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New Skool Rules Returns Full Force With Hybrid Edition

The pandemic changed some things for the better. Founder Henca Maduro and partner Gregory Struiken are hopeful that their festival and music conference New Skool Rules is proof of this. The three-day international creative explosion goes down in Rotterdam, The Netherlands this week. As a global affair, it gives aspirants all they could want in order to be successful in the music game.

There are performance, panels, workshops, masterclasses, showcases and a lot of fun. New Skool Rules is a unique value proposition in a number of ways, but it recognizes that music is homogenized all over the world in a way we have never seen. With the amazing event turning 10, Henca and Greg talk about New Skool Rules 2022, the changes and the similarities to the past.

For more go to NewSkoolRules.com

AllHipHop: Tell us about this new iteration of New Skool Rules and what makes it different.

For our 10th edition we decided to go hybrid, which means that we will finally have an in real life edition in Rotterdam, the Netherlands bigger than ever, but that we will also have an online world for people that can’t physically be here to experience the conference from anywhere in the world. Part of our program will be offered online. The online delegates get to ask questions and our panel members who will be physically in Rotterdam will answer theirs, just like they will answer the questions the live audience has. The online delegate get to network amongst eachother and get a little glimpse of the actual conference going on! 

AllHipHop: What made you take this approach and what does a hybrid bring to the festival? 

It brings the conference/festival to everybody’s living room. We realize that because of Covid regulations (that were in place until September 17th) and the prices of plane tickets being outrageous, lots of people can’t make it to the Netherlands, but they do need that knowledge and that network to take further steps into their career. This gives us a change to facilitate those people. We’re a foundation, that is set up to help as many people as humanly possible. Over these last few years, the road to success in the music industry got harder, physical performances disappeared and if you didn’t have relationships within the industry, you became further removed. In this way, we can bridge that knowledge gap for people without having to financially burden them. New Skool Rules is about to concur the world from Rotterdam!

AllHipHop: How did the global pandemic impact NSR?

It impacted us in different ways. We had to come up with inventive ways to still create the platform that is so much needed. An affordable way to gain knowledge, network and do business even if it was on line. In 2020 when the pandemic first happened we had New Skool Rules through Zoom. Crazy enough New Skool Rules started on zoom one day after George Floyd got murdered, we used the platform to come together and coop with all our emotions about life as well as talk about the music industry and everything involved.

In 2021 we decided to professionalize the digital platform and spent a lot of money to create a digital platform that represented our physical format much better. Having to do everything digital taught us a lot about streaming etc. Most importantly we saw people drifting apart because physical connections are the most important in humans lives. We saw people missed coming together and we saw are family get financially weaker across the globe. No performance money, less streaming money and no merchandise money. All the sources of income were drying up. Lots of people stopped being a creative and started finding other work to pay the bills.

We see this 10th edition of New Skool Rules as a rebirth and a rebuild edition. We’re going to help as many people as possible rebuild their confidence, their network, their relationships, their skillsets and their performance stamina. We’re going to inspire, by showing them the way the pro’s do it, but also by being 100% with people that are attending (digitally or physically)

AllHipHop: Who will be a part of the festivities and how many nations are convening? 

There will be A&R’s from Def Jam, Columbia Records ,Interscope, Warner Music, Warner/ Chapell, Sony Music Publishing and more. Of course we have the festival programmers from Focus Wales, Pitch Scotland, De Doelen Studio, Get Loose Festival, Fresh Island Festival and Hip-Hop Kemp in the Building and of course AllHipHop will also be represented, but we also have experts on things like social media and streaming and Entertainment lawyer to the Stars Bob Celestin, as well as Grammy award winning producers Troy Taylor (Trey Songz, Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men), Needlz (Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Kehlani and 50 Cent) and Focus… (Dr. Dre, Anderson Paak, Eminem) 

AllHipHop: How do you each feel about the current landscape of music, particularly from a global perspective?

We feel good much better about the quality of music compared to before the pandemic, it seems like a lot of people took the time to get better at their craft and more selective in what they put out. Globally Urban Music still is the Number 1 music and that will not change any time soon. We would like even more collabs on an international level. There have been a bunch of collabs over the years now between the US/Canada and African artist. We would love to see the same between European and American artists or within Europe.

AllHipHop: What about Hip-Hop specifically? 

More and more Hip-Hop does what it is supposed to do, it tells the story of the person performing his/her rhymes. Instead of copying the US rappers, you see local scenes doing them. You see people using instruments that make sense for their ethnic backgrounds. People don’t talk about the trap, because there is no trap where they’re from or it’s called different. Hip-Hop is still the streets radio/newspaper and it’s becoming more and more authentic around the world.

AllHipHop: Do you feel there’s more or less collaboration with artists internationally?

In a way more, on an established artist level, but less on the level of up and coming artists. I do feel like there is much international collaboration between European producers and American artists

AllHipHop: Speaking of, do you have anything going on here in the states?

