It appears Earl Sweatshirt is working his magic in an attempt to coax Frank Ocean back to the stage for the first time since his Coachella debacle earlier this year.
Earlier this month, the Odd Future alumnus held a special 10-year anniversary concert in Los Angeles in honor of the release of his acclaimed album Doris. The exclusive show was a reunion of sorts, highlighted by Tyler, The Creator and Earl’s performance of the LP’s breakout single, “Woah,” and a near-full portrait photo of foundational members of the Odd Future rap collective.
Something was missing from the moment, though, and Earl seemingly addressed it during a recent live performance in the days after the Doris anniversary concert. According to the “Chum” lyricist, Frank Ocean was supposed to be stageside at his L.A. show—where Earl joked he intended to force the “Nikes” vocalists to the stage with him to perform their hit collab, “Sunday.”
“At the LA show, I wanted to have that n###a Frank [Ocean] on the side of the stage so that when I did ‘Sunday’ I could be like, ‘Frank, getcho’ ass out here!'” Earl said. He continued, “I’m going to work it out, by the time I get to New York I’m going to do some s###—I’m figure this out.”
Earl takes the stage on Wednesday night (August 23) in New York at Brooklyn Steel, and there’s no telling if Frank will actually show. However, Earl and the Alchemist will be in London on August 25 for the final show before the release of their collaborative album, Voir Dire—which I can only imagine will have some sort of supporting promotional tour. The album also has an unknown feature intact within the 11-son tracklist structure, and I have a feeling the feature could be from none other than Frank himself. Although, Earl was just recently spotted in the studio with Yasiin Bey Mos Def.)
Earl Sweatshirt says he wanted Frank Ocean to be at the LA show to perform 'Sunday'.
Earl also says he wants to work something out for tomorrow night at the New York show. pic.twitter.com/d7WhJlFE4A
So in essence, there’s still hope that Earl will indeed work something out to get Frank to touch the stage with him soon for a live rendition of “Sunday.” But he has his work cut out for him in doing so. It’s been nearly four months since Frank’s ill-received Coachella set and there still appears to be no sign of the reclusive singer.
Big Sean and his partner, Jhené Aiko, are reportedly asking a judge to give them a court order of protection to keep a crazed stalker away from their family. According to TMZ, the couple has been nervous about a fan named Ian Craig Lees, 29, who allegedly snuck into their Pacific Palisades property.
Aiko said this person has a thing specifically for her. On Monday (August 21), Aiko filed a temporary restraining order, claiming he’d been trying to get to her. Lees has been attending her shows and special events where she’s appearing. The singer claims everything escalated when he got into a fight with the residential security earlier this month.
Aiko sought a court order to prevent the man from coming within 100 yards of her, Big Sean or their children, but her request was turned down. Instead, a court hearing has been scheduled for September 14 to address Lees’ behavior and determine the subsequent actions.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is arguably one of the most important justice figures in Georgia. By shifting the climate of law enforcement, she’s simultaneously made herself beloved and despised.
In a recent interview on V-103 Atlanta, she spoke about two huge cases that have the District Attorney in the spotlight. She also mentioned how both cases are being held to the same standards as everyone else in the county.
The first case she discussed on the radio show was the case against Donald Trump and the way she has been treated because she’s a Black woman on the case.
When asked how Willis feels, she said, “I think we teach our children from very young ages, it’s kind of not what they call you, it’s what you answer to. So with all of the negativity that comes my way, I truly, in the words of Jay-Z, brush my shoulders off and we just keep it pushing.”
“That is not going to deter me from doing my job. I am very very honored to sit in this seat. I’ve worked very very hard to be here. I’ve been practicing law for over 27 years now. I have a degree from one of the best schools in the country Howard University and Emory School of Law (right here in Atlanta Georgia).”
Willis continued, “I’ve been a prosecutor for over 20 years. I have tried, personally, well in excess of 100 cases, most of them homicides. I’m credited with trying the longest case in the state of Georgia’s history. I’ll let my credentials speak for themselves.”
Willis said she pulled together a “Dream Team” of 380 dedicated employees to serve alongside her. When it came to the Trump case, she said she and her team looked at the facts and saw there were allegations of a crime. She said if the facts were strong enough, they would build a case.
“If the law has been broken then we have a duty and responsibility to bring charges,” she said. “No one is beneath the protection of the law and no one is above the law.”
Regarding the case with the former president, Trump expected to turn himself in under RICO charges and has been granted a bond of $200,000.
“Right now, the process that we’re in with all 19 defendants, is if they would like we’re working out consent bonds,” Willis said. “This is a process that I’ve used before in many cases. The Atlanta Public Schools, we follow the exact same process. We’ve allowed all the defendants until noon on this Friday to turn themselves in.”
She said if people don’t turn themselves in “a warrant will be filed on the system.” When talking about the YSL Case, she was equally direct and to the point, not releasing new news but sharing her perspective on what her office is doing. She said her office is at jury selection in the YSL Case. She also said her team and their lawyers are “arguing motions.”
