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Tag: hip-hop

  • Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    Phife Dawg: A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Five Foot Assassin’ Dies At 45

    The unexpected passing of the rapper Phife Dawg has certainly caused shock and grief in the hip-hop community, and numerous well-respected hip-hop artists have come out to honor his memory.

    Rolling Stone magazine recently reported that Phife Dawg – Malik Taylor in real life – died on Wednesday, March 23, of “complications resulting from diabetes.” He was 45 years old and had been struggling from Type 2 diabetes for many years, and even received a kidney transplant in 2008 courtesy of his wife.

    Born to Trinidadian immigrants in 1970 in Queens, New York, Phife Dawg joined his former high school classmates, Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form the iconic hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. While he didn’t get as much attention as his other co-members, Phife was anything but a supporting act. Known as the “Five Foot Assassin,” he joined ATCQ during a turning point in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s when hip-hop was producing tracks that featured socially-conscious lyrics, Afrocentric ideas, and jazz sampling.

    Questlove of The Roots was among the many hip-hop artists who paid their respects to the late rapper. In a lengthy tribute he posted on his Instagram page, Questlove made a touching account of how Phife Dawg influenced his music.

    “Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship,” said Questlove of the moment he and Tariq Trotter listened to ATCQ’s The Low End Theory album.

    Phife forever 1970-2016. 1991 in Sept I went to visit Tariq at Millersville U in the middle of PA (Lancaster). Miles Davis had just passed & I went on a binge to study his post jazz works. Went to Sound Of Market to purchase Nefertiti, In A Silent Way & Live Evil—the only non jazz purchase I made that day ironically was the most jazziest album in that collection: #TheLowEndTheory by @ATCQ. —it was raining that day so somehow the 1…2 punch of “Nefertiti”/”Fall” just had me in a trance that train trip—even though I suspected there was a possibility that Tribe could possibly have made a better album then their debut (the perfect @@@@@ mic Source rating would be on stands in a week so I was right)—but I knew I wanted to save that listening for when I got up to the campus w Riq.—so some 90mins later when I get to his dorm–we ripped that bad boy open (I can’t describe the frustration that was CD packaging in 1991, just imagine the anger that environmentalists feel when all that paper packaging in Beats headphone gets wasted—it’s like that)—the sign of a true classic is when a life memory is burnt in your head because of the first time you hear a song. —Riq & I had this moment a few times, but the look on our faces when we 1st heard “Buggin Out” was prolly Me & Tariq’s greatest “rewind selector!” moment in our friendship. (Back then every MC’s goal was to have that “rewind!!!” moment. As in to say something so incredible. Or to catch you by surprise that it makes you go “DAAAAAYUM!!!”& you listen over & over—Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album (or ever again) we just kept looking at the speaker on some disbelief old timey radio Suspense episode. & also at each other “Phife is KILLIN!”–by the time we got to “Scenario” I swear to god THAT was the moment I knew I wanted to make THIS type of music when I grew up–(yeah yeah dad I know: “go to Juilliard or Curtis to make a nice living at “real music”) but he didn’t know that Phife & his crew already wrote my destiny. I ain’t look back since. THANK YOU PHIFE!

    A photo posted by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on

    Malik “Phife” Taylor’s verse was such a gauntlet/flag planting moment in hip hop. Every hip hop head was just…stunned HE. CAME. FOR. BLOOD & was taking NO prisoners on this album,” he continued.

    Questlove Remembers Phife Dawg through This Track

    Phife Dawg also featured in several classic, albeit overlooked guest appearances, including “Let the Horns Blow” by Chi-Ali, “Ghost Weed” by De La Soul, and “La Schmoove” by Fu-Schnickens.

  • Nicki Minaj Misses Set At Wireless Festival 2015, Leaves Fans Fuming

    Nicki Minaj was scheduled to be on stage from 7pm to 8pm during the Wireless Festival on Sunday night but was MIA.

    Fans were demanding a refund after waiting for Minaj who was having “travel issues” and was running late for her show.

    Fans were angry and the festival’s organizers were forced to admit that they had lost touch with Minaj minutes after the scheduled timeslot for her performance.

    They flashed a message up on screen saying, “Special announcement: we are told that she was due to be speeding down the M1 from Luton Airport as we speak but we have lost contact with her, we are hoping she will be here soon.”

    The organizers later added, “We’re assured that Nicki Minaj is still on her way and will perform with David Guetta. He’s on at 8:30 and she’ll join him soon after.”

    However, 9:00pm came and went and Minaj was still a no-show. Guetta was forced to perform their duet “Turn Me On” without her.

