Mar 31, 2015

J. Cole Scores First Platinum Album!

J. Cole has emerged as one of the more enduring talents creatively and not the North Carolina is officially a bankable commercial artist as he has struck platinum.

The Fayetteville native’s third album, Forest Hills Drive, is now certified platinum.

The album, which dropped in December, has steadily gained in sales even though he didn’t have the overt commercial appeal like Drake. Cole World’s last efforts – Cole World: The Sideline Story and Born Sinner – peaked at 735,000 and 720,000 units respectively.

Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Meek Mill & More To Perform At Hot 97’s Summer Jam 2015

Hot 97’s Summer Jam concert is one of the biggest Hip Hop events of the year. The annual showcase highlights the top artists in the culture, and the 2015 edition will continue that tradition.

The acts set to appear on the Stadium Stage have been announced. Concert goers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, June 7 will get to see Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Big Sean, Fab & Friends, Meek Mill, Ty Dolla $ign & Friends, Omarion, and Childish Gambino.

The New York City radio station previously announced Travi$ Scott, B.o.B, Joey Bada$$, DeJ Loaf, and Teyana Taylor are scheduled for the Festival Stage. Tickets for Summer Jam 2015 are on sale now at Ticketmaster.

SummerJam2015

Mar 30, 2015

Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Kanye West, J. Cole & More Announce Tidal Will Be The First Artist Owned Music Platform

The music industry may have just changed forever. Today Alicia Keys, Arcade Fire, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Chris Martin, Daft Punk, Jack White, Jason Aldean, J. Cole, Jay Z, Kanye West, Deadmau5, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and Usher announced they have joined forces as partners in the first ever artist owned music platform Tidal.

[ALSO READ: Watch A Live Stream Of Jay Z’s Special Announcement; Celebrities Promote His New Streaming Service With #TIDALforALL Hashtag]

All of the stars were present on stage or via video at a press conference this afternoon. Keys described what Tidal represents and how the streaming service will be different from other outlets:

We come together before you on this day, March 30 2015, with one voice in unity, in the hopes that today will be another one of those moments in time. A moment that will forever change the course of music history. For today, we announce the launch of Tidal, the first ever artist owned, global music and entertainment platform.

Our goal is simple. We want to create a better service and a better experience for both fans and artists. And that is our promise to the world. Our mission goes beyond commerce. It goes beyond technology. Our intent is to preserve music’s importance in our lives.

Music is the language of love, of laughter, of heartbreak, of mystery. It’s the world’s true, without question, universal language. There’s not a soul living that can deny its impact.

No matter who we are or where we’re from or what we listen to, music speaks to all of us. It inspires us. It makes our heart beat faster and body move in ways we didn’t even know it could move. Music brings us together. It connects us all, and it’s giving us experiences that last a lifetime…

Music is so powerful. That is what Tidal will be. It’s a place for connection between artists and fans where we will deliver exclusive experiences that will be found nowhere else. A destination where we will discover the music that will become the soundtrack to the rest of our lives.

We have joined in Tidal for the preservation of an industry, to deliver music and experiences in a way that is best for the consumer. That is why Tidal is dedicated to cultivating a sound business enterprise that promotes the health and sustainability of our art and our industry around the world.

We believe that it is in everyone’s interest – fans, artists, and the industry as a whole – to preserve the value of music and to insure a healthy and robust industry for years to come. Today is the day that we begin that journey together. All of us as one.

[ALSO READ: Jay Z’s Music Streaming Service “Tidal” Is Available For Free 7 Day Trial]

Watch footage of the press conference and a video about the artists joining together for Tidal below.

New Tupac Music Will Be Released Soon

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To honor the 20th Anniversary of Tupac’s death, new company JAM Inc. and his estate has teamed up to drop unreleased material in the next coming months. According to Billboard, JAM Inc. was brought in by Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, and given all of his unreleased material in order to “reset the Skaur estate”, says company owner, Jeff Jampol.

The campaign started with a commercial for Powerade, starring Tupac’s recital of “the flower that grows from the concrete” lyrics from “Mama’s Just a Little Girl” over a dramatized story of Chicago Bulls player, Derrick Rose. Although it was the first glimpse of Tupac material, it is not the last. JAM Inc. will release several unreleased poems, songs, remixes, writongs, demos, and recitals from Tupac Shakur. There is also news that we will be seeing new apparel, museum collections, and biography on the way as well.

