The city of New York is known for its diversity in the music culture, being the cradle of some of the global music icons. Conversely, Connecticut has always been an underdog in the music industry. CT is a place for live music and presents the world with some of the best venues for music concerts and clubs. Choosing between these two musical realms can be challenging for a true music enthusiast. Dante Tweaks, the popular rapper and music producer, says, why to choose when you can have the best of both worlds? He returns after a hiatus to reclaim his position in the industry with his upcoming project, MADOFF, which blends the musical culture of NYC with the vibe of CT to enthrall the audience.
Dante Tweaks, the artist and rapper, shot to fame with his song “Plug Ran Dry,” featured on BET Jams network and earned immense popularity among audiences for its unique rhythm. “Plug Ran Dry ” was also ranked 69 on UK iTunes Music Charts, paving the way for Dante Tweaks into the closely-knit industry. After this hit, Dante’s career scaled up, and in 2018 he launched one of the best music studios in CT. However, after Dante’s fame and success, he went on a sudden hiatus from the industry for a year. The artist overcame his mental health issues and depression during this time.
Now, Dante is back and fiercer with his music. His upcoming song, MADOFF, proves that the rapper is geared to redefine the music scene. MADOFF is a single, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dante Tweaks and his team at Howell Records Studios. This song will showcase the multi-faceted skills of the artist as a rapper, producer, composer, and editor. The main attraction of the video is the cameo of the famous social media influencers and music artist SPIDERCUZ with a large music fan base.
MADOFF narrates the story of a Bad boy from a new perspective, one that promises to capture Dante’s very audience listeners will feel connected to the very end. The artist has worked tirelessly to see this project succeed. In the spirit of excellence, he had various shoots across exclusive locales across New York. He believes this move will truly add a visually aesthetic element to the song. Dante as an artist has a keen eye for attention to detail and will never settle for anything less than what he wants. Considering this, the video will be a treat for the sore eyes that will perfectly complement the mood and theme of the song.
Besides the visual and the concept, Dante’s MADOFF will be a melodic masterpiece. The song, as Dante describes, will stand out “with its trippy, almost skit-like effects with a background music that bumps hard.” Going by his words, MADOFF will be a fresh wave of energetic rhythm and electrifying beats that spurs people to groove any time of the day.
MADOFF is set for release on October 11 this year. Dante, a perfectionist, is putting some final touches as he is highly optimistic about this come-back project. He feels MADOFF will set a different standard for him as an artist, not only replicating but surpassing the success of all his previous releases.
Gigi Hadid has criticized Kanye West for “bullying” fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson.
The rapper sparked controversy on Monday when he stepped out at his Yeezy fashion show staged as part of Paris Fashion Week wearing a shirt with the “White Lives Matter” slogan emblazoned across the back.
Following the event, Karefa-Johnson called out West for his “indefensible behavior,” and a short time later, he uploaded a string of posts about the Vogue contributing editor, including one in which he diminished her outfit choices and labeled her “not a fashion person.”
In light of the controversy, Hadid took to Instagram to defend Karefa-Johnson.
“You wish u had a percentage of her intellect. You have no idea haha…. If there’s actually a point to any of your s### she might be the only person that could save u,” she wrote. “As if the ‘honor’ of being invited to your show should keep someone from giving their opinion ..? Lol. You’re a bully and a joke.”
Kanye said he met with Karefa-Johnson earlier today and the pair went out to dinner, the rapper revealed in an all-cap post.
“IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON MY EXPRESSION SHE EXPRESSED THAT HER COMPANY DID NOT INSTRUCT HER TO SPEAK ON MY T SHIRT EXPRESSION,” Kanye revealed.
“WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL WE ACTUALLY GOT ALONG AND HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FIGHT FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT’S NOT OUR OWN. SHE DISAGREED I DISAGREED WE DISAGREED,” Ye said.
Ye has not yet explained why he chose to wear the top to the Yeezy show, as White Lives Matter is a white supremacist phrase that originated as a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
“It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people,” they commented. “Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.”
Mike Epps and George Lopez will appear in Snoop Dogg’s upcoming movieThe Underdoggs.
According to Deadline, the two comedians joined the cast of the MGM film. Other notable cast members include Tika Sumpter and Andrew Schulz.
Snoop Dogg plays a former NFL star named Jaycen Jenning in the movie. The comedy features Jenning becoming a youth football coach following a run-in with the law.
Charles Stone, known for his work on Paid in Full and Uncle Drew, will direct the film. Black-ish creator Kenya Barris is producing the flick alongside Snoop Dogg and others.
“The Underdoggs is a real personal project for me considering that I’ve been coaching football for 15+ years with the Snoop Youth Football League that I started with my long-time business partner Constance Schwartz-Morini,” Snoop Dogg said. “Giving back to the community through football has taught us so many invaluable life lessons that we’ve been able to share with kids in similar situations like mine when I was growing up. My hope is that this movie will shed light on the realities that kids and adults face in the hood and within the complex world of football.”
Snoop Dogg’s The Underdoggs is scheduled to be released in October 2023. Production is already underway.
Drake will perform at the legendary Apollo Theater for the first time in his career.
The OVO rapper and SiriusXM announced the exclusive event on Tuesday (October 4). Drake’s concert is scheduled to take place at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on November 11.
SiriusXM also launched a contest, giving fans an opportunity to win tickets to the event. Entries are limited to one per person.