We’ve held auditions in the US this year to come to New Skool Rules and perform and we also work with artists and producers from the US all through the year doing tours etc.

AllHipHop: By the way, since I am attending NSR again this year, do you plan to stay on this schedule or resume in the spring months or stay pre-winter? 

No, this 2022 date was purely because of Covid-19. We plan to be back around the same period that we normally have New Skool Rules, Around the end of May.

AllHipHop: What else do you want us to know?

This is the program for the online delegates, which they can be a part of for 20 euro’s (or about 20 dollars) during the conference Oct.7-9

Sanaa Lathan Makes Directorial Debut with Battle Rap Film ‘On The Come Up’

The Paramount + film, ‘On The Come Up’ marks a directorial debut for Emmy-nominated actress Sanaa Latahan.

The film masterfully tells the story of Bri, a gifted 16-year-old rapper, who attempts to take the battle rap scene by storm in order to lift up her family and do right by the legacy of her father – a local Hip Hop legend whose career was cut short by gang violence.

‘On The Come Up’ also tackles the themes of authenticity and identity as Bri finds herself torn between the authenticity that got her far and the false persona that the industry wants to impose upon her.

The film is current, relatable and fresh, and it features actors and actresses Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Sanaa Lathan, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Mike Epps, Lil Yachty, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Justin Martin, Titus Makin, Michael Cooper Jr., GaTa, and newcomer Jamila C. Gray

AllHipHop’s Rea Davis caught up with Sanaa Lathan to discuss Lathan’s mission with the film, the element of battle rap, her Top 5 DOA, and more!

AllHipHop: So there are so many different angles that you could take with a Hip Hop story, so what attracted everyone involved to telling the story from the lens of the rap battle side? 

Sanaa Lathan: Well I always thought it was fascinating that this was set in the world of battle rap which is very different from radio rap right. It’s a different skill set. They have their own world. They have their own stars within that world. There’s a lot of bad ass females in that world. I mean so I really kind of dove in. I couldn’t go to really any live shows/live battles because it was in the middle of the pandemic, but YouTube is a great resource for that, and I wanted to bring as much authenticity to the battles and realism, and that’s part of the reason why I hired Rapsody to write all the battles. Angie had actually really written them in the novel when we had those in the script, but I wanted to kind of bring it up-to-date and give it more of an edge. So, I thought Rapsody did such an amazing job and yeah I feel like they came out pretty well. I’m happy with how they did. 

AllHipHop: I love how current it is. It talks about current issues, and with the dialogue everything is relatable from the artists mentioned to the element of social media. How does it feel to be a part of something that chronicles the now?

Sanaa Lathan: Exactly! Yeah, it’s great. You know that’s a testament to Angie Thomas. I don’t know what year her book came out, but she wrote it a while ago. When we did our rewrites we wanted to bring it into…we knew kids are so sophisticated, and this is a movie for everybody, but it’s really targeted towards young people. You know I wanted to get them involved in the story, and I think the best way to do that is to speak to them in their language. 

AllHipHop: What do you want viewers to take aways from this film?

Sanaa Lathan: I just want them to have gone on the ride, and then take what they need whether it’s just to be entertained and forget about their lives for a minute or if it’s to really kind of be touched by the journey of finding your authentic voice which I feel like everybody should. The journey of owning and accepting your past, or the journey of family and how family actually raises us. It’s always a community and the beauty of that. So many things; I want them to just be connected enough to the story where they get something.

AllHipHop: Who are your Top 5 favorite rappers of all time, and if you could trade careers with a rapper for a week, which rapper would it be?

Sanaa Lathan: I love Lauryn Hill, Rapsody, Nicki, Nas, Kendrick, Jay. I mean the list goes on.

AllHipHop: Who would you trade places with?

Sanaa Lathan: Nobody. I don’t want to be a rapper. I’ll just make a movie about rappers. 

Joe Budden Responds To Backlash For Saying He Fakes Putting On A Condom

Once again, Joe Budden’s comments on his podcast caused a ton of negative responses online. This time, the controversial talking head apparently joked about stealthing during sex.

Stealthing is the practice of removing or refusing to use a condom without telling the other sexual partner. On his show, Joe Budden admitted to taking part in unprotected intercourse with women without their knowledge.

“Even I done walked into a corner and faked like I put a condom on before,” said Joe Budden before laughing. The Padded Room album creator added, “They’re none the wiser… Yes, I did that. One thousand percent.”

Budden continued, “That was my poor execution of my plan after I mastered it, which was just bust through the lambskin… Let me go find the thinnest condom in the world.” He also told his co-hosts, “I used to be [a sicko]. Please don’t misrepresent me.”

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A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

That clip of Joe Budden discussing stealthing techniques went viral. Countless social media users blasted Budden for admitting to and/or joking about a form of sexual assault against women.

The Shade Room shared Budden’s stealthing soundbite on the celebrity blog’s Instagram page. Other IG users began leaving comments, calling the actions Budden described on his podcast predatory behavior and a crime.