When it came down to offering them bonds she said they considered the AYALA case.
“[The AYALA case] gives you the factors to consider,” she said. “One of them is your ties to the community. As a prosecutor, you look and say that this person has ties to the community. One thing you look at is criminal histories because you have to decide ‘will they likely to commit another crime?’ Another is, ‘Are they going to intimidate or threaten witnesses?’”
She said all of those factors will determine if someone gets a bond. She insisted she treats everyone the same way, regardless of their race, financial status or relationships in society.
A man stabbed Blueface in the leg while the rapper was training at a boxing gym in the Los Angeles area on Wednesday (August 23). The West Coast artist suffered an injury that will keep him from competing in a boxing match against internet personality Salt Papi.
“I won’t be able to fight October 14th due to a injury won’t have enough time to heal don’t say I ducked none bro came with a dog an a knife at 10am,” Blueface wrote on Instagram.
Blueface posted footage of his attacker confronting him at the gym. He did not know his assailant, identifying the man as “some random guy” in an Instagram Stories post.
Video of the incident showed the unidentified man threatening Blueface, who was training with a heavy bag. Trainer David Kaminsky tried to step in, but the confrontation quickly became an altercation.
The stabber pulled a knife after Blueface punched the man several times. The rapper provided a brief glimpse of his injury in an Instagram Stories clip. He insisted it wasn’t severe.
“It was just a leg shot, guys,” he said. “I’m OK. Y’all don’t gotta blow up my phone or nothing.”
Swavy is Toronto’s next big superstar. At only 21, the rising star has already accomplished what most would dream of at that age, including working with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Vory alonsgide signing a major label deal with Reps Up Records/Columbia Records. In fact, he’s gotten the cosign from fellow Canada natives Drake and Nav, as well as Future, Meek Mill, and Chris Brown.
Exploding onto the scene with his breakout single “Old Ways,” Swavy arrives with his own sound, own style, and own vulnerability that fans can’t help but relate to. In fact, Swavy’s nickname is The Lone Wolf, someone who’s always felt separated from the pack. Growing up, he was one of six siblings and had dreams of becoming an NFL star. Unfortunately even with financial aid, his family couldn’t afford the difference leaving Swavy no choice but to pursue the music.
In describing himself, Swavy states he’s “a vulnerable artist that gives his story in his music, and gives you guys songs that can’t be replicated. That’s how I feel. My music is one of a kind. My music’s own style. When you hear Swavy, you know that’s Swavy. Swavy’s that kid from Mississauga, a little big city in Toronto. Just hungry for this. Give them his best music, his best shot.”
Swavy recently dropped his newest song titled “Fallback Queen,” featuring Vory following his previous release, “Side Eye,” with standout vocals from PARTYNEXTDOOR.
AllHipHop spoke with Swavy who was posted in Toronto where the weather was finally warming up. Read below as we discuss his sound, roots in Toronto, the inspiration behind “Old Ways,” getting PARTYNEXTDOOR on “Side Eye” and Vory for “Fallback Queen,” getting cosigned by all the greats, how he ended up getting signed, goals, and more!
AllHipHop: How would you describe your sound? It’s so unique.
Swavy: Honestly, my sound is very, very versatile. All over the place. I have the sound for anyone: kids, older, all types of ages. All races, anyone can listen to my music. You can sit down, press play, there’s a song for everyone. I can’t wait to drop my tape, which should be coming soon. Which I’m most excited about because that’s when it will show I’m very versatile as an artist. My sound is versatile and melodic.
AllHipHop: Being from Toronto, what was that like growing up?
Swavy: Toronto means everything. This is the hometown. Some lit kid days, young days. Friends, just playing basketball. Playing football. I wasn’t even really that big into the music. I was always musically-oriented in my family, I play drums at age eight. But as far as taking it serious, I wasn’t serious about it. That wasn’t my serious path, I was a football player actually.
AllHipHop: Were you nice?
Swavy: I was nice, getting offers and everything. Then I got an injury. I played football. I started at age nine, stopped at 16. My older brothers played, so I always wanted to follow their footsteps and be a football player as well. I thought it was gonna be NFL dreams, then that switched and music came back around around age 19. I’ve been doing that ever since, that’s really my thing now.
AllHipHop: Top five artists?
Swavy: Not top five of all time, but my favorites I’d say is Drake, Future, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby, and Rod Wave. I f### with Rod Wave, gotta go with the mellow.
AllHipHop: How’d you get your name?
Swavy: Swavy didn’t really come from nothing. I was just a wavy ass person when I was little, so let me
put the ‘s’ in front of it. That’s really all, it didn’t really come from nothing to be honest. I was one day thinking I gotta have a stage name. My stage name at first was my actual name. I didn’t like it, I didn’t think it fit, so I switched it. I found Swavy, it just stuck from there.
AllHipHop: What inspired “Fallback Queen”?