“For a chance to win tickets to this event, scan the QR code to listen to Sound 42 (Ch. 42) on the SXM App anytime from now until 11 pm ET on October 26, 2022,” SiriusXM explained. “Then watch for a pop-up message on how to enter.”
SiriusXM provided two options to non-subscribers looking to win the Drake tickets. One involved signing up for a free trial while the other allowed contestants to enter via mail.
“On a postcard or a 3×5 card legibly print your first and last name, complete postal address, phone number and email address and the name and date of the Event you wish to attend if selected as a winner,” SiriusXM noted. “And mail it in an envelope with proper postage to SXM ENTRIES, DRAKE AT THE APOLLO, PO BOX 1948 SOUTH HACKENSACK, NJ 07606. Your mail-in entry must be postmarked by the USPS no later than October 26, 2022 and received by Sponsor no later than five (5) days following the October 26, 2022.”
Contest winners will be part of a relatively small crowd for a Drake concert. The Apollo Theater is a 1,500-capacity venue, making it an intimate setting compared to the arenas where Drake typically performs.
Fat Joe discussed his usage of the n-word in an interview with The Breakfast Club on Tuesday (October 4).
The D.I.T.C. member explained why he’s used the word throughout his life. Fat Joe recalled his childhood and how it influenced his vocabulary.
“My projects is 90 percent – I’ll give you 80 percent – Black still,” Fat Joe said. “My grandmother’s projects is 99.9 percent Black, to be clear. So, I’m Spanish. I knew I was Latino, but the whole time, I thought I was Black anyway.”
He continued, “So, my mom lived there 40 years before I was born, in this project. And I’m born blonde hair, green eyes … This s### crazy. She brings me there, the first thing they go, ‘Oh, look at this little n#### Joey. He got green eyes.’ The minute I’m walking, the guys from the building is like, ‘Yo, look at that little n#### Joe. Little Fat Joe.’ That’s all I knew my whole life.”
Fat Joe didn’t think it was offensive for him to use the n-word. He believed his critics don’t know his history.
“It’s a lot of woke society or something going on these days,” he said. “And Twitter and all that I guess they don’t understand where I come from, where I was born or how I was raised or how I lived my whole entire life. Now we know we use it as love. We know that the record states that this is a negative word. I wish we never used it.”
Fat Joe revealed he’s tried to stop using the word. But he insisted it wasn’t something anyone could pressure him to do.
“I been saying this thing in my DNA,” he said. “It’s hard, bro. I really, seriously, I been trying to stop. But I been saying this since I was born. I tried the greatest level I can to try to understand if I’m offending anybody, that’s cool.”
He added, “But I want them to know no one’s going to pressure Fat Joe into feeling or saying anything that he loves or believes in. No one’s ever going to do that. You get one life and ain’t nobody gonna try to tell me what to say, tell me what to do, tell me what to think. I mean, do I look like a racist?”
Listen to Fat Joe’s explanation below. The topic begins around the 30-minute mark.
Hood Tali P is here to put on for his hometown of Philly, and he’s baring it all in his music. The rising star arrives as a breath of fresh air on the rap scene, equipped with his own storytelling as he navigates the transition of leaving the streets behind and focusing on his professional rap career.
In describing himself, Hood Tali states, “I’m very outspoken, but I’m a very intelligent individual. I’m probably misunderstood, until you really get around me and talk to me. Because you’ll see, I act a whole different way from what I’m perceived as on the internet.”
When asked how he’s perceived on the internet, he states, “there’s mixed emotions about me. Some emotions be negative, some emotions be positive. That’s all about stirring the pot, keeping the attention drawn to me. It’s not really nothing personal or I’m a bad person. Everything I say, people take it and run with it.”
Fast forward to 2022, Hood Tali P returns with his newest project titled Top Opp, detailing his journey thus far in the rap game. The 15-track project is spearheaded by lead singles Two 40’s & A 9, “Dead Man!”, “Mob Business,” and “Blake Griffin.”
AllHipHop caught up with Hood Tali P via Zoom to discuss his sound, roots in Philly, Meek Mill cosign, the new project, fatherhood, goals, and more!
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound?
Hood Tali P: I wouldn’t say I’m the hardest lyricist, I’m more so really pop my s### for real for real. I tell stories about real life situations that I’ve been through, with my own little finesse to it.
AllHipHop: What does Philly mean to you?
Hood Tali P: I love Philly, that’s my hometown. That’s where all my people at, but I’m really starting to outgrow Philly. I feel like I did enough for the city to where I’m not really looking for the city validation no more. I’m more so trying to spread my music out more, because I already did everything I had to do in Philly. But I love Philly because without Philly, there wouldn’t be no me.
AllHipHop: When did you realize you could do music for a living? Was there a turning point?
Hood Tali P: When I dropped my first music video for real for real. Alright, I was a regular n*gga in the city doing what I gotta do to get by. Man, we doing a lot of s### right now you feel me? Our everyday activities, we do a lot of s###. Damn, I might as well. At that time, it was a lot of artists from Philly getting a lot of recognition. If they doing it, why can’t I do it?
I didn’t really start getting in the booth until I linked up with my dad. I had stopped being around my dad when I was 5, and I reunited with him when I was 19. I already had a son. I was way ahead of my time, so it wasn’t really nothing for us to do as far as spending time together. My dad used to rap so he always had a studio. That’s where I recorded my first songs at, in the studio my dad went to. He was using that as a way to spend time with me.
