Tory Lanez is behind the wall after being convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion. But the rapper made a preemptive move before his incarceration. He recorded a song, which just dropped. On “Ginobili,” the rapper melodically rhymes to his detractors. He does not specify, but it certainly feels like he’s talking about the high profile case. “All of you n#ggas that s###### on me, I promise you’ll reap what you sow,” he spews. The Canadian-born artists faces up to 22 years in prison and deportation.
This week, Chance The Rapper officially announced Acid Rap concerts at the Barclays Center in New York City on August 26 and at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 21.
Acid Rap dropped in April 2013. The groundbreaking project featured BJ the Chicago Kid, Vic Mensa, Twista, Saba, Childish Gambino, Action Bronson, Noname, and more acts.
Chance The Rapper’s Acid Rap earned a Best Mixtape nomination at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards. The reviews website Metacritic lists Acid Rap with an 86/100 score which signifies universal acclaim.
In addition, then-President Barack Obama added the Acid Rap track “Acid Rain” to his 2016 Summer Playlist. Chance rereleased Acid Rap on streaming services in June 2019. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart that year.
Thirteen acts will enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 Class. Hip Hop representatives Missy Elliott and DJ Kool Herc made the final list for this year.
Audacy interviewed Greg Harris, the CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, about the latest inductees. In particular, Harris reflected on the two Hip Hop selections during that conversation.
“We have roughly a dozen Hip Hop artists in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Missy is the first [female rapper],” said Greg Harris. “This was her first year of eligibility. She went right in. First-year nominated, first-year eligible.”
Greg Harris added, “Such a unique sound – groundbreaking, pioneering, and influential. And so we’re thrilled she’s in.” Virginia native Missy Elliott burst onto the music scene with her classic 1997 album Supa Dupa Fly.
Many music historians recognize DJ Kool Herc as one of the original creators of Hip Hop culture. Hip Hop enthusiasts often cite Herc’s “Back to School Jam” on August 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, as the starting point of Hip Hop.
“I do think because it’s the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and we have the godfather, the founder, Kool Herc, going in, and the event is in New York… I think we should expect something like that as at least part of the show,” said Greg Harris about a possible Hip Hop tribute at the upcoming Rock Hall ceremony.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will formally induct Missy Elliott, DJ Kool Herc, and the rest of the Class of 2023 on November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
According toEntertainment Tonight, the St. Louis-bred rhymer and New York native have rekindled their relationship. A source told the outlet, “Nelly and Ashanti are back together and both of them are very happy.”
Nelly and Ashanti first began dating in 2003. They supposedly met at a press conference for that year’s Grammy Awards ceremony. The two Grammy winners called it quits 10 years later.
Ashanti addressed the gossip of a potential rekindling of a romance with Nelly during a December 2022 episode of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live. A viewer asked Ashanti about the viral clip of her performing with Nelly in Vegas.
“I saw a lot of comments and my reaction was… wow,” Ashanti said about possibly reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend. “It was a lot of comments and a lot of people wanting that. What I will say is we’re in a better place.”
Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones continues to partner with the AXE brand. On July 11, the Atlanta native and AXE will launch a new manga titled Shonen Baby.
Fans can only access Lil Baby’s upcoming “digital art experience” by purchasing an AXE product from the Fine Fragrance Collection at Walmart. They will then receive Shonen Baby as a downloadable digital comic.
“Manga is incredibly popular among our guys, and we know how much of a manga fan Lil Baby is,” says Caroline Gregory, Global Brand Director at AXE.
Gregory continues, “We wanted to bring fans closer to the Lil Baby universe, scaling up our presence in the metaverse through a fresh and interactive digital experience to showcase all that the AXE Fine Fragrance Collection has to offer.”
AXE released a 15-second teaser for Shonen Baby on the company’s YouTube channel. In addition, the July 11 virtual launch event will feature exclusive clips from Baby and a Q&A with the creative team behind the manga.
“I’m a huge anime fan because that genre tells powerful stories with a lot of energy and action,” says Lil Baby.
He adds, “I was all in on the chance to co-produce an AXE manga. I got to flex my creative skills and share another part of my story. I hope people enjoy this other medium from me.”
Memphis-bred rapper GloRilla sparked an online debate yesterday. One tweet from the “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” hitmaker went viral.
“Being da smartest person in da room is NOT a flex 💯,” tweeted GloRilla on Wednesday morning. That post collected over 3.8 million views on the Twitter platform.
GloRilla did not elaborate on her take, but she did return to Twitter to double down on her point. The Interscope recording artist wrote, “And if you think it’s a flex, [it] says a lot about you, 😂😂d######.”
2022’s “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” became GloRilla’s breakout song. The collaboration with record producer Hitkidd peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “F.N.F.” earned Glo her first Grammy nomination.
GloRilla followed up “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” by dropping “Tomorrow 2” with Cardi B. That Gold-certified single debuted at No. 9 on the Hot 100 and remained on the chart for twenty-two weeks.