Then Joe Budden left his own comment under The Shade Room‘s post about the story. The 42-year-old retired rapper wrote, “Y’all really want all Black men in jail lol.”

In the past, Joe Budden found himself in social media’s crosshairs for remarks that some people perceived to be questionable, offensive, or disturbing. For example, a clip of Budden talking about masturbating dogs spread across the internet in September 2020.

Allegations of physical abuse as well as allegations of sexual misconduct have followed Joe Budden throughout a large portion of his career. However, the Love & Hip Hop alum has repeatedly insisted those accusations are false.

Following the most recent controversy, Budden informed his followers that he considered making his podcast a Patreon-only release. That means listeners would have to sign-up for a paid membership in order to hear The Joe Budden Podcast.


DDG Catches Heat From Nicki Minaj Fans For Calling Cardi B His Favorite Female Rapper

Apparently, the highly-publicized problems between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B should prevent anyone from showing appreciation to the other. At least, that is how many of Minaj’s fans, known as the Barbz, reacted to a recent tweet by DDG.

The Hip Hop artist/YouTuber born Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr. took part in a Q&A on Twitter over the weekend. One of DDG’s followers asked him to name his favorite female rapper.

In response, the former Central Michigan University student simply tweeted, “Cardi B.” That answer caused a torrent of Barbz to jump into DDG’s mentions to slam him for picking Nicki Minaj’s longtime rival.

“You said this for clout,” wrote one Minaj fan under DDG’s tweet. Another user tagged DDG’s girlfriend, Halle Bailey, and demanded The Little Mermaid lead actress dump him for liking Cardi B.

Later another Twitter user asked DDG if he ever chooses sides in rap beef. The Epic Records signee responded, “No, that ain’t got nun to do [with] me. I just wanna make music.”

#AskDDG took place on Twitter after DDG released his sophomore studio album It’s Not Me It’s You on Friday. That 12-track LP includes contributions by Polo G, NLE Choppa, Gunna, Kevin Gates, and Babyface Ray.

DDG’s first album, Valedictorian, came out in November 2019. His OG Parker-hosted Die 4 Respect mixtape hit DSPs on March 19, 2021. Die 4 Respect peaked at #61 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The 2021 XXL Freshman Class member dropped his “If I Want You” music video in August. Halle Bailey starred in the clip which has amassed over 1.6 million views on YouTube since its premiere.

YG Drops “How To Rob A Rapper” Music Video

Los Angeles-based emcee YG released his sixth studio LP, I Got Issues, on September 30. The album hosts a song titled “How To Rob A Rapper” featuring Mozzy and D3szn.

YG let loose the official “How To Rob A Rapper” music video over the weekend. The visuals arrive with a black-and-white aesthetic which appeared to be filmed as one continuous shot.

“Catch a n#### lacking, he slacking on IG Live. He gon show his whereabouts on accident, he be high. He gon show the jewels he wearing and the car that he drives. Stupid n#### showed the same location three times,” raps YG on the “How To Rob A Rapper” track.

YG’s “How To Rob A Rapper” video landed after a gunman shot Rakim “PnB Rock” Allen at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles in Los Angeles on September 12. Many social media users chastised Rock’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, for sharing their location on Instagram prior to the fatal shooting.

After local authorities reportedly ruled out the Instagram post led to Rock’s murder, Cardi B called out anyone that blamed Sibounheuang for the rapper’s death. Kodak Black eventually walked back his previous comments directed at the grieving girlfriend.

As far as YG’s I Got Issues, the project also includes features by Nas, Hit-Boy, J. Cole, Moneybagg Yo, Tyga, 21 Savage, BIA, H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, Post Malone, and more. The 4Hunnid leader’s latest collection of tunes follows 2020’s My Life 4Hunnid.

RIAA CEO Reacts To California’s Rap Lyrics Law

California became the first state in America to limit prosecutors’ use of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases. Governor Gavin Newsom signed The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act into law on Friday, September 30.

The issue of using rap lyrics in court came to a head after authorities charged Young Thug and Gunna with RICO crimes in Georgia. Several high-profile rap stars pushed for the prohibition of prosecutors presenting music as evidence.

The trade organization known as the Recording Industry Association of America backed California’s Assembly Bill 2799. RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier released a statement about the bill becoming law in the state.

“Today we applaud Governor Newsom on this pivotal decision that will allow all creators to express themselves and follow their artistic vision without barriers of prejudice!” says Mitch Glazer.

He continues, “The RIAA has been a vocal advocate for AB 2799 because all too often rap and Hip Hop artists have suffered for the same kind of hyperbole and imagery other genres routinely use without consequence. With the signing of the California rap lyrics bill into law, voices that may have been stifled are now fully open to expression.”

In June, Ari Melber presented a segment about “fictional evidence” on his daily show The Beat. MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent contrasted the treatment of African-American entertainers and Caucasian entertainers.

