Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel, and Ms. Lauryn Hill will reunite once again this fall. The trio, collectively known as the Fugees, are set for a 17-date global trek.
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is and was a love song to my parents, my family, my people, my musical and cultural forebears, my teachers, my loves, my Creator,” explains Hill. “I wrote love songs and protest songs— (still love songs) about the subjects and interests that inspired and moved me.”
She continues, “I was confident that what inspired me would resonate with an audience that had been led to believe that songs of that kind could only live in the past. I loved music, I loved people, I truly felt grateful to God for my life, and genuinely blessed to have a platform where I could share wisdom and perspective through music.”
Lauryn Hill Created A Timeless Classic With The Miseducation
“I felt a charge to challenge the idea that certain kinds of expression and/or certain kinds of people didn’t belong in certain places. I loved showing what could work or happen provided there was imagination, creativity and LOVE leading the way,” adds Lauryn Hill.
Many Hip-Hop historians consider The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as one of the culture’s greatest bodies of work. The RIAA certified the project as Diamond (10 million units). The Miseducation also became the first Hip-Hop album to win Album Of The Year at the Grammy Awards.
In addition, the Fugees released Blunted on Reality in 1994 and The Score in 1996. That latter studio LP earned 7x-Platinum certification and took home the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 1997. Both Wyclef and Pras also released solo efforts.
Nigerian superstar singer/songwriter Burna Boy is facing criticism for comments he made in a recent interview about Afrobeats.
According to the “Last Last” hitmaker, Afrobeats is devoid of any substance because the artists popularizing the genre lack life experience.
“Half of them … 90% of them, have almost no real-life experiences that they can understand,” he explained in a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe.
Burna Boy also characterized the wildly popular genre as music about “nothing,” that fails to portray the realities of life and the “essence” of the artist.
“That’s why you hear most Nigerian music, African Music, or Afrobeats, as people call it, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing. There is no substance to it, like nobody is talking about anything. It’s just a great time, an amazing time. But at the end of the day, life isn’t an amazing time,” he stated.
Burna Boy believes “Music should be the essence of the artist,” and their music “should be a window for you to see some of that essence.” Check out the clip below.
Burna Boy speaks on AfroBeats as a genre “… AfroBeats as people call it, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing. there’s no substance to it — like, nobody is talking about anything in it. it’s just a great time.” pic.twitter.com/rfzOtCaZZY
One person advised Burna Boy to “curb your selfish motives and hubris, and speak with nuance or not speak at all.”
As a superstar and a representative of any movement, Burna gotta curb your selfish motives and hubris, and speak with nuance or not speak at all. The world is watching and your words can make or break that movement. The greats don’t shut the door behind them, they leave it open.
However, other supporters agreed with Burna Boy’s claims that Afrobeats lacked substance.
Watch the interview below and check out some more reactions at the end of the page.
Burna Boy singlehandedly revived the album culture, he releases albums almost annually and they said he was too desperate. he took the stairs and went straight to the top and he has the best catalogue in the game. now almost everyone are attempting to be doing so too.
How can you say Burna Boy is a beneficiary of Afrobeats success? HOW??? Afrobeats as a genre has benefited more from Burna Boy global domination and success. Burna Boy has not in any way benefited from Afrobeats. You look back at his journey from way back to where he is now,…
Burna Boy didn’t even tell a single lie about his perspective on AfroBeats as a genre and not having “substance” whatsoever, truth is bitter and will always be bitter and that’s what makes him different entirely from the rest. Burna Boy stands out amongst the whole industry… pic.twitter.com/nZKkAlc8xl
Black Thought is giving A$AP Rocky his flowers, crediting him with changing the landscape of NYC Hip-Hop with his “genre-transcendent” debut album.
The Roots co-founder showed love to the “Praise the Lord” hitmaker during a discussion with Pitchfork about influential Hip-Hop albums of the last 50 years. According to Black Thought, A$AP Rocky’s seminal project is one of his favorites.
“This album ushered in a new era of New York Hip-Hop,” he said of 2013’s LongLiveA$AP.
“It’s so braggadocious, it’s so macho, it’s so Harlem. But it’s also genre-transcendent. He was able to blur the line between the New York hip-hop aesthetic—which was trending less at the time—and the aesthetic that was beginning to trend more: classic UGK, 8Ball and MJG. He was the bridge between dope and trill in a way that was very necessary.”
Black Thought praised A$AP Rocky for inspiring other artists to think outside the box. “New Yorkers who had creative blinders on and weren’t able to see beyond two feet in front of them began to adopt a different perspective in their process. Rocky represents the beginning of that for me,” he added.
Black Thought Sees Himself In A$AP Rocky
After the iconic rapper met Rocky and the rest of the A$AP Mob, who he calls “just good dudes,” he discovered they share some canny similarities, including the day they were born.
“I really rocked with their movement,” Black Thought revealed before adding, “I see elements of myself in A$AP Rocky.