The trailblazing artist acknowledged the significance of the historic achievement in a series of social media posts. She also expressed her gratitude following the Class of 2023 announcements Wednesday (May 3).
“I want to say this is HUGE not for just me but all my Sisters in HIPHOP,” Missy Elliott declared. “This door is now OPEN to showcase the hard work & what many of us contribute to MUSIC. I have cried all morning because I am GRATEFUL thank you.”
After admitting “I can’t stop crying,” Missy Elliott also took the time to congratulate the other music icons welcomed into the Hall of Fame. Among them, Chaka Khan, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, and many more.
“I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to all the other LEGENDARY artist who will now be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” she penned. “They have committed DECADES of hard work and IMPACT on music. I thank you for the TIMELESS music you have shared with the World.”
In a follow-up tweet, Missy Elliott thanked God and her supporters for giving her the strength to persevere.
“It’s times I have gotten on line & seen your irrelevant your a flop your washed up & it would crush me at times. BUT God you made me STRONG I kept going & you allowed my decades of WORK to SPEAK 4 itself. I am HUMBLED thank you all my Supporters. I LOVE YOU.” Read her tweets below.
I want to say this is HUGE not for just me but all my Sisters in HIPHOP this door is now OPEN to showcase the hard work & what many of us contribute to MUSIC. I have cried all morning because I am GRATEFUL thank you @rockhall & all on the committee & Supafriends💜 https://t.co/agHv7puauj
I want to say CONGRATULATIONS to all the other LEGENDARY artist who will now be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame👑 They have committed DECADES of hard work and IMPACT on music I thank you for the TIMELESS music you have shared with the World🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾💜 https://t.co/w1NbHM7oVM
It’s times I have gotten on line & seen your irrelevant your a flop your washed up & it would crush me at times🥺BUT God you made me STRONG I kept going & you allowed my decades of WORK to SPEAK 4 itself🙏🏾 I am HUMBLED thank you all my Supporters💜 I LOVE YOU💜 pic.twitter.com/gkHUttWoU5
Janet Jackson & Ciara Pay Tribute To Missy Elliott
The Portsmouth, Virginia native was congratulated by some of her famous friends, including Janet Jackson. “I’m SO proud of you sis!!!! 😘😘😘,’ she tweeted.
Ciara also hopped on Twitter to thank Missy Elliott for inspiring her fellow artists.
“You deserve it all! Will never stop thanking you for the inspiration you give us all! I love you so much!,” wrote Ciara.
Congratulations to my sis @MissyElliott on being inducted into the @rockhall!! You deserve it all! Will never stop thanking you for the inspiration you give us all! I love you so much! pic.twitter.com/FJffNr00UH
Snoop Dogg said artists should take a leaf out of the striking writers‘ book and take action over streaming models.
The Death Row honcho showed solidarity with the Writers Guild of America strike over compensation, questioning, “where the f### is the money.” He addressed the topic during a panel with his business partner Gamma’s Larry Jackson and Shirley Halperin, Variety‘s executive music editor.
“[Artists] need to figure it out the same way the writers are figuring it out,” Snoop stated. “The writers are striking because [of] streaming, they can’t get paid. Because when it’s on the platform, it’s not like in the box office.”
Snoop Dogg Asks “Where The F### Is The Money?”
He continued, “I don’t understand how the f### you get paid off of that s###. Somebody explain to me how you can get a billion streams and not get a million dollars?… That’s the main gripe with a lot of us artists is that we do major numbers… but it don’t add up to the money. Like where the f### is the money?” Check out the clip below and watch the panel at the end of the page.
Last month, Snoop Dogg announced a partnership with Gamma that includes a long-term licensing agreement. The multimedia platform now has exclusive global rights to market and distribute the Death Row Records catalog. During the Milken Institutes’ Global Conference panel, Larry Jackson discussed Gamma’s “revolutionary” compensation structure.
“Snoop could’ve gone to any three of [the major labels]… but [he] would be getting paid on a biannual basis. But now [that Gamma] has the… financial analytics dashboard, we’re paying Snoop once a month,” Jackson explained. “There are certain artists that are coming to our distribution company and getting paid once a week — you gotta understand how revolutionary this is, this doesn’t exist in the music business like this.”
The Gamma founder also opened up about royalty rates and streams on YouTube Shorts, claiming they received $16,000 for 500 million streams.
“YouTube, y’all m############ need to break bread or fake dead,” Snoop Dogg replied.
Timbaland has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to make his dream collaboration a reality.
The superproducer always wanted to work with The Notorious B.I.G. but never got the chance before the legendary Brooklyn rapper’s untimely passing. Nonetheless he used AI to produce a deep fake Biggie song over an original Timbaland beat.
Timbaland acknowledged the significant issues AI technology presents but believes he has an answer. He took to Instagram Wednesday (May 3), to share the song while espousing the potential benefits of the new tech.
“We know that it’s a lot of talk about AI and feelings of violating certain things,” Timbaland explained. “But let me tell you something. I got a solution, we’re working on it.”