“Prosecutors do not typically treat white people’s art in America as criminal evidence. It didn’t happen to Johnny Cash who was arrested seven times,” Melber argued. He added, “It didn’t happen to Jack Sparrow, government-name Johnny Depp, in a case that was about violence. It didn’t happen to Eric Clapton who was arrested for drugs.”

The issue of rap lyrics as evidence has been a topic of legal conversation for years. In 2013, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld Deyundrea “Khali” Holmes’s murder conviction. Holmes allegedly detailed his crimes in a song.

The following year, the New Jersey Supreme Court overturned Vonte Skinner’s attempted murder conviction. The Court’s ruling referred to the prosecution’s decision to read some of Skinner’s rap lyrics to the jury as “highly prejudicial.” 

Drake Wins Hefty $1 Million Payout After Betting Big On NFL 

Prolific gambler Drake has scored another huge win, winning a multi-million-dollar NFL bet just days after losing a seven-figure wager on the Miami Dolphins. 

The Toronto rap superstar has been betting serious money since becoming an official ambassador for the online cryptocurrency casino, Stake.com. 

Last week, Drake stood to win more than CA $2 million, $1.45 million approx., after betting on three NFL teams playing in Week 4 to win their games. However, he needed all three to win to collect a multi-million-dollar payout.  

Unfortunately, Thursday night’s showdown between the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals did not go Aubrey’s way. The Dolphins lost 27-15 to the Bengals, scuppering his chances of winning the combined three-team wager. 

Nonetheless, Drake was undeterred. According to his bet slip, he placed another seven-figure wager on Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Kansas City Chiefs to come out on top in their respective games. This time, he upped the ante, betting CA $394,771.80, $287,00 approx., on the three games.  

This time, Drizzy picked a trio of winners and yet another hefty payday. He took to Instagram to share his winning ticket and couldn’t help boasting in the caption. “Made up for it 😬🤑,” he shared. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjPhveFOYCf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Earlier this summer, Drake placed another seven-figure bet on two fighters at a UFC London event. Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann won their bouts, and the rapper took home $3,723,077.00

Snoop Dogg Confirms Collab Album With Dr. Dre ‘Missionary’ Complete Next Month 

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are reuniting on the upcoming album Missionary, 30 years after the success of the 1993’s Doggystyle.  

While he teased the project earlier in the year, the Doggfather says it should be finished next month.  

“You’re the first one to hear this,” Snoop announced during his recent appearance on Stephen A. Smith’s Know Mercy podcast. “Me and Dr. Dre have been working on an album for the past two months, and it’ll be done in November.” 

He continued, “And it’s produced by Dr. Dre. It’s our 30th anniversary to ‘Doggystyle.’ And the name of the album is ‘Missionary’.” When asked to explain the title, Snoop quipped, “The first album was ‘Doggystyle’.” 

Snoop Dogg first revealed he and Dre were “cooking up a little something,” back in August. Since then, the iconic duo has been in the studio with Eminem, who posted a pic of the three of them. “Just a few bros.. hangin out,” he penned in the caption.  

Later that month, Diddy took to Instagram with his own studio selfie with his “hero,” Dr. Dre. The mogul’s team confirmed Snoop Dogg was also present and the heavyweight trio was working on Missionary.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch6ANY2rWeO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Elsewhere during the interview, Snoop Dogg also discussed his recent acquisition of Death Row Records

“I was looking to get my masters back from ‘Doggystyle’,” Snoop explained. “During the process, they were – the people that had it – were charging more for the masters than for Death Row. So I had to ask myself, ‘Do I want the masters now, or do I want to go back and get that legacy?’” 

He added, “Death Row Records should be the most prolific, dominant, business-minded companies to come out of the West Coast, that comes and stays with you for a lifetime.” 

Chrisean Rock Shares Intimate Bedroom Video With Blueface Hours After Claiming She’s Single 

Chrisean Rock and Blueface were trending on Twitter again on Sunday after the reality TV starlet said she would “go to jail” over their most recent altercation.  

The couple’s tumultuous relationship has seen them making headlines for getting into alleged physical fights. In August, they pledged to stop fighting because Chrisean doesn’t want to return to jail following her arrest for assaulting Blueface.  

However, on Sunday (Oct. 2), the Baddies South star took to Instagram Live to share details of their latest fight. Chrisean claimed she took his phone and accused Blueface of cheating on her with a “broke b####.” 

She claims she smashed up their hotel room and had to flee before getting arrested. “We had to run from that hotel to another one,” she said.  

Elsewhere during the IG Live, Chrisean Rock spoke to her boyfriend’s mother, who was concerned for Blueface. When she asked if her son was okay, Chrisean replied, “Maybe, maybe not. I might leave his body missing.” Check out her comments below.

https://youtu.be/-bZErFoCdt4

A short time later, she took to Twitter to announce she and Blueface are no longer together. “Y’all can have him . ChriseanRock is single,” she penned. “Chrisean you are enough 🗣🚶🏽‍♀️” 

Nonetheless, Twitter users shared their shock just a few hours after that tweet when she returned with another update. Chrisean Rock shared a video on her IG Stories of her and Blueface getting busy in the bedroom, before apparently going live.  

