We’ve been waiting for the response from Drake or Diddy and we finally got one…
Drake finally took to Instagram to throw some jabs at Diddy today after their alleged brawl that took place over the weekend.
Now y’all know that boy is sensitive…did you really expect something more than a cocky a** caption? Diddy what you got for us?!
Nicki Minaj is back with a new track “Big Daddy” featuring Meek Mill and produced by Cardo. Minaj’s upcoming album “The Pinkprint” in stores December 15th.
Beanie Sigel was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It has been reported that the shots that were fired out of one or two vehicles were meant for Bean’s brother-in-law, 22-year-old Umar Salahuddin. The Philly native was shot in the stomach on Dec. 5th outside of Salahuddin’s Pleasantville, NJ home after dropping his children off at school.
Sigel is currently in critical but stable condition at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City
but is unable to talk to investigators due to not being able to breathe on his own.
Salahuddin is not a suspect in the shooting but police are investigating why he was being shot at; however, he has not been cooperating. At the time of the shooting. he had scrapes and bruises on his arms and face.
“We do have some leads we’re following up on but cooperation from the family is minimal,” said Lt. Danny Adcock of the Pleasantville police department.
Beanie was staying with Salahuddin while on house arrest, which was scheduled to end the day after he was shot.
In 1964, Black people were granted the right to vote in a desegregated South, but that didn’t prevent raging racists from stopping folk from taking it to the polls. Selma, the Alabama city, became ground zero for the fight for freedom. “Selma” examines the course that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his family and friends took to battle through several layers of discrimination. The critically heralded , Ava DuVernay-directed movie stars David Oyelowo, Oprah Winfrey, and other celebrities like Common. AHH linked up with the Chi-town rapper-turned-thespian and got his take on the past and how it relates to the present.
“Selma” opens inn theaters January 9.
AllHipHop: Selma, let’s talk about it. Last night, I watched the screening last night….Compelling.
Common: Yeah.
AllHipHop: And I think about all the MCs, who’ve came before you and now you’re a walking living breathing icon.
Common: Thanks for that, and I appreciate that, and I don’t take that lightly for you to say that, and I know that it’s work to be done, as you’ve seen in the movie. People, before us, people did so much work for us to be able to be here and do these things. I feel that, I have to do along with the people that align with the same purpose do the work so that our kids, and our future can have new opportunity and have even more than we have accomplished because of the people before us. So, you know, being called an icon…man, do I look in the mirror and say ‘yes, that feels good’…’yes’, but I also know that’s it’s a bigger purpose, and you know like, as long as I know I’m doing that purpose, then I know I’m doing the things that I want to do, and supposed to do and what God put me here to do.
AllHipHop: I’ve watched you over the years as far as being an MC from Chicago, and you’re hopping on television, hopping in movies, and how did this role come about for you?
Common: Well Eva DuVernay Director, she was interested in me in playing the role of James Bevel, she was really particular about the people she chose for each role, and she was particular about choosing people that she felt would bring the energy and would commit to it and give everything to the project. And, you know, once she showed some interest, I got to read the script and I was like ‘Man, I want to be a part of this’, you know, with all I got. You know what actually…I actually auditioned when the movie, back when the movie was happening 4 years ago. I auditioned with David Oyelowo and he was Dr. King, I was auditioning for another part. But the movie didn’t happen then, and I remember he and I just had a bonding moment and it came back 4 years later, and Eva was the right person to direct this movie. She said last night, her father is from Montgomery, you know, some things just happen, it just, you know, make you know like, this is supposed to happen. The way she approached it and included everybody and made everybody feel like they were part of some important and everybody mattered what they were doing, so being a part of this came about through her and she made me feel like it mattered that I was there.
AllHipHop: Well, when the movie first came on, and the little girls walking down the steps, and that whole explosion happened, and then Dr. King came about and then, you came out of that room, out of the building, you walked, and you stepped down like this, “Hey, this town is ready.”