He continued, “It’s gon’ be beneficial to everybody but in the meantime, I got to share something I’ve been working on because I always wanted to do this, and I never got the chance to. I always wanted to work with Big and I never got a chance to until today. It came out right. PLAY!” said Timbaland before previewing the song.
Check out the track where a deep fake Biggie raps about other slain rappers.
While fans in Timbaland’s comments section were divided, Snoop Dogg is clear about cloning dead rappers’ voices to make new music.
Last month the Death Row honcho was asked about a possible AI-generated Biggie and Tupac album.
“I don’t really know about that, with the AI,” he told Baller Alert. “Because, that’s kinda like, computerized voices. You know? [But] I think if they can find some old tracks with their vocals, and put them together, that sounds better to me.”
Desiigner has updated fans after checking himself into a mental health facility after being hit with charges for allegedly exposing himself during a flight.
The “Panda” rapper took to Instagram on Wednesday night (May 3), revealing he checked in to a facility last week but still wants to give his fans the music he’s been working on over the past year.
“I turned 26 today and i want to thank ya’ll for holding me down,” Desiigner began. “I admitted myself into a facility last week to focus on my mental health. But before that i had planned to release TIIMMY TURNER 2 this week as a surprise to my fans. I recorded this joint a while ago and it reflects on where i’ve been mentally over the past year.”
Desiigner explained he asked his team to drop the song Friday (May 5) as a birthday gift to his fans. “Sorry i can’t promote it the way i like to cause i’m off the grid,” he added. “But i just want to give you some new music while i take time away to become a better me. ”
He continued, “I’m going through a tough time right now but i won’t let my struggles define who i am. I will come back stronger and make more music that connects with all of you on a deeper level.” Desiigner concluded by urging others to seek help if their suffering from mental health issues. Read his post below.
Desiigner Facing Criminal Charges After Admitting To Masturbating During Flight
The Brooklyn native reportedly faces indecent exposure charges after allegedly masturbating on a plane and revealing himself to multiple people. Flight attendants allegedly told him several times to stop before friends escorted the rapper to the back of the plane.
After landing, he allegedly told authorities the incident occurred because he “didn’t really get much cootie” while in Japan.
Heem, a member of BSF, concluded his 2020 by releasing his Long Story Short project. Since then, he has been active by contributing to several tracks, including DJ Premier’s “Times Is Rough” and Grafh’s “Promise.” On May 12, he is set to unveil his second album, titled “From The Cradle To The Game.” For the album’s lead track, he collaborated with Conway The Machine and Stove God Cooks, both of whom are favorites of DopeHouse. The result of their collaboration is “Cocaine County,” which serves as a preview of the upcoming project.
What TF is going on? I swear to God, this country is going to hell in a hand basket. I cannot really conceptualize what it is to murder somebody that this ex-marine found out. Apparently, it is legal to kill Black homeless people, because the man walked with no charges at the time of this writing.
According to eye-witness, disturbing videos on social media, a homeless man was murdered on the New York City subway on Wednesday after being put in a chokehold for 15 minutes (15 MINUTES? TWICE AND MUCH TIME AS GEORGE FLOYD!!!!). The man must think he’s a hero because he referred to himself as a vigilante. For those of you that don’t know the English language, a vigilante is somebody that takes the law in his/her/their own hands.
The victim, the homeless man, has been identified as Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old Black man, who was asking people on the train for food. According to reports, Neely became “aggressive” and started screaming at people, according to witnesses. Neely also reportedly said he didn’t care about going to jail and threw his jacket on the ground.
A white passenger, the unnamed ex-marine, then put Neely in a chokehold, killing him according to witnesses. Remember 15 minutes. EMS workers tried to revive him after the brazen assault, but Neely did not make it. Juan Alberto Vasquez told the New York Post that they did not think the brother was going to die and that he had simply “passed out or ran out of air.” He also said Neely had not posed a physical threat to anyone.
And yet, the still unnamed 24-year-old white a$$ ex-Marine was taken in custody and released without charges. Why didn’t Jonathan Majors get this treatment? Anyway, this is BS. I will say this, they are talking about charging him. This is all BS and nonsense to me! That is straight up murder!
Drake asked potential buyers to pay $88 million for his lavish estate in Beverly Hills, California.
According to TMZ, Drake sought to sell his 25-square-foot estate a year after buying it from singer Robbie Williams. The OVO star listed the property for $88 million, which is much more than the $75 million he paid for it.
Drake’s Beverly Hills estate features seven bedrooms and a garage big enough for 11 cars. The property includes an elevator, game room, gym, pool, tennis court, wine cellar and more.
Last year, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford bought two of Drake’s Hidden Hills houses for $11 million. The Canadian rapper also sold his “YOLO Estate” for $12 million.
Drake put his Beverly Hills estate on the market after rearranging the dates for his It’s All a Blur Tour. The tour was originally supposed to start in New Orleans on June 16, but he rescheduled various dates for it to start in Memphis on June 29.
The hitmaker added a dozen shows as part of the revamped schedule. The new dates include stops in Memphis, Columbus, Milwaukee and Denver.