Check out some of the reactions below.  



https://twitter.com/lifeofamayad/status/1576820904327192576?s=20&t=J-D0KpQS7g42l0WLzFF9PA

Diddy Tells Gunna To Prepare For A Return In Prison Call 

Diddy is encouraging Gunna to keep his spirits high behind bars while awaiting trial in the YSL RICO case

According to reports, the rapper’s legal team filed a third motion for bond last week. Judge Ural Glanville denied previous requests for a pretrial release after prosecutors raised concerns about witness intimidation. In their latest filing, Gunna’s attorneys argued the prosecution has “not succeeded” in producing evidence for his continued detention.  

Over the weekend, Diddy posted a video on social media of a recent conversation with Gunna. The Hip-Hop mogul shared his sympathies but encouraged the 300 Entertainment artist to “keep the faith.” 

“I’m praying, man. I’m praying,” Diddy said before Gunna replied: “Yeah, that’s it. They gonna work. I’m doing nothing but preserving myself and keeping my mind together and getting myself right for when I’m back out there.” 

Gunna remained positive, adding, “it’s part of the journey so I have to just understand that.” The DS4Ever hitmaker said he’s focused on “making sure I’m prepared for when I do come out.” 

Diddy Gives Gunna A Pep Talk

Diddy then shared some words of motivation with Gunna, urging him to “be laser focused,” during his incarceration.  

“Empower your mind every single second, stay in a high frequency. Know that it’s gonna be alright, it’s for a reason that you don’t even know about and just get ready for your return. You got some good time in there to be laser focused and do a lot of positive things and dream big and bold.”  

He added: “Know that I’m praying for you and my God answers my prayers, when I put that special prayer on. And you deserve that. You’re a beautiful person, and beautiful brother and I can’t wait to see the things you do when you come out and you get back, king. I love you.” Watch the video below. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CjLzp-IjbKe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If Gunna is denied bond for the third time, he will remain behind bars until the start of his trial. However, Gunna’s attorney Steven Sadow is “very hopeful” the court will grant “a reasonable bond.” The trial is scheduled to start in January 2023. 

JT Defends Her Boo After Lil Uzi Vert Debuts Belly Button Piercing 

Lil Uzi has added another piercing to the collection, debuting a fresh belly button piercing over the weekend.  

The Space Cadet rapper already has an extensive collection and was spotted over the summer with a new set of finger jewels. In February last year, Lil Uzi had a $24 million pink diamond inserted into their forehead. However, in December, Uzi claimed the reported 10-karat gem was ripped from their forehead during the 2021 Rolling Loud Miami Festival.  

JT Speaks Up For Lil Uzi

Fans online had a lot to say about the rapper’s latest navel jewelry, even tagging the rapper’s girlfriend in their comments. JT took to Twitter in defense of Lil Uzi, calling out those who tie self-expression with sexuality. 

“Everytime MY n#### do something he want to do y’all act amazed,” she began. “That’s BEEN his aesthetic before me. She added, “But let me tell y’all something he a black rockstar that does what he wants!” 

“Y’all think the way ppl dress & how they express themselves is what defines them sexually and that’s y’all problem now because it’s men who out here masculine as hell dress apart & can’t wait to get from round y’all to suck d*ck for amiris & I mean NO disrespect!” 

JT continued, saying she and Lil Uzi “have two different audiences so nothing bother me more then when he doing what he want y’all Tag me & say “THIS YOUR MAN”…yes hoe that’s MY man. MY good man, MY rich man, MY respectful man, MY lit man, MY successful black rockstar💖” 

The City Girls rapper followed up with a final message. “Last last, I have my own money. S###. I’m with him because I want to be. 🙂 he’s the best man ever better than alllll y’all n##### …let’s argue 😜” 

JT opened up about Lil Uzi during a recent interview with PopSugar. “It made me a much better person,” JT said of their relationship. “I feel like I found my home with him, my safe space. Once you find your safe space, you know.” 

Kodak Black Apologizes To PnB Rock’s Girlfriend Over His Reaction To Rapper’s Death 

Kodak Black said he told Stephanie Sibounheuang to “kill yourself” because he mistakenly believed “she did some b#######,” which may have led to PnB Rock’s murder.  

PnB Rock was fatally shot during a robbery at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles last month (Sept. 12). Authorities arrested three suspects and are looking for an unidentified person they say tipped off PnB Rock’s killer before the fatal shooting.  

Shortly after the Philly rapper’s death was reported some fans on social media condemned the rapper’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, for sharing their location on her Instagram Story, suggesting this led the PnB to be targeted. 

After hearing of PnB Rock’s death, Kodak Black took to Instagram to share his shock over his former collaborator’s passing. He also added a jab at Stephanie. “That hoe might as well kill herself,” he wrote.   