Common: Yeah
AllHipHop: I seen the explosiveness in your face…without you being explosive. You just, “Hey, this town is ready.”
Common: Well you know, to get to be a part of Selma is like one of the highlights, one of the best moments of my life, as an artist and just even as a human being…so…it’s like once you, you know you have that passion and love for what you doing it’s no way that I’m…you know, when I get up there and get in those scenes, that character is alive, I’m not trying to bring no Common to the table, I’m not trying to bring Rasheed, I’m not trying to bring like…well this dude got swag, it’s about whoever James Bevel is…
AllHipHop: Right.
Common: And that’s what you may be seeing coming through and I just live in those times, and live in those moments, and I don’t let anything distract me. I just be present in what we’re doing. I think that’s one of the biggest keys for me and I do take this very seriously. ..I take it..
AllHipHop: I see you do.
Common: Yeah, as I have to tell people sometimes, because I am an artist, I’m a Hip Hop artist, I’m an MC, because I’m an MC, I have to…reaffirm to them that I am also an actor too. Because at one point for me, it was like…I couldn’t just say, ‘yeah I’m an actor’. Because you know, I feel like I was still getting my legs strong. And I’m always going to be learning and getting better and want to grow great, and I do strive to be an icon as an actor also.
AllHipHop: But you are an icon. Don’t sell yourself short because I’ve watched you in “American Gangster,” I’ve watched you in “Hell on Wheels,” I’ve watched you in “Street Kings,” I’ve watched you.
Common: Yeah
AllHipHop: You made me believe in you….as an individual, that you can hold your own.
Common: Well…you know me I know it’s a long way to go. You know, I want you to see me, like playing these different characters, as maybe a different character with these different accents , and different human beings, so, I’m glad that you feel that way but I know it’s some things I want to accomplish. I always, you know, I always want to grow. I can get better as an MC. I can get better as an actor. I can get better as a father. Get better as a human being. You know, you know what I mean.
AllHipHop: I feel you.
Common: But, I am grateful for where I am right now. And I’m like, I’m glad to hear those words. Cuz, you know, it just reaffirms and shows support, and we were talking earlier, the community is important man…and supporting each other and reaffirming each other and inspiring each other…Man, that’s what got us here. And it’s important, and I take it, I value what you said.
AllHipHop: Man, I think, right now, when this movie actually drops, its going to explode.
Common: Yeah
AllHipHop: Because my emotion in the movie, if I was 21 again, I would walk out so angry and p##### off.
Common: I mean to be a part of Dr. King, and his people, and the brothers and sisters that were…that fought, that marched, that took off from work that brought their kids, that died….to be a part of that legacy, like I said is one of the most monumental times in my life. It’s one of those times you think…you know, because Dr. King was the person that as a kid that was the first hero I saw. That was the first hero I had in my life, was Dr. King. And…you know to be like now part of that legacy just in the film, you know, art lives forever…and you know, now hopefully when people think of what Dr. King has done, they will also think about this film. And you know, it’s like…at the end of the day when you think of Ray Charles, you think of Jaime Foxx…you know what I’m saying. So maybe we will think of David Oyelowo and then at the same token think about how this film impacted and brought to light. Because, you know it’s part of a legacy that not only Dr. King, it like Ralph Abernathy, it’s James Bevel, it’s Diane Nash, it’s Annie Lee Cooper, it’s Amelia Boynton, it’s people like Otis Moss, like Otis Moss Jr. This guy, I go to church in Chicago, at a place called Trinity….Trinity United Church of Christ, Otis Moss III is the pastor there, his father was one of the people part of SCLC that we all, everybody in the world don’t know, but he was there part of the movement, there’s people like, that whose names are not written in the history books that we represent, and I’m part of that…just that legacy of getting those people exposed, and I think, you know, it’s just an honor to be there.