Drake’s tour will wrap up with two concerts in Toronto in October. Find tickets for the shows here.
A Tribe Called Quest wasn’t on the list of the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees on Wednesday (May 3), the second time the group has failed to make the cut. Q-Tip’s cousin and Tribe affiliate Consequence didn’t hold back his feelings when it came to discussing the topic.
“I’m going in everybody’s faces right to make sure Hip-Hop remembers who’s getting snubbed,” he says in the clip. “This is the family tree […] This the tree that brought you G.O.O.D. Music. This the tree that allowed Common Sense to be Common. This is the right hand mans of De La Soul. Stop me when I’m lying […] We gonna stop putting disrespect on their names. We’re not going to do that […] On the political side, what I ain’t really feeling is we gotta explain 0 for two?”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrzAARWNMzI/?hl=en
Consequence expanded his thoughts in the caption, writing, “Trent sent me the @billboard article discussing @atcq SNUB as it relates to this year’s Inductees for the @rockhall. I must admit that what Trent sent me revved me up because as you guys know I am 100 over my family. Whether I deal with them everyday or NOT. For the narrative to now be that A Tribe Called Quest is 0-2 with @rockhall becomes an issue of value and politics.
“The ‘concentrated push’ is based on maneuvering between politics and popularity. NOT the value or merit of the musical catalogue and/or its compositions. I feel no anger or venom towards the @rockhall but I do think a conversation is needed at this point because of the domino effect of perception. Congratulations to Missy Elliott, Kool Herc, Chaka Khan and Don Cornelius, Sheryl Crow and everyone who has been Inducted this year!!! All I ask is that you … Do Right By My Family.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation tapped LL COOL J to announce the members of the Class of 2023. Missy Elliott joins Kate Bush, George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Rage Against The Machine, The Spinners and Willie Nelson in the performer category.
Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc will receive the Rock Hall’s Musical Influence Award, R&B singer Chaka Khan will receive the Musical Excellence Award, while Soul Train creator Don Cornelius will be honored with the Ahmet Ertegun Award. Other 2023 honorees include Link Wray, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin.
Jamie Foxx addressed the public for the first time since he suffered an undisclosed medical emergency in April.
The entertainer thanked his Instagram followers in a post on Wednesday (May 3). He spoke out via social media after several outlets reported he remained in the hospital.
“Appreciate all the love!!!” he wrote. “Feeling blessed.”
Jamie Foxx’s medical complications will prevent him from hosting his game showBeat Shazam. FOX announced Nick Cannon will step in as the temporary host.
“Nick Cannon has offered to fill in as guest host for his friends, Jamie and Corinne Foxx,” FOX revealed. “Kelly Osbourne will be filling in as guest DJ. Everyone at FOX Entertainment wishes Jamie well as he continues his recovery, and we greatly appreciate Nick’s willingness to jump in and help this summer.”
Jamie Foxx thanked Nick Cannon for taking over the hosting duties on Instagram Stories.
“Appreciate ya my boy @nickcannon,” the multi-hyphenate wrote. “See u all soon.”
Jamie Foxx was working on a movie titled Back in Action before his medical emergency occurred. His family asked for privacy following the health scare.
Back in Action reportedly resumed filming by using stunt doubles. The film co-stars Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close.
A Maryland-based producer sued 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Scott Storch and more for copyright infringement.
According to court documents obtained by Music Business Worldwide, David W. Smith claimed 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” and Terror Squad’s “Lean Back” were substantially similar to Smith’s song “WHACHACOM4?” Smith believed the defendants were “specifically aware” of his song, which dropped in 2003.
“Plaintiff authored the music in the Copyrighted Work in or about 2002,” Smith’s lawyer wrote. “Plaintiff subsequently collaborated with an individual named Molik S. Hippolyte, a rapper who performed under the name ‘Moe Wet,’ who authored the words and lyrics in the Copyrighted Work. In January 2003, Plaintiff and Molik recorded the Copyrighted Work on Plaintiff’s digital audio workstation. Plaintiff first published the Copyrighted Work on April 22, 2003.”
Smith cited “striking similarities” between his song and “Lean Back,” including the principal melodies and percussion effects. He dismissed the notion of Scott Scorch creating the beat based on a melody hummed by Fat Joe.
“[Fat Joe], [Remy Ma] and Defendant Storch copied substantial qualitative and quantitative portions of the sound recording and/or musical composition of the Copyrighted Work, including constituent elements that are original,” the lawsuit argued.
Smith reiterated many of the same allegations in his complaint against “Candy Shop.” He noted Fat Joe allegedly co-produced the 50 Cent single with Scott Storch.
“[Fat Joe] and Defendant Storch misappropriated compositional and structural musical elements that exist in the Copyrighted Work when co-producing the [50 Cent] Copyrighted Work,” Smith’s lawyer contended.
Smith asked for a percentage of the revenue from “Candy Shop” and “Lean Back” as well as damages. He listed 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Scott Storch and several record labels as defendants.