I just recorded a couple songs. I was recording, I was recording, I was recording. It took me a couple months to drop my first video. I dropped the “Exotic” February 2020. From October to November 2019, I was already making music. It just wasn’t out, I wasn’t posting it, I just had a bunch of music in my phone. But I really knew that I had to keep going once I dropped my first video, and it did a certain amount. It really confirmed it once I heard a lot of people try to imitate my sound in the city. Damn, I really got influence out here. I gotta keep it going.
AllHipHop: How did Meek Mill catch wind with you, and what’d that mean? That’s huge.
Hood Tali P: We got a lot of people that’s a part of his camp and team. We got mutual respect for each other. I’m cool with a couple of his nephews, a lot of people around him. I really feel like he got wind of me from hearing a couple of people around him hearing my music, then he gravitated to it. Eventually, he showed me love, threw me a little shoutout on Instagram. He followed me.
Every once in a while, he’ll give me words of encouragement to keep going. Shout out to Meek Mill. It’s crazy, that shout out gave me 10K followers. I really appreciate him for that. I had 7500 followers, he gave me a shout out on one of my music videos and that brought me all the way up to 10K. I got my first 10K followers because of Meek.
AllHipHop: That’s crazy! Were you able to thank him at all?
Hood Tali P: Yeah, it’s crazy. That’s why I said through the DM, he always gives me words of encouragement. Keep going, stuff to watch out for.
AllHipHop: He was trying to get y’all to not beef in the city. Can you touch on that?
Hood Tali P: Yeah, he had posted on Twitter: “there’s a lot of talent in the city.” But everybody in the city is really at odds with each other. That’s a part of the reason why it takes a little longer for us to really break out. If you go to other cities, if you go to Los Angeles, they really support some of their artists coming up. Rest in peace to Drakeo The Ruler ,but he had a lot of support from Los Angeles when he came up.
If you look at Atlanta, Young Thug, Lil Baby, they could be beefing with each other about who’s gonna be the top dog, but instead they all came together. They ended up working out better for the city as a whole. That’s what holds us back. I understand people lost people, but I look at it like this: with the people you lost, would they rather you die for them? Or would the people you lost rather you carry their legacy or their name on? Be able to help with their family and stuff like that.
AllHipHop: You just dropped your new project, Top Opp. Why are you the top opp?
Hood Tali P: People misinterpret me as a person because of Instagram. A lot of people don’t like me, I got a lot of haters too. You gotta look at it like this: the way I came through Philly, a lot of the dudes that don’t like me have been rapping for a long time. I’m 22, we’re all in the same age bracket for real for real. A lot of these dudes out there been rapping since I was in 8th grade. For me to come and I’m doing the stuff I’m doing, from me starting to rap by picking up a mic in 2020, I never even did no freestyle before that.
For me to do that and get the attention I got, now I’m compared to on the same level as y’all and a lot of people don’t like that. I’m an outspoken person. I’m not a go with the flow type of person. If something wrong, I’m gonna speak on it. If there is a flaw, I’m gonna speak on it. I’m not the type to bite my tongue. It tends to be the people that’s not afraid to bite they tongue and speak out, they always get a bad rep from get in line and go with the flow type people. That’s why I’m the top opp, because I go against everything that everybody else wants to do.
AllHipHop: What’s one thing you want people to take away from the project?
Hood Tali P: I don’t necessarily gotta be a drill rapper. I don’t even like being classified as a drill rapper. I’m not no drill rapper, I’m just rapping about my life. This is not no movie, it’s not no facade. It’s not for gang recognition, this is my real life. This is what I’ve really been through. This is all I know, I’ve been dealing with this type lifestyle since I was 16. I’m 22.
Before I thought about a record, this all I knew. Damn, they like it. They interested in it, but I don’t want them to think that’s all I could be boxed into. I could rap about stuff with a certain type of substance, regardless if you want to hear about money or pain. Anything, I could do it. I can switch my beat types too, that’s another thing I want people to really see.
AllHipHop: Do you have a favorite track on the album?
Hood Tali P: “Get A Str8,” because that’s a real story about my life. I had got locked up when I was 17 on a juvenile gun case, but I was lucky enough to get house arrest so I was back home. This was my real life story about a point in time in my life where that time period really molded me. Going through that really molded me, made me a stronger person as a whole.
AllHipHop: I know you’re a father too? How’s that feel?
Hood Tali P: Yes, I got a 3-year-old. It feels great. That made me man up fast. I had to really be responsible, it gave me something to live for. Before I was going on about my days, living for the moment because that’s all I knew. I was a product of my environment. But having him made me be like damn, if something happens to me, how’s he gonna turn out?
He deserves to be able to be whatever he wants to be. He deserves to be able to go to the best schools, be around good people. I don’t want him to grow up in that environment and be around the people that I had to grow up with. Bad influences, bad energy, I don’t want him to have to go through that. It’s my job. It’s my responsibility as his father to make sure he don’t got to worry about nothing. As soon as I had him, that clicked on my head. That opened up a different type of hunger inside of me, to where I gotta get s### right for him.
AllHipHop: I saw your interview about getting shot at at the gender reveal. How’d that affect you?
