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Pusha T’s Artist yvngxchris On His “VIRALITY” EP, Lil Yachty Collaboration, And More

By: Shirley Ju Updated Category: Breeding Ground
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It’s crazy to think yvngxchris is only 18 years old, and already accomplishing what most recording artists only wish they could in a lifetime. And with the legendary Pusha T backing him, the rising star sees no limits when it comes to his artistry.

Fresh off the heels with his standout collaborations, “DAMN HOMIE” featuring Lil Yachty and “Quikkskope” featuring DC The Don, yvngxchris blessed fans with his highly-anticipated debut project titled VIRALITY, which peaked at #9 on Spotify upon release. The 8-track project speaks volumes to his rise in the rap game, from being a regular kid in Virginia Beach to now living out his dreams on the daily.

He states, “I’m evolving every day, learning new things, and trying to get accustomed to this lifestyle — and I will. I’m focusing on being as versatile as possible and outworking the competition.”

While yvngxchris’ sound is diverse in itself, it’s his super turnt energy that has fans coming back for more. Most recently, the young star wrapped up his Barely Legal Tour with labelmate SSGKobe which kicked off at Rolling Loud Miami and ended in his hometown of Virginia Beach.

AllHipHop spoke with yvngxchris, who was posted up in his crib in Virginia Beach. Read below as we discuss the new project, collaborating with DC The Don and Lil Yachty, graduating early, Xxxtentacion’s influence on him, and more!

AllHipHop: How you been since the last time we talked? 

yvngxchris: Honestly, I’ve just been trying to evolve overall, evolve in sound, quality and energy. I’ve been shooting more music videos and trying to get my profile more established. That’s really where my focus is at right now..

AllHipHop: I know you just dropped the new EP, “VIRALITY.” How you feeling?

yvngxchris: That project went crazy, as hell. “VIRALITY” was one of the starts to the new journey, the new path. I shot the “Serenity” video recently, that video shoot was a cinematic experience. I had my boy BOX BOYS out here, because I did that one for XXXTentacion. Not even just for XXX, for Nipsey, Juice, every legend. I shot that video, we had a little static TV. It’s just a creative and captivating video. It’s super creative.

AllHipHop: What was Nipsey’s influence on you? 

yvngxchris: I didn’t really listen to his music too much however I did hear him a lot because of my dad. He had a great influence on him, he was a big fan. When he died, my dad was definitly affected by it, much more than I expected. It was only then that I knew like okay, Nipsey has a really big influence on so many people. I’ve also had many talks with my A&R, who told me about the influence Nipsey had on him also. Hearing about his influence from others, then studying the legacy on him is what led me to talk about it. 

AllHipHop: Your fans have been waiting for the EP. How’s it feel to finally have it out?

yvngxchris: Man having it out, it feels so good, especially because I’ve been holding that in for such a long time. I feel it’s time to evolve, it’s time to drop some new music. It’s time to give them the new yvngxchris. I’ve gotten older and most of that music is from when I was younger, 16 years old specifically. So I really want to focus on evolving, fasho.

AllHipHop: That cover art is crazy. What’s the meaning? 

yvngxchris: [laughs] Basically, alright so I had the title Virality, so many images popped into my head including one with my head chopped off. With my head decapitated in the forest, it’s been surrounded by many people taking pictures of it amazed at the sighting. I got that idea from Love, Death + Robots, this show on Netflix. 

The meaning behind the imagery is the idea that once you become so viral, people forget you’re a real human being. They treat you like a figure, an object. They see you down, going through mental and physical struggles but instead of helping, they’re taking pictures and recording you. It’s the concept that because you’re not human to them, you’re not real to them. When people see celebrities, they don’t connect with them in a relatable way. That’s what I want to work on: connecting and relating with my fans. 

AllHipHop: Damn, you’ve experienced that? 

yvngxchris: Yeah of course. I feel like every rapper or influencers in general experiences that. You can be down, make some bad mistakes in the public eye and it goes everywhere on social media. People clown you, that’s how social media works.. that’s life if we are being honest. That’s how it’s always been though, I just wanted to point attention to it.

AllHipHop: Love the music video for “QuikkSkope” with DC the Don, that s### is crazy!

yvngxchris: Yeah, that video was hard. I was running late to the video shoot because I missed my flight that same day. “QuikkSkope” was one of my favorite videos I shot with DC the Don. He delivers an amazing performance and is a dope person. I don’t collaborate with many people, but I respect DC because his dedication to the craft and fanbase is crazy. They go hard for him. Plus, he’s a very talented artist and someone I admire in my class. 