Swavy: Fallback Queen was inspired by us having similar situations in women as y’all know we all have that person we go through toxic situations with and we just wanted to use this record to really talk to those toxic women we’ve experienced those situations with as we painted a picture in the song and it’s very relatable
AllHipHop: How did the collab with Vory come about?
Swavy: The collab with Vory was no coincidence as I was already a fan of his artistry and way of putting a story together in his music come to find out he liked my my music as well and he shot me a Dm letting me know he liked my songs “side eye” & “old ways” so from their we ended up linking in La at the house studio and had a deep personal conversation that I wont put out their for the public but basically we had a lot of similarities and the chemistry was just natural it was great vibes and we decided it only made sense for us to make a record for women around the world to listen to but also still make it relatable to the guys and instantly as the beat played I knew it was the one and we both freestyled our parts in 15 minutes off the top and the rest was history I’m glad I gave the fans what they’ve been waiting for I would always see them ask us to collab in comments and we made it happen now y’all can all enjoy!
AllHipHop: “Old Ways” went up for you, who or what inspired this record?
Swavy: I was in a time where I was going through a lot of friendships being broken, a lot of trust being broken. A lot of things being said by people that I once called my friends at the moment.
I wasn’t a person that was ever really involved in the drama, involved in all the politics. I’ve never been that person. That’s not really my whole thing. When I made that song, that’s basically what it came off. It was that vibe: don’t involve me in nothing man. Don’t involve me in the nonsense. It was a song that everyone could relate to. A lot of people get brought into drama that they didn’t ask to be brought into. That’s how that song came about and it did really good. It brought me here.
AllHipHop: You recently dropped “Side Eye,” how did you and PARTYNEXTDOOR link?
Swavy: Funny story, we’re in LA. We’re in the studio and it was a PARTY session. He’s playing beats. He was supposed to be the one using that beat. He played it, he was there vibing. He heard me singing the melodies, in the back behind them. Because I was feeling it, I loved the beat. He heard me like “Yo, you might have to go on there and do your thing.” I said, “Give me the headphones, I’m ready.”
He gave me the headphones. My manager Styles grabbed the headphone, we both sat down. I freestyled that song off the top. Straight emotion, straight vulnerability. PARTY’s like “Yo, this is crazy.” This is definitely the next drop, instantly we felt that vibe from it. It’s doing really good. I’m really happy with it honestly, because that’s my most vulnerable song and my most passionate one that I’ve put out so far. I’m very happy with that one.
AllHipHop: Did a certain female inspire it?
Swavy: A couple females. [laughs] Just a couple.
AllHipHop: Talk about getting cosigns from Drake, Future, Meek. How’d all those happen?
Swavy: Again with “Old Ways,” a lot of people were hearing it and wondering who’s this new kid in town that’s got this whole new sound we haven’t heard, and making a buzz in the city? It’s almost like he came out of nowhere, but he didn’t come out of nowhere. Especially to myself, because I was working and working and working before that song. A lot of them were hearing it. And I was meeting them. I met Future. He told me he really loved the song. My melodies are crazy.
I met Nav, we played it and Nav loved it. Drake heard it like, “Yo, this kid is crazy. He’s outta here.” Reposted it, which gave it obviously even more of a big buzz. Chris Brown posted it, he told me he loves it. It was a lot ofstars reaching out and it was new for me. Definitely new and a blessing at the same time, because it’s what I’ve wanted. It was definitely big to be
acknowledged by people that you had such a high level [of respect for]. Coming up as you’re watching them, you’re seeing them on TV, all your days as a kid, then they’re reaching out to you and you become friends with them. Wow, I’m friends with the person I used to watch on TV. It’s definitely a blessing.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
Swavy: Three things I need in the studio that we do not be having sometimes is water. I need water in the studio because my vocals be getting dry, and there is no water right now as we speak. I need my mic, and I need my phone. Because my phone is really where I be going, in my Notes if I want to think real quick and I put lyrics down. It depends if I’m freestyling or if I’m writing. Sometimes I’ll write, sometimes I’ll freestyle. But 90% of the time, most of my songs really come off the head. My vibe and the melody, I figure out the melodies, that’s where I go about it.
AllHipHop: How did a DM lead you to getting signed to Reps Up Records/Columbia Records?
Swavy: I was on a phone call with my friend Tyler, this was literally a week before I signed. I told him, “I’m gonna quit music.” I was so 100% about it. I was ready to quit, ready to work a regular job. Because I have family here, here, here, here. People in my ear here like, “this isn’t working.” My friend told me to stay down. Something’s gonna happen in the next month, he just feels it.
Over the next week, my manager Styles hit me up and told me he loved my music. He wanted to see potential in me and he wanted to bring me to the studio. I went to the studio and I started recording. They’re like “wow.” They instantly seen the potential. They seen I could sing, something that I wasn’t doing as often or as much vocally and confident when they met me. I started singing. They’re like “yup, new beginnings” at the end of that session. Yo, this feels right. It was genuine vibes, no one was awkward about it. We kept recording recording. They ended up bringing me to Preme.
AllHipHop: Love Preme!