He continued, “Later on I’d find out we share a birthday. He’s named after Rakim, who’s a huge influence of mine. He’s mellow. But he’s also one of those people I admire for his ability to continue to innovate.”
Black Thought highlighted Rocky’s LongLiveA$AP alongside several classic albums from different eras. Among them are Big Daddy Kane’s Long Live the Kane, A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders, Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak and Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn.
In other A$AP Rocky news, the Harlem-bred hitmaker recently welcomed his second child with partner Rihanna.
Tony Yayo wants recognition for popularizing the BBL trend, claiming he kicked off the movement back in 2005.
According to the G-Unit rapper, he made it cool for thick women to appear in Hip-Hop videos, pioneering a phenomenon of women opting to undergo Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery.
The question of who ushered in the era came up during a recent episode of the Danza Project podcast featuring Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda, with the latter crediting the late DJ Kay Slay.
According to Murda, “Kay Slay was the godfather of [that],” and credited the NYC radio icon with sparking the trend. “He damn near brought that to the game with them magazines,” he added.
However, Tony Yayo interjected, stating that while music video directors were casting “bad Dominicans” and “bad Puerto Ricans” in Hip-Hop visuals, he set a precedent with his choice of video vixens.
“I’m like, ‘I might want some chocolate with the fatty in my s###!’ So it came to a point where I’m like, ‘Listen, man. I gotta have this in my video.’ That’s why in ‘So Seductive’ I had Buffie the Body. She was the first BBL you seen in your life,” Yayo claimed.
“So when you think about it, I started the BBL movement!’ he continued. “Give me my props! I started the BBL movement. I did! Not me personally, but I started the movement … That was ’04, ’05, ’06.”
Tony Yayo gave DJ Kay Slay his flowers for “rocking hard” but insisted, “I put that s### on the forefront with the video ‘So Seductive.’” Nonetheless, he also showed love to the curvaceous star of the visuals. “That was the fattest ass you seen. Shout out to Buffie,” he declared. Check out the podcast clip below and watch the “So Seductive” video at the end of the page..
Elsewhere during the episode, Tony Yayo revealed J. Cole nearly signed to G-Unit. Read about it here on AllHipHop.com.
North West is having fun on her adventures with her famous mother Kim Kardashian, donning a set of braids so long they’re more than twice her own height.
On Tuesday (August 22) the SKIMS mogul shared a video from Japan of her little girl wearing a kimono, showing off her oversized braids. North walks into the frame with her long locks trailing behind her before pulling a martial arts pose. “Look at these braids,” Kim said to her daughter who looked over the moon with her new hairstyle.
The mom-and-daughter duo has been sharing videos from their trip to Japan on their joint TikTok account. In one cute clip, Kim Kardashian jumped rope with North West’s braids. The ten-year-old held on tightly to one end while her friend held the other. Kim whoops with delight as she jumps barefoot, turning with each leap.
“Rapunzel rapunzel jump through my hair,” West wrote on the video.
In another, little North and her friend hold up her extra-long braids as they walk through the streets of Tokyo.
Before jetting off to Japan, Kim Kardashian treated North and her basketball team to a fancy dinner at celebrity hotspot Katsuya in Los Angeles to sample the country’s cuisine.
The girls appeared to have come straight from a game and were dressed in their team uniforms. After sampling the high-end dishes on offer, the girls indulged in some ice cream and frozen yogurt for dessert.
Despite selling out venues all over the world with hundreds of thousands of fans pulling up to his Final Lap Tour, 50 Cent isn’t happy, telling staff to give him the Drake treatment.
On Tuesday night (August 22) the G-Unit founder shared a video from behind the scenes of his tour. In the clip, he jokingly berates his staff for not treating him like the Canadian rap star and complains that fans aren’t throwing their bras at him.
“They don’t treat Drake like this,” 50 Cent began. Drake, they throw him bras. What do I get?” Fiddy then asked a staffer, “please go get me some Drake fans,” before bemoaning, “S### just don’t feel right, I need to feel special around here. I need them to treat me like I’m Drake,”
He continued, “Drake get bras every night, I used to get bras in the beginning of my career.” Check out the clip below.
After a string of artists were hit with flying objects during their live performances, Drake asked fans to only throw bras at him, and they eagerly obliged.
One woman received a lucrative offer from Playboy after tossing her massive bra at Champagne Papi onstage. When Drake picked up Veronica Correia’s 36G bra, he declared, “locate this woman immediately.” He didn’t track her down, but Playboy did and reached out to the woman to appear on their online platform.
All Photos Courtesy Of Robert Adam Mayer AKA PHOTO ROB (@photorobnyc)
The looming Universal Hip-Hop Museum commemorated the 50th anniversary of the culture on its very birthday, August 11.
The block party took place a short distance from 1520 Sedgwick Ave., the historical birthplace of the Hip-Hop in 1973. Several of the original MCs, instrumental in the genesis of the genre, partook in the celebratory event, evincing palpable contentment for their involvement.