AllHipHop: How’d y’all tap in?

yvngxchris: I tapped in with DC through someone on my team. My A&R Mont said called me one day during my first time going to LA and asked if I wanted to lock in with DC that very night. Of course I said yeah, f### it, I’ll lock in with him. Once we linked up, he was cool as f### and our chemistry was unmatched. We made this fire song together and I ended up dropping it on my backup Soundcloud page first. 

AllHipHop: I know he doesn’t mess with a lot of people too. 

yvngxchris: Nah facts, we are definitely very similar in that way. I connect with people who are like minded like myself. No narcissist or ego sh*t, I’m the coolest n*gga to be around. So I like to hang with folks that have similar interests as me.

AllHipHop: Pusha T is your manager. What was the process in dropping the project with him?” 

yvngxchris: Nah for sure. When he heard a couple songs off VIRALITY, he told me “yo, this is about to be crazy. This is about to be legendary, the start to a new beginning.” That’s really how I see it truly see it. I didn’t expect nor looking to be some #1 release. I just wanted it to be the start of my story, the start of the yvngxchris story. I’m here for people getting to watch it evolve so when you look back at it a couple years later, you can really say that s###’s legendary.  

AllHipHop: How does it feel to have the Lil Yachty song go up? I was at the video shoot and that s### was hilarious.

yvngxchris: Hell yeah. I ain’t gon lie, the Yachty love is crazy. That song is vibey and a groove. After watching him for years, to actually get him on a song was surreal. I watched his come up and evolution. That song ended up being one of my biggest songs, it definitely went up. I appreciate Yachty for that, that sh*t was straight love.  

AllHipHop: How’d it feel to graduate this year? You were still in school last time.

yvngxchris: I graduated early so that was cool. You know what’s funny, I never really expected that. I was always getting bad grades, falling asleep in class so to graduate early, it was like whoa, me? (laughs). It was because of my rap career that motivated me to finish up. I’m really blessed to have a prospective career. I think about that every day, I’m blessed.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd80y6HjlOy/?hl=en

AllHipHop: I saw you did a backflip at your show, into the crowd. That was wild! 

yvngxchris: Word! Yea when I’m on stage, I kick into a different energy. When I’m chillin’, I’m really coolin’. But when I get on stage, I become a different person, a performer. It’s a celebration when I go on stage. After all these years of n*ggas hating, not supporting the music, not turning up, to see everybody in the crowd supporting you is a great feeling, Jumping around, having fun with you, it’s a celebration for the fans and myself. So when I do that, I celebrate by hitting backflips and doing crazy sh*t on stage. I always want my performance to stand out. 

AllHipHop: Do you practice something like that? Or was that hella spontaneous?

yvngxchris: Hella spontaneous! I’ve never landed a flip in my life. I used to only flip on the trampoline never in a crowd. I definitely got hurt a couple times, but I would still have adrenaline to keep going. While performing, I don’t feel it, but after the show, my side for sure hurts. Sometimes I think of the crowd as as a trampoline like “they gon’ catch me, f### it. I’m a just jump”. I started with a big crowd, so it was pretty doable and they caught me. I would not recommend doing that in a 200 person crowd if you know what i mean.. 

AllHipHop: What’re you most excited for next? 

yvngxchris: I’m most excited about shooting more videos. Keep the energy going and pushing through each new drop. Artists’ aren’t dropping for the most part, n*ggas are hybernating right now enjoying the holidays. I’m a keep dropping music on them. Showing them my development, show them the dedication. I have the “SERENITY” video dropping soon so, I’m excited for that. The songs I have, experimenting with more genres and sounds, I’m going into all of that and more. 

AllHipHop: Anyone else you’d like to collaborate with?

yvngxchris: Yea I definitely want to do more collaborations with DC, Tana (formally Baby Santana), Fazo, the homies. I am still learning about different artists and sounds myself so that’s something I’m consistently working on. I don’t like to collaborate with too many artists unless they’re super talented. I don’t care about popularity, my biggest focus is strictly talent. I want to keep the artistic integrity of my music and who i work with. My fans are my family so they’re suggestions are always good to have as well. 

Uncle Luke Fact-Checks Fat Joe; Takes Credit For Discovering DJ Khaled, Pitbull & Trick Daddy

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Miami Hip Hop legend Uncle Luke took issue with Fat Joe taking credit for kickstarting the careers of Pitbull and Trick Daddy.

Fat Joe claimed he got Pitbull and Trick Daddy signed in a May interview with the My Expert Opinion podcast. Uncle Luke refuted Fat Joe’s story months later, explaining how Pitbull and Trick Daddy were discovered on Friday (December 9).