Swavy: Shout out Preme, that’s the big dawg. Preme heard me and seen the potential as well. As I kept going and kept going on, they ended up bringing my music to Colombia. Colombia gave it a shot, and we’re here now. It’s a blessing for sure.
AllHipHop: Did you think you’d be signed this early? How long? Have you been doing music?
Swavy: I started in 2019, COVID time. Definitely didn’t think this at all. A lot of things definitely happened fast in a way. It wasn’t fast, but it was fast at the same time. When you’re there like, “yo, am I here right now?” I’ve had so much of those moments. That’s how I know things went fast, because I can’t even catch up on what I went through probably a week ago. I’m blessed to be here and I don’t get too caught up in it, try to stay true to myself.
AllHipHop: What can we expect from your forthcoming project Different Breed?
Swavy: With my project Different Breed, you can expect a variety of music and topics that will touch people in a deeper meaning. At one point or another, everyone has felt out of place or felt left out, a different breed in a sense so this project shows another side most people don’t talk about. Definitely something many can relate to & caters to all ages, both young and old. You can also expect a piece of who I am and telling my story through each track on the project.
AllHipHop: Any goals for yourself?
Swavy: Never get too comfortable, never to be too satisfied and to stay hungry. That’s how the best are the best. Tey don’t get too caught up, they don’t get satisfied and content with where they’re at.
They’re always hungry for more and always grinding, staying down. Grinding like they don’t have it. That’s my goal honestly. I hope that I never get too comfortable and be a person that’s okay with not making it to where I want to be.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Swavy: When I’m not working, I’m working. Honestly. Even when I’m in the club, I’m working. You know why? Because I’m there trying to promote myself, I’m there showing my face so that it’s familiar. My music’s being played so people can hear it and put a face to the name. When I’m not working, I’m working. If I’m not in the studio, I’m at the gym. The little free time I get, I go spend with family and friends.
AllHipHop: Are you big into fitness?
Swavy: I am now. I’ve been going five days every single week, in the morning. I’m not the biggest morning person but I had to become that, so I’ve been there for a while now. Health is wealth.
AllHipHop: What are you most excited for next?
Swavy: I’m excited to give them the tape. After the tape, should be planning to go start doing shows. Doing tours, and really getting out there. Traveling more. I love traveling. I love seeing different cities, different states, countries. Seeing people and their accents, all that. I’m definitely really excited for that. Look out, tape and tour coming soon.
Polo G found himself in handcuffs after cops raided his Los Angeles area mansion on Wednesday (August 23). According to TMZ, officers detained him as they tried to figure out if the 24-year-old rapper was harboring a fugitive.
Cops obtained a search warrant in connection to a robbery. Officers were reportedly looking for Polo G’s brother Trench Baby, who posted a video of authorities preparing to raid the mansion.
“Us Marshall’s Got My House Surrounded Gang Wtf?” Trench Baby wrote on Instagram Stories.
Four suspects were taken into custody. Polo G’s attorney Bradford Cohen lambasted cops for detaining his client.
“Polo is being held under the guise that the police department needs to double check that he is not a convicted felon as there was a purported firearm found in the home,” Cohen told TMZ. “He is not and never was a convicted felon.”
Cohen added, “Any previous charges he had I got dismissed and it’s all public record. They are also denying myself and my California law partner Zoey Aron access to him while he is being illegally detained.”
Video of the raid showed Polo G, whose real name is Taurus Bartlett, complying with police orders. He exited the mansion with his hands up and allowed cops to search him.
Ezekiel Miller has taken the world of rap by storm like a proverbial super cyclone. The Philippines native embraces the roles of a Filipino-American vocalist, composer, instrumental virtuoso, dancer and record producer affiliated with FFP Records. His musical palette spans an array of genres, encompassing pop, soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, rock and beyond. He skillfully wields a diverse array of instruments including the guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards/piano. Notably, he secured a groundbreaking achievement as the first Filipino to ink a deal with Virgin Music Hollywood | UMG.
Beyond his musical prowess, Ez Mil radiates profound affection for his family and friends. His humility and generosity are evident as he lends a receptive ear not only to music but also to the narratives of his loved ones. His distinctive style has garnered him the moniker of “the next big thing” among these content creators, who have recognized the fusion of his Hip-Hop compositions with influences drawn from genres like R&B, pop, and innovative sounds. His lyrical tapestry is intricately woven from themes of resilience, love, remorse, life, aspirations and the depth of human emotions.
AllHipHop: First of all, how you doing?
Ez Mil: Good, sir. Just chilling. Woke up like an hour ago.
AllHipHop: Oh, where are you now?
Ez Mil: I live in Vegas.
AllHipHop: Vegas. Oh, you just woke up?Oh man, you’re living a real rap star life now. Were you out or were you working or what were you up to?
Ez Mil: Yeah, kind of on some stuff like songs and just relaying to some people. Yeah, just something like that so far.
AllHipHop: Got you. How long have you been in Vegas?