The block party served as a platform to accentuate several pivotal elements in Hip-Hop history. A myriad of performers graced the stage as part of Van Silk’s Rapmania showcase. Notable luminaries included Chuck D, Melle Mel, Scorpio, MC Shan, Milk Dee and Flavor Flav lent their artistry to the event.
Also in the the park, graffiti artists in the Thrive Collective pseudo bombed their surroundings with murals commemorating the anniversary.
Furthermore, globally recognized breakdancers delivered their performances, including Alfred “Pollo” Perez. Remarkably, took place next to the forthcoming home of Hip-Hop’s historical narrative, the Universal Museum of Hip-Hop, slated for inauguration in 2024.
Flavor Flav is for the kids
Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Scorpio and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious 5
Fashion designer and pioneer, April Walker of Walker Wear
Melle Mel spitting hard raps
MC Shan showing The Bridge is not over.
MC Sha Rock, the first female rapper of Hip-Hop
Milk Dee of the Audio Two
Coke La Rock who some consider the first emcee ever. He rocked the mic with DJ Kool Herc.
Pioneering rapper Busy Bee
Chill Rob G, rapper from New Jersey
Jaz-O and DJ Eclipse
Rocky Bucano, Executive Director of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and his sons
Memphis Police are actively seeking a person of interest in the fatal shooting of Tomanuel Benson, the younger brother of renowned rapper Blac Youngsta.
On August 18, 2023, Benson met his tragic end at a Valero BP gas station in South Memphis. Eyewitnesses reported that an assailant from a passing vehicle was responsible for the attack.
As the investigation unfolds, a clear image of a person of interest was released to the public, a strategic move aimed at accelerating the case’s resolution.
The specific motive and the shooter’s identity remain undisclosed by the authorities. However, the incident is, unfortunately, a familiar pain for Blac Youngsta.
He had previously lost two siblings to street violence. In 2016, another brother was killed, and in 2019, HeavyChampTD, yet another sibling, was also killed due to street violence.
With the image of the person of interest now in the public domain, there’s a palpable tension on social media. Some users expressed concerns for the individual’s safety, fearing that the man might not remain unharmed after such a widespread broadcast.
“Them Folks know wat they doing that’s y they put him on blast they know he might not make it through the night,” one user noted on MPD’s official social media account, while another ominously wrote, “he won’t make it even if he turn himself in they gon handle him behind bars.”
The Memphis Police Department encourages anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH, assuring complete anonymity for informants.
Georgia State University launched a new course called “The Legal Life of Rick Ross” for the fall 2023 semester. Professor Mo Ivory created the class, which explores Rozay’s career and legal dealings.
“As a lover of rap music, Hip-Hop culture and in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, I could not think of a better time to study the career of a visionary like Rick Ross,” Ivory said. “When I began my research on Ross, I realized early on that my students would learn about a businessman who turned his love of music into an empire that includes massive real estate holdings, food and beverage franchises, investments in the car and bike industry, literary works and corporate equity ownership.”
Law students will examine various contracts from Rick Ross’ career and learn from the lawyers who worked on the deals. Rozay endorsed the class, which is part of the curriculum for the Georgia State College of Law’s Entertainment, Sports & Media Law Initiative.
“The ‘Biggest’ meets the classroom,” Rick Ross said. “I’ve always been a student of the game, and I look forward to being able to teach the next generation how to keep hustling.”
Georgia State Law’s “Legal Life of…” courses began in 2019. The previous versions of the class covered Ludacris, Steve Harvey and Kandi Burruss.
Kanye West reached a settlement with Surface Media, which sued him for not paying roughly $150,000 in rent for a Miami art studio. According to court documents obtained by Radar Online, Surface Media dropped its lawsuit against Ye.
“The Plaintiff and the Defendant hereby stipulate that the Plaintiff’s claims in the above-styled action be dismissed with prejudice with the parties to bear their own costs and attorneys’ fees,” Surface Media said in a filing. “The Court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce the terms of the Settlement Agreement, which is not currently filed as a record with the Court.”
Surface Media spent several months trying to track down Kanye West to serve him with legal documents. Its lawsuit accused him of bailing on the rent after the Miami art studio underwent a dramatic transformation per his instructions.
“My client pulled off what was essentially an overnight transformation of its art studio into a recording studio for Ye and accompanying artists,” Surface Media’s lawyer Jonathan Smulevich said. “In doing so, no request was too big or too small—Ye asked, and they delivered—and my client incurred significant costs and expenses to deliver. My client is simply asking for the payment they were promised by Ye for their hard work in customizing and renting this unique space to Ye.”
Kanye West’s settlement ended one legal battle, but he still faces several lawsuits. His pending civil cases include disputes with former Donda Academy employees, who sued him for wrongful termination.
J. Cole recently popped out during 50 Cent’s concert at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center, where he compared him to Michael Jackson—but according to Tony Yayo, their relationship runs deeper than just their bond as rap peers.