Mar 29, 2015

Kanye West and Chris Brown Appears At Travi$ Scott Performance

Last night, Travi$ Scott performed at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, and Kanye West happened to drop in to perform his single “All Day” with him. According to Complex, Chris Brown also showed up at the concert to help close out the show with Scott. Check out a clip of Kanye’s arrival below.

Mar 28, 2015

Wale Drops New Song From Album Titled “The Pessimist” Featuring J. Cole

Anticipation is building now that Wale’s new upcoming project Album About Nothing is dropping Tuesday. To get people excited about the release, the MMG rapper releases a new single titled “The Pessimist” featuring Carolina’s own, J. Cole. The beat is soulful, with organ chords having a very dominant force over a bass heavy beat. Check out the track below.

Immortal Technique Arrested For “Robbing” Bootleggers

Immortal Technique, a rapper known for conscious messages, was arrested by police in Santa Ana, CA on Thursday after he allegedly assaulted and robbed a street vendor that was bootlegging t-shirts with his logo.

The rapper was slated to perform with Talib Kweli, but didn’t have the opportunity to take the stage.

Along with Technique, police apprehended his tour manager Steven Alexander McDaniel too.

The men were charged with suspicion of robbery and attempting to prevent or dissuade a victim from reporting a crime.

The street vendors spoke to Santa Ana police and allege they were confronted by 10 to 12 people affiliated with Immortal Technique about 7:45 p.m. The alleged victims also charge they were relieved of the t-shirts, cash monies and cell phones and the incident turned violent, as they were selling the shirts with the rapper’s logo without permission.

Immortal Technique and his manager posted $50,000 bail and were released Friday.

Neither man was immediately available for comment by AllHipHop.

Mar 27, 2015

Truth Hurts Ready For Come Back, Embarks On European Tour with German Rapper Joe Young

After being on hiatus since her groundbreaking Aftermath Records debut album ‘Truthfully Speaking’ which features the Mega Hit single “Addictive” featuring Rakim and her well received follow up album ‘Ready Now’, Truth Hurts is ready to make her comeback to her roots and prep new music.

From working with the likes of Dr Dre, Jay Z, Rakim & more, Truth went on a creative break to focus on new material. Now almost ready, she is about to embark on an European Tour with Germanys poster boy for American rap Joe Young, who commented “Im just excited to go on tour with her and rock out”. The tour will be presented by Germanys powerhouse for bookings Knab Concerts.

Kendrick Lamar Has Six Songs From “To Pimp A Butterfly” Debut On The Hot 100

Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore major label album To Pimp A Butterfly broke streaming records, received universal critical acclaim, and topped the album chart. As the LP prepares to spend a second week at number one, singles from the project are also charting.

[ALSO READ: Kendrick Lamar Performs Surprise Concert On A Moving Truck (VIDEO)]

K. Dot had six separate songs break onto Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. “King Kunta” (61), “The Blacker The Berry” (66), “Alright” (83), “Wesley’s Theory” (91), “These Walls” (94), and “Institutionalized” (99) all debuted on the list of the hottest singles in the country.

The TDE rapper also took over Billboard‘s Artist 100 chart. His jump from 82 to 1 is the largest leap to the number one spot in the chart’s history.

Kendrick ended Taylor Swift’s reign in the tally’s lead position. He is only the second rapper to reach number one on the Artist 100. Drake held the top spot in February.

[ALSO READ: Drake’s Entire Album Is On Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart]

Mar 26, 2015

EXCLUSIVE: Rich Homie Quan Addresses His Relationship With Rich Gang + His “Rich Homie” Dance (VIDEO)

Is tension brewing between Rich Gang members Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug? Quan announced he was taking a break from RG to focus on his solo career, and Thugger recently bashed the fellow Atlanta native by calling him “B*tch Homie Quan.”

AllHipHop.com spoke with RHQ about his current feelings toward Rich Gang. The “Type of Way” performer also talks about being a father and his recent dance moves that had social media buzzing.