“Godfather of Harlem” tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) who in the early 1960s returned from 11 years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles.
Season 3 found Johnson continuing to battle for control of Harlem, with other aspirants to the throne, namely the Cuban Mafia from neighboring Spanish Harlem.
Bumpy taking on the Cuban mob put himself, his loved ones, and his community in the crosshairs of not only the rival Italians, but also the Latin assassins, and ultimately the CIA.
The series is also a collision of the criminal underworld and the civil rights movement during one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
Swizz Beatz has been the executive music producer for the series since inception, and the hitmaker certainly delivered some eargasmic records.
Swizz spoke with AllHipHop’s Rea Davis about working with Jadakiss on “Hustle, Repeat,” crafting music for the ’60s time period, episodes around the Civil Rights Movement that impacted him, and the future of Verzuz.
AllHipHop: What was it like working with your brother Jadakiss on that single [“Hustle, Repeat”]?
Swizz Beatz: Aww man. Get money, hustle, repeat. Working with my brother Jada, I mean that’s what he does. He gets money, hustle, repeat since ‘98, and to be able to have him be a part of “Godfather of Harlem” has just been like a dream come true to bring your family on the ride with you, and be a part of something so epic with Forest Whitaker. The show is the only thing like it on TV, and I had to bring my bro in, so it was an honor.
AllHipHop: You are such a creative. You’ve been doing this for so long. Did you face any challenges with crafting music that fits the ‘60s timeframe?
Swizz Beatz: I didn’t really have a problem making the music because I was allowed to do what I wanted to do. Because I was able to pick like songs to where you didn’t know what time period it was. You just know what you felt when you were watching the film, and that’s the thing. I may put an old school vibe in it, but it’ll have a new school person on it, or an unknown person on it. You know we didn’t really go for what’s the hits on the radio. We went for what made the film look amazing, and what made Bumpy Johnson look great.
AllHipHop: So each season, you get to change the musical landscape because of the year in which the show takes place, how did you change the landscape and push the envelope in Season 3?
Swizz Beatz: Well Season 3 had more of a Latin vibe with Jose Battle, which was a gangsta in the streets, also a C.I.A. agent. Then we were dealing with Cuba, and so we were able to mix a Latin feel into it, which we didn’t have in Season 2. So, I love these challenges to be able to like deal with the surprises. So it was like, okay, this season we are going to lean more towards the Latin vibe. Jade Herrera’s going to do the speech, and they are going to try to assassinate him. Malcom X… so this is going to be the vibe and the tone. Okay we got the notes; let’s deliver.
AllHipHop: Knowing what Black people have faced in this country, were there any scenes that made you emotional?
Swizz Beatz: Knowing what we dealt with in this country as African and African Americans, a lot of scenes, they really definitely touched me. Everything Malcolm went through touched me. Everything Ali went through touched me. Even the gangster himself, what Bumpy Johnson had to go through because when you look at what he really was doing, he was really trying to change his environment and change the community although he had to start off in a negative way. He was eventually trying to get to a positive way, but he just faced so many challenges getting to that way, and a lot of us we start from the negative, and we start from the poor and the weak because that’s the cards we were dealt. I look at myself as coming from the Bronx to racing camels in Saudi Arabia and to graduating from Harvard. You know um, we look at a person like Bumpy that we might can ridicule and say all of the negative things, but there were a lot of positive things that he did, so that was an educational point for me, as well. It’s not how you start; it’s how you end it, although his didn’t end all the way well, but I know that’s where he wanted to go.
AllHipHop: Who are your Top 5 favorite producers and Top 5 favorite rappers dead or alive?
Swizz Beatz: I’m bad with “Top 5’s.” I’m not gonna lie because l commend all of the producers, you know whether they were hot yesterday or hotter today. I just commend them for even giving their time to the craft and contributing to music. I could easily say Dr. Dre, this one, that one, but it was so many other producers that even inspired Dre, that even inspired me, that inspired so many producers. I just give my hat off to all of the producers that took their time out to do something positive and give our community and our culture some sh#t we could dance to.
AllHipHop: What’s next for Verzuz?
Swizz Beatz: Verzuz is coming back real soon. You know like um, sometimes you gotta take time out to regroup. What we built was phenomenal in the pandemic which lasted outside the pandemic, but the company got so big that we had to regroup. The way we are coming back…we’re coming back unexpected. We’re coming back new. We’re coming back fun. We’re coming back creative. The things that we were when we started. Just know that we are taking this time out to come back in a bigger and better way. [A way] that the people are going to love.
A couple allegedly exploited a Malibu doctor struggling with mental health issues until his death in 2018.
The Los Angeles Times ran a detailed report about how Anthony Flores and Anna Moore fleeced 57-year-old ophthalmologist Mark Sawusch. The couple allegedly drugged Sawusch and stole his money after befriending him in 2017.
Sawusch was bipolar and landed in jail or psychiatric hospitals on several occasions. He met Flores and Moore after a stint in a psychiatric hospital in 2017. He eventually invited them to come live with him, rent-free.