During an appearance on The Danza Project Podcast, Yayo followed up his bold claim that he’s the innovator behind popularizing BBL culture by revealing J. Cole nearly signed to G-Unit. While remarking on Fif’s Barclay’s Center show, Yayo broke down how he got a front row seat to watch J. Cole maintain his indenting throughout each stage of his career because the Dreamville lyricist was locked in with 50 Cent early on. In the process, Yayo made the case that part of the reason J. Cole is so cool is because he has never had to wear jewelry.
“Y’all don’t think rappers like J. Cole is cool?” Yayo questioned. “Like nobody wants to be them? They don’t gotta wear no jewelry. Like, J. Cole came out to the Barclay’s—It’s funny because he gave me mad props and I remember him being at 50 Cent house in the basement.“
Yayo continued, “We was going to sign J. Cole and he was like, ‘Yo, you seen it you seen it,’—J. Cole I need a verse. And to me, J. Cole is one of the dopest MCs, he’s loved by everybody. He don’t gotta wear jewelry—muthaf###a is in Manhattan riding bikes. You know, stop at the ball court, playing ball at the ball court in Manhattan. I mean, that’s the life man.”
Tony Yayo says J. Cole used to write verses in 50 Cent's basement and reveals 50 Cent was going to sign J. Cole
Yayo is definitely not cappin’ when it comes to the J. Cole nearly signing to G-Unit scenario because 50 Cent even spoke about it. Apparently, back in the early 2000s when he was in his prime, 50 Cent was skeptical of signing conscious rappers. Not because he didn’t believe they were dope, but because the only examples he had to follow were the semi-obscure careers of artists such as Mos Def (Yasiin Bey). Can you imagine what J. Cole’s Born Sinner era would’ve been like under the guidance of 50 Cent? Or if he would’ve replaced The Game on the roster!?
Anyway, check out the clip below for more context on J. Cole and G-Unit’s woulda-coulda-shoulda story.
Throwback to when 50 Cent explains why he didn't sign J Cole when he had the chance to..pic.twitter.com/AvDhh811Ep
Kansas rapper T-Rell got caught in the middle of Yung Bleu’s issues with Boosie Badazz. T-Rell said he was removed from Yung Bleu’s tour for being friendly with Boosie.
“Yung Bleu kicked me off tour cause Boosie posted me on IG,” T-Rell wrote on Instagram. “If you know me I ALWAYS show love to boosie he the Man who gave me a shot and put me on! Bleu knew I was cool with boosie when he asked me on tour so to kick me off tour all cause boosie posted me Is CRAZY .. I don’t play sides I’m NEUTRAL I done paid travel fees Ect smh! S### wild I don’t got NOTHING to do with they issues and if you knew I’m cool with boosie why even ask me on tour S### Goofy af @bleuvandross.”
Boosie reacted to the tour drama in his own Instagram post. The Baton Rouge native admonished Yung Bleu amid their ongoing dispute over money.
“[Don’t] F### UP THIS DUDE @trell_785 MONEY HE AINT GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS S###,” Boosie wrote. “ME N HIM HAD SONGS 6 YEARS AGO TOGETHER! SEND ME YOUR ADDRESS TO ANY OF THESE CITIES ON THE TOUR SO I CAN GET YALL THESE SHIRTS. ANYBODY SUPPORTS THAT TOUR IS SMH I AINT EVEN KNOW HE WAS ON YOUR TOUR THATS THE COLD PART! DUDE JUST SHOWING LOVE TO THE ALBUM.”
Boosie previously called out EMPIRE for failing to properly compensate him for the label’s deal with Yung Bleu, who was once signed to Boosie’s Bad Azz Music Syndicate. The opinionated rapper claimed someone forged his signature to orchestrate the deal.
Diddy announced a new project titled The Love Album: Off The Grid on Tuesday (August 22). The Bad Boy Records founder explained why he’s returning to music in a trailer for the album.
“Why am I doing this?” he said. “Especially with the success that I’ve had, especially where my life is, how stressful and treacherous this music business is. Why would I just come back in here and have to do something that I don’t have to do? My heart has been broken. I still got that question of like, ‘Am I gonna love again?’”
Diddy added, “I wanna make music. Music is my foundation, it’s my hustle, it’s my vibration.”
The teaser featured clips of Diddy working with 21 Savage, Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Swae Lee, Babyface and more. The video also showed the Hip-Hop mogul in moments of frustration as he revealed why he needed to go off the grid to record the album.
“I was so addicted to my phone, so addicted to my work, so addicted to the b#######,” he griped. “Right now, I’m on the edge and it’s just too much going on that’s unnecessary. I just can’t do it all and make this music and stay locked in.”
Diddy said he made the record like he was given a “second chance at life.” He vowed to not leave until “the world is changed.”
The Love Album: Off The Grid is scheduled to drop on September 15.
Cadillac recently revealed the Escalade IQ. The vehicle is the first-ever all-electric luxury full-size SUV brimming with iconic design, the highest level of craftsmanship and the latest automotive technology. The Escalade has been a pioneer in the luxury space and quickly became a fan favorite.