Hood Tali P: I haven’t been in a situation like that since, I had to change the whole way I moved. In a sense, I’m not glad it happened, but I’m glad it happened because it humbled me. Around that time, I was really moving around like ain’t nothing gon’ happen to me. I used to always argue: nobody gonna do nothing to me, I do what I want. But that showed me you’re not invincible. That quick, you can be gone. It was a blessing I was able to make it out, but it was a real lesson too at the same time.
AllHipHop: I know you love food. What’s your favorite food?
Hood Tali P: Damn that’s hard. This my favorite thing to get from Philly: a 4-piece fried, extra crispy with General Tso’s chicken sauce on the side. That’s my favorite thing to get in the city.
AllHipHop: You be cooking or no?
Hood Tali P: Yeah, I know how to cook real good. I can make anything, honestly. On the grill, on the stove, anything. I know how to cook real good.
AllHipHop: What’s the best encounter you had with a fan?
Hood Tali P: I walked in the gas station. Philly, that’s cool. That’s a given. It really messed my head up when a fan recognized me out in Atlanta. One day, I had walked in the gas station, he’s like “damn, that’s Hood Tali!” He wanted a picture with me. I thought: Damn, this s### could get big. I never had nobody walk up to me from another state and know who I am, that really made me feel good right there. It was 600 miles away from my state, so that was big for me.
AllHipHop: Any goals for yourself at this point in your career?
Hood Tali P: To get where I’m trying to go and really stay away from the trouble and the haters, that’s all. Take care of my family, that’s the main goal. Make sure nobody gotta worry about nothing. My friends don’t gotta worry about something happening to them, my mom don’t gotta worry about if she gotta work. I got a little brother, a little sister, a grandma… I got a lot of family members that really depend on me.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Hood Tali P: We gonna keep it going. We about to start flooding with music again, we getting everything ready. Videos, vlogs, we about to put everything in full throttle right now. We gonna end the year out with something nice. 2023, we’re not gonna take no breaks. We go straight, put our foot on the pedal and turn it up even more. Stay tuned for 2023, and my birthday January 22nd. I will be dropping something for my birthday, something special for the fans.
Kanye West faced Tremaine Emory’s wrath after accusing LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault of killing Virgil Abloh on Tuesday (October 4).
‘Ye made the claim after generating controversy with his “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week. Kanye West blamed Arnault for Abloh’s death in an Instagram rant.
“SPANK MY HAND WITH THE RULER(S),” ‘Ye wrote. “I’LL GO SIT IN THE ‘PRINCIPAL(S)’ OFFICE CAN’T WE TALK ABOUT MORE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE HOW LATE THE SHOW WAS OR HOW BERNARD ARNAULT KILLED MY BEST FRIEND EVERYONE’S GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION RIGHT THERE’S MINE.”
Emory criticized Kanye in a response posted on Instagram. The creative director of Supreme said ‘Ye mistreated Abloh, citing examples of the polarizing rapper’s behavior.
“I gotta draw the line at you using Virgil’s death in your ‘ye’ is the victim campaign in front your sycophant peanut algorithm gallery,” Emory wrote. “Your best friend Virgil, NEGRO PLEASE , this time last year you said Virgil’s designs are a disgrace to the black community infont of all your employees at yeezy -ASK LUCETTE HOLLAND…I GOT ALL THE ‘RECEIPTS’ ( don’t let me get into the things you said about v after his death).”
He continued, “Ye tell the ppl why you didn’t get invited to Virgil’s actual funeral the one before the public one at the museum( and why you weren’t allowed to speak at the public funeral) . You knew Virgil had terminal cancer and you rode on him in group chats, at yeezy, interviews…YOU ARE SO BROKEN. KEEP VIRGIL NAME OUT YOUR MOUTH…KEEP @gabriellak_j NAME OUT YOUR MOUTH…Your not a victim your just an insecure narcissist that’s dying for validation from the fashion world…take care…at least we’ll always have ‘UGANDA.’”
Just after lining up some of the greatest artists and MCs from Brooklyn, NY, and all-over other areas in the US at their past events, entertainment entity, No Days Off Entertainment is back again with another hot spice event dubbed “Go Crazy Festival”.
Happening on October 16, 2022, at 260 Meserole Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206, the Go Crazy Festival is here to highlight some of the fresh and upcoming music artists across genres of Hip Hop, RnB, and pop. This comes as an opportunity for rising artists to perform on the big stage with a greater audience. So many talents have been showcased at the Go Crazy Festival throughout the previous editions, and the October edition is expected to be another pinnacle in the entertainment world.
Some of the artists to expect at Meserole Street include Jasmine Alysha, Tee Diva, JazDaPoet, Tempest Styles, Wan LeAir, Yadi Sixx, KayHunniee, Ciph Boogie, Kitty Snow, TCvsChanze, Bear Milla, and Savina, among others. These are just among the broad lineup of MCs and artists that are set to light up the stage on the 16th of October.
Music at the event will be served by the legendary DJ Dubz from Da Union DJs as the gifted rappers “Gia Giavanni and Q The God” face off on the mic to host this highly anticipated festival.
This not a drill. Sadly, there are a pair of sex videos going on all over the internet. I did not want to see this crap, but when somebody sends you something, you look. And there it is: Chrisean & Blueface and Ice Spice. I cannot post this rated XXX stuff on here for clear and obvious reasons. It is truly graphic. Of course, if you watch p###, it is not totally shocking. This is definitely going to take these ladies to new heights. Attention is money. I am certainly glad I did not come up in an era where I would see a sex tape with Lil Kim or Trina.
