In a call for accountability in the Hip-Hop community, a group of advocates, sexual abuse survivors, professionals, activists, and parents demand the end of taxpayer funding for the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx.
The reason?
Continued affiliation with accused pedophile Afrika Bambaataa and his Universal Zulu Nation.
The group behind the call, Hip Hop Stands With Survivors, has sent an extensive report to the museum’s attorney and Mayor Eric Adams’ administration detailing numerous conflicts of interest and undue influence exerted by Bambataa and the Zulu Nation over the museum’s director, Rocky Bucano.
Despite the ongoing case, Hip Hop Stands With Survivors says the UHHM has yet to sever ties with Bambaataa or the Universal Zulu Nation publicly.
Critics argue that this decision puts children at risk and perpetuates a culture of silence.
Leila Wills, a journalist covering the Bambaataa story, expressed concern that the Universal Hip Hop Museum might be “signaling pedophiles” through its name, language, and affiliations.
“We also believe that pedophiles will understand this signaling to mean they will find safety in corporate silence and a new hunting ground for child victims,” Wills added.
She warned that “if one child is harmed at the museum, it will be because the UHHM board and the City of New York failed to act after receiving our report.”
According to a statement on the UHHM’s official website, the non-profit said the word “Universal” has nothing to do with Bambaataa or the Zulu Nation.
“The Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) is making this statement to clarify the use of the adjective ‘universal’ in its name. As used in the organization’s name, Universal Hip Hop Museum, ‘Universal’ refers to the recognition of the global impact, the ethnically and culturally diverse nature, and the impact of Hip Hop over the past almost 50 years since its inception.
“The Universal Hip Hop Museum has no corporate or organizational relationships with any organizations with ‘Universal’ in their names. The UHHM is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization and has no corporate or organizational relationships with Universal Records, Universal Pictures, the Universal Zulu Nation, or any other such named organization,” the UHHM explained.
Despite the controversy, neither Mayor Adams’ administration nor the museum has responded to the 30-page report.
Hip Hop Stands With Survivors is demanding the resignation of UHHM executive director Rocky Bucano and an end to taxpayer funding for the institution, which has received almost $30 million in public funding.
The group has planned a protest at New York’s City Hall on March 27, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. at New York’s City Hall, 260 Broadway in Manhattan.
6ix9ine was sent to the hospital earlier this week after he was brutally assaulted at a South Florida gym. Although he’s taking it all in stride—offering to fight his attackers for $10,000—the mother of his child isn’t impressed.TMZspoke to a rep for Sara Molina, who’s primarily raising their 7-year-old daughter, and she said it was “embarrassing” for her. She added it’s been “sad to see” and “hopes he gets the help he needs.” She also pointed out another embarrassing altercation at a recent baseball game where he got kicked out for being intoxicated. Overall, she said her daughter will be just fine whether he’s in her life or not. But she does hope he’ll consider having security with him everywhere he goes moving forward.
While 6ix9ine’s brutal beatdown became internet fodder for many, he found support from people such as Wack 100. As he wrote on Instagram, “It’s unfortunate what happened to 6ix9ine. He’s a good guy. Life is full of lessons. This isn’t about his so called street situation. This is about decision making on both sides. The ones who filmed and posted themselves will remember this day for years to come. And 69 will now know he has to move accordingly.”
He added in the caption: “They did him like this for Snitching , then turned around and Snitched on themselves … Clout is the New Crack. @6ix9ine I wish you a speedy recovery.”
Attorney Lance Lazzaro said the controversial rapper was at an LA Fitness on Tuesday night (March 21) when he was ambushed by several men.
Employees heard the commotion and immediately notified the manager who then called 9-1-1. Police and EMS arrived on the scene and found 6ix9ine bloodied, swollen and bruised. He was then loaded into the ambulance and taken away.
Photos of the aftermath show 6ix9ine with dried blood on his face and a black-and-blue eye. He also suffered injuries to his jaw, ribs and back.
Judge Joe Brown has denied he is the judge! Is this a case of “hit dog holla” or are the rumors legit? There are numerous judges on TV, including Judge Mathis.
Sheryl Lee Ralph has claimed she was sexually assaulted by a “famous TV judge.”
The “Abbott Elementary” actress revealed on the “Way Up With Angela Yee” podcast earlier this week that the TV judge “rammed” his tongue “down (her) throat” at a work event many years ago.
“I’m at a very public place. I was suited. I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. He and I were on the same network,” she recalled. “This man walked in, grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around and rammed his nasty-a*s tongue down my throat. And everybody at the network saw it.”
The 66-year-old did not divulge the name of the judge, however, she clarified that it was not Judge Greg Mathis.
Sheryl called former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, who was in office from 1994 to 2002, over the incident and he asked if she wanted him to report it to the police but somebody at the TV network urged her to stay quiet.
“They did not want any bad press around their show and did not care what had just happened to me,” Sheryl added. “They saw what happened! ‘It’s not that bad, is it?’ ‘Please don’t say anything, we don’t need the bad press, it’s a brand-new show.'”
The “Dreamgirls” star alleged that men have touched her inappropriately without her consent on three occasions. She confronted a man who “put his hands on my body, in front of (people)” many years later when they were seated across from each other at a dinner.