“I love Joe but i find this very interesting because i discovered @trickdaddydollars,” Uncle Luke wrote on Instagram. “He did his first song with me as soon as he got of the lock up and by he stayed with me. I also discovered signed @pitbull to the platinum selling Luke records label he did his first song’s with me. Because I’m from Miami I felt the importance of signing a Cuban rapper so I discovered him off of battle rap tapes.”

The 2 Live Crew member urged Fat Joe and others to not “rewrite history.” Uncle Luke also mentioned how he helped DJ Khaled achieve mainstream success.

“Maybe I’m missing something here I do have the receipts,” the southern rap pioneer wrote. “By the way because you don’t see me all in the videos at the birthday partys yes @djkhaled i found him on underground radio mix 96 brought him to main stream, radio @99jamzmiami The Luke Show.”

Check out the Fat Joe clip that bothered Uncle Luke below. Watch the entire interview here.

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Spotify, Apple Music Boot R. Kelly’s New Provocative Album ‘I Admit It’

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Spotify and Apple Music removed a new R. Kelly album titled I Admit It, which hit streaming services on Friday (December 9).

A rep for Sony, which owns the rights to much of R. Kelly’s music, told Variety the album was a bootleg. The project listed Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings as the label in the credits.

R. Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean claimed his team had nothing to do with the release. Bonjean said the disgraced singer was “having intellectual property stolen from him.”

According to multiple reports, Real Talk Entertainment released the bootleg R. Kelly album. The project was uploaded by Universal Music Group-owned distributor Ingrooves, which reportedly cut ties with Real Talk due to the debacle.

I Admit It featured previously released songs and unreleased material. The album’s title came from a 19-minute song that R. Kelly originally dropped in 2018.

Last year, R. Kelly was convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering in New York. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Earlier this year, a federal jury found him guilty of producing child pornography and coercing minors into criminal sexual activity in Chicago. He awaits sentencing in the case.

R. Kelly faces 10 to 90 years in prison. He remains in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.

Wendy Williams’ Son Evicted From Miami Apartment

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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Media maven Wendy Williams has often spoken of her massive wealth and how she has built a legacy for her one and only son, Kevin Hunter, Jr. 

But his recent eviction has people wondering if the former Queen of Mean and Hip-Hop’s first shock jock is having money trouble.

The young Hunter was evicted from his Miami apartment because his rent had not been paid by the bank that manages the former talk show host’s accounts.

Sources say Hunter owes over $69,000 in back rent on the luxury apartment, which is valued at $2 million. The eviction suit was actually filed in August of 2022.

The complaint read, “The lease started in March 2021 and ended in February this year. After it had passed, Kevin agreed to continue to rent the apartment every month.

“As it came to the end of the lease,” according to the U.S. Sun that published portions of the lawsuit, “Wendy had some health issues which led to the court being put in charge of her finances after her Wells Fargo accounts were frozen in January.”

AllHipHop.com reported Williams has had problems with the bank and the executive in charge of her spending.

Her publicist Shawn Zanotti said there is really nothing she can do.

“At this point, Wendy is under a conservatorship that was ordered by a federal New York judge,” Zanotti said.

“All expenses must be cleared by her guardian via the courts. There is a process where her expenses have to go through being verified and cleared before being paid,” she continued.

Another Hunter was recently in court regarding Williams not paying his bills. Her son’s father and her former husband, Kevin Sr., is complaining that because the bank stopped paying him, he and the woman he left her for are in financial distress.

Tory Lanez Gets Major Break In Megan Thee Stallion Case After LAPD Cop Gets Fired

By: Kershaw St. Jawnson Updated Category: News
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As the trial of the alleged shooting of Megan thee Stallion and Tory Lanez approaches, new updates on the case are being released.

According to a tweet by Nancy Dillion, a senior reporter at Rolling Stones (whose beat focuses on courts and lawsuits), the officer who interviewed the Houston rapper and Grammy Award-winner after the altercation will not be allowed to testify against the “Say It” chart-topper.

Dillion dropped the bombshell, which read:

“Tory Lanez Trial Update: LAPD Det. Ryan Stogner “relieved of duty” in last month, prosecutors reveal in court Lanez’s Atty. George Mgdesyan says on the record the “underlying” reason for dismissal was a DV allegation Prosecutors say no charges filed & they won’t call him @ trial.”

A follow-up post revealed, “Mgdesyan says Stogner, who was the investigating officer who interviewed Megan The Stallion after the shooting, is a critical witness for the defense. He told the court he plans to call him under the theory Stogner ‘botched’ the investigation. Judge says he would allow.”

