Queen Latifah & Mary J. Blige To Star In The Remake Of “The Wiz”

(AllHipHop News) The upcoming remake of The Wiz on NBC will have a double dose of Hip Hop royalty included in the musical’s cast. Queen Latifah (Set It Off, Chicago) will play The Wiz. The Queen of Hip Hop/Soul Mary J. Blige (Prison Song, Black Nativity) will take on the role of Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West.

[ALSO READ: NBC To Remake “The Wiz” As Live Television Musical]

“We are so happy reuniting with Latifah,” said executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (The Sound of Music Live!Chicago). “We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve had quite a lot of success together. To see her play the iconic role of the Wiz and make it her own is going to be one of the joys of producing this event.”

Stephanie Mills was previously announced as Auntie Em. The R&B singer portrayed Dorothy in the original Broadway production of The Wiz. Famed choreographer Fatima Robinson is also on board. Robinson is well-known for working with the late singer Aaliyah.

NBC’s The Wiz is being directed by Kenny Leon (A Raisin In The Sun). Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein is providing new written material.

“I can’t wait to watch Mary bring the badness that is Evillene,” said Leon. “Her talent range is off the charts and I know audiences won’t be able to take their eyes off her.”

The Wiz starring Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige is scheduled to premiere on December 3 on NBC.

[ALSO READ: Queen Latifah & Mo’Nique Receive Rave Reviews For HBO Biopic “Bessie”]

Amber Rose: The Greatest S### In The World

This piece originally appeared on Mic.com.

#Positive We all know her. Her face as been plastered on every gossip site imaginable. Her pictures, some more revealing than others, are very easy to find and yes her “twerk” videos are NSFW. Her name is Amber Rose, and she is “The Greatest S### In The World”.

If I actually listened to rumors and gossip maybe I would believe that. If I were someone who’s easily influenced the stories you tell would be gospel. If, being the most important word in those aforementioned sentences. Her ordeals remind me of every beautiful woman I’ve grown up with, worked with, went to dinner with or have spoken to casually. For whatever reason, people just assume that women like Amber Rose are s####. They usually have no true knowledge of the woman or her day to day activities but somehow know who she sleeps with, who she’s dating and what she does with every man she’s seen in public with. These people, both men AND women have no problem spreading lies and gossip about her. In fact, I truly believe they enjoy it.

I don’t know Amber Rose, but in a sense I know her very well. She is the beautiful secretary at the office. She’s the hot sister of my best friend. She’s the successful artist in the music industry. She’s the pretty girl next door. She’s the young lady driving the nice car. She’s the sexy single mother with a young child. She’s the attractive Pastor’s daughter. She’s the smart company executive….

Can you see where I’m going with this?

Whenever I see stories such as Amber’s I’m deeply saddened by the actions of our society. I can’t believe that behavior such as this still goes on in a world where we have a Black president, Transgender Celebrities and Gay/Lesbian Marriages. I’m appalled at the sheer amount of hate directed towards this woman and women like her. I’m disgusted with the atrocious amount of blind sexism and prejudice (yes, I said prejudice) against these women and I honestly will not vilify Amber or any other woman for that matter in regards to this issue. As a man, I hope to raise a daughter in a world where she can be free to do whatever she likes without the condescending remarks. I want my nieces to be able to date a man without being labeled for it. I want my Sisters to feel proud of how they look and their feminine attributes. I want to live in a world where Amber Rose and others like her can enjoy their lives without the constant barrage of negativity. I want to help make the world a better place.With that being said, I’ve decided to volunteer my time, energy and voice to help Amber in her efforts to stop “S### Shaming”. As a society, we condemn confident women and make them feel worthless by doing this and it’s unfair to these women, no matter their actions. What may seem like a joke to some is actually a very serious issue which causes many women, girls and young ladies to commit suicide everyday. The hatred of women on a daily basis is not only a form of abuse, but also it’s unhealthy emotionally. Especially in the younger age groups. These acts, even if it’s not the offender’s intention, hurt the women affected by them deeply and it needs to stop. It’s not an issue that can be easily solved but I believe if we each take individual responsibility we can help end the problem over time.