The parallel between the Cadillac Escalade and Hip-Hop lies in the shared emphasis on boldness, both representing a fusion of style, power and self-expression, appealing to those who want to stand out.
In celebration of the first-ever all electric ESCALADE IQ and the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Westbrook Media and Cadillac launched a branded content series called Backstage featuring Hip-Hop royalty MC Lyte, Big Boi & DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Published through the Genius media platform, the series captures DJ Jazzy Jeff engaging with MC Lyte and Big Boi capturing their first reaction to the ESCALADE IQ and discussing their journeys in Hip-Hop and Cadillac’s impact on the culture.
Kanye West’s wife, Bianca Censori, was the subject of scrutiny during a recent trip to Italy. Per the Daily Mail, members of the Italian public were calling for her to be reprimanded for wearing nude catsuits that expose her nipples.
While many fashion houses such as Prada, Gucci, Versace, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana are prominent in Italy, the country is apparently a conservative place—especially since the Pope lives at the Vatican in Rome.
Kanye West's 'wife' Bianca Censori risks €10k fine during trip to Italy https://t.co/sEZjqLsgUf
The people calling for Censori’s punishment cite an Italian law that penalizes people for wearing what’s deemed inappropriate attire. The Italian Constitutional Court states individuals can receive fines ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 euros or face imprisonment of four months to four years if they expose themselves in or near a location frequented by minors.
West’s wife was braless in the skintight piece, which was so revealing she had to hold her pocketbook up to cover herself. TMZquoted a few social media posts that were totally against how she’s been galavanting throughout the country.
“How about police in every country arrest anyone who is nude?” one person reportedly wrote. “It’s called indecency … Tired of being forced to see nude women and should be illegal for children to see this.”
Another added, “I hope Italy kicks them both out of the country. They don’t need this pair polluting it,” while someone else said, “It’s a shame that they can’t arrest her for public indecency. They look like clowns, how embarrassing.”
Event specialist-turned-author Haywood G. Donerson was just a teenager when he and his brother, along with some buddies, decided to take a leap and head over to Los Angeles from Washington. It was out there on the lively streets of Hollywood that he got noticed and caught his big break with Delicious Vinyl Records, home of hit rappers like Young MC and Tone Lōc.
He had some crazy exciting times, but then life threw him a curveball – his son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Suddenly, Haywood had to switch gears, juggling his career with taking care of his child. But, his story continued to unfurl in a number of ways. These experiences are assembled in a book called “A King’s Path: Turning Tragedy Into Triumph Along the Way.” The novel reads like an autobiography and Mr. Donerson includes his life and times into a fictitious backdrop. Some of it comes directly from his life, but oftentimes the names, locations and other details have been changed to protect folks personal lives.
Haywood continues to dip his toes in the entertainment and event management scene, effectively hustling around that world. Making things happen does not exclude giving back to his community while soaking up the good life with his wife, son, and the whole crew. The Humble King and Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur talk about the book that he hopes will help people.
AllHipHop: Respect. A King’s Path: Turning Tragedy Into Triumph Along the Way.I’m very proud of my brother because, first of all, he’s a positive, positive good brother. I’ll never forget interacting with him because he was the first person in my whole life to call me king for the first time. Man, thank you for coming to AllHipHop, man. I appreciate you as always, and all of our conversations have been utmost … Of the utmost positive variety.
Haywood Donerson: Yes, sir. No, thank you for having me, Chuck. It’s absolutely an honor to be interviewed by you as someone that has watched you and AllHipHop progress over these years, man. It is truly humbling to be sitting here in front of you, my good man.
AllHipHop: Thank you. Thank you. First of all, tell me about this book and what made you write this book.
Haywood Donerson: Well, believe it or not, Chuck, I’ve been through quite a bit in my life, because before I was doing public relations, I was actually a entertainer on stage with my brothers and my friends. I’ve been doing a lot of that, so I have so many stories to tell. Every time I kept telling people how I was discovered on the streets of LA with my brothers and my friends, everyone kept saying, “Oh, you need to write a book. You need to write a book. Oh, you need to tell this story.”
I got that Oprah Winfrey aha moment, and I said, “Okay, let me go ahead and start writing this book.” I was introduced to Mr. Marvin Bryson through a mutual friend of mine, and Marvin Bryson, he’s been on production for so many shows, including “Law & Order” and things of that nature. He was really helping me to shape it into a book instead of just doing a movie. The movie’s going to come later, but that’s really why I got started with the book.
AllHipHop: Okay. Anywho, so give us a download on the book, what it’s about and things of that sort.
Haywood Donerson: Well, as I tell everyone at the beginning of the book, it’s loosely based on my life because this brother has gone through quite a bit. If you can imagine, I was in my late teens in the late eighties in Hollywood, so there was a lot of sex, drugs, and go-go music going on throughout my life.