Detective Stogner is the officer that Megan thee Stallion told Lanez allegedly shouted, “Dance, b####!” before shooting her in the back of her feet, Rolling Stone reported in 2021.

AllHipHop.com reports, though Lanez has been hit with a third charge, his team believes he will be “exonerated of all charges.”

Kanye West Banned From Instagram After Dropping Song Addressing Hateful Behavior

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: News
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Kanye West has been banned from Instagram again after addressing his ongoing antisemitism controversy in a new track.

The “Stronger” rapper released the song, which heavily samples Donny Hathaway’s 1973 song “Someday We’ll All Be Free,” via Instagram earlier this week before swiftly deleting it.

In the tune, he references the backlash he has received in the past two months due to the antisemitic comments he has continually made in public.

“Everyone’s a Karen, Claimin’ that they care and, Wasn’t given a fair hand,” he raps.

At the end of the song, he references the controversy more explicitly by twice repeating the line, “Tweeted deathcon, Now we past three.”

In early October, the 45-year-old tweeted that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people”, prompting him to be suspended from the platform.

He was reinstated weeks later but suspended again last week after he posted an image of a s####### merged with the Star of David, a symbol of Judaism.

The track seemingly also addresses Kanye’s divorce from Kim Kardashian in the lyrics: “Waking up to, I can’t do this anymore text, And The Bible said, I can’t have anymore sex, Till marriage.”

Later in the song, he also raps, “I know it’s cause the headlines, Why she wanna leave.”

The outro of the tune samples Kanye’s recent appearance on far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s Infowars show, during which he praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

“Can we just kind of say, like, you like the uniforms but that’s about it?” Alex can be heard saying in the sample, to which the hip-hop star replies, “No, there’s a lot of things that I love…”

The samples abruptly cuts off before Kanye says “about Hitler.”

Pretty Vee Confirms Relationship With Rick Ross

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Is Rick Ross no longer a single man? Rumors of the Maybach Music Group boss dating social media personality Vena “Pretty Vee” Excell seem to be true.

Pretty Vee addressed the gossip during her appearance on Revolt’s Black Girl Stuff talk show. The former Girls Cruise reality show cast member explained what attracted her to Rick Ross.

“I think it’s the boss in him,” said Pretty Vee about the Richer Than I Ever Been album creator. “I like guys who lead. So when you’re a leader, you can step to me, you know?”

She continued, “But again, when it comes to Ross, Ross is the type of person who you look at and you just admire, you’re inspired by. Like, I wanna do what you’re doing, so teach me. So in the back end, I’m actually a student to the game as well.”

This is not Rick Ross’s first public relationship with another celebrity. The Triple C’s group member and former exotic dancer Lira “Galore” Mercer got briefly engaged before calling off the wedding in 2015.

As for Pretty Vee, the Miami native established a television presence as a cast member on Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘N Out. She also jumped into the music world by appearing on Queen Naija’s “Bitter Skit” track off the Missunderstood album.

Rick Ross is one year removed from the release of Richer Than I Ever Been in December 2021. Last year also saw Ross and Pretty Vee take part in a nearly 9-minute “Boss Talk” promotional video for the Belaire Rosé sparkling wine brand.

Imprisoned American Paul Whelan Addresses Brittney Griner’s Release From Russia

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Yesterday, the world found out that Brittney Griner has been freed from a prison in Russia. The WNBA star was detained in February for possessing vape canisters with cannabis oil. The Russian government released Griner as part of a one-for-one prisoner swap that involved arms dealer Viktor Bout.

President Joe Biden announced the news of Brittney Griner’s release at the White House alongside Vice President Kamala Harris. Cherelle Griner thanked the Biden Administration for securing her wife’s release from a Russian female penal colony.

“After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones, and she should have been there all along,” said Biden on Thursday.

While many Americans celebrated Brittney Griner finally returning home to her loved ones, there was still concern about the condition of Paul Whelan. The former Marine is currently imprisoned in Russia on suspicion of being involved in an intelligence operation.

Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan at a Moscow hotel in December 2018. He was convicted of espionage in June 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. Both Whelan and the United States government deny his involvement in intelligence gathering.

“This was not a choice of which American to bring home,” stated Biden. “Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up. We will never give up.”

David Whelan Comments On Paul Whelan & Brittney Griner’s Separate Cases

CNN spoke to Paul Whelan following the announcement that Russia released Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout. According to the outlet, Whelan expressed happiness for Griner but also frustration that he is still detained.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest is coming up,” said Paul Whelan in a phone call from Russia.

The U.S./Irish/British/Canadian citizen added, “I would say that if a message could go to President Biden, that this is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly… My bags are packed. I’m ready to go home.”