[ALSO READ: Exclusive: Rich Homie Quan Shows Off New Dance + Brings Out ATown At SXSW]

Watch Rich Homie Quan’s interview below.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Butterfly” To Hit Number 1 Again

Top Dawg Entertainment’s Kendrick Lamar is expected to top the charts again next week with his To Pimp a Butterfly.

Based on one day predictions, the Compton excess will push about 100,000 more copies of the opus that some have already regarded as as classic.

Other rappers that should fare well on the charts included Action Bronson and Odd Future’s Earl Sweatshirt.

Hits Daily Double expects Action Bronson of Atlantic Records is slated to move upwards of 40,000 (40-45k SPS/35-40k albums) with Earl Sweatshirt moving 30,000 35,000, including album streams.

Mar 25, 2015

Brandy Is Making Her Broadway Debut In ‘Chicago’

Brandy is taking her talents to Broadway.

The singer/actress revealed on Twitter that she would be making her Broadway debut and taking on the role of Roxie Hart in the Broadway musical Chicago. Ray J’s big sis will be on the live stage for eight weeks at New York City’s Ambassador Theatre from Apr. 28th to June 21st.

Chicago is set in the 1920s and is a satire production that shows how criminal justice and entertainment cross paths and sheds light on the idea of a celebrity criminal.

Mar 24, 2015

Kendrick Lamar Moves 318K; First Week Sales

Kendricvk Lamar Performs "I" and "Pay For It" On SNL

The numbers are in for Kendrick Lamar.

The TDE/Aftermath/Interscope rapper moved a total of 318k units sold of his To Pimp a Butterfly to top the charts. His SPS (Sales Plus Streaming) numbers were pushed up to 355k for the first week, according to Hits Daily Double.

The streaming numbers are strong, as fans listened to To Pimp a Butterfly 9.6 million times on Spotify. He set the record for the most worldwide streams in a day for a new album.

Kendrick’s album leaked early and Top Dawg’s CEO Anthony Tiffith blamed Interscope for the alleged error.

Jay Z’s Music Streaming Service “Tidal” Is Available For Free 7 Day Trial

Jay Z’s bid to purchase Aspiro was approved earlier this month, and the company’s streaming service, now known as TidalHifi, is set to launch. The current Tidal website includes a counter that indicates listeners will be able to use the app in 5 days.

[ALSO READ: Jay Z To Take On Spotify & Beats Music By Purchasing Music Streaming Company Aspiro]

A message on the site reads:

Introducing the first music streaming service that combines the best High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos and expertly Curated Editorial.

The hi-fi service is said to offer 25 million tracks for streaming with lossless audio quality. Recommendations, playlists, interviews, and other features are also part of the Tidal experience. Music fans can try out the service with a 7-day free trial. The monthly rate is listed at $19.99.

There have been reports that Jay met with several high-profile entertainers including Beyoncé, Madonna, Rihanna, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Daft Punk, Chris Martin, and Jack Black to discuss his vision for Aspiro/Tidal. The meeting supposedly focused on artists’ rights and the performers’ ability to profit from the streaming of their music.

Revenues from streaming surpassed CDs for the first time in 2014. Subscription streaming from services such as Spotify and Rhapsody totaled $1.87 billion as compared to $1.85 billion for CD sales. Streaming’s revenue rose 29% from 2013 while CDs fell 12.7%

Some artists have complained the profit sharing from streaming is too heavily tilted toward the music labels and the streaming services. Taylor Swift pulled her music from Spotify last year, because the pop superstar felt her art was not being properly valued through the free service. Swift’s music is included on Tidal.

[ALSO READ: Hip Hop/R&B Was The Most Popular Genre On Streaming Services In 2014]

Mar 23, 2015

Jay Z Paternity Case May Reach Settlement Soon

Back in February, a 21-year-old man named Rymir Satterthwaite came forward alleging that he was Jay Z’s love child and that Jay had been doing everything in his power to avoid taking a paternity test. Now, the case may be settling out of court.

“Ultimately the case will probably be settled out of court,” Lillie Collie, Satterthwaite’s legal guardian, told Radar Online. “We’ve been going through this since 2011 and it has gotten to the point where the family just wants it to be over.”