The couple moved in with Sawusch, promising to bring stability to his life. Sawusch kicked them out of his house weeks later.
“I just realized Anna and Anton are f###### white collar tax fraud criminals who tried to steal my Tesla and home,” he texted a friend. “OMG. I am sooo gullible.”
The couple regained Sawusch’s trust after he was arrested for throwing rocks at vehicles. Flores convinced the doctor to give him power of attorney to withdraw enough money to post bail.
Flores and Moore moved back in with Sawusch, who was grateful to get out of jail. But the couple now had direct access to the doctor’s bank accounts.
The couple arranged for Sawusch to get weekly ketamine injections and had him use LSD, mushrooms and other drugs. Flores and Moore embezzled roughly $3 million from Sawusch until he died in 2018.
A coroner ruled it an accidental death caused by ketamine and alcohol intoxication. But a pathologist determined the ketamine and alcohol didn’t “significantly contribute” to the doctor’s immediate cause of death.
After Sawusch died, Flores and Moore allegedly tried to take more of his money. The couple’s exploits eventually caught the attention of authorities, leading to an indictment.
Earlier this year, Flores and Moore were arrested for their scam. They were charged with conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft. The two pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The DOJ also accuses Whitehead falsified bank records to help him get money to pay for his New Jersey mansion, far away from the storefront church he pastors in Brooklyn.
In the current complaint, filed on Friday, April 28 in a Brooklyn Supreme Court, he is accused of Whitehead falsified documents that said he was the owner of a church building whose congregation he evicted earlier in the year.
According to Michael Moses, the man suing him, Whitehead created fake papers that said he owned the property and then it was filed in the Office of the City Register of the City of New York.
“On or about April 25, 2023, a deed dated April 19, 2023, was recorded in the Office of the City Register of the City of New York (hereinafter, “the fraudulent deed“),” reads the lawsuit obtained by AllHipHop.com.
“The deed purports to convey the property from 5904 Foster Avenue Trust Lamor Whitehead Trustee to Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries Inc. 12. The fraudulent deed falsely states that the grantor is 5904 Foster Avenue Trust Lamor Whitehead as Trustee,” it continued.
Adding, “The fraudulent deed was fraudulently executed by Defendant Whitehead as Trustee of the 5904 Foster Avenue Trust.”
Now, Moses wants the courts to award him $3.5 million in damages from Whitehead and his church. He also wants to be declared the rightful owner and trustee and have the city void Whitehead’s deed.
Lastly, Moses is requesting the court award him any costs, expenses, disbursements, attorneys’ fees, and interest connected to the lawsuit— and any other relief it deems appropriate.
Whitehead says the lawsuit is baseless.
“That’s a frivolous lawsuit. That’s it,” he said in a statement on the claim to The City.
This lawsuit comes a week after the church that he evicted from this space sued the Hip-Hop preacher for $5 million in damages after he through their belongings out.
After the Man of God unexpectedly kicked the congregation out, he threw their stuff in the garbage. The church sued to get back in the building and a judge sided with them. They could not go back in immediately after the ruling because Whitehead had destroyed their sacred space. They’ve been in since April but want him to pay for messing up the spot, according to AMNY.com.
If you’re a true Hip Hop head, then you’re probably a fan of Thirstin Howl III. A legend in his own right, real name Victor DeJesus is a rapper, producer, author, and entrepreneur, best known for co-founding the Lo Lifes — the iconic Brooklyn street fashion gang that came into fruition in the 1980’s, and has now expanded to become a staple in all facets including fashion, rap, graffiti, film and literary works.
In describing himself, Thirstin Howl III states he’s “very driven. All Hip Hop is the best way to describe my entire life. Well-rounded, well-versed, and thirsty. The name speaks for itself.”
Previously rapping under the moniker Big Vic The Barbarian, eventually took on the name Thirstin Howl III because he was always thirsty on the battle rap scene. The name is also inspired by watching the 1964 sitcom Gilligan’s Island. He states, “I incorporated the millionaire and became the skillionaire.”
Now, Thirstin Howl III readies his forthcoming album titled Thoughts Skillustrated, slated to arrive on May 18th. Having remained independent from all throughout his professional career, Thirstin is walking proof that you don’t need a major label to make a positive impact on the world. He also currently owns his own label called Skillionaire Global Enterprises, continuing to make his mark on the culture in the best way he knows how: through the lens of Hip Hop and fashion.
AllHipHop spoke with Thirstin Howl to discuss his roots, getting every era of Hip Hop, his name, starting the Lo Lifes, the new project, linking with Eminem, why he doesn’t have a Top 5, and more!
AllHipHop: What was the reality of growing up in the Marcus Garvey Village projects?
Thirstin Howl III: Growing up in Marcus Garvey Village is real serious. Brownsville is definitely a dangerous neighborhood. It was pretty rough growing up, but it was also very rich: culture, friendship, and things like that. It was dramatic more than anything, but it made me the person who I am today. I’m glad for all those experiences growing up in Marcus Garvey in the 80’s. It was a beautiful experience. It might be harsh to somebody else in the world, but without that, I probably would’ve never been who I am today.