In addition, the sibling of Paul Whelan has commented on Brittney Griner’s release. Paul’s brother, David Whelan, confirmed receiving an early warning about the prisoner exchange which allowed the family to mentally prepare for the news.

“It is so important to me that it is clear that we do not begrudge [Ms. Griner’s] freedom,” said David Whelan. “As I have often remarked, Brittney’s and Paul’s cases were never really intertwined. It has always been a strong possibility that one might be freed without the other.”

Cherelle Griner spoke about Paul Whelan during her remarks at the White House. She stated, “But as you all are aware, there are so many other families who are not whole. [Brittney Griner] is not here to say this, but I will gladly speak on her behalf. BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul, whose family is in our hearts today.”

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A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie Returns With ‘Me Vs. Myself’ Album

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Artist “A Boogie wit da Hoodie” Dubose let loose his latest studio LP this week. For Me vs. Myself, the Bronx-bred rapper presented half the project as Artist and half the project as A Boogie.

Me vs. Myself landed on DSPs today (December 9). Roddy Ricch, Tory Lanez, Kodak Black, G Herbo, Lil Durk, Don Q, and H.E.R. appear as featured guests on A Boogie’s 22-track project.

A deluxe version of Me vs. Myself is supposedly in the works. A Boogie wit da Hoodie recently explained why the late Rakim “PnB Rock” Allen only made the extended edition of the album.

Me vs. Myself Tracklist

“When it comes to PnB Rock too, that was a big one right there,” said A Boogie. “That was the end of my album. I didn’t expect that right there. I had to put him on the album at the same time as not making it.”

The Highbridge The Label rhymer added, “I don’t like to do that when it comes to people passing away, putting their music [out]. It feels like a weird tension towards that. And I don’t like that at all so I separated his song from my album and I’m dropping it solo as a deluxe.”

A Boogie wit da Hoodie originally planned to release Me vs. Myself on November 4. The 27-year-old Atlantic recording artist admitted pushing the project back in order to avoid competing with the release of Her Loss by Drake and 21 Savage.

Her Loss did drop on November 4. Drake and 21 Savage’s joint effort opened at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 404,000 units. A Boogie’s most recent album, 2020’s Artist 2.0, debuted at #2 with 111,000 units.

SZA: A Lot Of People Didn’t Turn In Their Verses For ‘SOS’ Album

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: News
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Singer-songwriter SZA is back with brand new music today (December 9). SOS arrived with features by Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

“It was definitely like I doubt this gonna be allowed to be on the album, but it surprisingly was,” SZA told Hot 97’s Nessa about the ODB collaboration on her latest album.

The R&B star continued, “I talked to [the Ol’ Dirty Bastard Estate]. It really just came from a place of documentary footage from Rodney Jerkins. He was sweet enough to let me use that.”

However, SZA confirmed that she wanted even more names to appear on the project. While speaking with Hot 97, the Top Dawg Entertainment vocalist addressed missing out on some guests for SOS.

“DMs and, like, begging people. Sometimes people turn in their verses and sometimes they don’t,” explained SZA and her process for securing Features. “And a lot of people just like did not turn in their verses, but I’m grateful for who did.”

https://twitter.com/TopDawgEnt/status/1599886549554204674?s=20&t=JnACP-rLZC4Hmt-aF9HvNg

SOS follows SZA’s major label debut studio LP, Ctrl, which came out in 2017. That Grammy-nominated body of work earned a 3x-Platinum Award from the Recording Industry Association of America.

Ctrl debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart by earning 60,000 first-week units. SZA recruited TDE labelmates Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad as well as Travis Scott and James Fauntleroy for her first album.

As part of her promo run for SOS, SZA performed as the musical guest on the December 3 episode of Saturday Night Live. The New Jersey-raised musician ran through her songs “Shirt” and “Blind” on the late-night sketch comedy show.

Offset Admits “I’m In A Dark Place” Following Takeoff’s Passing 

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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The Hip-Hop community continues to mourn the passing of Migos rapper Takeoff, with those that knew him best still struggling to come to terms with the loss.  

Earlier this week, fellow Migos hitmaker and Takeoff’s cousin Offset took to his Instagram Story with a request regarding tributes to the slain rapper. “Don’t post Takeoff unless it’s in a positive light please!” he wrote on Dec. 6. 

Just a few days later, Offset shared his despair on social media, admitting he was not coping well. “In a dark place 🖕🏾” he tweeted on Thursday.  

Last month, Offset revealed his “unbearable” pain at losing Takeoff in a heartfelt Instagram post. “My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can’t find the words,” he wrote. “I’ve been going to sleep and waking up hoping that all of this is a dream, but it’s reality, and reality feels like a nightmare.” 