Amber, on behalf of men and women alike I would like to apologize for our behavior. No woman should ever be made to feel that way and I’m sorry. Though our actions may have hurt you in the past, I hope together we can empower women worldwide with #Positive Love, Encouragement, Support and Compassion. Thank you for your courage and commitment to this important cause. I support you.

Love + Blessings

Donny Goines

Funk Flex Just Stepped Into A Real Beef!

What the hell did Funk Master Flex do to get Treach of Naughty By Nature p##### off? Nobody knows for sure, but Treach sent out a tweet that made it clear – Flex will have issues in New Jersey!

treach tweet funkmaster flex

But, do you remember when Flex dissed Tupac? Could that be it? Or is it somehow related to the recent stuff with Meek Mill?

UPDATE: It looks like this is the reason. Fatal from the Outlaws was down with Treach and Pac. Looks like there was no respect transmitted over the Hot 97 airwaves in honor of the rapper who died earlier this month.
treach funk master flex beef

Thanks @makaveli1376

 

Birdman Talks Lil Wayne Wanting To Leave Cash Money & Reports He Tried To Have Wayne Killed (VIDEO)

(AllHipHop News) Cash Money head Bryan “Birdman” Williams sat down with Power 105’s Angie Martinez for an exclusive interview. The New Orleans born label head was open to finally talk about all the issues surrounding his supposed fallout with his “son” Lil Wayne.

[ALSO READ: Birdman Opens Up About Feud With Lil’ Wayne (VIDEO)]

“Wayne’s forever my son. That ain’t gonna change no matter what,” said Birdman. “I think what’s going on is just some business, and my perspective is I’m gonna do whatever he wanna do. But he still gonna be my son.”

Wayne has publicly announced he wants to be free from being a CMR artist. The “Glory” rapper has also sued Birdman and Cash Money for $51 million, claiming the company owes him money for years of unpaid royalties and advance payments on his unreleased Tha Carter V album.

“I gave him a 100 plus million dollar contract, 60 to 70 million up front,” Birdman stated. “The biggest contract in Hip Hop to me. It didn’t take a corporation to do this, or an organization to do this. I did this for my son that meant the world to me.”

The 46-year-old mogul claims he speaks to Wayne regularly. According Birdman, the conversation are always respectful, and he believes it is the people around them that are perpetuating the conflict. Surprisingly, Birdman contends Wayne has never directly asked him to be let out of contract with Cash Money.

[ALSO READ: Lil Wayne: I Want Off Cash Money Records]

The man also known as Baby later tells Angie he did not throw a drink at Wayne at LIV nightclub like it had been reported on several media outlets. He says it was not anyone in his entourage either.

“Who’s to say it was threw at Wayne. It may have just hit Wayne,” said Birdman. “But it ain’t no n*gga that come up with me – they know how I feel about my son. Ain’t none of that happening.”

Earlier this month, reports began circulating that Birdman and Atlanta rapper Young Thug were involved in an alleged RICO conspiracy to have Wayne killed. Both Baby and Thug were mentioned in the indictment of arrested shooter Jimmy “PeeWee Roscoe” Winfrey. Thug and Birdman have not been charged with any crime in that case, and Birdman denied he was involved in Wayne’s tour bus being shot at in Atlanta.

“That’s like the craziest sh*t I ever heard in my life,” declared the Big Tymers member. “I’m passionate about my family, my kids, and my life. Nothing means more to me.”

He added, “You’re crazy if you think that. I ain’t tripping. You tripping. Y’all tripping. You know how I am about Wayne. Y’all know the love that I show to him. I made it known. I love him.”

[ALSO READ: Young Thug & Birdman Accused Of Conspiring To Kill Lil Wayne]

Watch Birdman’s interview below.

Sin The Saint – “Sticky”

Sin The Saint deliver’s his latest single “Sticky” which was premiered on WPGC 95.5 w/ Tony Redz, and currently being spun thru airways. Sin has a great wide range of music in his catalog, you can take a listen and found out more about him @ www.sinthesaint.com

Puff Daddy & Pharrell Williams Working On Music In The Studio (VIDEO)

Two of the most accomplished producers in Hip Hop history are working on new music together. Sean “Puffy” Combs and Pharrell Williams have been locked in the lab. Check out Puff and P putting in studio time in the video below.