AllHipHop: What was the moment you first discovered hip Hop?
Thirstin Howl III: I was born before Hip Hop, so I’ve lived it the entire time. Just all the early records, but more the style of fashion and streets. My whole life was always Hip Hop, I was always influenced by it from day one. I got a chance to see everybody come through the gate. That’s one of the biggest blessings ever to have experienced it all. Not many can say that.
AllHipHop: You started out doing graffiti and breakdancing, when did you start rapping?
Thirstin Howl III: I didn’t start rapping until ‘96 I mean, I was always a fiend for the music. I collected everything and studied it, but I never really considered being a rapper before. One day I was freestyling and I seen I had the natural talent. From that one day, it was nonstop after that.
AllHipHop: Why’d they call you Big Vic The Barbarian?
Thirstin Howl III: Because I was knocking n*ggas out. [laughs] I’m a knockout artist, on the ignorance street stuff. The Barbarian came from being a brawler in the streets, being big and muscular and working out. But for the wrong reasons. I never knew I’d become a barbarian on the mic after that, that was my rap name in the beginning as well.
AllHipHop: Being the co-founder of the Lo Lifes, do you feel like Hip Hop today matches the energy that you guys had in that group?
Thirstin Howl III: I mean, evolution man. There’s so much evolution going on, I never look at it and no other way but evolution. It’s not supposed to match. It’s supposed to take it to another level, it’s another dimension with things. I never tried to compare the two, this don’t go or that doesn’t fit. It’s just a different time, a different era, a different way of doing things. But I also learn to respect evolution. I don’t look down upon anything that’s different today. It might not be what my cup of tea was, but I know it’s what evolution is supposed to be.
AllHipHop: Talk about the moment you guys co-founded Lo Lifes.
Thirstin Howl III: I came up with the title Lo Life. I was called a low life by someone, and it fit. Because I was wearing Polo all my life, so it went hand in hand. It wasn’t a specific moment, it was also an evolution that happened for us becoming Lo Lifes and wearing Polo.
AllHipHop: Did you guys get arrested for stealing? What happened with that?
Thirstin Howl III: There were many things we were arrested for, way more than stealing. Stealing was one aspect of what we were doing on the street, but there was a lot more harsh things we were involved in besides stealing.
Thirstin Howl III: As Lo Lifes, there was definitely a strong street thing happening, where anything that’s happening on the streets we were involved in. And there was a lot of jail. A lot of jail was involved, a lot of jail time for many, many of the members. Same with a lot of deaths. Many were killed, a lot of wars. All that led up to us suffering many, many consequences to become the men we are today.
AllHipHop: What was it about Polo? How did it evolve into such a movement?
Thirstin Howl III: Like I said before, it was an evolution. There were many brands, especially me that I was wearing way before Polo, but we were wearing it in the same style of fashion. I’m a b-boy, I’m a breakdancer so I rocked the b-boy’s style of fashion. Like the adidas suits, the Puma suits, the FILA suits, everything evolved into what Polo started doing. Once we got our hands on Polo, then he was the dominant brand for myself and everyone else.
The colors, the big logos, being seasonal and coming with so much variety. In the hood, you want to outdo everybody else. You want to show up with something nobody’s seen or had. That’s how Polo was the dominant one when it came to that, giving you stuff seasonal and so much variety. That’s what made Polo the king of the castle.
AllHipHop: Going from stealing Polo to now working directly with the brand, that’s incredibly full circle. What does that mean to you?
Thirstin Howl III: I don’t think anyone thought that would ever happen. I was probably the most impossible thing that anyone could ever imagine, but I just feel blessed. I feel like it was destiny. It was long overdue. I’m also appreciative that they did acknowledge our contributions, as well as my contributions for the brand. To be recognized, it’s a big thing. To be so associated now and attached, people put me and Ralph Lauren in the same sentence. It’s crazy.
AllHipHop: How did you end up working with the brand? They just hit you up?
Thirstin Howl III: There were many different ways, through the modeling stuff. I was called upon to model, the same way I was called upon by directors from Ralph’s documentary. They wanted to include me in his life story. That led to me doing more with the brand and the company: more modeling gigs, advertisements. I was part of that big global campaign that was really major. Me myself, I think that’s the biggest campaign I’ve seen in my life. To be all over the world on giant billboards everywhere, that was amazing to me. And I was included with my son, so that was even lit.
AllHipHop: How old is your son?
Thirstin Howl III: At the time, he was 11 or 12. Now, he’s 16. He’s 6 feet . He wasn’t so big back then.
AllHipHop: Is he a rapper or nah?
Thirstin Howl III: He’s a producer. Produces music.
AllHipHop: You’re dropping a new album titled Thoughts Skillustrated on May 18th. What is the meaning behind the title?