Two men have been charged in connection with Takeoff’s death. Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, has been charged with murder. 22-year-old Cameron Joshua was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon and a felon in possession of a weapon.  

Takeoff was only 28 years old when he was killed outside a Houston Bowling alley on November 1.  

Last week, Offset’s wife, Cardi B, threatened to kill anyone making jokes about Takeoff’s passing. 

“We not in the mood to be f###### playing around with y’all, deadass,” she said in a voice note. “I will deadass kill y’all. Stop f###### playing.” 

She also revealed she was “feeling so hopeless” trying to console her husband following Takeoff’s death. “We’re living our life normally, but deep down inside, our hearts have been so heavy,” Cardi B added.  

The Notorious B.I.G. Honored With Brooklyn Bridge Sculpture 

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Long after his untimely passing, The Notorious B.I.G is being honored in a big way in the form of an interactive statue in Brooklyn. 

Coming in at over 9-foot-tall, the towering sculpture is installed at the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. The new piece is housed at the northeast corner of Prospect Street and Washington Street. 

The artwork, designed by local artist Sherwin Banfield, also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. The steel and bronze structure features the crowned head of Biggie on top. Among the many decorations embellishing the piece is a heart that reads “spread love.” As The Notorious B.I.G. put it, it’s the Brooklyn way.  

Visitors can also hear some of the NYC icon’s biggest hits played through the speakers, with a few of his albums adorning the sculpture itself.  

Banfield set out to pay homage to Biggie and challenge “the traditions of western public sculpture by representing his African American artistry, lineage and evolution,” according to an official press release.  

“’It was all a dream,’ the opening lyric from The Notorious B.I.G.’s#### track ‘Juicy,’ exemplifies my dream of creating this monument,” the artist explained. “Delivering this project means so much to me personally, my story and artistic development as well as countless fans of Hip-Hop Culture who continue to be positively affected and influenced by the communal experiences and sonic frequencies of B.I.G.’s artistry. I cherish the significance of the potential impact on young children of color who will have an opportunity to experience a public sculpture that represents and reflects their identity, circumstance and/or dreams.” 

The new public art installation will be available for visitors and fans to see the spring of 2023. 

The striking sculpture is one of a number of tributes to The Notorious B.I.G. commissioned in Brooklyn this year. A pair of murals were erected in Bed-Stuy in May, marking the 25th anniversary of his passing.  

In June, Proto Inc. paid homage to The Notorious B.I.G. with a hologram of the legendary rapper at the Brooklyn Chop House restaurant in NYC.

Swag God Releases “RnB Doo Da Dooh”

By: Brxton Lee Updated Category: Music News
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Budah The Rueger, known to the world as Swag God, is a Bronx-born, Harlem-raised drill rapper from Edenwald Projects with many influences including Method Man, Notorious B.I.G., Max B, and his favorite artist Tupac Shakur. 

Swag God comes out the gate with his own sound, high energy, and unique flow to every track he raps on. He’s extremely diverse and gives each song exactly what it needs.

He’s totally engulfed and hands-on in the process of his music and sound by mixing and mastering. He also sits through the production process to make sure that his sound is effective and efficient. 

His diversity also allows him to be able to dominate other styles of rap such as Jersey Drill, U.K. Drill, Trap, and Boom Bap. 

With such diversity, he exudes versatility and the ability to touch other genres of music such as R&B, Dancehall, Afro-Beat, Rock, and Heavy Metal. In his latest release “RnB Doo Da Dooh”, he remixes his original “TikTok” cessation, “Doo Da Dooh”, by adding a Drill and RnB twist. Swag God has a little something for everyone, as time will tell when he becomes a household name. Stay tuned for Swag God and his team Megahertz… 

YouTube Link:

RnB Doo Da Dooh – Official Video 

YouTube Audio Link:

Soundcloud Link:

Spotify Link:

Apple Music Link:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/rnb-dooh-da-dooh-single/1638106342

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialswaggod?_t=8XxKV7yyMwA&_r=1

Instagram: https://instagram.com/swag_godmhz?igshid=Nzg3NjI1NGI=

Drake Becomes Highest-Selling Singles Artist In RIAA History, Outselling Eminem 

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Drake continues his run as one of the most successful artists in the world, racking up another impressive accolade after earning ten new plaques from the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) and the title of the highest-selling artist in their history. 

Champagne Papi sold 184 million singles, surpassing Eminem, who held the honor since March after selling 166 units across his singles catalog.  