Krazo – “Baddest 4 Ever”

Krazo alongside his team Dean Wood Music Group are back with another release “Baddest 4 Ever”. Krazo is definitely one of the elite new artist coming out of Washington DC. Be sure to follow and support on Instagram to know more and stay updated.

Lil Kim & Her Baby Father Are Set To Battle It Out In Court?

It appears Lil Kim and the father of her one-year-old daughter are headed to court. Jeremy Neil (aka Mr. Papers) filed for visitation of Royal Reign in June. Sources tell AllHipHop.com that Papers has been blocked from seeing Royal for months.

Kim then supposedly filed a civil lawsuit against her ex. The Queen Bee and her former boo are reportedly scheduled to appear back in a New Jersey court on Wednesday July 29th to address the issue.

They told me I got a twin!! ? my love..

A photo posted by Papers ima King from #honduras (@mr_papers) on

AllHipHop.com was at Kim’s baby shower one year ago. Check out footage from the event below.

Redman, Method Man, Lord of the Underground and Others Close Lincoln Park Music Festival

The Lincoln Park Music Festival celebrated 10 years of peaceful convening of culture, music and food in the chocolate city of Newark, NJ this past weekend. The affair was a rousing success with three days of gospel, house music and finally Hip-Hop. AllHipHop, once again, hosted a Breeding Ground stage of emerging artists that included Ill Camille, Wordspit, Karega Bailey, Jenjer Ricci, Buggs Da Rocka, Mula Lansky with hosts Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and Valerie Lora. After the Breeding Ground, the festivities continued with Redman, Lords of the Underground, Rah Digga, Black Rob, Mister Cheeks and an an assortment of acts from Newark. The audience was thrilled with Method Man and Erick Sermon showed up to perform their hits.  Check out the pictures from the event below.

Redman commands the crowd in Newark, NJ’s Lincoln Park.
redman method man photo: chuck creekmur

Surprise guest Method Man showed up and shocked the local crowd.

method redman photo: chuck creekmur

The Lords of the Underground rocked their hometown by running through their hits like “Funky Child.”

Lords of the Underground photo: Chuck Creekmur

Lords of the underground photo: chuck creekmur

Rah Digga reppin’ the Bricks!

rah digga photo: chuck creekmur

Redman, Newark’s Major Ras J. Baraka and Lincoln Park Music Festival organizers chop it up backstage.

Redman ras baraka Photo: Chuck Creekmur

Chuck Creekmur Valerie Lora photo Autumn Marie Lincoln Park

Chuck creekmur valerie Lora

Karega Bailey (Washington D.C.) hit the crowd with his special brand of Hip-Hop.

Karega Bailey

Ill Camille came through and dropped lyrical bombs from Los Angeles, CA.

ill camille photo: autumn marie

Wordspit left the Newark, NJ crowd dazed and amazed!

wordspit photo: a. marie

Jenjer Ricci (Irvington, NJ) got much NJ love as she performed with her DJ Sun Su.

jenjer ricci dj sun su

Mula Lansky brought her BK hood to Newark, NJ and the crowd was uber appreciative.

mula lansky photo: a. marie

Signed to Talib Kweli, the brother Buggs Da Rocka was one of the favorites of the Lincoln Park Music Festival.

buggs tha da rocka photo: a. marie

Photos by A. Marie.

ConFlik – Chandon Con Pt. 2 (P###. Doe Pesci)

Brooklyn born and Queens raised, up-start emcee ConFlik is ready to deliver his debut mixtape, More Money More ConFlik, before that he delivers his alter-ego in the form of his latest single, “Chandon Con Pt. 2.” ConFlik provides sick flows over some elegant production from Doe Pesci as we get a more in-depth look at Con’s alter-ego.

Shy Glizzy Was Arrested By Maryland Police

Last night, DC rapper Shy Glizzy was detained by Maryland police officers in Silver Spring, Maryland. According to Rap Wave, the “Awesome” rapper was arrested with multiple charges for inciting a riot, obstructing an officer, resisting arrest, as well as disorderly conduct. Sources say that his arrest resulted after a domestic dispute with a woman. There has been several videos that show Glizzy being slammed on the hood of a cop car as well as being shoved in it soon after. Glizzy’s girlfriend was also detained, although there were no details on how she was involved in the situation.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by rapWAVE (@rap_wave)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by rapWAVE (@rap_wave)

Although Glizzy was arrested, he eventually made bail soon after, according to sources.

https://twitter.com/BeBreezyMan/status/626097401892352000

Watch Migos Perform “Handsome & Wealthy” With A Full Orchestra

Watch Migos perform “Handsome & Wealthy” with a full orchestra as part of their “Trap Symphony” series with AudiomackLive. Their debut album Yung Rich Nation drops this Friday, July 31st, via Quality Control. Pre-order now on iTunes.