Thirstin Howl III: If you ever got familiar with my catalog, this is my 20th, 30th album. All my albums have a Skill title. Within Hip Hop, I always believe in the skills first. I’m not a copy kind of guy, or commercial dude. I like skills, raw Hip Hop. Skills define everything. My first album was Skillionaire, my second album was Skillosopher. Then I made Serial Skiller, Skilligan’s Island, Skillitary, Licensed to Skill, Skilluminaty.
I have several several skill titles, every album almost has a Skill title. Thoughts Skillustrated is the one I thought it was time for right now. I still have a whole list of Skill titles for albums as we go along. Skilimanjaro? is ready for next year also. That’s the next one, but I’m just sitting on it.
AllHipHop: The project is produced by Matteo Getz, you met him when he was a teen in Massachusetts?
Thirstin Howl III: He’s another guy I met in Massachusetts, really dedicated to Hip Hop. His life is all Hip Hop man. He loves production. He’s been my friend for a long time. He’s always produced music for me. We continuously worked together for years, but this was our first full-length project together. Knowing that, it was honor.
AllHipHop: What can fans expect from the project?
Thirstin Howl III: You can expert hardboy music, hardbody beats, massive lyrics, and a lot of features on this album. Since Matteo was a producer, I wanted to flood this album with as many names as possible. To put him more in the spotlight as the producer, than me being the artist or this being my album. It’s more Matteo highlight time.
AllHipHop: How do you decide who to feature on the project?
Thirstin Howl III: I holla at my friends man. Everybody’s my friends. Sometimes I think about who would fit on this track, then I’ll hit them up and see if they with it or not.
AllHipHop: Bring us back to when you made “Watch Deez” with Eminem?
Thirstin Howl III: I remember we both broke. [laughs] We broke that day. Eminem had a check he was trying to cash. I remember we were in Brooklyn, going to DJ Spinna’s house to record the song. We went to a liquor store and they wouldn’t cash the check. We’re just trying to buy a bottle of liquor so we could enjoy ourselves.
AllHipHop: Why wouldn’t be cash the check?
Thirstin Howl III: I think it was an out of town check. He was in New York with me in Brooklyn, but we wound out getting the bottle anyway. Went back, knocked out the track and got busy. The rest was history.
AllHipHop: What is your guys’s relationship now?
Thirstin Howl III: I really haven’t heard from him. I could imagine what his life is like now, how many people are trying to talk to him or get in touch. Even after he blew up, he stayed in contact a little bit. He let me open up some shows. If I went to Detroit to perform, he would come out and rock with me. Definitely proud of his success, it’s well-deserved. He really is the truth.
AllHipHop: Who is your Top 5 all-time?
Thirstin Howl III: No such thing baby! I’m from every era. I could never call a Top 5 because they’ve been so many throughout the years. Every era or every year should have aTop 5, but there’s no such thing as a Top 5. Not in my book, there are too many greats out there.
AllHipHop: What about top 5 artists you’re listening to right now?
Thirstin Howl III: I got my personal favorites, but I wouldn’t say who was top or above each other. I like many artists for different reasons. Trugoy was one of my favorites for a long time, he was very poetic in his music. His lyrics were something that you had to come to your own conclusion about what it meant, the way he laid his poetry down. So was Brother J from the X Clan. These were true poets within their music, where it wasn’t your average rap. Or your average braggadocious or egotistical stuff. It was very much poetry that you had to decipher the meaning. It can mean something different to everyone.
But there’s many. I always loved the artists that nobody could ever emulate their style. It’s impossible to emulate certain people. I consider myself one of those artists as well, where it’s almost impossible to emulate me. My style is so original. Like Sadat X, his style is so original. You’ll never hear another one like him. Like a CL Smooth, there’s so many. I’m a fan first of the culture, of the art, of the music. I love so many of them. I have a little bit of everybody, within my spirit. That’s what helps me to be so original.
AllHipHop: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Thirstin Howl III: I’m always working baby! I love to work, so I don’t consider it work. I’m very passionate about it. The way I take a break, I paint things like that. You know how they say paint houses? I paint houses for real, it’s therapeutic for me. I love to paint houses, I love to see things transform. I love to see the ending result. To me, it’s still part of the creativity. And I’m not talking about painting portraits, I’m talking about painting the walls and cutting and the ceilings. I’m very decorative.
AllHipHop: You’ve accomplished a lot throughout your career, but do you have any goals for yourself?
Thirstin Howl III: Right now, my goal is to stay alive and be happy. Make sure my children prosper, and I could feed them all the information and knowledge they need. My goals are pretty simple.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let the people know?
Thirstin Howl III: Make sure they cop the album, cop all the albums while you at it. I got a huge catalog, so there’s so much there. A lot of people are still not in tune with everything I’ve done because I’m so consistent, so not many people are aware. I don’t have a major machine behind me or anything, I’ve never been signed to a record label. I’ve been 100% independent. Sometimes I just made an album, I throw it in the air and hope the wind catches it. But I’ve always had some results within the culture. I’ve always fed the culture. I’ve always helped push it forward, and it is acknowledged at this point.