As they say, I changed up some names and circumstances to protect the innocent, as well as the guilty, because a lot of people, they’re my age now. They got grandkids. They don’t want me to put them out there like this. I said, “Let me try to write this in a way where it’s entertaining,” which it’s very entertaining. I’ve taken the names and changed up some circumstances, but a lot in that book is true.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Now, I believe you said it was an autobiography when we first talked. Am I right in saying that?
Haywood Donerson: Yes, sir. The more I started talking about actual circumstances that came about in my life, whether it was me and my brother having a house full of strippers when we used to be roommates. Some of those strippers, they’re grandmothers now. I don’t want to do that. I wanted it to be a autobiography, but I would’ve destroyed some lives.
AllHipHop: Before we pivot into some of those things, you talk about the eighties, the crack era, basically, the crack era. What impact did that have on your life?
Haywood Donerson: Had a lot of impact, to be honest with you, Chuck. I’m thankful for music. Everyone always says, “Hey, music saved me,” this, that, and the third. No, bruh, music, playing the instrument helped to save me, because a lot of times when I could have been out in the streets, when friends were getting killed, or friends were getting locked up, I was in the basement rehearsing.
You know what I did, Chuck? I picked up the autobiography of Malcolm X at 16 years old. That really helped to guide me so that I made some mistakes, but I was able to pivot a lot. It really did. DC was really serious back in the eighties, trust me.
AllHipHop: Well, let’s talk about Go-Go a little bit. Talk about your band and what your viewpoint of the music industry from that point of view is, because Go-Go is probably one of the last indigenous music forms that didn’t quite cross over.
Haywood Donerson: I used to work on Sugar Bear’s management team for EU until last year, so I’ve been in and around the go-go industry since my teens.
A brother like me, I was laughed at and teased in the hood because I wasn’t like my older brother. My older brother, he ran with the goons and all that kind of stuff. They whipped ass and took names. For me, I was more of a nerd, so I didn’t find my way really growing up until I started playing Go-Go music.
I always tell everyone, back in the early eighties, rap and Go-Go was like this, going head-to-head and seeing. Rap released some good hits, Go-Go released some good hits, and so on and so forth.
What happened was rap continued to release hits, release hits, release hits. I always tell everyone, DC is a politically based-town. It’s not entertainment-oriented, so you don’t get the publicists, you don’t get the entertainment attorneys. You don’t get all these people that’s behind the scenes and all these extracurricular jobs that New York and LA, and now even Atlanta has, so that you can really flourish as a indie artist.
AllHipHop: Somebody told me that, on another note, that Go-Go was kind of banned from DC because of violence or other things. I’m not sure if that’s true or any truth to that.
Haywood Donerson: Yes. There was that situation happening in Go-Go, but it got to the point where a lot of the club owners, they started shutting down. They started moving out of the city, and so on and so forth. There was less places for Go-Go to be showcased.
That’s what happened with that. Let me just say this, too, because I’m being interviewed by AllHipHop, my life intertwines with Hip-Hop, even though I was a go-go musician, because once I got signed to my record deal … I was signed to Delicious Vinyl records that was home to Tone Loc, Young MC, The Pharcyde. You name it.
I was influenced by a lot of those people. I was in Mellow Man Ace. Shouts to Mellow Man Ace. This brother, he put me in one of his videos. I went on tour with the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Hip-Hop legends. When I tell you Hip-Hop, as well as go-go has played a big influence in my life, that’s without a shadow of a doubt.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Now you know I was going to say that. You know I was going to ask you about it. Now, did Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. protect you, man? They some big guys, man. They some big boys.
Haywood Donerson: Yes. Let me tell you something. Let me give a shout-out to the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. Well, first and foremost, I made it by going on the road for two months, living with Bloods and Crips.
AllHipHop: Yeah.
Haywood Donerson: Okay? So, those Samoans don’t play.
AllHipHop: Right.
Haywood Donerson: That’s one. Second, let me say this too, they don’t get enough credit for being the caliber of musicians that those guys are. Those guys are some serious musicians. One of the other things that I really learned, they are strong on family.
They taught me a lot about looking out for each other, and so on and so forth. When I tell you … I had some experience. We almost got into it with Mc Hammer’s crew up in San Francisco and Oakland area when I was with them.
AllHipHop: What?
Haywood Donerson: Yeah, it was pretty deep. Thank God cooler heads calmed everything down. I’ve seen some experiences with those brothers, but it helped me in a lot of ways to understand different dichotomies, because I never knew Samoans in my life until I went out on tour with those guys.
AllHipHop: Y’all were going up against Mc Hammer? Mc Hammer was deep back in the day.
Haywood Donerson: Mc Hammer was extremely deep, and those Samoans was deep. When I tell you Mc Hammer came with the whole neighborhood, oh, yeah, don’t play with Hammer.
AllHipHop: Yeah. Don’t play with Hammer. Did you get to know Tone Loc and those guys? Did you get to know them at all, or was it mostly in and out of the tour bus or whatever?
Haywood Donerson: I didn’t get to know Tone Loc as much as I would like, but I did get to know Young MC.
AllHipHop: Okay.
Haywood Donerson: Young MC, great man. I’m in his video “Principal’s Office” as well.