Furthermore, Drake becomes only the third-ever act to achieve at least five diamond-certified singles. “Hotline Bling,” “One Dance,” “God’s Plan,” “SICKO MODE,” ft. Travis Scott, and “Life Is Good,” ft. Future each racked up sales of at least 10 million copies in the United States. Bruno Mars occupies the top spot with six diamond singles, while Post Malone is second with five.  

Drake’s biggest-selling song is his 2018 Scorpion hit “God’s Plan,” which rocketed to 15X platinum status on Thursday (Dec. 8).  

Drake’s record breaking streak looks set to continue as he is on course to break the record for the highest-certified RIAA song. Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower,” jointly shares that honor with Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” Both singles are currently sitting at 17 X platinum.  

In addition, Drake’s 2021 album, Certified Lover Boy remained one of the most popular projects a year after its release. Drake’s sixth studio album is ranked at No. 9 on the Billboard 2000 Year End 202 albums.  

In November, Drake tied with Jay-Z for most R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart-toppers after earning his 14th with Her Loss, his joint project with 21 Savage.  

Drizzy is also hot on the heels of Hov’s record for the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart for a solo artist. Jay-Z is in the lead with 14, with Drake right behind at 12.  

Snoop Dogg & Master P Forced To Drop ‘Snoop Loopz’ Cereal Name 

By: London Jennn Updated Category: News
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Snoop Dogg and Master P claim Snoop Loopz “disrupted the cereal industry” to the extent they’ve been blocked from using the name.  

The Hip-Hop icons launched Snoop Loopz in August as the first offering under their new venture, Broadus Foods. However, Snoop and Master P are already rebranding the cereal, claiming they have been blocked from using the Snoop Loopz name.  

“They don’t want us to use Snoop Loopz,” the Broadus Food founders announced, without specifying who “they” is, although Kellog’s is presumably threatening litigation over their Froot Loops cereal.  

In a new video shared by both artists, Master P says they have “come a long way” while “feeding the community” with their new cereal. He claimed his competitors are “not used to seeing African Americans owners of cereals” and are trying to “take us off the shelves.”  

“We’ve built a national brand and disrupted the cereal industry,” Snoop Dogg and Master P wrote in a joint caption. “We did it with hard work and integrity. I know they’re uncomfortable and scared. But our mission is to build diversity and economic empowerment. Times have changed. There’s enough room for all of us to be successful. This is bigger than us, we are fighting for the next generation of entrepreneurs.” 

The pair say they have moved from being “consumers” to “building our own brands, and passing down generational wealth,” adding, “Broadus Foods is all about helping the community.” 

Nonetheless, Snoop and Master P say, “we’re taking over the breakfast foods industry. They can’t stop us. It’s David versus Goliath,” and they have a slingshot.  

Snoop Dogg & Master P Ask Fans To Rename ‘Snoop Loopz’

“This is a minor setback for a major comeback,” they stated before appealing for fans to suggest a new name for Snoop Loopz. Check out what Snoop Dogg and Master P have to say in the post below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg)

Lil Mosey’s Rape Trial Delayed Until 2023

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Lil Mosey and two co-defendants must wait until 2023 to face trial for rape in Washington.

According to The Chronicle, Lil Mosey’s trial was rescheduled to February 5, 2023. The proceedings were previously set to begin on December 12.

Prosecutors asked for the delay after experiencing issues with witnesses. The defense agreed to move the trial to next year.

“Certain witnesses have provided information that was not known to the state throughout the pendency of this case until recently,” Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer wrote. “And the state has not had sufficient time to look into the statements.”

Lil Mosey’s trial was originally supposed to start in July. This past summer, defense attorneys were granted a delay due to scheduling conflicts.

Prosecutors accuse Lil Mosey and two other men of raping a woman at a party in January 2020. The alleged victim told police she blacked out after consuming alcohol at a gathering in Randle, Washington.

The 20-year-old rapper and a 19-year-old man named Francisco Prater allegedly had sex with the woman “while she was incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless or mentally incapacitated.” Prosecutors claim a 20-year-old man named Joshua Darrow restrained the woman during the incident.

Lil Mosey, whose real name is Lathan Moses Echols, pleaded not guilty to second-degree rape.

Nuke Bizzle Sentenced To More Than 6 Years In Prison For COVID Fraud

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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Nuke Bizzle, a rapper who bragged about his COVID relief fraud, learned the punishment for his scam on Wednesday (December 7).

United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald sentenced Nuke Bizzle to 77 months in prison. The judge ordered the Memphis-bred rapper to pay $704,760 in restitution to the California Employment Development Department.