    Alexandra Canham tweeted “@NICIMINAJ it’s not hard to turn up to work on time, I plan to do it tomorrow morning after waiting to see you! #Wireless #NickiMinaj”

    Another tweet by Jaylee Miguel said “Feel really bad for @NICKIMINAJ fans who spent money on tix & travel, expecting a 60min set, to be told she’ll be joining Guetta #Wireless”

    Highways England earlier reported heavy congestion between junctions nine and eight in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, close to Luton Airport, following a car fire.

    Rumors still erupted as @YahooCelebUK tweeted: SOS!!!! Apparently Nicki Minaj missed her flight so is going to be on later than planned, ahh!! #wireless #livenation

    Minaj had a performance the night before in Denmark and is said to have missed her exit flight that same night. As a result, the rapper had to catch a flight to the Wireless Festival on the day of the event.

    Well, after being more than two hours late, the hip-hop superstar finally took the stage.

    Before starting her performance she gave an apology: “Our plane couldn’t get out because of the weather but I want to tell you how much I f***ing love y’all. I want to tell you how much I appreciate you guys for showing up from day one.

  • Amber Rose: Damn Near Naked On Instagram

    Amber Rose: Damn Near Naked On Instagram

    Wiz Khalifa’s former flame, Amber Rose fired up the internet after posting a series of photos on Instagram flaunting her bodacious curves in a revealing string bikini number. The 31-year-old model’s sizzling swimwear barely covered her body, causing her fans and followers in a frenzy.

    While spending the weekend in Miami, the aspiring fashion designer spent time looking over the balcony of her hotel in the now infamous black string bikini ensemble, showing off her collection of body art. The bald bombshell who gave birth to her son, Sebastian, last year proudly tagged herself as a MILF, which means Mom I’d Like To F—. She also captioned one of her photos with “Stifler’s mom,“ referencing the hit comedy, American Pie.

    A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on

    A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on

    The sexy bikini photos that Rose posted gathered more than 300 thousand likes on Instagram and thousands of Twitter users fired off their comments, making Rose’s risqué photos a trending topic.

    The sexy bikini photos that Rose posted gathered more than 300 thousand likes on Instagram and thousands of Twitter users fired off their comments, making Rose’s risqué photos a trending topic.

    She also posted a less-revealing photo of her wearing a neon green bikini, covered by a see-through mesh top of the same color. Rose’s fans called the photo “wack,” and one even pointed out how she looked like a delicious key lime pie.

    A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on

    Wiz Khalifa also took notice of his baby mama’s racy photos. Following the release of the images, Khalifa tweeted: “Yes, my baby’s mother is fine as f—.” The couple filed for divorce last September and is still being finalized by the court. Rose did not respond to Khalifa’s comments and proceeded to party down in Miami over the weekend.

    Khalifa and Rose started dating back in 2011 after Rose broke it off her high profile relationship with Kanye west. She was married to Khalifa back in July. The two previously shared a home in Los Angeles and Pennsylvania with their son. Their separation is still being finalized and Rose plans to take full custody of their son.

    A photo posted by Amber Rose (@amberrose) on

  • Beanie Sigel: Rapper an Unintended Shooting Victim

    Pleasantville, New Jersey police have revealed that the bullet that struck rapper Beanie Sigel in the stomach was likely not intended for him.

    Sigel, born Dwight E. Grant, was shot in the abdomen Friday during a drive-by, just after dropping his children off at school. The Philadelphia-born MC had been living with his brother-in-law.

    Lt. Danny Adcock commented, “He may have become involved in something that was not necessarily his own doing. Just wrong place, wrong time, if you will.”

    The bullet that hit Sigel exited through his back, and the 40-year-old Roc-A-Fella Records signee spent five days in the hospital. His 22-year-old brother-in-law suffered only minor scratches and bruises, and was not cooperative with authorities after being asked how he’d sustained the injuries. While he isn’t suspected as being the gunman, Sigel’s relative is still being looked at as a possible instigator of the shooting, as he had previously been charged with drug possession and the possession of an illegal firearm.

    Adcock added, “cooperation from the family is minimal.”

    Sigel’s “Feel It In The Air”:

    The incident was not the first instance when Sigel, 40, took a bullet. In 2006, the rapper sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and was likewise charged with illegal weapons possession.

    Sigel was transported to an Atlantic City hospital after the incident. It has been reported that he is in stable condition.

    The multi-platinum selling artist speaks out against the record industry:

    Sigel was recently released from a federal prison, after serving over a year for tax evasion.

  • 2014 Forest Hills Drive Track List Unveiled

    J. Cole released his last album, Born Sinner, in 2013. Since then, fans have been anticipating what the rap artist has in store for his third studio album. He announced the album last month, but now we have a track list to go with it.