However, he clarified his comments during a recent Instagram Live. Kodak Black said he “was angry” when he made the post and explained that he had just woken up and heard the news.  

Kodak says he “went with what everybody was saying,” before adding that cops only recently released information about how the suspects targeted PnB Rock.  

However, he says at the time, he believed she was at fault and so told her to kill herself. “At that moment it was sounding like she did some b#######,” he said. “So s###, you know, kill yourself. Other than that, I don’t wish no bad on her. I give my apologies to her; I hope she keep her head up and all that.” Check out his comments below.  

The Florida rapper faced backlash on Friday after paying tribute to PnB Rock with an Instagram post of his chicken and waffles.  

“LongLivePNB ! Good Chicken & Waffles,” he wrote.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjJR3evAgXz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Source Says Rapper Tsu Surf Is Not In Jail … Yet

Rapper Tsu Surf is not in jail, according to the firsthand account of one of his associates.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, around 8 p.m., battle rap vlogger Vada Fly published a Youtube video saying that he spoke directly to the rapper and that he was not locked up … as of yet.

However, the rumors surrounding the “What If” rapper facing RICO charges out of New Jersey are true.

Surf told Vada Fly that it is not because of something that he has done recently and that he was “blindsided” by the allegations and has no idea why he is being targeted. He did say, according to the YouTuber, that it might be something from his past.

Regretfully, the rapper posted a meme on his Instagram Story, acknowledging whatever is going on is breaking his daughter’s heart.

Tsu Surf Instagram Story Oct. 2

In 2017, Surf was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Before this, he was incarcerated twice before on gun charges. Each of his three arrests appeared to be violent felonies.

On July 25, 2018, the Garden State native was shot three times. He referenced the scars from that altercation in his most recent battle at Summer Madness 12 against JC, when he said he had a “centipede” on his torso.

Surf, whose estimated net worth is between $800,000 and $1,000,000 according to various sources, was arrested again in 2019 for getting caught with an illegal magazine clip and weed. Ironically, he was arrested on the one-year anniversary of the shooting and the actual date of his album, “Seven 25” featuring the hit song “What Changed” featuring Cascio, that was released earlier in the year.

It is important to note that over the last three years, the artist has been redirecting his career, making music with some of Hip-Hop’s top emerging stars, like Benny the Butcher, Jim Jones, Chris Brown, and more. He also released a collaboration with Mozzy on Empire Records called “Blood Cuzzins.”

He created a career for himself as a media personality, taking on the personality of Tsu Sharpe and taking his battle rap career to the next level with one of the longest winning streaks in modern battle rap history.

During the Summer of Civil Unrest, Surf organized a peaceful demonstration in New Jersey, walking in memorial of many of the Black and Brown people killed by police-involved violence.

Shortly after that Vada Fly, someone took to Surf’s Instagram Live and played new music from a studio. Thousands tuned in to hear the new music, but also hoping to hear from the superstar.

As reported by AllHipHop.com, he is working on an album that will be released in October.  One is called, “Die Legend” (2 min. 49 sec.) and another “Free Me 1” (2 min. 14 sec.).

Tsu Surf Instagram Story Oct. 2

#FREETHEWAVE Rapper Tsu Surf Trends As Fans Speculate Arrest

Free The Wave!

Free Surf!!!

Early Saturday afternoon, rumors started to emerge that battle rapper Tsu Surf, whose real name is Rahjon Cox, was being arrested on RICO charges.

Conflicting stories prevailed with some saying members of his Crip gang have been arrested and he was on the run, and others saying he was going to turn himself in.

While the details of his detainment are sparse, the internet is swarming with well wishes making #FreeSurf and #FreeTheWave trend. This comes immediately after he beat his opponent JC at the Ultimate Rap League’s Summer Madness 12 event in Charlotte, NC, and performed a masterful set at the Rolling Loud Festival in New York City, hours apart.

Surf’s manager gave a trial of cryptic messages, suggesting someone might have said something that they should not have. This possibly is not connected to Surf’s case at all, but a few general messages.

“Don’t ever disrespect your inside for an outsider’s entertainment…..under no circumstances. A person that don’t live in my house or never been in my house would never know what goes on behind closed doors. You are an outsider for a reason.”

“Get a person angry or drunk and they’ll tell you how they really feel about you. Whole time you thinking yall tight and the moment something goes not as planned they say or do something you never would’ve imagined.”

“Just because you’ll never do it to them, doesn’t mean they’ll never do it to you.”

However, as one of the key architects in the Raw Bunch Entertainment movement, the brand and label that Surf owns and distributes his content through, this message is loud and clear: when working on greatness and countering a crisis, one has no room for any distractions.

“I’m tryna build a brand and a legacy……no time for negativity.”

“#InTheBunchWeTrust”

The first definitive comment the music executive made laughing at people who are running with stories about what is going on.

“How are ppl telling ME what’s going on 😂😂😂😂😂”

Gun Titles founding member Tay Roc took to Twitter at 8:04 on Sunday, Oct. 2, changing his moniker to FreeTheTitles, and tweeting, “GUNTITLES Forever ! #DaBiggest 🦇🌊.”

