AllHipHop: What’s next for TEF XL in 2023?
AHH, if 2022 is any indicator of what 2023 will be then I’d have to say let’s turn up! This year we dropped 4 singles and ended the year with my first album Code Switch Volume I: The Prequel. Our focus for the year was building out our TEF brand and setting the foundation for our sequel projects and live performances in 2023.
Thank you to all the contributors, music partners, and fans that have been on the journey with us this year. I appreciate each of you for the ongoing support and look forward to seeing you at a show in the coming year! Stay on the lookout for tour/ performance date announcements, they will be coming!
Donald Glover will star in and produce a movie based on Hypno-Hustler, one of Spider-Man’s lesser-known villains.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project will be part of Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man movie universe. Eddie Murphy’s son Myles Murphy is attached to write the film.
Donald Glover was reportedly drawn to the musical aspect of the Hypno-Hustler character, who hypnotizes people with his guitar. The villain first appeared in Marvel comics in 1978.
Hypno-Hustler’s obscurity also appealed to Donald Glover. The Hollywood Reporter noted he will have more freedom with the obscure character compared to the bigger attractions in the Spider-Man universe.
Fans famously campaigned for Donald Glover to play Spider-Man over a decade ago. The hashtag #Donald4Spiderman became a trending topic on Twitter in 2010. Andrew Garfield ultimately landed the titular role in the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man.
Since then, the Spider-Man franchise underwent a reboot and became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland took over the role of Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man in the live-action films.
Donald Glover never got to portray Spider-Man in a movie, but he did play the superhero on television. The Atlantacreator voiced the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man in Disney XD’s animated series Ultimate Spider-Man.
The trial of Megan Thee Stallion and Tory Lanez continued doing today – 4th day. There was more damning evidence that Tory Lanez did, in fact, shoot his former sex partner. But, there was an interesting development that no one really saw.
Her friend Kelsey Nicole decides to admit some thing that I had long forgotten. She wrote a rap song dissing her friend. “Bussin Black” came out in 2020. This was after the alleged shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. However, when asked about the lyrics, Megan‘s former best friend didn’t seem to have a clue about what she had previously said in the song.
On top of that, it really seems like the friend perjured herself on the stand. And the judge reminded her her “immunity” does not allow her to lie. In fact, it negates it. Also, she has repeatedly said she doesn’t remember things. However, we know that she probably does! She simply doesn’t want to admit to anything on the stand. Right now, it seems to look like she might be in jeopardy of being guilty of something.
She says that they had been drinking a lot of alcohol that night and didn’t remember a lot. In a text message, she definitely said that “Tory shot Meg.” Not good. Right now Tory Lanez faces 25+ years in jail, deportation, and even more. I’m thinking she needs to remember some things. Even if he’s guilty, just speak the truth! Brooooooooos and girls, stay in school, study business and learn a trade. If you rap, be like J. Cole and Kendrick. Don’t be scared! You can do it!!
Kelsey Nicole better keep using the fifth amendment!
Here are the lyrics to “Bussin Back” if you wanted them.
Who I’m taking shots at? B####, I’m busting you (Brrat, get money) I’m talking to that same b#### that crashed that boat on 42 (Get money, huh) It’s a shame we here today, truth be told, it’s ’cause of you (Get money, b####) Couldn’t control your little feelings, look what dick is costing you It was all good, yeah, about a week ago (About a week ago) Shout out Bobby Shmurda but this b#### is really tweaking, bro If I was the one with the gun you would’ve heard about a murder (R.I.P.) Said her back was turned but that girl know who really hurt her (I ain’t hurt you, b####) Never been a jealous friend and the people really know it (Nah never been) If you would’vе kept it silent then I would’vе been told it (B####) See I really thought I knew you, thought that you would keep it G If you wanna talk gangsta, b####, I’m really from the street Imagine lying to the D.A. saying I took some hush money (Huh?) Put a muzzle on your friends, y’all acting like some crash dummies (Skrrt) Got my chain snatched? Damn, here you go lying To be an A-list celeb, you doing too much trying Where I get this money from? B####, you knew I was a hustler Way she did 1501, should’ve knew I couldn’t trust her Protect black women, huh? But you sending threats to me Damn, I thought that you was solid, now the joke’s on me Damn, I ain’t wanna have to do this but you steady shooting shots (Brrt, brrt) Dez said if I spoke that a sex tape could drop Was never supposed to be against each other, this what y’all made it (Ah) I’ma still live it up, yeah, I know y’all really hate it (Ha) Sucking dick behind my back, who really on they knees? You an overachiever, all you do is suck seed Claiming you a pimp, huh? But you slippin’ on your mackin’ (Damn) Are you lying to your label? Do they really know what happened? (Who shot ya?) ‘Cause you know it wasn’t me I was 10 toes down whenever you had beef It’s a g####### shame All you had to do was clear your best friend’s name (Yup) All you had to do was keep it real and stay the same (Ah) But you switched up on me for the money and the fame Who shot you?
Prosecutors played a recording of a September interview with Megan Thee Stallion’s former friend Kelsey Harris at the Tory Lanez shooting trial on Friday (December 16).
Harris explicitly claimed Tory Lanez shot Megan Thee Stallion in the interview with prosecutors. Harris provided a detailed account of the shooting, which was in stark contrast to her confusing testimony in the trial.
According to multiplereporters, Harris recalled an argument that led to the shooting in the recording. She accused Tory Lanez of threatening to shoot her while they were in a car together with Megan Thee Stallion.
“If you shoot me, you shoot me, I guess it’s my time to go,” Harris allegedly told him, per Law & Crime’s Meghann Cuniff.
Harris said the shooting began after Tory Lanez instructed his driver to stop the car. Harris described what she saw once shots were fired.
“I get out of my side and no sooner do you know, you start hearing gunshots going off,” Harris explained, per Rolling Stone’s Nancy Dillon. “I looked up maybe about the second or third gunshot. You see Tory, he’s now in the front seat. I guess he must have jumped over in a smooth transition and he’s leaning over the door.”
She continued, “He’s shooting over the top of the door. He was leaning over the front passenger door and he was shooting the gun … [Megan] was walking away when this happened, but by the [third] or [fourth] shot, she was facing towards us. And I would describe it as like a deer in headlights.”
Prosecutors asked Harris if Tory Lanez was pointing the gun at Megan Thee Stallion during the shooting. She said he “definitely” aimed the gun at the 27-year-old rapper.
Harris also accused Tory Lanez of assaulting her by dragging and pulling her hair. The recording was introduced as evidence in the trial after Tory Lanez’s defense implied prosecutors pressured Harris in the interview.
Reporters didn’t notice anything in the interview that indicated Harris felt pressured to share her story. A judge allowed prosecutors to play the recording following two days of testimony in which Harris often said she couldn’t remember details on the stand.
Tory Lanez pleaded not guilty to assault and firearms charges. If convicted, he faces more than 22 years in prison.