Ez Mil: About five years.
AllHipHop: Really?
Ez Mil: Yes, sir.
AllHipHop: What made you go there?
Ez Mil: Prices, to be honest. Because L.A. [was expensive]. I entered through Seattle to the States [from The Philippines] and then stayed in L.A. for a year. And then it got a little too hectic in terms of prices over there, man.
AllHipHop: OK. No, I completely understand that. That’s what’s up. So you have to tell me, first of all, AllHipHop is one of the long-running, premiere Hip-Hop sites. And if I’m not mistaken, we were founded the year you were born, which is kind of funny to me.
Ez Mil: That’s crazy.
AllHipHop: I’m cracking up to think about that. But that was actually a really, really, really dope year for hip hop. ’98, right?
Ez Mil:I would say so, because I don’t know what came out that, I wouldn’t be able to tell. But I feel like around when I was growing up as super, super small, Hip-Hop was everywhere.
AllHipHop: I can tell you, though, people like DMX were first coming out. Eminem was actually really starting to roll around that time. He was really beginning to pop off. Jay-Z really found his stride in ’98, he was out before that, but he really started to blow up with his label and everything. So that’s the second coming of Hip-Hop’s greatness, because after Biggie Smalls died and …
Ez Mil: 2Pac?
AllHipHop: 2Pac, yeah, that’s when Hip-Hop started to really come back. So, it’s kind of cool. So how is it for you? Eminem! Let’s just get right into it, I’ll never forget passing on my opportunity to meet Eminem. I was in college at the time and literally there was a thing going on on campus and my friend, my best friend was like, “No, I’m going meet Eminem in Philly.” And I was like, “Nah, I’m good. I’m going to stay at this party.” And that was the last time I really came in his orbit, in a way to meet him. So how was it for you? This is a dream come true for most people.
Ez Mil: Yeah, man, to me it is. For real. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it because before, I just listened to the man, for real, on headphones and then YouTube. And it wouldn’t be too much of that because a lot of the time growing up, your parents, they ain’t going to let you, but it’s the Philippines, so whatever. I listened to him a lot. Him, Kendrick, and A$AP Rocky, and it was just on the media like this. I just see it on whenever we go to computer shops for some internet and to play some games. Sometimes I wouldn’t even be playing games, I’d be on YouTube watching music videos and learning about different stuff.
AllHipHop: Yeah. No, that’s what’s up. Your song, “Realest,” really put you on the map. I mean, you were out there before, but that song really put you on the map. How did that song come about? Did you guys work together on it or were tracks being emailed or what?
Ez Mil: Yes, sir. So in the gist of it, yeah, we ended up working on it together because before even knowing that it was them that we were going to meet, I had already made the beat. So I just came to them and straight off just showed them the heat.
AllHipHop: Now, I saw one of your interviews and you mentioned this has been under your hat, so to speak. A secret, basically. How long have you had to keep it a secret?
Ez Mil: Roughly four months.
AllHipHop: OK, OK. That’s not too long. I think after six …
Ez Mil: Not too long?
AllHipHop: Well, that is kind of forever. That type of secret, yeah, definitely, definitely. Who’s the first person you told? Was it your family? You had to tell somebody.
Ez Mil: Family, because it’s a family business. So just family first and then just implementing. We would be, probably in terms of gatekeeping, before when it comes to the songs and not letting anybody hear it first before it comes out. This was different, man. It was information that, come here, we got to tell you something. It was something. And him being the mogul pioneer that he is, I’m just happy to be under his wing.
AllHipHop: Right, right. And you’re with Dre too. Dr. Dre as well. That’s such a crazy one too. Nobody since 50 Cent has been signed to both of them. That’s literally history. How do you get along with Dre? I mean, you’ve had to have hung around him a little bit, right?
Ez Mil: It’s good. It’s good. I would say it’s generally very good. Because I would say, in terms of the light of the moment as well, of course, it was Em who found me through my “Up Down (Step & Walk)” song, through the music video. And he was the one who brought that to Dre. So just at that moment, initially, hearing anything that Dre has had to say about me, he was curious too about a lot of the things but we just didn’t have much time. We ended up just listening to some songs. And he’s serious about this, bro. At the moment you saw the N.W.A kick in out of him talking to some of my people, and I was like, yeah, tell him. But it’s all cool.
AllHipHop: Yeah, that’s what’s up. You are like a multi threat. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole and I’m like, yo, this guy is so talented. Even down to the death metal, I was like, OK, let me find out. I am a little bit of a secret closeted metalhead myself.
Ez Mil: OK.
AllHipHop: I’m not playing. Obviously all the groups that I like are way before your time, but no, I’m serious. When I need to get out some aggression or I want to lift extra weight when I’m pumping weight, I don’t put on Hip Hop. Or if I do, it’s really hardcore.
Ez Mil: Has to be screaming. Not on some 6ix9ine, the ones who did it better.
AllHipHop: So talk about that, you can play instruments, you come from a musical family. I mean, I honestly can say I see you doing multiple things, not just rapping. What do you see your career path being?