So that is that.
By the way, shout out to her. She had a nice presence on the red carpet at the BET Hip-Hop Awards
Uncle Luke has seemingly responded to the fiasco associated with DJ Akademiks. It seemed so long ago, like yesterday. But, AK called some pioneers broke and dusty. The uproar lasted longer than most of the BS that we deal with daily. Recently, big unc pulled up with receipts.
Basically, people are assuming he’s talking about the AK situation, but I am not fully convinced. He could be talking about others, those that have responded to the DJ. I do not know for sure. Either way, he is saying that he out it down for the culture in a way that impacted the way we are today. So salute to him.
Tell me what you think of this statement and even the picture. 2 Black. 2 Strong. 2 Live.
Kanye West shocked fans by wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt to his surprise Yeezy show on Monday (October 4th) and declared the organization a scam.
BLM has issued a terse response to Ye over the controversial fashion show and his comments that the BLM movement was “over.”
Before the spectacle staged as part of Paris Fashion Week, the rapper/designer addressed the crowd wearing a black sweater with the controversial slogan emblazoned across the back.
The front of the garment featured an image of Pope John Paul II and the words “Seguiremos Tu Ejemplo,” or “We Will Follow Your Example.” Kanye spoke about his struggles within the fashion industry, his exit from his Gap deal, his former manager Scooter Braun, and the robbery of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s hotel room back in 2016 during his speech.
“I am Ye, and everyone here knows that I am the leader. You can’t manage me,” he commented in a video circulating online. In addition, conservative commentator Candace Owens posted a photo of herself and the star posing in the same shirt to her Twitter page.
Kanye did not clarify why he chose to wear the top, as White Lives Matter is a white supremacist phrase that originated as a racist response to the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement.
BLM called the “stunt a clear affront to Black Lives Matter, which has been measured as the largest racial justice movement in history.”
“Black models walked the runway wearing the same slogan. ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘White Lives Matter’ have long served as violent retorts to the Black Lives Matter movement, used by white supremacists and hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.”
BLM said they hoped to use Kanye and Candace Owens’ attempt to “kill the Black Lives Matter” movement as a teachable moment and to educate him politically.
“While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we
recognize that it harms thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones killed by state sanctioned violence. It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people. Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us,” BLM said.
The “Stronger” star has caused controversy with his outfit choices in the past, including the “Make America Great Again,” or MAGA, cap he wore to pledge support to former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018.
And speaking to Vogue before the show, Kanye hinted at the theme he wanted to explore with the collection.
“There’s just people. From the same planet. And sometimes, in high school, it feels like we don’t fit in. And in a situation like this, we have the opportunity to come together to express who we are,” the 45-year-old added.
Read their complete response to Kanye’s “White Lives Matter” controversy below:
Los Angeles, CA – On Monday, Kanye West and Candace Owens wore shirts emblazoned with the words ‘White Lives Matter’ at the YZY Season 9 Presentation in Paris.
The stunt was a clear affront to Black Lives Matter, which has been measured as the largest racial justice movement in history. Black models walked the runway wearing the same slogan. ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘White Lives Matter’ have long served as violent retorts to the Black Lives Matter movement, used by white supremacists and hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.
In a follow-up statement, Kanye was clear that he intended to kill the Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter Grassroots sees this as a teachable moment. Political education is core to what we do. While some may see Kanye and Candace’s stunt as a distraction, we recognize that it harms thousands of families fighting for justice for their loved ones killed by statesanctioned violence. It can spread toxic confusion and be used to legitimize violent assaults on Black people.
Battling misinformation while continuing to do the hard that liberation requires is nothing new for us.
Black Lives Matter was birthed in 2013 in response to George Zimmerman’s acquittal for the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The boots-on-the-ground have always been everyday people committed to ending state-sanctioned violence against Black people. We took to the streets, demanded policy change, shifted narratives, and built a mass movement – then and now – to build a world where all of our people can live and walk freely.
Kanye West and Candace Owens sent a performative dog whistle to millions. Kanye knows very well that ‘white lives’ have never been targeted for oppression. Black folks, in contrast, are at the bottom of virtually every economic, social, and political measure because of centuries of individual and institutional racism. Building a world of Black freedom means upending systems that harm and building new systems of care. Ultimately this benefits everyone. When Black people get free, everybody gets free.
Dr. Melina Abdullah, Director of Black Lives Matter Grassroots, is also a professor of PanAfrican Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. She teaches a free, open, online Black Power class and invited Kanye and Candace to join to deepen their understanding.
“We invite them into courageous conversation on race, racism, and why we say ‘Black Lives Matter.’”
The mission of Black Lives Matter Grassroots (BLMGR) is to support, sustain, and uplift the necessary agitations, mobilizations, community organizing, and initiatives of Black Lives Matter chapters to fulfill our sacred duty to advance Black liberation. #BlackLivesMatter was birthed to end state-sanctioned violence against Black people. Black Lives Matter Grassroots is a collective of 26 chartered chapters globally working on the ground since 2013.
John Taylor Hiskey, better known as J.T. Hiskey, is a musician who found success after his own appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, back on May 1st, 2018. Ever since Hiskey has been using his platform to help contribute to a positive change for our current society, and the world we are currently living in. Currently still residing in his own home state of Utah, he does not plan on stopping anytime soon.