“Do you want to know what was the shocking part?” she shared. “Everybody around the table was appalled that I would stand up for myself. They told me that I should be ashamed of myself, and why would I even bring that up, and at the dinner table.”
Since the report, the internet has run wild with speculation about who this TV judge might be and others dragged her for waiting so long to come forward.
What #SherylLeeRalph is doing here is so off code! If you didn't mention it at the time, why are you 25 years later participating with our common oppressor in the public "lynching" of a Black man? Will this benefit the Black collective here or in your original homeland or to you?
The National Association of Music Merchants will be honoring a Hip-Hop pioneer, one who contributed significantly to the art of deejaying.
According to an announcement, on Thursday, April 13, during the TEC Experience at The 2023 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, GrandMixer DXT will receive the Hip-Hop Innovator Award.
Known as the world’s first “Turntablist,” DXT taught the world that the turntable is a musical instrument. This acknowledgment comes as the world celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop culture.
DXT said he is honored to be saluted by the group.
He said, [I am] “honored to be recognized for this contribution to the arts as the latest model of the ancestors that came before [me].”
One of innovations that took his craft to the next level was his participation on Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit,” a Grammy-winning song that blended pop music, funk, R&B and Hip-Hop in the 80s.
“DXT is at the foundation of turntable performance and innovation. His early works laid the foundation for the art form and collaboration. They were influential in forwarding DJ culture and technology, influencing others who came after him, such as DJ Jazzy Jeff, Q-bert, Mixmaster Mike, and countless others chronicled in the documentary Scratch,” TEC Committee members Tony Baraz and OP! Miller said.
In addition to honoring DXT, NAMM will host a one-hour session with Public Enemy’s Chuck D.
This session, the “Chuck D on Hip Hop at 50,” hosted by Brian Hardgroove and presented by Black to the Future, will be Friday, April 14 from 5-6 p.m.
Mary J. Blige has signed up to executive produce two movies based on her songs.
Lifetime executives announced that the cable channel is developing two television movies based on Blige’s hits, “Real Love” and “Strength of a Woman.”
The singer herself will serve as an executive producer via her production company Blue Butterfly, according to Deadline.
“Real Love” and “Strength of a Woman” both star Ajiona Alexus and Da’Vinchi, with Princess Davis, Austin Anozie, Shiraine Haas, and Garfield Wilson rounding out the cast.
In “Real Love,” 18-year-old Kendra (played by Alexus) attends a college in North Carolina on a scholarship, where she is paired with Ben (Da’Vinchi) in a photography class and falls for him.
In “Strength of a Woman,” which is set 15 years later, Kendra is a successful photographer in a failed marriage with another man when Ben unexpectedly comes back into her life.
Camrus Johnson will direct “Real Love” with a script from Sonja Warfield and Rachel Ingram.
The latter also wrote the script for “Strength of a Woman,” directed by Shari Lynette Carpenter.
The movies will be released on back-to-back Saturdays beginning on June 10th.
Blige released “Real Love” as a single in 1992, and “Strength of a Woman” appeared on her 2017 album of the same name.
Keanu Reeves, the Hollywood actor in the limelight for his role as “John Wick” in the movie franchise, recently talked about his experience shooting for “John Wick: Chapter 4.”
Speaking with AllHipHop.com during the red carpet premiere of the film in New York, Reeves talked about how he prepared for the role of John Wick.
When asked if he listened to Hip-Hop music while shooting for the movie, Reeves said, “No, I guess for John, “Chapter 4,’ I didn’t [listen to music]. I haven’t been listening to music in terms of like when I’m on the set. I haven’t actually been using music. [I’m] focusing, being in the quiet.”
Reeves also discussed the “Easter eggs” in the previous movies and if there were any in this movie.
To this, Reeves replied, “I don’t know. Sometimes people make connections that aren’t intentional. There’s some…John Wick has a particular way to reload and stuff like that, so I tried to keep that going.”
“John Wick: Chapter 4” is the fourth movie in the “John Wick” franchise directed by Chad Stahelski. It stars Keanu Reeves as John Wick alongside a talented ensemble cast, including Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Rina Sawayama, and the late Lance Reddick.
At the premiere, Reeves and other stars of “John Wick: Chapter 4” wore blue ribbons to honor the late Reddick.
“John Wick: Chapter 4” is set to be an action-packed movie with thrilling sequences and an engaging storyline. The film opened in theaters on March 24th.
Ticketmaster, one of the world’s largest concert ticket sellers, is being sued over how it priced Drake tickets for his upcoming “It’s All A Blur” tour at the Bell Centre.
LPC Avocat Inc., a Montreal law firm, filed a class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster. The firm alleges the company jacked up the prices on one day for tickets to get people to pay top dollar, and then added an additional show later with the prices cut down almost half price, according to The Star.com.
A Quebec Superior Court has to approve the validity of the case for it to go to trial.
At the core of the lawsuit is a Montreal man’s purchase of two “Official Platinum” seats for the July 14th show and paying $789.54 for each ticket.
People are spending top dollar for the 29-date international concert because it will be the first time Drake and 21 Savage have toured together.
The first controversy over the tickets came earlier in March when fans were initially told the presale tickets would run them about $70 on Cash App but were actually being sold for $200, Variety reports.