Ez Mil: To be completely honest, if I specify what I would see myself doing further, because of all the things that, like you said, that I’ve done and gotten myself into in terms of the musical variety, I want to hone all of that. This is just looking further, further down the road. Probably to create a genre.
AllHipHop: OK. Create a whole new genre.That’s ambitious.
Ez Mil: I’m not the blip in the category where these new artists, because I relate to them if they go on DistroKid and start putting some stuff out there, and that would be one of the categories, one of those genres. Like, Hop, Blue Grass, and then it’s there. That’s the goal.
AllHipHop: You don’t have a name for it yet, do you?
Ez Mil: Not yet. Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait. I actually do, but I’m still in the drafts of it right now. Yeah.
AllHipHop: I’m a Grammy voting member, by the way, so we’re going to have to be able to vote when it does happen.
Ez Mil: Hey, the good looks, man.
AllHipHop: What is it about Kendrick that you gravitate to?
Ez Mil: Man too much, bro. Too much. Because at this frame of time when I was growing up, like in high school, it was really about also the rebellion state. I wasn’t doing too good in school and he’d just be my rotation. And A$AP Rocky. Specifically why Kendrick? Because of his subject matter and the topics he discusses. It’s literally paralleled what me and my cousins and friends were going through growing up in Olongapo City at that time. Where even my older cousin at the time, she said, “Yo, if you perform ‘Money Trees’ and do a cover, I feel like that. Gold.”
Yeah, yeah, we was really in whatever we was in growing up. So it was just this place of escape for us, to be able to listen to someone who was saying a lot of the things we was doing as well. Because we was really damaged kids, just growing up parentless. I wouldn’t say guardianless, but parentless, yeah.
AllHipHop: Yeah. What about A$AP? He’s very different.
Ez Mil: A$AP Rocky would have to be, I would say the get up and do it and make sure you look the best you can at that time. The fashion sense, like the swag? That’s swag, swag. We was bumping all out through the hood in the skate parks, bro. That was loud, out there. How real is this? I knew them whole people going to be feeling this. That was us, bro.
AllHipHop: There’s bars, there’s rhymes, but there’s also dances, there’s swagger. Is that your ultimate goal? Superstardom? What you aspire to be?
Ez Mil: I guess it’s part of it. I feel like it’ll help the greater cause as to what I’m trying to achieve for not just me and the immediate people around me, but the people. Because Asian American representation in terms of that light and, I don’t know, just what 50 said, maneuvering and … What’s the word that he said? Navigation, how you navigate yourself through the game is a big part of it and I just want to lead it right. And hopefully people learn from my mistakes going across the game. And having probably too much of hope that everybody would just be on your side, but that’s further from the truth. Being able to sift through people right then and there and not work with him and be able to say no.
AllHipHop: Yeah, no is a complete sentence they say. That’s what they say. Have you gotten advice from 50? 50’s really smart. He’s extremely smart.
Ez Mil: No, no, I haven’t. I haven’t. I’d love to. Just interviews.
AllHipHop: Yeah, yeah. OK, I see. No, I’m sure you will though. Now, being from The Philippines I would imagine … I just did a look, and I know Manny Pacquiao of course, but I think you’re rapidly rising as one of the most famous people to come out of The Philippines. A lot of them are politicians and stuff like that, but as far as Hip-Hop, not too much. I think you might be the most famous rapper out of the Philippines. What does that mean for you? And have you felt that type of love, being that representative on the global stage, basically?
Ez Mil: Yeah, definitely, sir. I would say I’m even still overwhelmed in terms of the warmth, in terms of the receiving of me in certain places. Because there was even this one instance where we was just in this party, in a skate rink, and there was this lady that was a family friend of our family friend. And she walked up to me and she was like, “I don’t even deserve to talk to you, sir.” Wow. Still like that, but I’m ready for it, but that’s beautiful to see for me. That’s what it means.
AllHipHop: You rap in multiple languages, your native language. How is it received over there in The Philippines? I literally am just curious. Some places it’s not well received or maybe it’s very, very rebellious. Whereas now, Hip-Hop in America is kind of like pop music.
Ez Mil: Yeah. I would say the Philippines, because the way it’s structured in terms of how people consume the music when it comes to the language barrier and whatnot… I feel like it’s important for artists like me and other ones from other countries, to really use their language that they grew up with in the records as well. Because it’s a way to teach younger generations who don’t even really listen in school. It’s why I feel like, damn I got chills, the influencer effect. Like the Kendrick Lamar and A$AP in that position, I guess. Some of these kids are going to listen to you more than their own teachers and their own parents.
And I feel that in a sense where I feel like, not subject matter so far. And right now, still. Even probably in the near future I want to go about, in terms of the message, because a lot of the raps that I rap is real rap. And I just tend to be just transparent. But other than that, I feel like English is just … The Philippines is very open with the English language because a lot of these kids, when they grow up in the Philippines too, you’d be surprised that a lot of them is English speaking, man. I could even say for myself, because I grew up with the both. I got a little English side by side.