Hiskey helped begin a program many years ago titled Flip The Script, with Salt Lake City council member Charlie Luke, a program to help spread awareness for bullying within high schools and grades younger than that. Hiskey also helped raise money for the movement back in 2020 for diversity, and now he is currently working on raising money for Suicide Prevention, by collecting and donating all the proceeds from his newest song titled “Beverly Hillz” which also features 90’s hip-hop legend Afroman.
We spoke with J.T. Hiskey on why he wants to do this, and how this all came about in the first place.
“Back in 2014, I was only a junior in high school, when I lost one of my closest friends due to suicide. It was one the hardest and worst days of my life.” Hiskey began to tell us. “Devin was his name. He made the biggest, positive impact not only on my life but on anyone he surrounded himself with. He was the most talented, and kind giving human anyone could have known. I still think about him every single day.”
Now, recently releasing a collaboration titled “Beverly Hillz’ with 90’s rapper Afroman, Hiskey wants to make sure all the proceeds are going back to the right cause.
“Devin was a talented musician. He and I always talked about doing a song together, and we never got around to doing it. After doing shows with Afroman again this year, and when he and I made this song together, I knew that I wanted to raise money for this specific cause because Devin would have been so happy about the song coming together. I always wanted to give back to this cause and try to help spread awareness. I had a special show I was going to plan out right before the pandemic hit, to raise money for suicide prevention and awareness, because it is such a serious topic that has affected so many lives.”
That statement is true. Within 2022, the rates of suicides have gone up by 36%, which is one of the highest rates it has ever been.
“This is not about me or Afroman, it is about raising money for the right purpose. I am glad that Afroman and I were able to create this song, but I want all the proceeds to go to this cause” Hiskey added. “I also want anyone who is struggling with this, to know that you are never alone. I still struggle with losing my friend, and it is hard. Please don’t ever forget that you are loved.”
With Beverly Hillz now available on every streaming platform, every single cent will be going to a suicide prevention organization. This includes all iTunes purchases, streams, and even air-play. You can find this song by searching J.T. Hiskey on any of these listed platforms, or by searching the name “Beverly Hillz” with Afroman and J.T. Hiskey.
“Please be kind to each other and be there for others. Thank you so much.”
Akon has been a busy man.The legendary hitmaker Akon now returns to his roots – music. However he ‘s doing things differently than he did when he made his splash debut nearly two decades ago.
Akon has been no stranger to innovation but now he’s taking his risk-taking and maverick ways to new levels. First of all, his new EP is being released with the TikTok app generation in mind. “A lot of my old music has trended on the app so I decided why not just do an album just for it,” he explains in this exclusive interview.
Beyond the new vibes, he has been plotting Akon City in Africa and his own cryptocurrency, Akoin. He talks about his current relationship with former artists T-Pain and Lady Gaga after, his fresh new single and his plans to continue bridging the gap with other genres worldwide. Check it out.
On his new single “Enjoy That”
Yeah. The new single is called “Enjoy That.” This is where I’m at today. I just wanted to just have fun with it, man. Yeah, music is at a level now, it’s like my legacy’s sealed. Investments are intact. Philanthropy is moving the way it needs to move. Now I don’t have to spend too much time outside of music, so now everything is kind of turnkey. I wanted to come back into the business, just have fun with it.
Why he did an album just for TikTok
My catalog has been just killing TikTok, man, the last year all throughout the pandemic. It’s been just crazy and it gave me the idea. I was like, man, you know what? Now that I got the younger generation’s ears and feet, let me put out an EP, but just specifically for the TikTok platform. I reached out to TikTok. I did the album first. I did the EP first, then I went to TikTok with it, went to the main headquarters, played it for them and gave them the concept of what I wanted to do. Man, they went crazy. Like, “Oh this will be amazing,” so the idea is to put out a TikTok EP specifically for TikTok, and as it blows up on the platform, we’re going to break it out to the rest of the world.
Why TikTok is just another “platform” and not an evil in music.
This is the thing. A hit record is a hit record. TikTok is just a platform that helps to propel great songs. In this particular thing, I’m a writer producer, so I always find ways to tailor-make things. Me understanding and studying the TikTok platform, I know exactly the kind of music that actually works on the platform, so I tailor-made these records specifically for TikTok.
How he has morphed Konvict Music into Konvict Kulture in 2022.
We’re rebranding Konvict Music now to Konvict Kulture, because we realize that Konvict globally, if you don’t really travel outside of America, you wouldn’t understand how big Konvict is. I was shocked. It’s so much way bigger than me that … It’s to the point where I was like, man, this is a movement. This is a culture for real. Ultimately, and then Konvict spread it outside of hip hop and went into pop music, went into Afrobeat, went into reggae, went into Reggaeton. If you know all these artists from the Latin world all the way down, you name it, all extensions from the Konvict Music Family.
Why he continues to smile and be happy as much as he can.
The most humble people are the ones that went through the craziest s###. The n##### I know that is real killers, bro, most of them are preachers today. These are preachers bro. They want to be so far away from that as possible, but at the same time, it also shows that you appreciate the life that God has given us. We’ve been in a … My story could have turned around for the worst. It was a decision, one split decision that I decided to make to change my life, but had I decided to live in the same path, I probably wouldn’t be talking to you today.
That’s why I’m always happy. I smile in every single picture. You ain’t going to find a picture without me not smiling, because I’m happy to just be here.