AllHipHop: I think you’re doing a great job of bringing Chicago out to California, and around the world. Your legacy is solidified already. And you’re just making it bigger and bigger and bigger and better…for your family and for yourself.
Common: Thanks. Chi Town, man that’s where, that birth me and raised me that place. So it’s like, I’m always going bring that no matter where I go, I understand, that’s the foundation. Point blank. You know, I think there’s a world out there to see and to conquer, but it’s good for me to know, where I’ve come from, and also if I could be a light for people that come from Chicago, people that come from South Central, come from Atlanta, people that come from Alabama, you know what I’m saying….people who come from Cleveland, to be like, man ….’we can achieve whatever we dream of’. I just want to be one of those lights that let people see that they get anything they want in life. You know if they envision it, and work towards it, and you know, put the work into it, their gifts into it, you know, make sure you praying.
AllHipHop: Man, I thank you so much for your time brother. I applaud you on your great success, this is a great movie for you, for everyone to watch.
Common: One last thing I want to make sure we talk about it, is that we did a song for the film, it’s called “Glory.” It’s me and John Legend.
AllHipHop: Oh, at the end of the movie.
Common: So, we really excited about that, and that song really was really dealing with, how, we really, discussed….and with the orchestra in the song…we really, was discussing how Selma is now, like Selma is right now, like when we look at the TV, and today I saw…they’re waiting on the verdict for Ferguson…these are things that, you know, they are happening right now. We seen it happening in the 60s, some things have changed, some have not. And it just reaffirms that we got a lot of work to do.
AllHipHop: We do. We’ve come so far, but we have so much further to go.
The lawsuit that was brought against Jay Z for using the “Oh” from Eddie Bo’s “Hook & Sling Part 1” for the track “Run This Town” has reportedly been dismissed.
Tuf America, a copyright administration company, filed a copyright lawsuit against Jay Z last year for using the tiny piece of the deceased Bo’s funk single without any permission.
“‘Run This Town” bears very little and perhaps no similarity at all to “Hook & Sling Part 1,” said Judge Lewis Kaplan in a 15-page decision. “The melody and lyrics are entirely different. The lyrics do not contain the word ‘oh’. The word ‘oh’ is a single and commonplace word. Standing alone, it likely is not deserving of copyright protection.”
Tuf America has only filed copyright lawsuits against Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Christina Aguilera and the Beastie Boys in the past.
Oakland rapper $nook drops his track “G.H.U. (Group Home University)” – the track take a piece from $nook’s life on the streets in the Bay. Group Home University is a lyrical metaphor $nook uses to express his knowledge and experiences from growing up in Oakland California.
Mike WiLL Made It is known to have the Midas touch when it comes to his producing skills. The hit maker has been focusing on launching the career of the duo Rae Sremmurd, the first signees to his Ear Drummers record label, but recently told XXL that he will be releasing a joint project with frequent collaborator Future.
“It’s like a tape, really,” he told the mag. ”Just something to just feed the streets right quick, ’cause at the end of the day me and Future do so many different types of music.”
The “23” producer said he decided to put out the mixtape, titled Ape S###, because he and Future have so many songs together sitting in the vault.
“So [2013] I feel like it was more radio-driven and more pop, ’cause we worked on Miley’s album—I executive produced Miley’s album—then we did [Future’s] album, and he just did the Ape S###. But me and him got so many songs, so I was like, people love when me and him come together anyway. So people would love a full project of that, you know.”
The project does not have a release date yet, but Mike will be dropping his own mixtape, titled Ransom, Dec. 15th.
The upcoming motion picture The Gambler, starring Mark Wahlberg, is set to hit theaters on Christmas Day, but AllHipHop.com is offering free passes to check out the film one week early. Movie goers in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles can get the chance to watch director Rupert Wyatt’s remake of the 1974 crime drama.
For access to complimentary tickets for The Gambler visit the corresponding Gofobo link for the location nearest you, register, and then download your passes while they are still available. All screenings are scheduled for Thursday, December 18th.