Another glitch in selling the show is 21 Savage not being able to make the Canadian dates. People suspect it is because of his immigration issues, but no real reason has been provided to fans.
so buy @Drake and 21 Savage tickets through @Ticketmaster then the next day it’s announced 21 Savage isn’t coming to Canada! p##### off! what are going to do about the numerous p##### off fans??? #gimmearefund
While one fan is upset that 21 Savage’s absence was not announced before she got her Canadian tickets, others have issues simply with the ticketing.
The complaint alleges, the next day after he bought the tickets, another show was added and those same seats were being sold for $439.54 per ticket.
Lawyers allege the company “intentionally misleads consumers for their own financial gain,” claiming they knew all along Drake was going to add another show and bumped up the price for the first show because fans pay more when they believe they might miss out.
“Ticketmaster unilaterally decides which tickets it advertises and sells as ‘Official Platinum’ based on a given event,” states the application for the class action.
Adding, “The result is that most, if not all, of the tickets advertised and sold as ‘Official Platinum,’ are neither ‘premium tickets’ nor ‘some of the best seats in the house’ and are, in fact, just regular tickets sold by Ticketmaster at an artificially inflated premium in bad faith.”
While Drake is at the center of the story, he is not named as a defendant.
LPC Avocat is seeking “compensatory damages in the aggregate amount of the difference between the prices charged for ‘Official Platinum’ tickets and what their regular price ought to have been” for those who paid the higher fee for the Official Platinum seats.
The lawyers are also pushing to get punitive damages paid to those ticket buyers impacted by the alleged gouging. They hope to secure an additional $300 for their pain and suffering.
Ticketmaster nor the Canadian chart-topper has released a comment on the pending lawsuit.
Ye, the controversial music icon, found himself in the center of a major scandal in late 2022, after making anti-Semitic comments that led to a temporary ban on Twitter and Instagram.
Brands severed ties with him, and he was crowned “anti-Semite of the year” by leading organizations.
However, Ye recently resurfaced on Instagram, proclaiming his love for Jewish people after watching actor Jonah Hill in “21 Jump Street.”
In a heartfelt post, Ye expressed his change of heart, saying, “Watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street made me like Jewish people again. No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people. No Christian can be labeled anti-Semite knowing Jesus is a Jew. Thank you, Jonah Hill, love you.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqM18q-ufLN/
Before this revelation, Ye had faced severe backlash and massive losses due to his offensive remarks.
Adidas dropped him in October 2022, ending a nine-year partnership, stating that they didn’t tolerate anti-Semitism or hate speech.
Ye’s anti-Semitic comments, including expressions of admiration for Hitler and Nazis, drew widespread condemnation.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center named him the “anti-Semite of the year.”
Ye’s comments on social media, particularly a post where he declared going “deathcon 3 on Jewish people,” led to an increase in anti-Semitic behavior in the United States.
The situation worsened after he sat down with journalist Piers Morgan, stating that he only wished harm on Jewish people who had done him wrong.
During an appearance on Alex Jones’ Infowars, he admitted to admiring Adolf Hitler and denied parts of the Holocaust.
Despite the controversy, Ye’s recent return to Instagram and his public apology have demonstrated a shift in his perspective.
It remains to be seen how the public, his former partners, and the Jewish community will react to this change.
“Takes a nation of millions to hold us back, but when your boy reach a billion it’s a wrap. Roc Nation it takes a nation to stop,” rapped Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in his “A Millie (Freestyle)” in 2008. He eventually did reach billionaire status.
Jay-Z became Hip Hop culture’s first official billionaire in 2019. In fact, the Brooklyn-raised recording artist/mogul is now a billionaire two times over, according to his profile onForbes.
The business magazine, which tracks the finances of public figures, lists Jay-Z’s current net worth at $2.5 billion. That total makes the Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder the 2,076th richest person on the planet.
Jay-Z built his fortune through his music catalog, Rocawear clothing brand, Roc Nation entertainment company, Tidal streaming service, D’Usse cognac, Armand de Brignac champagne, Marcy Venture Partners firm, and other assets.
The 53-year-old businessman became a household name thanks to dropping classic studio albums such as 1996’s Reasonable Doubt, 1998’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, 2001’s The Blueprint, 2003’s The Black Album, and 2017’s 4:44.
Additionally, Jay-Z is the most-awarded Hip Hop act in the history of the Grammys with 24 wins. Plus, the emcee also known as Hov is partly responsible for introducing other superstars such as Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole to the world.
Jay-Z wed fellow chart-topping musician Beyoncé Knowles in 2008. The R&B/Pop songstress reportedly has a net worth of around $450 million. Jay-Z and Beyoncé are regularly cited as one of the wealthiest self-made celebrity couples.
A St. Louis rapper who goes by Woozy The Goat has been accused of killing his own grandparents. According to Daily Mail, the 25-year-old (real name Davionne McRoberts) was taken into custody shortly after walking into a psych ward covered in blood.
Local police had been looking for McRoberts after they discovered his grandparents Donald McRoberts, 71, and Kathy Chatman McRoberts, 58, dead in their Eames Street home on Tuesday evening (March 21). Their cause of death hasn’t been revealed.
A mere days before the suspected murders, McRoberts claimed he was “God” on Facebook and showed up at a relative’s home where he made a similar claim.