Stay tuned for more interviews and videos from AllHipHop. (EZ Mil photo credit: Jayar Tolentino.)
Kendrick Lamar is reportedly in the process of getting himself a property in Brooklyn. According to the New York Post, the Pulitzer Prize-winning MC is moving his family, high school sweetheart/fiancée, Whitney Alford, and their two children to the buzzing borough. The couple is currently finalizing contracts on a penthouse at The Pierhouse near Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The Compton native will have to drop a pretty penny on the new abode. The spot in The Pierhouse had an asking price of $8.99 million. So, what’s he getting for such a hefty price?
The 17x-Grammy winner’s home is a three-story condominium that includes four bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, 18-foot ceilings in the living room, a den and nearly 2,000 square feet of outdoor space spread across two levels. It also encompasses a private rooftop that provides scenic views of the East River and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Kendrick Lamar should have no problem fitting in at the property as it is a popular spot for many celebrities. Ed Sheeran is rumored to also live in The Pierhouse, as noted by Curbed.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z are purportedly buying a home there at some point, too. The Pierhouse has a super tight team that respects the privacy of their residents (or potential residents).
When 6sqft was snooping around at the time to see if the famous couple was moving there, a PR rep said, “I wish that I could confirm that Jay-Z and Beyoncé had bought at Pierhouse, but I cannot confirm that. You can publish it as a rumor.”
Meek Mill recently acknowledged his battle rap days and how he was split between two worlds. In a video posted by Reed Dollaz, Meek talks about commercial success being at the tip of his fingers, while the street culture of battle emceeing was scratching at his ego.
“I’m living at the top of Beverly Hills,” he said. “I got every car you can imagine. My girlfriend at the time is a pop star. I’m looking at and I’m getting confused like ‘What the f##k … I’m losing?’ Alright yeah, this battle rapping s##t is getting kind of bad right now … but don’t put no losing [on my name], what the hell?”
As Meek continued, he showed love to battle platforms such as Headshot and the Philly battle icon Young Bob, who spearheaded the movement. He also noted he was locked into the DVD age that helped propel battle rap into its current stratosphere (i.e., Headshot and SMACK DVD). He also mentioned the hazel-eyed emcee who at one point proved to be his nemesis. According to Meek, living in Beverly Hills didn’t stop him from being a target.
“I come from Philadelphia,” he continued. “If you know me, if you follow me from like Headshot days and like Young Bob and all the rap DVD’s, we were going through a Reed Dollaz. I’m talking about he was just dropping s##t on us. I’m in the house with my own homies they like ‘Man, this is killing you right now.’ And I’m screaming to my homies is ‘Now y’all d##k riding this man. He coming at all of us.’”
Reed got wind of the conversation and captioned, “DRAAAKE! (Soulja voice) Steal sharpens steal. #phillyniggas salute #meekmill#reeddollaz (side bar) s/o to shawty in the crowed like “reed .. THATS MY BOO.”
Another clip, which was deleted but captured by Battle Rap Trap, had a similar vibe.
“Bro was in gladiator school with us!” Reed Dollaz said. “@meekmill . Killas respect killas! You can hate or love it but it can not be erased!! #philly #whileyouryoung #newsinglealert @linkinbio.”
Meek replied, “We might neeed to battle again verse for verse … I don’t know how to do the new style battling … I just do best verse for verse … always will put it on the line rap so boring.”
Reed followed up with “@meekmill nah foreal tho, they tried to crucify me when I came back lol but I adapted and still kept it Philly and reed! Let’s turn the culture back UP! That idea we talked about is major! Streets need broski! U know ima call/dm away!”
Trap Muzik by T.I. celebrates its 20-year anniversary in 2023. The Hustle Gang leader has been reflecting on his classic sophomore album and his impact on the Trap subgenre.
T.I. spoke to AllHipHop.com for an interview. At one point, the Atlanta-raised entertainer born Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. shared his personal Mount Rushmore of Trap music stars.
“There were always three figureheads in Trap music – myself, Jeezy, and Gucci,” stated Tip. “That was always like unanimous, and nobody could even question or you can’t add or remove anybody from that. Over time, there have been conversations about who else should be allotted.”
T.I. also added, “Right now, we had the three. And us having the opportunity to also collect more data and conversation and input from the people who are the most passionate about the culture of Trap music, it’s like, ‘Who should be the fourth figurehead?'”
The Grand Hustle Records founder apparently conducted a poll to determine the final rapper to join him, Jeezy, and Gucci Mane in the pantheon of Trap music greats. T.I. revealed, “We finally came to the conclusion from the people that the fourth figurehead is Future.”
T.I. & Other Trap Music Stars Found Commerical & Critical Success
Jeezy let loose the Trap or Die mixtape in 2005. Gucci Mane declared himself a Trap God with a 2012 mixtape of the same name which followed 2005’s Trap House album. Future’s catalog consists of Trap-influenced projects like 2014’s Monster and 2015’s DS2.