    On Twitter, J. Cole shared with fans the image that adorns the back of his third album – 2014 Forest Hills Drive. The image shows the titular Forest Hills Drive – the street that J. Cole lived on as a child. It’s an important place to him and the album reflects that.

    Alongside the announcement of the track list, J. Cole also released a video where he travels back to 2014 Forest Hills Drive. In the video, he shows fans spots that defined his childhood. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of J. Cole or just interested in seeing what inspires musical artists:

    At Instagram, he shared a deeply personal story about the location his album is based on:

    Enter for your chance to come to the crib and hear the album early. http://t.co/Kn36zIhsAT

    A photo posted by realcoleworld (@realcoleworld) on

    On a final note, he also shared the album cover:

    Enter for your chance to come to the crib and hear the album early. http://t.co/Kn36zIhsAT

    A photo posted by realcoleworld (@realcoleworld) on

    2014 Forest Hills Drive will be out on December 9.

  • Nicki Minaj Says, “I Never F–cked Wayne, I Never F–ked Drake” (New Single)

    If “Anaconda” got people talking about Nicki Minaj and her body parts, her latest track to drop called “Only” may get people talking about her sex life. Minaj isn’t afraid to dish about it in the song, especially when it comes to addressing rumors that she supposedly slept with her label mates Drake and Lil’ Wayne.

    In “Only,” which dropped on the morning of Tuesday, October 28, Minaj flat-out denies that she ever had sex with Drake and Lil’ Wayne. The first line that Minaj raps on the song goes, “Yo, I never f–ked Wayne/ I never f–ked Drake/ On my life, man/ f—k’s sake.”

    Far be it for Minaj to ignore the appeal of her rapper friends, because her next line in the song has her admitting she would jump at the chance to bed them if she could. “If I did I’d menage with ‘em and let ‘em eat my a– like cupcake,” she raps.

    Drake and Lil’ Wayne corroborate her story on “Only” with their own verses. “I never f–ked Nicki cause she got a man/ But when that’s over then I’m first in line,” raps Drake. Lil’ Wayne chimes in later with, “I never f–ked Nicki and that’s f–ked up/ If I did f–k she’d be f–ked up/ Whoever is hittin’ ain’t hittin’ it right/ Cause she actin’ like she need d–k in her life/ That’s another story, I’m no story teller.”

    Besides the hot topic of her sex life, Minaj also raps about people thinking her butt was fake and even references Beyonce in the song.

    The track contains a hook by singer Chris Brown and was produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut and J Mike. “Only” is the latest single off Minaj’s upcoming third album The Pinkprint, which will hit stores on December 15 instead of the previously schedule November release.

    ‘Only’: Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil’ Wayne and Chris Brown (explicit lyrics)

  • Ice Cube Dishes On N.W.A. Biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton’ On Jimmy Kimmel Live

    Rapper Ice Cube dished on the N.W.A. biographical film Straight Outta Compton when he made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on October 21, Monday. Ice Cube told host Jimmy Kimmel that the film had just wrapped principal photography and proudly shared that his son was starring in the film.

    “My son is in it, he plays me in the movie, so I’m extremely proud of that, that’s cool,” Ice Cube said.

    Although O’Shea Jackson, Ice Cube’s 22-year-old son, seems like a no-brainer to play his father, the rapper maintained that he still had to audition for the role. “Hell yeah. He had to win the part. I ain’t givin’ up nothing free. He’s spot-on. He was born to play the part,” said Ice Cube.

    Set for an August 15, 2015 release date, Straight Outta Compton is directed by F. Gary Gray of The Italian Job, and produced by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. The film documents the rise and fall of the rap group composed of Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella that hailed from Compton California. In the film, Paul Giamatti lends his acting chops by playing manager Jerry Heller.

    Ice Cube also praised the largely unknown young actors in the cast for doing “a hell of a job”. Many of the people depicted in the film reportedly visited the set to give their input. “We had everybody that was around at that time, back on the set, giving their two cents. Everybody was either mad they wasn’t in the movie enough, or mad they was in the movie too much,” said Ice Cube.

    The rapper also played another round of “Ice Cube Saying Nice Things Angrily” with Jimmy Kimmel, reprising the hilarious segment he did the first time he was on the show. The segment showed viewers how Ice Cube put his aggressive signature on comments about pleasant things such as baby spinach in smoothies and rainbows.

  • Teyana Taylor’s Music Videos Drum Up Hype For Her New Album “VII”

    The hip-hop artist Teyana Taylor is making waves in preparation for the release of her new album, VII. Why, according to Vibe, to say that she is “killin’ it these streets” is an “understatement” for the singer, after a photo-shoot with Elle Magazine.

    Apparently her lower torso is quite the thing, Baller Status remarked how “toned” Taylor’s abdominal muscles were in the photos.