This is not a rumor, but the news be taking all my content. So,I am taking this one.
Finesse2Tymes, the man with the hanging KKK members chain, has signed a deal with Atlantic Records. Now, this deal is in partnership with Atlantic Records. It was a bit odd watching him go from AllHipHop’s IG with a pair of iced out hand cuffs to this deal.
There’s not a lot more to this other than to say that Atlantic has another rapper on the roster. This celebration really underscores how excited they are about this though. Everybody is in this damn video! Check it out!
Steve Lacy was finally able to dethrone Harry Styles’s “As It Was” from the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Bad Habit” is now the most popular song in America.
After spending four consecutive weeks at No. 2, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” ascended to the top of this week’s Hot 100. The self-produced single racked up an additional 20.4 million streams during the tracking period.
“Bad Habit” is the first Steve Lacy song to reach the Hot 100’s No. 1 spot. The track started its chart journey by debuting at #100 in July before rising up the Billboard ranks.
“Damn I ain’t even have to change [for real]. 😂😂 We #1 babyyyyy. July 11th was my first entry at 100 and today, Oct 3rd, my first entry at #1. Wow oh wow. I feel heavy gratitude all over my body. [You] know how the story goessss and how it’s goin. iPhone boy to superstar 🤷🏾♂️,” posted Lacy on Instagram.
Steve Lacy reportedly first started producing beats on his iPhone as a teenager. He also played guitar for The Internet. That R&B band was closely associated with the Hip Hop collective known as Odd Future.
“Bad Habit” lives on Steve Lacy’s sophomore studio LP, Gemini Rights. That album also hosts a track titled “Static.” The latest Hot 100 chart features “Static” climbing four rungs to #78. Lacy also holds the #79 position with “Dark Red” from 2017.
Elsewhere on this week’s Hot 100, GloRilla earned the first Top 10 entry of her career. The Cardi B-assisted “Tomorrow 2” collaboration opened at #9. Cardi has now earned eleven career Top 10 songs, and she has charted in the Top 10 region every year since 2017.
Some people believe the “White Lives Matter” phrase is a dog whistle for white supremacists. Additionally, critics claim the purpose of using “White Lives Matter” is to dismiss the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice. Apparently, Kanye West has embraced that line of thinking.
West took to his Instagram Story on Tuesday to offer a response to the backlash he has received online. The billionaire entertainer/entrepreneur fired a direct shot at BLM in defense of his “White Lives Matter” outfit.
However, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation is not the same as the Black Lives Matter social movement. Many BLM supporters have generally worked as decentralized political activists with no association with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation or other organizations.
Kanye West Repeatedly Faces Accusations Of Emboldening White Supremacists
This is not the first time observers accused Kanye West of tacitly backing white supremacist and white nationalist ideology. He was one of the most outspoken supporters of Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement.
Kanye West has gone back and forth with his approval of Trump and the white nationalist groups associated with the former President of the United States. The Chicago-raised rap star proudly wore a MAGA hat for years and expressed his “love” for Trump during a 2018 meeting in the White House.
Constant Kanye West detractor Marc Lamont Hill criticized Ye on Twitter. The Temple University professor tweeted, “Kanye [West’s] decision to wear a ‘White Lives Matter’ shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why…”
Kanye West decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt is disgusting, dangerous, and irresponsible. Some of y’all will rush to defend him. You should ask yourselves why… pic.twitter.com/YT4a6c9tKI
Love him or hate him, The Game is one of the most successful recording artists to emerge from the Los Angeles rap scene. His discography includes multiple chart-topping projects.
The Game recently sat down with Fresh Pair. During the conversation, the hosts asked the 42-year-old emcee to name his Top 5 Los Angeles-based rap albums of all time.
“Number one, The Chronic, for me,” answered The Game. “Just because in order of appearance is important to me, because everyone is motivated by things that happened before them.”
Dr. Dre released The Chronic in 1992. That album is widely considered a Hip Hop classic and helped introduce international star, Snoop Dogg. The Game also mentioned an album by Dre’s famous protégé.
“I have to go with Doggystyle after that. I feel like The Chronic was low-key Snoop’s first album too,” said The Game. “After that, it would have to be The Documentary just because of what that album did.”
The Game’s The Documentary came outin 2005. That debut studio LP hosted the Top 5 hits “How We Do” and “Hate It Or Love It” which both featured 50 Cent.
“At number 4, for me, it would have to be Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, because I watched Kendrick [Lamar] and his essence going from literally a good kid in a mad city,” explained The Game.
For his final pick, The Game stated, “Then at 5, I feel inclined to say Death Certificate just because of what that was to me.” Ice Cube’s second studio album arrived in record stores in 1991.
The Game dropped his tenth album,Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind, on August 12 of this year. Drillmatic included features by Ice-T, Kanye West, YG, Roddy Ricch, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, Cam’ron, Nipsey Hussle, and many more acts.
Kanye “Ye” West’s name became Twitter’s #1 trending topic on Monday. The rapper-turned-designer sparked a lot of negative reactions, including a critical response from Jaden Smith, after Ye was seen wearing a controversial outfit.
Jaden Smith Lets The World Know He Does Not Support Ye’s Latest Stunt
Rapper/actor Jaden Smith was one of the people to call out Ye for his latest racially sensitive antics. According to unconfirmed reports, Smith was in attendance at the Yeezy fashion show.