AllHipHop: Personally, as a teenager, I couldn’t imagine myself being in Hollywood at that age, to be honest, straight up. I’ve been privy to go there a lot in my adult years and knowing fully well who I am at that point, being able to avoid all those pitfalls. But did you avoid those pitfalls? If so, how did you?
Haywood Donerson: To be honest with you, Chuck, I didn’t avoid some pitfalls. Some of the pitfalls God took me away from before things really got heated out there, because just as we were starting to really get going and the popularity was really starting to take on another level, I should say, my son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I gave up my record to be able to come back to DC to learn more about the disabilities and things of that nature.
While I was in LA for that time, man, as you stated, I was given any and everything that I wanted. If I wanted drugs or if I wanted women, or whatever smack you wanted, I was given. If I stayed out there for 10 years or so on and so forth, you might’ve been seeing me on TV One’s “Unsung” or something. And VH1’s Behind The Music, because I would’ve been strung out on drugs. I would’ve been having 12 baby mamas, all in some serious s###. It wasn’t that time for me to be able to be in that situation.
AllHipHop: True, true. Let’s talk about Marcus “Smacky” Gregory. Give us a profile of who this character is based on yourself, of course, but give us a profile on him.
Haywood Donerson:Marcus “Smacky” Gregory is loosely based on me. There’s a lot of characteristics that are me that are intertwined with this character.
This character, he’s a middle child, like I am, trying to find his way in the hood, being protected by his older brother as I was, being laughed at, teased. Not really becoming successful in neighborhood or locally successful until he started playing the conga drums, as I started doing.
Marcus … Well, I’m going to say Smacky. Smacky, over time, he learned about his abilities and learned how to utilize his abilities to navigate not only the entertainment industry, but also life in general. That’s the thing about Smacky. He’s always trying to find what’s the positive out of all the negative that comes at him.
AllHipHop: Yes. That was my next question. The book, turning it into a movie, it’s too soon to say people buying … Hopefully this strike will end soon so that we could get fully back to business. In a perfect world, who would you have playing you, or Smacky, I should say?
Haywood Donerson: You know what? That’s a good … Man, you are truly a great interviewer, Chuck, because you know who I would have playing me? That little youngin’ that plays Tariq on Power. Michael Rainey Jr.
AllHipHop: How did you maintain this positive spirit? That’s something that I find very hard to do. Personally, I’ve worked really hard to maintain that in myself. That sometimes will involve church, sometimes meditation, sometimes punching a heavy bag. How did you manage to do that?
Haywood Donerson: I’m going to give credit to, besides God, which is very important, I’m going to say my son. My son’s disability, Chuck, that taught me so much about patience, taking my time. When you meet him eventually, you’ll see my son has gone through countless operations, countless physical therapies, always getting the door shut in his face, and this, that, and the third. But guess what? He’s still positive, still happy, and he still tries to look for the best in life.
AllHipHop: Where can people get the book? All those facts so that we can point people in the right direction.
Haywood Donerson: Right. Well, the book is now on sale now. You can pick it up at hd3global.com, HD3global, as well as you can also get it on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles. We’re working on the actual Audible right now, so I’m recording that. We should have that hopefully by the end of this month.
I am thanking everyone in advance for your purchase because a lot of people may take people’s support for granted, but I do not. I know what it takes to pull out that money. You’ve been working hard all week long, and for you to support me and this major project, it means the world to me. Thank you.
AllHipHop: Anyway, King Haywood Donerson, I appreciate you. Do you have any final words of wisdom for the people?
Haywood Donerson: I’m going to say this, the only place to find success before work is in the dictionary. When you plan your work, work your plan. I’m saying once again, thank you, Chuck Creekmur, thank you, Grouchy Greg, thank you AllHipHop for taking the time out to speak with this king here, because it means more than you will ever know. I mean it with all my heart, and I love you, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
Controversial football star Antonio Brown is apparently a wanted man. TMZ reports Miami-Dade County authorities have been ordered to arrest the former NFL player for being delinquent in his child support payments.
He allegedly owes his ex, Wiltrice Jackson, $15,000 after a judge ruled on August 9 he had to make court-mandated payments for their child together. Because he missed the payment, he may spend time behind bars. However, there’s a way he can avoid being snatched up by law enforcement. The athlete can pay what he owes and pony up an additional $5,000 in attorney fees.
Brown, who has an estimated net worth of $20 million, has a history of not taking care of his children. In April, Brown was in danger of being arrested after he didn’t pay a $30,000 support payment to Jackson.
The baller can’t seem to stay out of trouble. At the top of the year, he was suspended from Snapchat for leaking an explicit image of a different baby’s mother, Chelsie Kyriss, performing a sex act on him.
“Very well aware of what’s being posted on snap,” Kyriss wrote on her Instagram Story at the time. “I am not in control of his actions. I have asked multiple times to have this part of our past relationship to remain private but he refuses.”