    However, “killin’ it on the web”, may be a more appropriate expression for Taylor. Singer’s Room called her video, “Do Not Disturb”, “sensual and seductive”. They were also tickled by “her killer abs”. The staff of Necole Bitchie’s blog were more concerned if the man who lays claim to the room she’s prowling through is in a committed relationship with her. “We hope it’s her man with how she’s rolling around in his bed, smelling his clothes and going through his luggage,” the blog published, “she’s getting her grown and sexy on in this one so dim the lights and hold your boo close”.

    Only a week after “Do Not Disturb” came out, Taylor released a new video titled “Broken Hearted Girl” today. “Frisky between the sheets” is how Vibe described the video, whereas Baller Status saw it more as her getting “sexy in the bedroom”.

    All of this is in preparation for her album, VII which comes out November 4th. The hype is big. Kanye West even said a few words praising the up-and-coming singer. “Sometimes, I be a little bit less expressive because mother——ers wanna Michael Jackson me to death and sh– and act like I don’t do nothing positive and attack me,” he said according to MTV, “So, I be scared to turn up. If you remember with Pusha T, I turned up and everybody thought I was crazy. Then he came out and did that buck-twenty and n—as were like, ‘Aw, man. Maybe the sh– was good.’ But what I’m saying is Teyana provides something that’s so R&B, so black, so ‘hood, so missing and so necessary in the marketplace.”

  • Rick Ross Drops New Single Featuring R. Kelly For ‘Hood Billionaire’ Album

    On Friday, rapper Rick Ross dropped a new single from his upcoming album called Hood Billionaire. The song is called “Keep Doin’ That (Rich B—tch)” and features none other than the legendary R&B singer R. Kelly.

    According to Music Times, the single is about finding a rich woman, dating her and “doin’ that.” It features Kelly’s melodic vocals in the chorus to complement Ross’s gangster-style raps. A few piano chords decorate this melodic rap song that was posted on SoundCloud. The single is out of Ross’s album Hood Billionaire, which is set to be released on November 24 in time for Thanksgiving.

    In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Ross described “Keep Doin’ That (Rich B—tch)” as a record that “the chicks gon’ be able to turn up to,” while “the bosses [can] lean on the wall a little bit.”

    Hood Billionaire will be the second album to come from Ross this year. His first album in 2014, Mastermind, was released in the spring and featured Jay Z in the song “The Devil Is A Lie”. Ross claims that Jay Z will also be in his upcoming album.

    Ross reportedly chose to release two albums this year because they expressed different feelings. “Mastermind was the type of album that I wanted to have a rich feel to it, I wanted it to have…. nostalgia at the beginning, that throwback Puff feel midway through it… just certain energies,” he said.

    “This right here—this is my Geechi Liberace, this a gold ring on every finger, we’re holding the bottles in the sky letting the champagne run down our arm,” he said of Hood Billionaire. “It’s just that feel-good record, a lot of 808s, real bass heavy and its gon’ feel different to you, so it’s gon’ feel like a full year from the Bawse.”

    Keep Doin’ That (Rich B–ch): Rick Ross featuring R. Kelly (explicit content)

     

  • Christina Milian Throws Surprise Birthday Bash For Lil Wayne, Fuels Dating Rumors

    Lil Wayne’s birthday was on September 27, but singer Christina Milian surprised him with a fun birthday party on September 24 to celebrate his turning 32. Milian is rumored to be dating the superstar rapper, who is also her boss at Young Money Records. The private bash she threw for him adds fuel to rumors of a romance, especially since sources claim that Milian and Wayne flirted and danced with each other all night.

    Milian reportedly organized the party at Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards with a Louisiana theme. At the party, shrimp and crawfish from Hot N Juicy Crawfish was served and guests wore Mardi Gras-style headdresses and masks. Milian also made sure that Wayne was feasting on his favorite dishes, including Lousiana-style potatoes prepared by his personal chef. One highlight of the party was a skateboard cake she had made for Wayne, a photo of which she posted on Instagram with the caption, “Cake Fights Allllll Night.. Too much fun.. Happy Early Bday Boss 🙂 @LilTunechi #CakeDay Part 2 Best Time Ever.”

    Wayne’s close friends and associates attended Milian’s party, including Lil Twist and Mack Maine, Wayne’s partner at Young Money. The celebration continued when guests went to Lure Nightclub in Hollywood where a party hosted by MADE and D’USSÉ awaited them. Stars of hip hop such as Jeezy, Matt Barnes and Yung Berg were also spotted at the nightclub, partying with Milian and Wayne.

    However, Wayne reportedly spent most of his time at the party paying attention to Milian. The two were said to be dancing and flirting with each other the whole night, according to people at the club.