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ATLANTA
http://www.gofobo.com/AHHATL
Code: AHHATL
CHICAGO
http://www.gofobo.com/AHHCHI
Code: AHHCHI
NEW YORK
http://www.gofobo.com/AHHNY
Code: AHHNY
LOS ANGELES
http://www.gofobo.com/AHHLA
Code: AHHLA
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Along with Wahlberg, other actors appearing in The Gambler include John Goodman, Michael K. Williams, Jessica Lange, and Brie Larson. The film is being distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Hollywood’s rising designer Geebin Flores made her presence felt through her work, as model and fitness guru Rosa Acosta wore a dress from Flores’ new “Winter Midnight Goddess” collection during this year’s “Lil Keith’s Birthday Bash Weekend” held in Houston.
Speaking on her head turning attire Acosta explained, “I’m a fan of peek-a-boo garments like the Winter Midnight Goddess dress. It embraces sleek sex appeal, confidence and super-hero beauty with a splash of Goth via my favorite part, the hoodie.”
One of Houston’s premiere promoters, Lil Keith kicked off the weekend on 97.9 The Box for an interview along side L.A. socialite Karrueche before diving into his birthday bash which featured sounds by DJ Drama and Go DJ Hi C. Also in attendance was Blacc Chyna.
Sponsors of the annual event included Celebrity Jeweler “Big Pope” Esquire, Rick Ross’ Belaire and Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team.
Photo Credit: T Nice, Indmix
(AllHipHop News) The 2015 Sundance Film Festival will get a taste of Hip Hop thanks to the Nas-produced, Sacha Jenkins-directed documentary Fresh Dressed. The film covers the history of Hip Hop fashion and culture.
[ALSO READ: The Filmmakers Of Nas: Time is Illmatic Speak On New Documentary]
Fashion industry insiders like Kanye West, Andre Leon Tally, Riccardo Tischi, Dapper Dan, Karl Kani, Dame Dash, and Thurston Howell III make appearances in the movie. According to Jenkins, the doc presents a narrative that “begins with slavery and ends with what is being rocked today–and what the social implications attached to it all are.”
Fresh Dressed was produced by Mass Appeal in conjunction with CNN. The film will be released in 2015 and air on CNN.
Other featured documentaries scheduled to debut at Sundance include The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (Director: Stanley Nelson), In Football We Trust (Directors: Tony Vainuku & Erika Cohn), and What Happened, Miss Simone? (Director: Liz Garbus).
[ALSO READ: A$AP Rocky Among Men Featured In Ferragamo’s “A Man’s Story” Project]
(AllHipHop News) Lil Wayne’s Twitter announcement that he was ready to move on from his longtime label home Cash Money is still garnering reactions from the Hip Hop world. Former CMB artist and Hot Boys member Turk spoke with VladTV about Wayne wanting to cut business ties with Baby and Slim at Cash Money.
[ALSO READ: Lil Wayne: I Want Off Cash Money Records]
“Sometimes people come to a conclusion in their life where enough is enough, I guess,” said Turk. “I support Wayne 1000%. I support anybody that wants to do their own thing – being independent. There should be no problem if a person wants to branch out.”
While Turk backed Wayne’s desire to leave the label, he also acknowledged Baby and Slim’s contribution to the success of YMCMB. Turk refers to the company’s founders as “geniuses” that know how to hustle. But the New Orleans native added that Cash Money could do better with their business practices as it relates to paying individuals that work with the imprint.
“That’s been overdue. Me personally, I feel like if I do business with anybody I’m gonna be fair,” said Turk. “If we’re all getting money it’s only right to be fair… I just believe in karma. That stuff comes back to you.”
[ALSO READ: Turk On Lil Wayne/Baby Kiss: We All Used To Do That]
Listen to Turk’s interview below.