“He knocked at my door and said: ‘It’s God,'” sister Pamela McRoberts told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He was talking about how he was God and we were all going to die. He said, ‘I’m going to rewrite the Bible’ and that it would all be revealed at the next family reunion. Once he got done pacing and crying and jumping up and down, he left. When he left my home, I called my brother. I said: “He’s not talking right.”‘
Previous Facebook posts provide further evidence of just how disturbed McRoberts was. As he wrote in one of his statuses, “WHO WANNA DIE TODAY? Y’all don’t believe? Come show me, I’m not God.” He followed-up with, “I KNOW I KNOW, MY EARS ARE RINGING, IT’S ALMOST TIME, BUT NOT YET.”
Two days before the alleged murders, he wrote, “Hey, I really am God truly, everyone I’m trying to help you all, but I came to terms, y’all got too [sic] comfy in hell…If GOD WAS CALLING YOU WOULD YOU PICK UP? F### NO YOU ALL IGNORE ME AND IM TRYING MY HARDEST TO SHOW YOU ALL PLEASE HELP ME SHOW YOU ALL.”
McRoberts is expected to be charged with double murder.
FKi 1st has multiple plaques to his name, best known for producing mainstream records such as Post Malone’s “White Iverson,” Travis Porter “Make It Rain,” Travis Scott’s “R.I.P. Screw,” and 2 Chainz’ “Watch Out.” With music being his biggest passion, it’s safe to say 1st knows a thing or two about hit records.
Now, FKi 1st is here to prove he can rap, just as good as he can make beats. Today, he returns with his highly-anticipated new project titled Sleeping With Shoes On. The 13-track project is inspired by the desire to create a unique sound that would capture the true essence of relaxation, peace, and tranquility. Think of it as therapy, something you put on when you’re trying to unwind — almost like falling asleep with shoes still on.
The project is a collaborative effort between FKi 1st and swso, created as a result of the random rainy days in Los Angeles. The vibe was immediately apparent, as 1st diverges from his usual uptempo records to a more mellow, lo-fi Hip Hop wave… one that will definitely have the listener forgetting about their worries.
The production on the project is the main selling point, implementing live instruments including guitar, keyboard and drums, and electronic elements that accentuate the overall vibrations. We always need that go-to soundtrack when we’re cruising on that late night drive or even dipping into the bathtub, and FKi 1st does not disappoint.
An unremarkable Friday in Lower Manhattan quickly turned tense when a suspicious envelope addressed to District Attorney Alvin Bragg arrived at the Manhattan DA’s office mailroom, located at 80 Centre St.
Court officials confirmed that the envelope, marked “Alvin,” had been sent via the US Postal Service and contained a suspicious white powder. The postmark indicated that the package had originated from Florida.
Upon discovering the envelope, emergency personnel was immediately alerted and dispatched to the scene to address the potential threat.
A law enforcement source revealed that the envelope contained a note with the menacing message, “Alvin – I’ll kill you.”
The threat was directed at DA Alvin Bragg as he deliberates over whether to proceed with an indictment against former President Donald Trump for alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Officials at the scene carefully examined the envelope and its contents, ultimately deeming them “non-hazardous,” according to Fox News.
As a result, no evacuation orders were issued, and those in the building were able to resume their activities. Police arrived at the scene shortly after 12 p.m. to investigate the incident and collect information that might help identify the sender of the threatening package.
In the meantime, former President Trump took to Truth Social sharing an article about Bragg accompanied by an image of himself holding a baseball bat, with a frightened-looking DA Bragg raising his hand defensively.
Trump later referred to Bragg as a “degenerate psychopath,” threatening “death & destruction” if he were to be charged with a crime.
These users are raising questions about the authenticity of the threat, speculating that it could be a ploy to garner sympathy or attention more attention to Bragg in the ongoing legal saga involving former President Trump.
While there is no evidence to support these claims, the comparisons between the two incidents have fueled online discussions and debates about the veracity of such threats against public figures and the potential consequences of falsifying a crime.
First thing you my mind was that someone on the Left sent this to stir up more condemnation of the Right. Its either that or Alvin is taking cues from Jussie Smollett
Nobody’s buying Democrats’ accusations that MAGA Country is behind Bragg’s white-powered letter. Stinks of the Jussie Smollett and Bubba Wallace hoaxes. You can only cry wolf so many times.
Rapper 50 Cent recently settled a lawsuit with Angela Kogan, owner of Perfection Plastic Surgery & Medspa.
The lawsuit was filed in September 2022 after 50 Cent accused Kogan of using a photo of him to promote her business under the false pretense that he had undergone penis enhancement surgery at her facility outside of Miami.
The situation exploded after The Shade Room posted a story titled “Penis Enhancements Are More Popular Than Ever & BBLs Are Dying Out: Cosmetic Surgery CEO Angela Kogan Speaks On It.”
The story featured an image of 50 Cent with his arm around Kogan, along with a picture of an unknown patient with an eggplant covering his groin.
The rapper claimed that the website had opened him up to “ridicule” by propagating the story and immediately sued Kogan, Medspa, and The Shade Room after users started reacting to the report with insults.
According to legal documents filed by 50 Cent and his legal team, The Shade Room had committed a clear act of defamation by publishing the story and falsely implying that 50 Cent had received plastic surgery procedures from Kogan or MedSpa, including penile enhancement or other procedures described in the article.
The lawsuit caused a lot of controversy and media attention, with Kogan denying any wrongdoing and criticizing 50 Cent for pursuing legal action against her.