    Wayne has more reasons to celebrate than just turning 32 as he is about to release his new album The Carter V on October 28. Milian has collaborated with him on the project, along with artists such as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj and Mannie Fresh.

  • Janelle Monae Opens For Outkast At The Group’s 20th Anniversary Concert

    Janelle Monae Opens For Outkast At The Group’s 20th Anniversary Concert

    Grammy-winning singer Janelle Monae recently added another milestone to her life: opening for legendary hip hop group Outkast at its 20th anniversary concert. Monae was part of the show on Friday, September 26 that kicked off the three-day Outkast festival dubbed #ATLast held in the group’s hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

    #ATLast was held at the Centennial Olympic Park, where Monae performed on Friday along with other opening acts 2 Chainz, Future and Bun B. Monae and the other opening acts warmed the crowd sufficiently for Outkast’s whopping two-hour set, which saw the group performing classics such as “Ms. Jackson” and “Rosa Parks”. Present at Friday’s concert in the audience were fellow artists and special guests Jermaine Dupri and Usher.

    Monae was part of a roster of opening acts reportedly curated by Outkast to rival some of this year’s major festival lineups. Other opening acts included artists such as B.o.B., Raury, Childish Gambino, Kid Cudi and K Camp. Meanwhile, some esteemed collaborators of Outkast also joined the performances at #ATLast, namely Erykah Badu, 8 Ball & MJG, Pastor Troy, Sleepy Brown, Killer Mike and Big Gipp.

    Being part of #ATLast was not just an honor for Monae but also a chance to pay tribute to a person who was instrumental in her career, Big Boi of Outkast. She met Big Boi in 2001 when she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, which led to her inclusion in the Outkast album Idlewild, featuring in the songs “Call the Law” and “In Your Dreams.” Big Boi also introduced Monae to Sean Combs, who was impressed by her performances on her MySpace page and signed her to Bad Boy Records in 2006.

    In 2007, Monae relesed Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). Bad Boy Records later re-released the album as Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition) in 2008 with two new tracks. The record garnered her a nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the single “Many Moons” at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, signaling the start of Monae’s glory in the mainstream spotlight.

  • LL Cool J Drops New Teaser Single For Upcoming G.O.A.T. 2 Album

    Uncle L is back to show this generation’s hip-hop fans that he’s still in the game by dropping a new single bolstered by the likes of Raekwon the Chef, Ron Browz and renowned battle rapper Murda Mook. Veteran rapper LL Cool J has just released another single from his upcoming album, G.O.A.T. 2, the sequel to his 2000 album, following his first single “The Hustler” with a Ron Browz-produced track that features performances from Raekwon the Chef and Murda Mook titled “I’m Nice”.

    LL Cool J revealed in an interview with VIP Saturdays that he’s excited about G.O.A.T. 2, and that he’s back to making music not because he loves money but because he loves hip-hop. The rapper called attention to the fact that he’s been a part of almost every era of hip-hop, and that he feels obliged to show a new generation what he can do.

    “Generations change and things change. And rightfully so, there’s nothing wrong with that, but when you get to a point where people are like, ‘Oh, he makes music? Oh he raps?’ For some people that sounds sacrilegious but then there’s a generation that don’t know. That inspired me. I said, ok then I gotta go ahead and give it to them and show ’em what’s what and show ’em the difference,” he said.

    “It’s time for me to give ’em an album. But a real joint that’s for the hood that’s for the people not like me trying to see how big I can be. But it’s more about just being real; it’s about the roots, the touching down, touching the ground.”

    LL Cool J brings the toughness to “I’m Nice” courtesy of Murda Mook, widely considered one of the greatest battle rappers of all time by artists such as P. Diddy. Mook has battled lyrical masters such as Loaded Lux and Iron Solomon, and is currently signed with Ruff Ryders music.

    Listen to LL Cool J’s ‘I’m Nice’ (explicit lyrics)

    Image via YouTube

  • Iggy Azalea: Is A Collaboration With Lil’ Kim And Remy Ma In The Works?

    Australian rapper Iggy Azalea is enjoying the success of her single “Fancy,” featuring Charlie XCX off her debut album The New Classic, but she’s definitely not resting on her laurels as she’s said to be considering a few collaborations with talented artists in the future. Her mentor T.I. was recently on the radio and mentioned that Azalea was planning to collaborate with rapper queen bees Lil’ Kim and Remy Ma.

    “I got a call from [Lil’] Kim. Kim hit me and said it’s time to find that record to get it done,” he said of the planned collaboration between Kim and Azalea. Meanwhile, he said that Azalea is also a big fan of Remy Ma and is eager to support her by working together.

