(AllHipHop News) No other female rapper has had as diversely successful of a career as Queen Latifah’s 25 year career. During last night’s (February 2nd) Super Bowl, Queen Latifah gave a stirring rendition of the “America The Beautiful”
Latifah hinted at a new album in the works after her performance as she told the Associated Press that she is “already working on stuff” and is able to make music in between her successful daytime talk show The Queen Latifah Show. The show was recently picked up for a second season on CBS as it was the #1 talk show for the fall/winter season on CBS. However, rumors surfaced shortly after the show’s renewal that Latifah let go upwards of 20% of her staff due to her show being “hugely overbudget”.
Latifah has not released an album since 2009’s Persona.
Check out her performance of the “America The Beautiful” at Super Bowl XLVIII below:
(AllHipHop News) One of the most annoying practices on social media may have just became upcoming artists best way to get signed. During his keynote at international music conference Midem, Cohen announced that his independent music venture 300 will partner with Twitter.
The former Def Jam president and 32 year music industry veteran highlighted the growing change in the landscape of music consumption and a need for those searching for talent to adapt accordingly:
In the modern A&R business we are all looking for talent in various places, and certainly Twitter is a terrific place to look at talent. If you want to get signed, you have to engage with Twitter, and of course YouTube, and we’ll be looking to try and develop tools that the rest of the music community can utilize.
In an interview with Billboard, Cohen explains that the partnership with Twitter will last a year and will give his music venture 300 “access to the data and building tools for artists in the creative community for them to be discovered and amplified.” No artists are signed yet, however Cohen says that he is open to signing an unknown artist with an enormous social media presence.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Kendrick Lamar’s Performance Was Most Talked About Grammy Moment On Twitter]
Twitter’s recent business moves in the music industry coincide with Cohen’s goal of a creative hub connecting artists, agents, mangers and fans for artist development. Back in January, Twitter partnered with leading music data service Gracenote which implemented Twitter Verified Artists in its video and music database. Gracenote powers the information retrieval in iTunes and XBOX Music. With this partnership would allow fans to view and interact with an artists’ Twitter feed without leaving their Gracenote-powered music service.
Check out Cohen’s full keynote speech as he explains the partnership with Twitter and more below:
(AllHipHop) The duo of Exile and Johaz, collectively known as Dag Savage, are prepping to release their album E&J tomorrow February 4th. The 16-track project features production exclusively by Exile (Below the Heavens) and appearances by Blu, Fashawn, Med, Aloe Blacc, and more. Listeners can now preview the entire album before it hits the stores.
Dag Savage’s E&J will be available for purchase on iTunes via Exile’s Dirty Science imprint. Stream the entire album below.
Photo / Videography Credit: Frsk Purple
Living legend, Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan, is the breathing personification of music. Investing a lifetime into art; his creative cache continues to become more valuable. Teaming up with master lyricist, Talib Kweli, on “Violations,” from Kweli’s latest effort Gravitas; The Chef spoke candidly with AllHipHop.com during the video shoot at Factory Studios.
The candid interview details his insight as a writer, his appreciation for a sincere inner-circle, and his sustained passion for Hip-Hop:
“I’m the type of artist that passion is always going to overdo everything. When you love something, you know, you approach it in a way that you want the best out of it. So, that’s how I move. I make sure that at the end of the day [that] this is what I want to do. This is what I feel. I get a feeling when I make music.” –Raekwon
Diddy is the international playboy!
I really don’t care what he does, but it seems like the internets do. Why? Because the man is apparently finally settling down a bit.
For the longest, we’ve heard that he’s going to make Cassie an honest woman, but the situation has been pump faked so many times, we’ve given up.
Then Diddy posts this:


According to Rhymes With Snitch, this is a strong indication that there’s something going on, because in the image above Cassie is rocking a rock that resembles the ring Diddy revealed. I’m thinking Diddy needs to run with it since there are no other megastar females available at the moment.
“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.