She argued that the real issue was with The Shade Room, who ran a story about penis enlargement, and that she had never suggested that the rapper underwent surgery.
Despite the legal dispute, the parties have agreed in principle to settle the lawsuit, according to documents obtained by AllHipHop.com.
The settlement terms are yet to be finalized and made public, but it marks the end of a controversial legal battle that attracted much attention from the media and the public.
The Shade Room agreed to remove the article and wrote:
“The Shade Room previously published an article about penis enhancements on its website and social media accounts. The article and links to the article included a picture of Curtis J. Jackson, III p/k/a 50 Cent, juxtaposed with an image of a faceless male obtaining a penile enhancement procedure, with a euphemistic eggplant emoji covering the exposed groin area. The Shade Room has since deleted that article and social media posts and wants to make it abundantly clear that 50 Cent did not have penis enhancement surgery or any other procedure to augment his genitals, and any implication to the contrary is false,” the statement read.
For 50 Cent, the settlement brings closure to a situation that he felt had damaged his reputation and caused him significant public embarrassment.
A variety of celebrities are calling out. Candice Owens for criticizing a. SKIM’S advertising campaign featuring a model and a wheelchair.
Owens sparked outrage on social media this week for blasting a 2022 campaign for Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS shapewear brand that included a model in a wheelchair to promote adaptive clothing for those with disabilities.
Owens called the campaign “ridiculous” and declared she was “tired” of this “all-inclusivity thing.”
Christina Applegate, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), took aim at Owens’ comments on Twitter and praised certain brands for representing the disabled community in their collections and campaigns.
“This Candace person making comments about companies who see we need help. It’s f**king gross. I thank skims and Tommy and Guide beauty and @neowalksticks for seeing us,” the Dead to Me star wrote on Thursday.
“Candace Owens, do you know when you have seen pictures of me how f**king hard it was to get my clothes on? A team has to help me!!! So I’m excited for accessibility clothing for me and my community,” she continued. “No rage. If Candace wants to get on the phone with me to be educated on being disabled. I will not come with anger. I will come with love. Because she needs to hear that.”
Other celebrities and influences on Twitter were equally flabbergasted by Candace Owens’ latest, crude comments.
Owens responded by explaining that she and the team at the Daily Wire show didn’t know the ad featured adaptive technology for those with disabilities and made “an honest mistake”.
“If you felt personally targeted by this mistake, I apologize to you,” she tweeted.
Model and disability rights advocate Haleigh Rosa has revealed her horror at hearing Candace Owens say it "seems ridiculous" to include a model in a wheelchair for top brand campaigns.
So another day, another opportunity for @RealCandaceO to be an absolute p############ human being. Yeah, you don’t get it Candace because you are rotting from the inside. #CandaceOwens#skims
— President of Staying Home (@Eat_sleep_nap) March 24, 2023
The irony in the disgusting 💩#CandaceOwens said about inclusivity and #skims is by running her ashy mouth, this jackass just made Skims a lot more money…She hates Kim Kardashian btw..💵😂. Stupid bigots stay losing. #disabilityinclusion#DisabilityAwarenessMonth
@RealCandaceO you’ve seriously come so low to put down people with disabilities?? why not celebrate the fact that companies are making it easier for such an over looked demographic to have access to clothes and services made for them?? insane. #CandaceOwens#Wheelchair#skims
Nick Cannon Is Hip-Hop’s Modern Day Renaissance Man.
I know people don’t want to admit this. But the 42-year old entertainment mogul has been through it all. He’s thrived through several iterations of music, culture and even technology, riding past the bumps and bruises that would devastate others. Nowadays, he is pouring his talents into his Next Superstar Tour, which stars Symba, 24kGoldn, Justina Valentine, Hitman Holla, JD McCrary, Traetwothree, Klondike Blonde, DW Flame, and POP MONEY.
Beyond that, Mr. Cannon has been the subject of water cooler conversation for quite a while. First of all, there are his 12 blessed babies, which have dominated headlines, comedic fodder and even critical analysis. Then there are more serious matters, such as the Jewish / African American hot topic that sprung out of an interview with Prof. Griff of Public Enemy fame. He talks to Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur about these matters and how they have impacted him.
But most of all, Nick talks about his musical journey. He discusses how he had his earliest starts as a DJ and MC with the legendary likes of Biz Markie, Jazzy Jeff and Outkast. All of these rivers flow into his successes today.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Do you consider yourself… It’s hard for to somebody say, “Yeah, I’m a Renaissance man. Yeah, that’s what I am.” But I do think about you in that fashion. Do you regard yourself as a modern day Renaissance man?
Nick Cannon: Man, I definitely know I’m built different. It’s funny that you say that, because my first company, when I first started producing Wild ‘n Out in early 2000s, the company was called Mr. Renaissance. I definitely toyed with that term for quite some time, but I think that’s really… It’s in all of us, man. It really is. We have the gift of entertainment. We have the gift of music and dance and just the creators making something out of nothing. And when you can tap into that, you kind of had to do it all. You had to be able to be forward-thinking and multifaceted, just to even survive. And hopefully, a little bit of that DNA from the ancestors is what’s been keeping me rocking this whole time.