He later hopped on Instagram around 1 p.m. later in the day to send positive energy to his brother Surf. He posted a picture of the two together, both dressed in orange and black, with the caption, “Free The Wave 🔓🌊😔.”

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A post shared by THE CAVE 🦇 FREE SURF 🌊 (@therealtayroc)

Rap music has recently been under attack with many big city prosecutors zeroing on alleged gang members or associates thriving in the culture. From New York to Georgia to Illinois to Florida, three forms of emceeing have taken front stage and have District Attorneys combing through rappers’ songs and pieces of art to link them to crime. Those subgenres are Trap, Drill, and Florida’s popular Murder rap.

They are even dissecting battle rap lyrics, a space where Tsu Surf has been noted as one of the most prolific artists in his generation— going undefeated over the last year and a half (15-0).

When the prosecution tries to get artists on RICO charges, they move to connect them to violence and criminal activity connected to an organized group. The acronym is Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and it is a United States federal offense.

LexisNexis states “New Jersey Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“New Jersey RICO”), N.J.S.A. § 2C:41-2(c), the plaintiff must demonstrate (1) the existence of an enterprise, (2) that the enterprise engaged in or its activities affected trade or commerce, (3) that defendant was employed by, or associated with the enterprise, (4) that he participated in the conduct of the affairs of the enterprise, and (5) that he participated through a pattern of racketeering activity.”

“In order to demonstrate a pattern of racketeering activity under New Jersey RICO, the plaintiff must show (1) that the defendant committed at least two predicate acts and (2) that the incidents of racketeering activity embrace criminal conduct that has either the same or similar purposes, results, participants or victims or methods of commission or are otherwise interrelated by distinguishing characteristics and are not isolated incidents,” it continues to explain.

If Surf is being accused of RICO charges, like the case of Young Thug, they will try and pin a series of crimes, including murder and money laundering to his enterprise, which includes his career both in commercial and battle rap entertainment.

While this is not the first time that Surf has been connected to violence, arrested and/or locked up, no evidence has been produced to support any claims to this alleged rumor surrounding his detainment.

He has been on record in a series of interviews, saying that the violent lyrics in his art can also be seen as “wrestling.”

This is a sentiment that Ice Cube expressed when congratulating California’s governor, Gavin Newsom for passing legislation prohibiting the use of rap lyrics in criminal cases.

The West Coast legend said their music is often just entertainment and should not be taken more seriously than Stephen King novels.

After these posts, Tsu Surf released his own statement on his Instastory.

One was a screenshot of two songs from a project to be released in October. One is called, “Die Legend” (2 min. 49 sec.) and another “Free Me 1” (2 min. 14 sec.).

Tsu Surf Instagram Story Oct. 2

The project seems to be called, “Pray We Meet Again.”

The second image on his IG story says plainly, “I broke plenty Hearts… Breaking my daughters… Hurt THE MOST.”

Tsu Surf Instagram Story Oct. 2

#FreeTheWave

Shock In Russia Over The Suicide Of Rapper Walkie Who Refused To Go To War

A 27-year-old Russian rapper died by suicide after being drafted to fight for his country in a war he believed was unjust.

According to The U.S. Sun, rapper Walkie, whose real name is Ivan Vitalievich Petunin, shared with his friends that he could not “take the sin of murder on my soul” by becoming a soldier.

On Friday, Walkie’s body was discovered near a high-rise building in Krasnodar, a city in Russia, after talking to his fans about his decision.

This was not the first time he was ordered to serve in the Russian Army. Previously, he had to serve did not enjoy it and told his fans, “If you are watching this video, then I am no longer alive.”

“I can’t take the sin of murder on my soul and I don’t want to. I am not ready to kill for any ideals,” he said.

“I choose to remain in history forever,” he continued. “As a man who did not support what was happening. I am not ready to take up arms and kill my own kind.”

The first way he tried to get out of fighting by getting signed into a mental hospital. When that didn’t work, he said taking his life was “a way to express his final protest.”

His drafting was only one person in the 300,000 extra soldiers that Putin needs to continue his fight with the Ukraine.

The Russo-Ukrainian War has been going on since 2014, with a recent uptick on February 24, 2022.

Christina Aguilera Battled Racist Label Execs To Keep Her Name

Christina Aguilera has recalled how she had to battle music executives to be allowed to record using her last name.

During an interview staged for Billboard Latin Music Week, the “Beautiful” hitmaker – whose father hails from Ecuador – revealed that she was encouraged by label bosses to take on a stage name at the start of her career but refused as she wanted to celebrate her heritage.

Christina insisted she is “proud” of her surname and added: “Something that I really embody and understand is that, you know, this is a name that has been tried to be taken away from me on numerous occasions coming up in this business. It’s not the easiest name for everyone to pronounce. It’s been butchered a lot.”