Illseed, Out.
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(AllHipHop News) Hip Hop has been the source for education courses for years. From 2Pac‘s music being analyzed at the University of Washington to The Notorious B.I.G.‘s “Ten Crack Commandments” being taught as an online business class to Nas becoming the inspiration for a Harvard University fellowship, rapper’s cultural contributions are now actively a part of higher learning.
[ALSO READ: Rutgers Professor Explores Race In New Course Based On Beyoncé]
It seems one teacher in Florida may have taken rap music’s educational value a little too far. An eighth grade English class at the Charter Schools of Boynton Beach was assigned to read the uncensored version of Lil Wayne’s “6 Foot 7 Foot.” Apparently, the students were instructed to find examples of figurative language in the song, but the explicit lyrics found in Tha Carter IV track upset some parents.
The school administration claims the assignment was not approved. Headmaster Wayne Owens released a statement to WBTV News Channel 5 saying the students were having trouble understanding literary devices, and the teacher decided to use “colloquial material” as a way to help the students grasp the concepts.
Owens added the teacher recognizes the assignment was “inappropriate.” The teacher was suspended for three days.
[ALSO READ: Young Money To Release “Young Money: The Rise Of An Empire” Compilation Album]
Watch the WBTV report and Lil Wayne’s video for “6 Foot 7 Foot” below.
(AllHipHop News) It has been over a year since Maybach Music Group artist Meek Mill released his debut studio album Dreams and Nightmares.
After dropping the Dreamchasers 3 mixtape and appearing on the Self Made Vol. 3 MMG compilation in 2013, Meek is presently working on his sophomore album. According to the Philadelphia native, the currently untitled project is expected to be released sometime this spring.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Maino [#BGA] Ft. Meek Mill & Troy Ave “Lights Camera Action”]
“I’m working on my album right now – coming out in the Spring,” Meek tells VladTV. “I’m about 70% done.”
Watch Meek Mill talk about his next LP and other business ventures he is working on in the video below.
(AllHipHop News) During a conversation with DJ Whoo Kid a few weeks back, Young Buck did not sound too open about formally reuniting with G-Unit. The Tennessee rapper called into Whoo’s radio show again recently, and this time he left the door open to maybe connecting with the Tony Yayo from the Unit for a track.
[ALSO READ: Young Buck Discusses G-Unit Reunion Rumors]
“Hey man look, anything is possible,” says Buck about working with Yayo. “Just tell the listeners to stay tuned… F**k the b#######. Get to the money.”
Listen to Buck’s conversation with Whoo Kid in the video below.
(AllHipHop News) The tracklist for Schoolboy Q’s highly anticipated album Oxymoron has been revealed. The set will feature appearances by his fellow Black Hippy members Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock. Other guests set to show up on the LP include 2 Chainz, Raekwon, Tyler the Creator, Kurupt, BJ the Chicago Kid, Sza, and Suga Free.
[ALSO READ: Schoolboy Q Talks Gangbanging Past & Following After Kendrick Lamar’s Success]
Oxymoron is scheduled for release on February 25th and is now available for pre-order on iTunes. Check out the tracklist for Oxymoron below.
(AllHipHop News) According to multiple reports several rappers were arrested over the weekend in New York City. French Montana, Jadakiss, and Chinx Drugs have all confirmed via social media that they were taken into custody during Super Bowl activities.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: French Montana Ft. Lana Del Ray Wiz Khalifa Machine Gun Kelly, Snoop Dogg & Lana Del Ray “All For You (Remix)”]
Out of all the things in the world to wish on somebody, JAIL isn’t one if them… #stop sweating
— JADAKISS (@Therealkiss) February 1, 2014
Fresh out the bookings, I’m back to BOOKING #FEELINGSpic.twitter.com/VOJOZlfQyW
— Chinx (@ChinxMusic) February 1, 2014
There is no word on why French, Jada, and Chinx were arrested. Vibe is reporting that all three have since been released from jail.