    T.I. talks about Iggy Azalea collaboration with Lil’ Kim and Remy Ma

    Azalea is still hard at work even with the news that her single “Fancy” has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since Azalea is also featured on the song at the No. 2 spot, Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” she is the only artist other than The Beatles to take the two top spots of the charts at the same time. Previously, The Beatles had done the same with “She Loves You” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in 1964.

    Iggy Azalea: ‘Fancy’

    The single is also approaching the record for longest-running No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, which is still held by Missy Elliot’s “Hot Boyz” featuring Nas, Eve and Q-Tip. “Hot Boyz” was No. 1 on the chart for 18 weeks, but it’s followed closely by Azalea’s “Fancy,” which has been on top for 16 weeks. Azalea performed the single as well as another one from The New Classic called “Work” at the TODAY plaza on Friday, August 8. “This song, ‘Fancy,’ has really changed my life,” said the singer on the show.

    Iggy Azalea Performs On ‘Today’

    Image via YouTube

  • Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique”: 25 Years of Beats

    When the Beastie Boys made their first album, License to Ill, the sales went through the roof. The hit single “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” had taken MTV by storm. Then came “No Sleep till Brooklyn,” “Paul Revere,” and “Brass Monkey.” The Beasties were on top, and were ready to pop a second album.

    But things went downhill fast. The group was getting a bad rep as “frat hip hop”. The Rick Rubin production formula that had worked so well for them on License — simple beats, rock guitars, juvenile lyrics — was also their albatross. The guys did not want to go down as another light-weight white rap act with no staying power.

    When their follow-up was released, 1989’s Paul’s Boutique, the Beasties showed that they were here to stay. Ad-Rock, Mike D, and MCA threw down a record that still rings throughout the hip-hop community to this day.

    Produced by The Dust Brothers, who later did Beck’s Odelay, the album was a heavy-duty layer of samples from all over the map. The beats were anything but simple. The tune “Shake Your Rump” alone has samples from 12 different tunes. The radio hit “Hey Ladies” sampled 15 songs.

    Ad-Rock once said that the album came together easily because the Dust Brothers were already putting together loads of instrumental material that they intended to use in clubs.

    “The Dust Brothers had a bunch of music together, before we arrived to work with them. As a result, a lot of the tracks come from songs they’d planned to release to clubs as instrumentals – “Shake Your Rump,” for example. They’d put together some beats, basslines and guitar lines, all these loops together, and they were quite surprised when we said we wanted to rhyme on it, because they thought it was too dense. They offered to strip it down to just beats, but we wanted all of that stuff on there. I think half of the tracks were written when we got there, and the other half we wrote together.”

    Public Enemy’s Chuck D once said that the “dirty secret” in the black hip-hop community back then was that “Paul’s Boutique had the best beats.”

    This year marks 25 years since Paul’s Boutique hit the streets. MCA died in 2012, but the Beasties are as relevant as ever. To mark the occasion of the 25th anniversary, a mural is being painted on the street corner where the album cover art was snapped.

    Image via YouTube

  • Jay-Z Gets Misty While Writing Jeezy Verse

    Rapper Jeezy told MTV that Jay-Z became emotional as he penned lyrics for his verse for the single “Seen It All.”

    Jeezy, 36, revealed, “We got on the phone and [Jay-Z] was like, ‘Yo, Jeezy, when I was writing the verse I had tears in my eyes, man,’ because it took him so far back to Marcy.” Jay-Z, born Shawn Corey Carter, added, “Every bar in that song was real – I put my hand on the bible.”

    Here is an excerpt Jay-Z’s “Seen It All” verse;

    Uncle died on the spot
    Pop killed the family with heroin shots
    Gave my life to the block
    Figured, I get shot ‘least I die on top
    I came alive in the drop
    Big body all white shit looked like a yacht
    I got ‘em five grand a pop
    I had a plug in Saint Thomas on a trillion watts

    In his 2010 memoir Decoded, Jay-Z related the story of how his uncle Ray was stabbed to death when the rapper was nine, which made his father, Adnis Reeves, fall into darkness.

    Jay-Z wrote, “My dad swore revenge and became obsessed with hunting down Uncle Ray’s killer. The tragedy – compounded by the injustice – drove him crazy, sent him to the bottle, and ultimately became a factor in the unraveling of my parents’ marriage.”

    Here is the video for “Seen It All”:

    Jay-Z grew up in the Marcy Houses housing project in Brooklyn, New York, and reportedly dealt crack cocaine before he got his start as a rapper. Carter, now one of the best-selling music artists of all time with 75 million units sold, recently achieved a net worth of roughly $500 million.