Noting that she rejected some “bad names,” the 41-year-old continued: “I was like no, ‘I’m Aguilera, I’m proud of where I come from.’ My father being from Ecuador.”

Christina has now celebrated her name further by calling her second Spanish language album, Aguilera.

“(I wanted to) pay nod, and tribute to that,” she explained. “Why not come full circle in all of the chapters and close it on a name, my name.”

Aguilera debuted in May and was nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards.

Kamron Bahani Makes Industry Debut

Kamron Bahani is an artist hailing from Rockland County, NY; he’s released a song with Connecticut artist, ANoyd, in his new song “cy now, cry later”. The beat is crafted nicely with a contemporary, yet boom-bap feel. It’s reminiscent of the golden age of hip hop; both artists take lyrical and fiery approaches on their verses with clever wordplay, impressive flows & talents that can’t be denied. Kamron Bahani is gearing up for his new release titled, “Melodies 4 The Melancholy”, a project that delves deep into the realm of mental health, as well as the struggles that come along with it. 

The content of this song radiates grandiosity but self-awareness. Lines like, “I think of life as gathering guests preparing your funeral”, hit especially hard knowing that the world is full of comparisons and ego. Either way, this New York artist has a ton of promise. You can follow Kamron Bahani on Instagram & stream the track below.

Instagram: Instagram.com/kamronbahani/
Spotify Link:

50 Cent Aims To Terrorize Fans With 3 New Horror Films For Halloween Season

50 Cent unveiled three films he’s working on with horror director/producer Eli Roth.

The G-Unit rapper teamed up with Eli Roth for a three-picture deal in 2020. Two years later, details about the movies emerged.

50 Cent and Eli Roth will produce three horror flicks: Creature House, The Gun and Trackmaster. The writers include Kirkland Morris, who worked on 50 Cent’s shows BMF and Power Book IV: Force.

“It was extremely important to me that through my horror slate we focus on increasing BIPOC representation,” 50 Cent told Deadline. “I feel like I have the best team in place here to do so.”

Eli Roth added, “I’m a huge fan of 50 as an artist and producer and am so excited to bring these stories to life. The whole team has put together an exciting trio of films which will terrify and thrill audiences globally.”

50 Cent and Eli Roth’s Creature House features a group of friends getting trapped in a horror movie museum. The film was written by Dallas Jackson and Kevin Grevioux.

The Gun tells the story of a man who finds a haunted gun while seeking revenge for his father’s murder. Kirkland Morris wrote the script.

Trackmaster depicts a rap duo who unwittingly releases a deadly spirit into the world. Justin Calen-Chenn penned the screenplay.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjJHbFuP-W9/?hl=en

Oprah Soured Dinner With Shania Twain Over Religious Talks

Shania Twain has recalled how a dinner with Oprah Winfrey turned “sour” amid a conversation about religion.

In the latest episode of the “Table Manners with Jessie & Lennie Ware” podcast, the Canadian singer-songwriter was asked to discuss one of the most memorable meals she has ever had.

“I think one of my most memorable dinners was with Oprah Winfrey. She’s such a smart lady,” she began. “It was great to just sit and have real talks, but as soon as we started talking about religion, it all went sour. So, I said, ‘Let’s stop talking about religion!’ She is quite religious.”

It’s unclear when the dinner took place, though Shania indicated it was in the ’90s.

“Everyone always says, ‘Never talk about politics or religion.’ It just wasn’t debatable. There was no room for debate, and I like to debate,” the 57-year-old continued. “Canadians like to debate everything. So, I’m like, ‘Oh, OK. It’s time to change the subject.'”

As for her views, Shania shared that she is more “spiritual” than religious.

“I’m not religious in the sense that I’m dedicated to a religion. I’m much more of a spiritual person… I would say I’m a seeker,” she mused.

BET Blocks Jim Jones From Hip-Hop Awards

Rapper Jim Jones has taken to social media to blast the biggest urban network, BET, for not allowing him to attend its Hip Hop Awards Show on Friday, Sept. 30.

On Instagram, the Harlem native expressed his disappointment, saying, “I was tryin to go to th bet hip hops awards and support my brother @fatjoe and this how a @bet handled me lol lol Dam (sic).”

Adding, “@BET I thought this was th hip hop award show. Somebody tell @fatjoe I tried. Don’t want him think I ain’t keep my word. Told him I was comin. But BeT says different mayb next time. Tear tht s### down joe.”


“They still talkin Covid and th cdc says ain’t no more Covid lol,” he ended this caption.

In a meme he posted their response to his request for tickets.

He wrote, “Also, I had requested you to participate and/ or attend as we did in the past. Their response: Thank you for your inquiry! At this time, we are unable to accommodate additional audience talent requests. Due to COVID-19 protocols in place, this year’s show and red carpet are reserved for in-show talent, nominees and selected participating network partners only.”

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A post shared by jimjonescapo (@jimjonescapo)

Though the show was filmed on Friday, it will not air until Tuesday, Oct. 4.