(AllHipHop News) As the protest against the killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and others at the hands of police officers continue throughout the country, more celebrities are offering their opinions on the current state of affairs.
LeBron James and other NBA players made headlines when they wore “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts before recent games, and entertainers like Stevie Wonder, Azealia Banks, and Killer Mike have weighed in on the subject as well.
[ALSO READ: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving & Nets Players Wear “I Can’t Breathe” T-Shirts At NBA Game (VIDEO)]
The latest famous name to join the public conversation concerning the police’s relationship with the community is rapper 50 Cent. The G-Unit boss spoke with the New York Daily News about the respective grand juries’ decision not to indict the officers that killed Brown and Garner.
“I think it’s interesting the timing of everything that’s happening,” said 50. “I’ve stayed pretty quiet about how I felt about it personally, because I don’t have all the information in those situations. I’ve had people make decisions about me without knowing how I felt about things. It’s not really fair to say it if you don’t know.”
50 was raised in Queens, New York where he eventually participated in selling drugs. He has had several run-ins with the law throughout his life, and those experiences have apparently shaped the 39-year-old mogul’s view on situations involving cops.
“I grew up in an environment where a lot of people, I know for a fact, have criminal intentions, so it would raise a defense on one end and raises the aggression level on the other at the same time, so you see there’s a balance,” added 50. “There’s right and wrong, a lot of times you look at things and you kind of see things in a gray area.”
[ALSO READ: Cyndi Lauper Praises 50 Cent For His Evolution On LGBT Issues]
Chaos’ new mixtape will be hitting the streets in less than two weeks, so today he finally unloads the lead single from the project. Featuring vocalist Kace, Chaos goes in over winding production as he details the way it feels when everyone counts on you for a way out and amount of pressure it puts on his shoulders. Never Change 2 coming soon.
(AllHipHop News) TDE emcee Kendrick Lamar connected with Reebok to produce a new video featuring the California representative rapping a verse titled “I Am.” The visuals were directed by Anthony Mandler and filmed in K. Dot’s hometown of Compton.
[ALSO READ: Kendrick Lamar’s ‘m.A.A.d’ Film To Be Shown Only At A LA Museum In 2015]
“I identify with originality and with a brand that identifies with culture in the community, and with my memories of wearing them in middle school, it proves just that,” said Kendrick about his appreciation for the Reebok brand.
[ALSO READ: Kendrick Lamar Explains Name Change + Talks Being Inspired By Malcolm X]
Watch Reebok’s “Kendrick Lamar – I am” below.
Nikko Lafre lets go of his debut single from his forthcoming “Guilty Of Dedication” LP. The single is titled “Pro” & features Johnny Rain, who also took care of things on the production side of the record. Nikko Lafre’s Guilty Of Dedication is slated for a early January release through 300 entertainment.
(AllHipHop News) What abilities would you pull from different artists to create the perfect emcee? Hip Hop veteran Common was asked that question during a sit down with HardKnocksTV. Com pulled together parts of some of the most respected names in the culture’s history to form the ultimate “Emcee Voltran.”
[ALSO READ: Common Names His Top Five Albums From The Last Five Years]
The creator of the Grammy nominated album Nobody’s Smiling explained why he would choose pieces from one of Brooklyn’s finest, a poet from Queens, a passionate West Coast artist, a Chitown rapper/producer, an ATLien flow master, and a South Bronx legend.
During the interview, Common also discussed the topic of Hip Hop being inclusive of different races. White artists’ participation in the culture has been a major point of interest throughout the year. J. Cole recently sparked another debate about the perception of Hip Hop being “whitewashed” on his song “Fire Squad.”
Cole’s track includes the lines, “Same thing that my n***a Elvis did with Rock-n-Roll / Justin Timberlake, Eminem, and then Macklemore / While silly n***as argue over who gonna snatch the crown / Look around my n***a White people have snatched the sound.”