Around 1:35 ET, Jaden Smith began sharing his thoughts on the “White Lives Matter” fiasco. The 24-year-old “Icon” performer took to Twitter to make it clear he does not stand with West on his latest social commentary.
“I Had To Dip Lol… True Leaders Lead… I Don’t Care Who’s It Is If I Don’t Feel The Message I’m Out… Black Lives Matter… We Demand A More Progressive Future,” tweeted Jaden Smith.
The heated back-and-forth started after news broke that GloRilla and Cardi B’s “Tomorrow 2” debuted at #9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Some Twitter users then began dragging JT and other women featured on Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl (Queen Mix)” because that remix did not make it into the Top 10.
As a result, Cardi and JT dissed each other on Twitter throughout the evening. Accusations of ghostwriters, shots about chart positions, and allegations of Nicki Minaj fueling the flames played out in front of the world.
Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee shared his thoughts on the Cardi B versus JT feud. According to the celebrity blogger, both rappers have apparently settled their differences behind the scenes.
“Let me be clear. I love City Girls and Cardi. I’m on the phone tomorrow to get them on the same page cause we need both of them. We not letting an old lady get in the way,” posted Jason Lee.
The former Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood cast member also tweeted, “I respect these girls. I want this fixed ASAP. [They’re] all dope. We need to fix this.”
A few minutes later, Lee added, “I can either use my platform to make the girls fight or fix it. Ima always try to bring people together. Cardi be minding her business and then the funny s### be happening. I’m not gonna let a misunderstanding get outta hand. [Hip Hop is] bigger than this petty s###.”
Nearly an hour after midnight on the East Coast, Lee returned to Twitter. He wrote, “Talked to BIG BARDI. It’s squashed and they talked it out that’s what I like to see… I hate seeing all these female rappers fighting [with] each other. Both have respect for each other. Hip Hop [is] bigger than this! Yassssssss.”
In addition, Jason Lee told his Twitter followers that he had a conversation with JT. The Gagging host ended the night by tweeting, “Talking to @thegirljt. We [are] good. I’m going to bed.”
Let me be clear. I love City Girls and Cardi. I’m on the phone tomorrow to get them on the same page cause we need both of them. We not letting an old lady get in the way.
I can either use my platform to make the girls fight or fix it. Ima always try to bring people together. Cardi be minding her business and then the funny s### be happening. I’m not gonna let a misunderstanding get outta hand. Hop Hop bigger than this petty s###.
Talked to BIG BARDI. It’s squashed and they talked it out that’s what I like to see …I hate seeing all these female rappers fighting wit each other. Both have respect for each other. Hip hop bigger than this! Yassssssss 🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽🕺🏽
Jay-Z has his fingers in many different pies, and his latest venture sees him investing in pies of the pizza variety but made by a robot.
Stellar Pizza hopes its automated, robotic pizza truck will become the future of pizza delivery. The startup announced on Monday (Oct. 3) that Marcy Venture Partners, Jay-Z’s venture capital firm, invested $16.5 million.
The former SpaceX engineer founders, Benson Tsai, Brian Langone, and James Wahawisan, along with 20 other fellow SpaceX employees, bring together a combined 100 years of rocket science experience to the venture.
The robot food truck can create a fresh pizza from scratch with selected toppings in under five minutes. Customers order the gourmet pies via an app, and the machine prepares, bakes, boxes, and cuts the pizza. A launch is slated at the University of California this Fall. Check out the process in the video below.
“What we’re trying to do is very hard,” said Tsai as per TECHEBLOG. “I needed to recruit the best and the brightest to develop a mobile pizza machine that is basically a spaceship on wheels. I can’t even count the number of pizzas I’ve eaten.”
Native New Yorker Jay-Z takes his pizza seriously, as he revealed during a 2015 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live. His favorite New York slice comes from Lucali, a pizzeria in Brooklyn.
When asked to explain his wife Beyoncé‘s unconventional pizza topping preference of extra tomato sauce and jalapeños, Hov avoided the question. “She’s from Houston, first of all,” Jay-Z explained while laughing. “They don’t have pizza there. That explains everything.”
Rumors of a Migos split have swirled online for months, but the group has kept relatively silent on the matter, fuelling the speculation.
Quavo and Takeoff had a collaborative album due later this month and have been dropping music as a duo. In a new interview, the pair confirm that they like it better that way, for now at least.
Quavo and Takeoff, a.k.a. Unc & Phew, opened up about the status of the group during a visit to the Big Facts Podcast. Host DJ Scream asked them to address the Migos split rumors.
“Speaking of just family, will there be more Migos? Will there be a ‘Culture IV?’ or more music with Set? What is that space?” he asked. “I just feel like we want to see our career as a duo,” Quavo replied. “Because, you know, we just came from a loyal family.”
He added, “you’re supposed to stick together, but sometimes s### don’t work out.” Then, Takeoff interjected, saying while they don’t know all the answers, God does. “We pray a lot,” he continued. “Only time will tell. We’re always family ain’t nothing gone change.”
Additionally, Quavo explained their issues are beyond their label Quality Control and solely between “the three brothers.” Watch the clip below.
Whispers of a Migos split began when fans noticed Offset stopped following Quavo and Takeoff on Instagram. Though Migos reps denied the rumors, speculation continued when the new duo announced their debut single, “Hotel Lobby” as Unc and Phew.