AllHipHop: Being that this is Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary and we’re looking back at the culture, and you touched on it, you had to do everything, what would you say, for you, Hip-Hop, what has it meant to you? What has it given you?
Nick Cannon: Survival, hope, optimism. Think about what, just in that short span of 50 years, how much generational wealth has been created from our culture, from our struggle. Showing that strength, that resilience to be able to say, “We created something out of nothing and people going to be feeding they families for generations.” Just based off of what Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash and them perfected so long ago. I love the fact that I get to be a little small corner of it, as somebody now who gets to hopefully curate the next generation, and make sure that they understand the history and all of the essential elements that it took to get here. And now we in the “bag era” where everybody’s getting to it. And even though it is commercialized, at least we bringing it back to the community.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Do you think people forget those things that made superstars? I feel like sometimes we look back and we forget that Redman…lets use Redman as an example. He was on this record…well he was a roadie, first of all, before he was anything, he was lifting crates. And then he got on a song, and then another song, and then on EPMD’s album. And then he got a deal, and then… The Month of the Man with Method Man.
Nick Cannon: That’s true. Even Pac was a perfect example of that. Pac was a Digital Underground roadie, and then they gave him a verse on “Same Song”…
Then he had his own situation, the most prolific MC and entertainer of his generation. I think that’s part of the process. That’s the building blocks. That’s one of the reasons that sometimes you don’t see too many superstars today, because they didn’t go through that process. And even myself, man, I was carrying crates for Biz Markie for years in the ’90s, just so I could even just get in the club, ’cause I was a teenager. Jazzy Jeff and Touch of Jazz had me just moving around, doing Mr. Miyagi type of stuff. I was just trying to figure out how to sit up under the master of DJs. It is a schooling process that gets you that accreditation to be able to say, “I am Hip-Hop.”
AllHipHop: Yeah, that’s crazy. I didn’t even know that about you with Biz and Jazzy Jeff.
Nick Cannon: That’s what I was saying, man. I was a DJ from the gate, before Serato from the crate days.
AllHipHop: Right, right. That’s crazy. Okay. Okay. Do you have any particular memory in Hip-Hop or a fond memory? For me, one time I opened for KRS-One and that was the biggest thing ever for me.
Nick Cannon: The night that my career took off, man, it was a very similar situation, man. Me and my rapper [friend], we got an opportunity to open up for OutKast. We were a little teenage high school version of them. It was right when ATLiens came out, their second album. It’s funny, because rocked the stage, they showed love, but the host of that night was Guy T., who had the Phat Tuesday… If you’ve ever seen the Phat Tuesday documentary. That was the night that-
AllHipHop: Why you saying Guy T?
Nick Cannon: Guy Torry. He was Guy T back then.
AllHipHop: Oh, okay, okay.
Nick Cannon: Guy Torry, who’s now a great comedian and started Phat Tuesday, gave me the opportunity. From that show, invited me to Hollywood, and the rest is history.
AllHipHop: Dope, dope, dope. Are you going to act again? I haven’t seen you acting. I always saw you in the spirit of Will Smith, kind of touching everything.
Nick Cannon: I think just my business acumen just took over, and really trying to get to that bag, but I think it’s funny that you say that. I was like, “All right, I’m going to go hard in this space as an entrepreneur/CEO for a few more years, and then I’m going to put that acting hat back on and then focus.” Because that’s something you got to focus on full time. And I feel like now that I’m matured as a man and lived a lot of life, then I can start really doing the roles. ‘Cause also, even as a filmmaker, I’ve directed quite a few films and stuff like that. I want to be able to tell stories for us that really resonate the best way possible. It’s definitely a focus of mine, but again, you got to be focused on it. I’m rocking heavy right now, but give me a few years, I’m going to get back into my leading man bag.
AllHipHop: How are you doing personally, man? Your personal life has played out in the tabloids, I guess, online.
Nick Cannon: Constantly, right?
AllHipHop: Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Nick Cannon: Yeah, it’s love man. I just operate on the highest frequency I’m allowed to, man, and be moving on that 528 hertz at all times, man. I think the way it’s positioned, people are fascinated, but it’s my life. This is how I move. It’s all positive and love.
AllHipHop: Yeah, the fam is good? All the babies and stuff?
Nick Cannon: The whole gang. My 12 constellations, they all rocking.
AllHipHop: That’s what’s up. You recently sang… I had mixed feelings. You sang, “Can You Stand The Rain” and I was like, “Damn, I had mixed feelings” like, “Man, that’s a classic record.” You know what I’m saying?
Nick Cannon: Absolutely. If you think I actually… The key that it was in, I actually threw in… The whole thing, I threw in some Keith Sweat, some SWB, but really, what that purpose was is I could sit down at the piano and sing or play anything. And that’s the thing where people always… At home, we trying to bolster, do none of that, but I’m not impressed when somebody can rhyme some words together. What I impresses me is real musicianship, and people who have a ear for music and really know how to get down. I came up in a church, so it’s one of the…
Again to that thing, I never wanted to be a R & B singer, but I could sit down…give me any instrument and I’ll make it work. I was in my studio messing around, and I think even probably what I’ll start doing, I’ll probably start going live and just… Because that’s just what I was on. I think I might have even been in my feelings a little bit, just based off singing that.
AllHipHop: You got to be [emotional], singing that song, right?