[ALSO READ: Is J. Cole Subject Of The “Detroit No Fly Zone”]
In his view, Common does not believe the involvement of other races and nationalities in the genre will take away from the original spirit of Hip Hop. He points to how 1980’s acts like Slick Rick and the Beastie Boys represented the culture, but they were not from the streets.
“Hip Hop can definitely be inclusive of all races and still keep its essence. Hip Hop, truly at its core, is about expression,” said Com. “It started in inner-cities, in the hoods – and it is rooted in the hoods – but it still has been able to spread out and grow. You can think about some of the earlier groups. Everybody wasn’t just a hood guy.”
Common added that he sees Hip Hop as the bridge that brings different cultures together. His experiences performing for audiences of mixed races is a personal highlight for the 42-year-old rapper.
“One of the biggest joys I’ve had is looking out in the crowd and seeing White people rocking, Latino people, Asian people. When you go to certain areas it’s Native Americans rocking – Black people,” stated Common. “It’s been the culture that has allowed a lot of people to come from different walks of life and celebrate it.”
[ALSO READ: Common Explains Why He Respects Chief Keef]
Watch Common’s interview below.
(AllHipHop News) It has been a down year for rap albums commercially. No project has managed to break the 200,000 mark in first week units sold so far, but Roc Nation’s J. Cole is looking to pull in the biggest one week sales for a Hip Hop album in 2014.
[ALSO READ: J. Cole Talks Starting Dreamville Records, Criticism He’s “Boring”, & Jay Z Believing In Him]
According to HitsDailyDouble, even without heavy promotion, the North Carolina native’s third studio LP 2014 Forest Hills Drive is predicted to sell between 240,000 – 270,000 copies in its opening week. That total would surpass the 179,000 copies for Rick Ross’ Mastermind and the 148,000 for Shady Records’ Shady XV.
Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive hitting the 240,000 – 270,000 mark would be the second highest initial week sales of his career. Cole World: The Sideline Story sold 218,000 copies in 2011, and Born Sinner came in at 297,000 copies in 2013. Both LPs eventually hit number one.
It should be noted that HDD’s numbers are not final, and that Billboard/Soundscan’s official calculations for album sales now include streaming totals and individual song downloads. Every 1,500 streams on services like Spotify, Beats Music, Rdio, Rhapsody, and Google Play now equal one album sale. The new Billboard 200 tally including streams began this month.
[ALSO READ: Billboard To Begin Counting Streaming For Album Chart]
Watch the video for J. Cole’s “Apparently” below.
(AllHipHop News) Hip Hop artist and marijuana aficionado Wiz Khalifa is teaming with leading vaporizer company Grenco Science for the Taylor Gang collection. The partnership has spawned two new releases – Taylor Gang microG and Taylor Gang G Slim.
[ALSO READ: O.T. Genasis “Coco” Live at Webster Hall with Wiz Khalifa]
The Taylor Gang microG‘s theme is based on a top-secret mission to space. The product actually became the first vaporizer to leave Earth’s atmosphere when it reached a height of 114,343 feet.
Wiz along with fellow Taylors Ty Dolla $ign, Berner, Sledgren, Chevy Woods, Tuki Carter, J.R. Donato, and Courtney Noelle approved the collection.
“It’s an honor for Taylor Gang to join the Grenco family,” says Wiz Khalifa. “After using G Pens for years, it only made sense to collaborate.”
To purchase the Taylor Gang-Grenco Science vaporizers visit grenoscience.com.
[ALSO READ: Royce Rizzy x Wiz Khalifa Blacc Hollywood Secret Tour]
Check out pictures and watch the commercials for the Taylor Gang microG and Taylor Gang G Slim vaporizers below.
Rae Sremmurd connects with Nicki Minaj & Young Thug with their new single “Throw Some Mo” produced by Soundz. Rae Srummurd’s debut album “Sremm Life” will be available January 6th. For now pre-order on iTunes.