Trap Muzik dropped on August 19, 2003. The Atlantic Records-backed project hosts the singles “24’s,” “Rubber Band Man,” and “Let’s Get Away” featuring Jazze Pha. The RIAA certified Trap Muzik as Platinum.
T.I. went on to release the Billboard 200 chart-toppers King in 2006, T.I. vs. T.I.P. in 2007 and Paper Trail in 2008. In addition, the 42-year-old rap veteran scored four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Beyond helping to introduce Trap music to the world, T.I. also memorialized the acts that contributed to the sound’s success by opening the Trap Music Museum in Atlanta. Future received the museum’s Trapper Of The Year honor for 2023.
Fyre Festival is coming back. Convicted felon Billy McFarland announced the return of the snakebitten event originally co-created by Hip-Hop recording artist Ja Rule.
The original 2017 Fyre Festival became a disaster for attendees, vendors and laborers. Set to take place on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma, Billy McFarland and Ja Rule’s “luxury” event ultimately became a legal nightmare as well.
McFarland pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in March 2018. A judge sentenced him to six years in federal prison. The Fyre app founder received an early release on March 30, 2022. He also faced multiple lawsuits over the canceled festival.
Billy McFarland Claims To Have A 50-Page Plan For The Event
Fyre Festival II is scheduled to take place on December 6 in the Caribbean. Ticket prices for the upcoming showcase range from $499 to $7,999. According to the Fyre Festival website, the first 100 tickets have sold out.
“This is a big day because as of right now, Fyre Festival II tickets are officially on sale,” Billy McFarland states in a YouTube video. “It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here and it really all started during the seventh-month stint in solitary confinement.”
McFarland continues, “I wrote out this 50-page plan of how I would take this overall interest and demand and fire and how I would take my ability to bring people from around the world together to make the impossible happen.”
A Breakout Star From Netflix’s Fyre Festival Doc Is Back Too
Apparently, Andy King will reconnect with McFarland. He told Yahoo, “I look forward to working with Billy and our partners to share Fyre with the world. I’m so grateful to have support to help us execute the ultimate redemption.”
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson tied a WNBA record by putting up 53 points in a game. Wilson’s outstanding performance received recognition from NBA superstar LeBron James.
On Tuesday (August 22), A’ja Wilson led the Las Vegas Aces to a 112-100 victory over the Atlanta Dream. The two-time WNBA MVP’s 53 points in that game match Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage’s 53 points in 2018.
“She runs like a deer, jumps like a cat and catches as if she were Spider-Man,” said Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon about Wilson. “She is just special. Her real gift is in her humility and grace and how she handles herself and her teammates. She is a phenomenal superstar.”
Footwear enthusiast Nick DePaula highlighted A’ja Wilson’s 53-point game on the X social media platform by pointing out that the former University of South Carolina player wore a pair of Nike LeBron 20 sneakers for her record-tying output.
LeBron James quoted DePaula’s X post. He added, “Must be the 👟!!! Nah it’s definitely her game the whole way!! They do look good on her though! GO THE HELL OFF THEN SIS!!!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾.”
As a 19-time NBA All-Star, LeBron James has also set records throughout his two-decade career. Most famously, the Cleveland-raised athlete became the league’s all-time leading scorer in February of this year.
Must be the 👟!!! Nah it’s definitely her game the whole way!! They do look good on her though! GO THE HELL OFF THEN SIS!!!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 @_ajawilson22https://t.co/IA7UdXAVIW
Fans of two of the most popular Hip Hop-centered podcasts got to see a cross-over interview. Joe Budden of The Joe Budden Podcast recently sat down with Million Dollaz Worth of Game‘s Gillie Da King and Wallo267.
The 94-minute conversation between Joe Budden, Gillie Da King and Wallo267 covered various topics. At one point, Gillie laid down a challenge to Budden to meet him in a boxing ring.
“Let’s do a celebrity boxing match, me and you,” Gillie told Budden. The former Slaughterhouse member responded, “How much?” All three men then discussed possible payouts for the sporting event.
Gillie Da King and Joe Budden have been exchanging shots online for years. Another round in the lighthearted podcast battle took place in May when Budden made fun of Gillie’s home.
“I don’t want to hear none of the money talk from you n####. Your headboard is covering a very small window in your primary bedroom,” said Budden on his show. Then the dispute spilled onto social media.
On the latest Million Dollaz Worth of Game episode with Joe Budden as a guest, Gillie Da King shot back, “You talked about a window in my bedroom, n####. We’re doing a celebrity boxing match!”
In case there was any confusion about his intent, Gillie went on to say he was “dead f###### serious” about setting up the fight. The Philadelphia native suggested Gillie Da King vs Joe Budden could co-main event an upcoming Jake Paul pay-per-view.
“I’m gonna go train, I’m gonna spar for two months, I’m gonna beat the f###### leather off of you,” Gillie told Budden. The New Jersey-bred MC replied, “I’m gonna fold you up.”
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