    Jay-Z’s “99 problems”:

    The rapper was recently in the news after wife Beyonce’s sister Solange Knowles was videotaped attacking him in an elevator.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jay Z Ridiculed By Dame Dash Over Elevator Fight

    Since Jay Z’s incident with Solange Knowles after the Met Gala, rumors have been spreading about what sparked Knowles’ outrage. The reasons are unclear to the public, but everyone seems to have their own opinion on what really happened.

    One of the rumors spreading is that Knowles was ticked off by Jay Z’s run in with fashion designer Rachel Roy, who is also the ex-wife of his former business partner Damon Dash. Dash expressed his opinion in an interview.

    “If he was trying to holler at my wife… that’s kinda f**ked up. That would be dark. That means he really has some resentment. I would hope that wouldn’t be the case,” Dash said.

    Dash and Jay Z had a falling out when Def Jam bought out their company Roc-a-Fella Records in 2004.

    Dash was also able to watch the elevator video of Knowles attacking Jay Z and he found it funny. He said that Jay Z is the kind of guy that does not have many “uncool” moments. Dash is also enjoying the fact that Jay Z is being made fun of since the incident, as he believes Jay Z gives the appearance of being “untouchable.”

    “I feel nobody teases Jay except me for some reason. It’s just the first time I’ve seen people freely expressing themselves. He has to worry about what people think because if people don’t like what he’s doing, he won’t get that corporate check.”

    Dash also expressed his admiration for his former business partner, as he kept his cool throughout the incident and walked out of the elevator as if nothing happened. He said that Jay Z is an expert in conducting himself properly in public.

    The public may not know the real reason behind the incident in the elevator, but Dash is hoping that the rumors about his ex-wife and his former business partner are not true.

    In other news, Jay Z protege Rihanna, shows up to CFDA Awards nearly naked.

    Image via YouTube

  • 50 Cent’s Baby Mama Did Not Invite Him To His Son’s High School Graduation

    50 Cent’s Baby Mama Did Not Invite Him To His Son’s High School Graduation

    There have been rumors floating around that rapper 50 Cent abandoned his son during his high school graduation. In a statement released by his PR people, however, 50 Cent said that the mother of his son did not let him know when the graduation would take place.

    Sources close to the rapper told TMZ that 50 Cent was disappointed and hurt when he saw pictures of his son, Marquise Jackson, on Facebook wearing his graduation robes and hugging his mother.

    His son also wrote “Yea I broke down. I was really excited to see my pops at my graduation but he never showed up. smh. My sister and mama is always there for me just know that you wasn’t. I did it without you.”

    Marquise graduated from a private school located in Atlanta. Reports say that at the time of his son’s graduation, 50 Cent was in Budapest.

    The rapper recently appeared on BET’s 106 & Park to promote his fifth album entitled “Animal Ambition.” During his appearance, he took time to answer questions about missing his son’s graduation. “I haven’t received an invitation. When he graduated I was in Budapest on a movie with Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, and Jason Statham.”

    50 Cent talks about missing son’s graduation on BET’s 106 & Park

    He continued to say that the reason why his personal life is out in the open is because Marquise’s mother went to TMZ. “I wish she’d find someone so she could leave me alone,” he said.

    50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, is a father of two. He has a younger son from a different relationship. The 38-year-old rapper blames the mother of Marquis, Shaniqua Tompkins, for his strained relationship with his eldest son.

    In an interview with MTV last year, the rapper said that his son has a fear for him. “Cause it’s like, his mother will traditionally say, ‘You wait ‘til your father finds out’,” he said. He also talked about being a strict father, as he always reminds Marquise to take care of his mother and not give her headaches.

    Image via YouTube

  • Gucci Mane Pleads Guilty To Firearms Charge, Will Serve 39 Months In Prison

    Gucci Mane, born Radric Davis, pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge in Atlanta on Tuesday and will serve time in prison for 39 months.

    The 34-year-old rapper stated his plea after coming to an agreement with prosecutors. His charge carries a fine of up to $250,000 and a maximum of 10 years in prison, but his deal only requires him to serve a little over 3 years. He is due to appear in court on July 28 for his sentencing.

    On September 12, 2013, Davis was found in possession of a firearm. He was a felon at that time. Just two days later, a firearm that was different from the one he was carrying 2 days prior, was again found in his possession. On both days, Davis acted erratically while displaying his loaded firearms and threatening his attorney and the police.

    In 2012, he was arrested for using a champagne bottle to hit a man on the head at a nightclub in Atlanta. Prior to that, he has also been arrested for violating traffic regulations. In 2005, Davis was charged with murder, but the case was dropped due to the lack of evidence.

    Although he was found in possession of firearms twice, reports say that the guilty plea was only for the September 14 incident where he was carrying a loaded .40-caliber Glock handgun and a bag of marijuana. An ambulance was called to the scene and the rapper was sedated before he was brought to the hospital for treatment.