Drake’s “It’s All A Blur Tour” rolled into Los Angeles on August 21. Four-time NBA champion LeBron James and his 18-year-old son Bronny James gave Drizzy an assist in the City of Angels.
LeBron and Bronny escorted Drake to the Crypto.com Arena stage on Tuesday night. Video of the moment went viral online as social media users reacted to the star-studded entrance.
The LA crowd expressed excitement to see the Los Angeles Lakers player and his basketball-playing offspring walk out with the OVO Sound leader. Drake signed fans’ autographs as LeBron and Bronny trailed behind him on the steps.
Last month, Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest during basketball practice at the University of Southern California. His father thanked people for their support. On July 27, LeBron tweeted, “We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone [is] doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love.”
The careers of Hip Hop superstar Drake and sports superstar LeBron James have been closely aligned since both celebrities broke out as generational talents. Drizzy and LBJ’s respective rises to the pinnacle of their professions cemented them as GOAT contenders.
Drake collaborated with Lil Wayne, Eminem and Kanye West for the “Forever” posse cut. That 2009 song served as a single from the soundtrack to LeBron James’s More than a Game documentary. The “It’s All A Blur Tour” with 21 Savage continues in Los Angeles tonight (August 22).
Two platinum-selling rap acts of the 2020s voiced their thoughts on current internet culture and the media. Both Florida’s Rod Wave and New York’s Lil Tjay apparently had some things to get off their chests.
“Fame s### lame, square-ass blog n####s even worse,” Rod Wave wrote on his Instagram Story. “Anybody can say [your] name how they want to and blog sites [just] gone spread it to [the] world and [people] believe it.”
The 23-year-old recording artist added, “S### [is] not fair, don’t even care who y’all hurt [with that] s###.” Rod Wave also blasted media outlets for apparent infidelity rumors spreading across the internet.
“I never say nun back to y’all a## but y’all went way [too] far [with that] cheating s###,” Rod Wave continued on IG. Bronx-bred rapper Lil Tjay reacted to Rod Wave’s rants about bloggers on his own Instagram Story.
Lil Tjay reposted Rod Wave’s social media message. The 22-year-old “Calling My Phone” rapper captioned his own IG post, “Internet dead [lie] on my name about mad s### [for real and] it’s [never] positive. Smh.”
Lil Tjay dropped his 222 album in July. The project peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart. Rod Wave, meanwhile, is preparing to release his Nostalgia studio LP on September 15. 2022’s Beautiful Mind debuted at No. 1 on the weekly Billboard rankings.
Florida-raised rapper Plies is known to voice his opinions about trendy topics on social media. This week, the “Bust It Baby (Part 2)” performer addressed the people hating on track star Sha’Carri Richardson.
Sha’Carri Richardson won the 100 meters race at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The 23-year-old runner’s Gold Medal victory solidified a comeback for the Dallas native in the world of track and field.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency suspended Sha’Carri Richardson after she tested positive for marijuana before the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Following her one-month suspension by the USADA, Sha’ Carri Richardson became the center of media attention.
Richardson explained her failed drug test was the result of her using cannabis to help cope with the death of her biological mother. The former Louisiana State University student’s situation sparked a global conversation about marijuana usage in sports with many critics bashing her for breaking the rules.
Now that Richardson is back at the top of her game, Plies does not want any naysayers jumping back on her bandwagon. On Monday (August 21), Plies took to X to show support for the 23-year-old World Champion. He also called out her haters.
“Sha’ Carri Richardson is a prime example [of] how people will write [you] off in your worse moments. [And] the minute [you] get it back poppin. They reappear like they [have] been f*ckin with [you] the whole time!!!” posted Plies.
He later added, “🗣'[You] ever switched up on me [you] gotta stay on dat side’… This [is] just how I been feeling!!! This [has] been my theme song the last few dayz!! 😤 @Plies ‘Stay On Dat Side’. S/O The Yung Queen on her big win!!💪🏾🔥 ‘Ain’t no coming back [you] gotta stay on dat side’…🔥🚀🚀🚀.”
Sha’ Carri Richardson Is A Prime Example How People Will Write U Off In Your Worse Moments. An The Minute U Get It Back Poppin. They Reappear Like They Been F*ckin With U The Whole Time!!!
🗣“U Ever Switched Up On Me U Gotta Stay On Dat Side”.. This Just How I Been Feeling!!! This Been My Theme Song The Last Few Dayz!! 😤 @Plies “Stay On Dat Side” S/O The Yung Queen On Her Big Win!!💪🏾🔥 “Ain’t No Coming Back U Gotta Stay On Dat Side”…🔥🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/1nmcByh9mp
🗣“U Ever Switched Up On Me U Gotta Stay On Dat Side”.. This Just How I Been Feeling!!! This Been My Theme Song The Last Few Dayz!! 😤 @Plies “Stay On Dat Side” S/O The Yung Queen On Her Big Win!!💪🏾🔥 “Ain’t No Coming Back U Gotta Stay On Dat Side”…🔥🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/1nmcByh9mp