Nick Cannon: But yeah, it was one of those things that I just do from time to time. We did a session like that with Kierra Sheard, where we sang Fred Hammond’s “No Weapon.” I think, again, because I do so many things and people be in my personal business and stuff so much, people actually forget that I’m actually talented. Sometimes I got to pull the keys out or the guitar out and just… even for my own spirit, just to let you know that, “No, I still got it.”
AllHipHop: Yeah, because when I used to watch your show, I used to look really hard at the end when you would play [the piano], and I’m like, “Is he really playing that?”
Nick Cannon: And I understand why people… And I used to go live when we were playing in the studio a lot too, but where people just really just…I don’t know if they just don’t want to give me that. I do it. Same thing with the DJing. When I DJ, I see a lot of people pull up and they be like, “Are you really doing that?” It’s like, “Yeah, I’m really about this. I’m really for the culture.” Again, I guess it’s fascinating. I understand the intrigue.
AllHipHop: I wanted to ask you a little bit of a deeper question. In the last few years, the Jewish-Black issue has been ignited on several fronts, from Kanye to Kyrie, and even yourself. I don’t know if there’s a question or more of a comment. Your thoughts on it, now that some time has asked. Have you learned anything? Have things changed?
Nick Cannon: Man, I’m going to be super honest with you, man. That process was a growth moment for me, on so many levels as a man. And I even now, we have a podcast, myself and the CEO of the ADL, Jonathan Greenblatt, called “Solutions: To Hate or Not To Hate.” And it’s really talking about the equation of our two communities from two different perspectives. We voice our side, or the perspective as a Black man, and then he voices his side from a Jewish man. Just even that alone is helpful and educational for both communities. And again, because that’s the thing, we can sit up here and be enraged, but if we don’t engage, what are we really doing, if we can’t even learn from one another? And clearly, we all know the issues, we all know the tropes, we all know the stereotypes.
Again, I’m no longer about just talk. We can sit out on every podcast and talk about what we believe and who we are, but once the podcast go off, don’t nothing happen, what did you really do? And that’s one of the reasons, if I’m really about that generational wealth, that’s why I created Future Superstars. If I’m really about connecting with a community and finding solutions, that’s why we created that podcast. I’m really putting my money where my mouth is and my energy to where my heart is. To me, that situation says, “All right, I’m done talking. Everybody talk. Let’s figure it out, let’s solve it. What’s the problem?” The next people who say something in front of a microphone can have an understanding of what it is, so they don’t stumble and fumble and have to lose opportunities or get so-called canceled and all of that stuff on the next go around. Really, it’s just about bringing people closer together. Ultimately, nobody’s monolithic, but we’re all one organism that allows this thing to keep pumping.
AllHipHop: It’s interesting, with the way the algorithm works, it seems like more and more talk is what people want to do. They want to monetize the drama, as opposed to really finding solutions. That’s how I see it.
Nick Cannon: Yeah, it’s that low frequency, man. It’s easy to hear the low frequency. Because you don’t got to do much, and a negative begets a negative. But if you really trying to elevate, you got to put some effort behind that. I’m not mad at it. I know how to play the game, just like the best of them, but if I’m really at the position in my life and where I’m at, I really got to create solutions and opportunities for others.
AllHipHop: Were you ever scared? Because I was scared for you. I’m not going to lie. I was highly concerned. I sent you a DM at that point, just sending my prayers. And just knowing your spirit and everything, you’re very, [inaudible 00:20:12]-.
Nick Cannon: No, I wasn’t scared, because I knew where my heart was. I knew where my heart is. They trying to test me, so let me turn it into a testimony. Let me show you what I’m really built of. And especially, luckily, like I said, I’ve been blessed enough to where I can stand firm on what’s mine for what… Because I don’t necessarily have to make decisions based off of money. I could walk away from anything, and I have multiple times. It’s been shown. I think being able to be in a power position like that, it’s my duty to speak up when I need to speak up. But it’s also my duty to be wise and to be kind and to operate out of love.
Rapper and noted provocateur Lil Nas X mocked the anti-gay legislation in Uganda by tweeting a joke. People online said it was not appropriated.
The Georgia native understands discrimination growing up in the South and has created a career pushing the boundaries and boldly standing for same-gender loving communities and not groups who don’t fit into Anglo-Saxon heteronormative boxes.
In that spirit, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, tweeted, “where do the gays be in africa i wanna come there.”
His tweet was received with mixed reviews. Many say the comment was dangerous for those he is believed to want to support.
The comment comes after the Uganda parliament passed a bill to oppress the LGBTQIA community in the country, punishing them with up to 10 years in prison for just claiming a sexual identity outside of 1 male and 1 female.
According to CNN, the bill proposes that “the death penalty can be invoked for cases involving ‘aggravated homosexuality’ – a broad term used in the legislation to describe sex acts committed without consent or under duress, against children, people with mental or physical disabilities, by a ‘serial offender,’ or involving incest.”
The chairperson for legal and parliamentary affairs Robina Rwakoojo presented the amendments, and read, “A person who commits the offense of aggravated homosexuality and is liable, on conviction to suffer death.”
TMZ reports many people came up against the “Old Town Road” rapper for his slick comments.
“This is so insensitive especially after Uganda just announced the harsh punishment of even identifying as being LGBTQ,” he said.