    On Tuesday, Aladino Ortiz from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives said that Davis “shows a complete and utter disregard for the lives of others as well as for their personal pursuits.”

    According to Drew Findling, Davis’ lawyer, the rapper is doing physically and mentally well and is ready to get back to his career in music.

    “The most important thing that took place today is that he accepted responsibility and is ready to move on,” Findling said.

    Gucci Mane: ‘Servin’ (Explicit)

    Image via YouTube

  • Beastie Boys “Girls” Gets Feminist Remake

    Remember the Beastie Boys classic 1987 hit Girls? Here’s a few lines in case you need to refresh your memory:

    Girls, to do the dishes
    Girls, to clean up my room
    Girls, to do the laundry
    Girls, and in the bathroom

    Girls, that’s all I really want is girls
    Two at a time, I want girls
    With new wave hairdos, I want girls
    I ought to whip out my girls, girls, girls, girls
    Girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, girls, girls

    The lyrics certainly seem pretty misogynistic without the benefit of the catchy music and the good-natured delivery of the band.

    Ready for an updated feminist take? Sizzy Rocket has released a cover version of the hip hop classic with a markedly more girl-friendly angle. The musician recently sat down for an interview with the Huffington Post and talked about how she turned the song around to make it empowering for young girls.

    The 22-year-old from Las Vegas first got the idea to cover the song while singing it in the shower. Although the original lyrics are, “All we really want is girls.” For whatever reason, Rocket said she kept singing, “All they really want is girls.” And from that moment, the Beastie Boys fan got the idea to flip the song and make it a feminist anthem.

    Rocket discussed the idea of female sexuality in her version of Girls, “The message behind the song … it’s just a really fun way for girls to feel like they can be sexy in any way that they want to be. There is a fine line between saying ‘I want to be empowering’ and ‘I want to be sexy,’ but I think it’s important to realize that you can be both in any way that you choose.”

    The musician is a self-proclaimed feminist. She said in a 2013 interview with Luna Luna, “I’m a total fucking feminist it’s ridiculous. I think women are the most powerful creatures on earth. Men don’t like that – when women are in control. I’ve experienced a lot of this in my work, especially because of how open I am with my sexuality.”

    Rocket is currently only signed as a writer, however, she is working towards signing with a major record label that gives her creative control. Sizzy Rocket is actually a made up character in the vein of Ziggy Stardust. The classically trained pianist spoke about why she chose the name Sizzy Rocket and what it means, “I read this book called Please Kill Me when I was 18 and it changed my life. I was like I want an iconic name, and I want to create an exaggerated version of myself. I want to live my life as this exaggeration. Like Andy Warhol or Freddie Mercury, I want to be bigger than myself. I’m very inspired by Andy Warhol, borderline obsessed, so, you know, everything I do is just bigger than life and that’s the goal.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Here’s Nas Giving A Talk At Google

    Rap star Nas, who has been getting a lot of media attention for the 20th anniversary of his landmark album Illmatic, recently stopped by Google’s New York office to have a conversation with Sacha Jenkins as part of the “Talks At Google” series.

    Illmatic has been re-released as Illmatic XX, which features a second disc full of remixes. Google is using the opportunity to promote the album on Google Play.

    More recent “At Google” talks here.

    Image via YouTube

  • 50 Cent Promotes New Album, Discusses G-Unit On HOT97

    50 Cent has become one of the most influential names in hip-hop since he rose to stardom with 2003’s Get Rich or Die Tryin. He has also gained widespread notoriety as the leader of the East Coast hip-hop group G-Unit. With a name as big as his, people are understandably interested in what he’s working on next.

    Vibe reports that 50 Cent stopped by HOT97’s Morning Show on Tuesday to talk about the new album and his influence on East Coast hip-hop. He also talked about the inner workings of G-Unit and his opinion of other hip-hop artists, like Diddy.

    One of the more interesting tidbits to come out of the interview was when 50 Cent was asked about his son and why he kept it a secret. The hip-hop star says that he kept the child a secret because he didn’t want the narrative to take off without him. He notes that he doesn’t have a relationship with the mother of his child. That alone could make things awkward if the story of his child became a big ticket news item.

    50 Cent also addressed some members leaving G-Unit. While he has no plans to add talent to the collective right now, he does say that he’s always open to finding new talent for G-Unit. He does provide the caveat of not allowing new members to be on stage with him though. He says that it’s not so much about sharing the stage, however, as it is about letting new talent find their own voice.

    The full hour-long interview can be seen below in two parts:

    50 Cent’s new album, Animal Ambition, will be out June 3. He’s been slowly releasing songs from the album as we approach the release date with the latest drop coming yesterday in the form of Hustler. Check out the video below:

    Image via HOT 97/YouTube