Kay Cola Touches On Current Social Issues With New “Royal” Video

In her powerful, socially charged video, Kay Cola brings the never ending fight for equality to light as she reminds us that although injustices take place, we are all royalty. Kay Cola isn’t shy about raising awareness concerning the repression that has been taking place and she continues to voice her strong stance. With the release of the official visuals for “Royal,” Cola responds to the tragic loss of lives at the hands of police brutality. The Lucid Dream Queen proclaims, “We will never run from the fight,” conveying the message that royalty is not about monetary status, but a mind state of spreading truth, wisdom, love, and light. For The Dreamers is currently available on iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFdVlZXZ1lQ

The Game Called Out For Trying To Talk To A High School Girl?

Photo via The Game’s Instagram

It seems like The Game likes his girls young ever since he split with his ex-fiancee Tiffney. We didn’t know he likes them as young as high school graduates. Recently, a young girl tried to out The Game for sliding in her DMs. These rappers have no shame. Let’s hope this is another case of Photoshop.

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Man Leads Many To Believe Drake Fans Returned Meek Mill’s Album?

Trolling just might be an art form. While fans were waiting for Meek Mill to respond to Drake’s “Charged Up,” @CAWBBB lead many to believe Drake fans were returning Meek Mill’s album as a result of the beef between the two. The tweet that started it all said,

“Meek Mill’s album has been refunded over 9,000 times in 3 days according to Nielson Soundscan. The power of @Drake is real.”

SMH. No fact checking with this one. Hilarious.

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Nazo Bravo – “Put It In Reverse” ft. E-40

LA based rapper, Nazo Bravo teams up with Bay Area legend E-40 to release the hot new single “Put It In Reverse”, produced by Corey OZ Simon. Fresh off his last project “Armenian American”, which has generated over 700K views online in a matter of a few months, Nazo is prepping a new project with features from Jonn Hart, E-40 and others.

FRESH HEAT – Apollo Ali feat. Dave East “Pray For Us”

Camden NJ native Apollo Ali is the grandson of boxing legend Jersey Joe Walcott – pretty dope family history, right? With champion in his pedigree Apollo releases his brand new video “Pray For Us” featuring Dave East and his debut album C.O.N.T.R.A.D.I.C.T.I.O.N. (Chosen Over N##### That Rap Average Doing It Correct To Improve Our Nation) available on iTunes. Apollo believes now is the time to put put Camden back on the map and make his grandfather proud. Check this joint below!

Royce Rizzy – “Lavish”

Royce Rizzy drops the visual for “Lavish.” In a new B. Streets Riley-directed visual, Royce Rizzy takes viewers on a stroll through the streets of Tokyo, Japan.  The video’s aesthetics are captivating as the Atlanta rapper is surrounded by a sea of people in the heart of Tokyo’s busiest streets. Despite the congestion, Rizzy stands out like a sore thumb, flexing gold chains, gold rings, and accompanied by a bad ting—making it very clear that he’s living lavish. Be on the lookout for more visuals from his PreRolled mixtape each and every week.

Red Bull To Host The World’s Largest B-Boy Competition

The world’s most elite break dancers will be taking their talents to Orlando, FL for the Red Bull BC One North America Final. The one-on-one b-boy competition, which will be hosted by Sway Calloway, will take place on Saturday, Aug. 22nd at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Sixteen contestants will be competing for a slot in the World Final in Rome on Nov. 14th, where they will represent North America.

Besides the competition in Orlando, other break dancers will go head-to-head in Georgia (Eastern Europe), Egypt, Madrid, Seoul, and Peru.

A livestream of the event from Orlando will start at 8:30 p.m. ET on www.redbullbcone.com in both English and Spanish.

Watch a preview of what to expect below.