Nuke Bizzle, whose real name is Fontrell Antonio Baines, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in July. That same month, he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon in a separate case. He also pleaded guilty to possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute in August.

According to the Department of Justice, Nuke Bizzle scammed the government to obtain more than $700,000 in unemployment insurance money. He exploited the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provisions of the CARES Act, which Congress passed in March 2020.

“Baines defrauded the program to obtain unemployment benefits administered by the EDD in the names of third parties, including identity theft victims,” the DOJ said. “The applications for benefits also included false statements about the work histories and in-state residences of the named applicants. Through his fraud, Baines turned the taxpayer-funded program into ‘his personal piggybank,’ according to a sentencing memorandum filed by federal prosecutors.”

Nuke Bizzle ran his scam from July 2020 to September 2020. He was arrested in October 2020.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niBFYeo2Ltk

EXCLUSIVE: Young Thug Prosecutors Seek To Ban Video Cameras From Trial Over Witness Safety Concerns

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: Exclusives
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Prosecutors asked a judge to not allow video cameras inside the courtroom for Young Thug’s RICO trial.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed a motion to prohibit video recordings of Young Thug’s trial on November 30. Prosecutors claimed video recordings would raise issues for witnesses in the case.

“Several witnesses have expressed safety concerns to the State and they are concerned about the safety of themselves and their families should they choose to testify,” Willis explained. “The State is concerned that video recordings of witnesses’ and victims’ faces could endanger these individuals’ safety.”

She continued, “Further, the State is concerned about the impact upon due process and the truth-finding function of the judicial proceeding; witnesses may be afraid to testify and provide full information if they are aware they are being video-recorded, and that their personal safety could be jeopardized as a result of their testimony.”

Willis and her team previously filed a motion to restrict juror identity in August. The district attorney’s office sought to block video recordings as it anticipates significant media coverage for the duration of Young Thug’s trial.

Prosecutors urged the judge to ban video to “protect the integrity of the trial process.” Willis had no objections to audio recordings of the trial.

“Permitting an audio recording while prohibiting video recording will protect the safety of witnesses and other associated parties while still recognizing and supporting this State’s policy favoring open judicial proceedings,” she noted. “This Court has the discretion to determine whether or not to allow electronic and photographic coverage of the proceedings; the State simply asks this Court to prohibit video recording of the trial, while permitting audio recordings so the process will remain open to the public.”

Young Thug, Gunna and other YSL members were indicted on racketeering charges in May. Their trial is scheduled to begin in January 2023.

Kanye West’s Honorary Degree Revoked By School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago

By: Justin Ivey Updated Category: News
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The School of the Art Institute of Chicago rescinded an honorary degree given to Kanye West.

Kanye West received an honorary degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015. The school announced it revoked the award from him on Thursday (December 8).

“The School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West’s (now known as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities,” the school said in a statement. “Ye’s actions do not align with SAIC’s mission and values, and we’ve rescinded his honorary degree.”

‘Ye lost his honorary degree after a group called Against Hate at SAIC asked the school to rescind his award in a petition. According to Change.org, the petition garnered 4,148 signatures.

“Kanye West’s hateful speech incites violence and does not represent the values of our community,” Against Hate at SAIC wrote.

The rescinded degree added to the list of consequences for Kanye West’s antisemitism and offensive remarks. Several brands cut ties with ‘Ye due to his hate speech. He lost his billionaire status after Adidas ended its longtime partnership with him in October.

Despite the backlash, Kanye West continued to spout antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories in recent interviews. ‘Ye declared he liked Hitler and loved Nazis during an appearance on Alex Jones’ show InfoWars. He later told Jewish people to forgive Hitler in a conversation with Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes.

G DUBS- “Big Moreno” Video

By: AllHipHop Staff Updated Category: Music
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G DUBS is about to shake the industry up globally!

The combination of his music, versatility, and persona exemplifies his diverse background, being from Ghana, born in Canada, with roots in New York City.

His newest release, “Big Moreno” displays his catchy wordplay and unique cadence. Far from mumble rap, DUBS’ lyrics paint pictures for you to visualize as you listen!

From his singer-songwriter abilities, fashion designs, video directing and modeling, G DUBS (@gdubs.wp) is a unique talent that is shaking up the game.

Over the last several months, he has released several videos including “Incredible,” “Big Moreno,” “No Kizzy,” and “TSPD.”

Moreno’s songwriting abilities showcase a wide range of styles and genres ranging from Hip Hop to R&B, to pop music.

Modeling is also another avenue for G DUBS as he’s worked with top brands such as Spotify, New Balance, TSN, WedLuxe Magazine, and more.

Check out the video for “Big Moreno” below!