Someone also said, “Ain’t they passing laws to unalive the g## community over that way? That isn’t anything to even play with. Stay safe.”
Yet another person called him a “very insensitive young man.”
Adding, “Don’t let attention and relevance be the core of your existence and confidence. Just. Be a solid individual.”
Rihanna’s security detail has detained a man after he attempted to propose to her.
According to a police report obtained by TMZ, a security team for the “Diamonds” singer apprehended a man who arrived at her house on Thursday, reportedly having travelled from South Carolina.
When the man told security he wanted to ask for Rihanna’s hand in marriage, the team called police, who initially handcuffed him before deciding to let him go; the man had not broken the law by approaching the singer’s house.
The report did not specify whether Rihanna or her family were home at the time of the incident.
She and A$AP Rocky welcomed their first child in May last year, and are expecting their second.
In 2018, Eduardo Leon was arrested inside Rihanna’s Los Angeles home while she was away.
He reportedly broke in and stayed for at least a day before being discovered, at which point he allegedly revealed to police he intended to have sex with her.
Jasmine Nicole Brooks was at the club that evening and became a victim— although she never specified how she was injured. She is filing a civil lawsuit hoping to receive an award for damages she incurred after being shot in her hand, according to 8 News Now.
She said in the lawsuit, she “sustained injuries to her body, specifically her face as a result of defendants’ inadequate, unreasonable and egregiously deficient security of the property.”
Ironically, before being shot, she said she recognized Blueface when he was in the club, and even spoke with him.
A police report said Blueface somehow got into the club with a firearm, even though the establishment had a metal detector. He was only in the club for five minutes before the chaos erupted.
“It appears that words were exchanged and a black male adult in dark clothing aggressively approaches [the victim’s] truck reaching towards his waistband area,” read the lawsuit.
Adding, “[The victim] accelerates in his truck, and a black male adult in a hooded sweatshirt brandishes a handgun and discharges what appears to be two rounds at the vehicle.”
Police say the melee started after someone said the “Thotianna” rapper because he was “speaking with some females in a cheap vehicle.”
The lawsuit asserts the club knew the rapper had the weapon and allowed him in any way.
“At all relevant times, [the gentlemen’s club] allowed defendant Blueface to be a guest on their premises while in possession of an unidentified firearm,” her lawsuit said.
The victim claims through her lawyers, Blueface “breached his duty of reasonable care by carrying and firing a firearm into a crowded room of people.”
Brooks wants a jury trial and is seeking $15,000 in damages.
Blueface’s legal team is currently working on a criminal case with the club, which claims the incident was “a direct result of [Blueface’s] negligence, willful, and/or reckless conduct, the club’s licenses were revoked.”
As a result, the request is that the movement on the civil case be halted until the criminal case is finished.
However, the preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 7.
Singer/actress Chlöe Bailey saw her name become a trending topic after viewers watched the first episode of Amazon Prime Video’s Swarm on March 17. A sex scene in Donald Glover’s latest artistic creation went viral.
Chlöe Bailey talked about her experience working on Swarm during a radio interview with Real 92.3 in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old Georgia native praised Donald Glover. Bailey also discussed a former First Daughter’s contribution to the show.
“I love him. I’ve loved him for a long time,” said Chlöe Bailey about Donald Glover (aka musician Childish Gambino). “The way he balances his acting and his music career is incredible.”
Chlöe Bailey Recalls Performing At The Obama White House’s Easter Egg Roll Event
In addition, Chlöe Bailey talked about Former President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter, Malia Ann Obama. The 24-year-old Obama worked as a staff writer for Swarm. Plus, she earned a “teleplay by” credit for the “Girl, Bye” episode.
“Shout out to Malia. It was fun seeing how we both have grown and evolved because like 8 to 10 years ago, we [Chloe x Halle] would perform at the White House, at the Easter Egg Roll,” recalled Chlöe. “Shout out to the Obamas.”
One-half of the R&B duo known as Chloe x Halle added, “Seeing Malia on set and then seeing how we both have evolved as our own young women, it’s pretty cool. And I’m so proud of her and how she is just like a force to be reckoned with, with such an incredible pen. She’s amazing.”
Chlöe Bailey’s stint on Swarm is just part of the Beyoncé protégé’s entertainment industry takeover this month. Her debut solo album, In Pieces, will drop on March 31. The Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records-backed project features Chris Brown, Future, and Missy Elliott.
It has been five years since 6LACK released his last album. The Atlanta-bred singer/rapper has finally returned with a new full-length project.
Since I Have a Lover landed on Friday, March 24. The 19-track project features QUIN and Don Toliver. Fwdslxsh, Sounwave, Dylan Wiggins, Kill September, and others provided the project’s production.
6LACK dropped the Since I Have a Lover title track on March 1. An official Andrew Donoho-directed music video for “Since I Have A Lover” amassed more than 1.8 million YouTube views since it premiered on the platform three weeks ago.
Since I Have a Lover follows the Love Renaissance recording artist’s previous studio albums, Free 6lack from 2016 and East Atlanta Love Letter from 2018. Free 6lack peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard 200, but the album remained on the chart for 73 weeks.
East Atlanta Love Letter topped off at the Billboard 200’s No. 3 position. The Recording Industry Association of America certified Free 6lack as Platinum. East Atlanta Love Letter earned a Gold Award from the RIAA.