Satterthwaite says that Jigga and his mother, Wanda, had an affair in the ’90s and he was conceived. In 2011, his mother took Hova to court after it was proven that another man was not Satterthwaite’s father. Jay has still not taken a paternity test.

Rymir Satterthwaite

Killer Mike Was Injured After A Man Tried To Attack Him

Earlier this week, Run The Jewels were performing on the Spotify House Stage at SXSW and a man attempted to attack them. Although RTJ and security disposed him minutes later, member Killer Mike ended up being hurt and had to head back to Atlanta to see his doctor, where he was diagnosed with a torn Rotator Cuff. Although Mike is currently injured, he ended up returning to Texas and performed last night at Stubbs Barbecue. Before Run The Jewels performed their single “Banana Clipper”, Killer Mike mentioned the incident:

“Last time we did this song, it was interrupted. Let’s not let that happen again. If you interrupt this song, we’ll beat the f*ck out of you.”

Looks like no one will attack Run The Jewels on-stage again.

Mar 21, 2015

Wiz Khalifa Drops New PARTYNEXTDOOR Featured Track At SXSW

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You’ll never know what will happen in the world of music when SXSW is going on. From surprise appearances at concerts, to actual mixtapes being released during the weak, the annual festival in Texas keeps people on their feet until the final day. Last night, Wiz surprised his SXSW audience by dropping a new track titled “Rain” featuring OVO singer PARTYNEXTDOOR. The video (caught by The Trophy Life) is very brief, but from what we hear, PARTYNEXTDOOR supplies the smooth hook, while Wiz supplies the raps. Check out the clip below.

Exclusive: Future Drops ’56 Nights’ Mixtape At SXSW

Photo via Future’s Instagram

Amongst all the musical madness and excitement at SXSW, Future just dropped a major surprise. While performing he dropped his ’56 Nights’ Mixtape at the Miller Lite UPROXX House stage also featuring Bleachers, Best Coast, DJ Bandcamp, Scott Melker, Tim Gunter, Ball Park Music, The Black and The White, Jared James Nichols,Grand Analog, Stash, Young Buffalo and more. The crowd just went wild!

“Let’s go! It’s freaking nuts; I’m listening to it now,” said Steve Raze

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Click HERE to take a listen to all 10 tracks.

Mar 20, 2015

Chance The Rapper Debuts Short Film ‘Mr. Happy’ At SXSW (VIDEO)

At this year’s South by Southwest music festival, Chance the Rapper made his acting debut in the Colin Tiley-directed short film, Mr. Happy.

In the film, Chance plays Victor, a depressed young man who has been trying to kill himself. After unsuccessful attempts, he takes to the internet to ask “why can’t I kill myself?” He then comes across a site that claims it can people in their suicidal quests. After paying a large fee for the services, he meets a young lady who brings some sunshine into his dark world.

Pharrell Speaks On “Blurred Lines” Lawsuit, Warns It Will Handicap Artists

Pharrell Williams has finally spoken out about losing the $7.4 million lawsuit to the family of Marvin Gaye. The Gayes sued Pharrell and Robin Thicke for essentially stealing the R&B legend’s song “Got To Give It Up” for their own hit record “Blurred Lines.”

[ALSO READ: Pharrell Williams And Robin Thicke Must Pay Millions To Marvin Gaye’s Fam]

“The verdict handicaps any creator out there who is making something that might be inspired by something else,” Pharrell told the Financial Times. “This applies to fashion, music, design . . . anything. If we lose our freedom to be inspired we’re going to look up one day and the entertainment industry as we know it will be frozen in litigation.”

Pharrell and Thicke have not stated publicly whether they plan to appeal the ruling, but the two performers are “working out the steps” at the moment. Meanwhile, the Gaye family has now turned their attention to “Blurred Lines” collaborator T.I. and several record labels.

[ALSO READ: Marvin Gaye’s Family Is Going After Record Labels And T.I Over ‘Blurred Lines’]

Mar 19, 2015

Kxng Crooked (Crooked I) Says Gay Rappers Should Come Out (VIDEO/POLL)

Homosexuality is still the”third rail” of Hip Hop. While Odd Future’s Frank Ocean has revealed his first love was another man and former BET executive Darren “Buttah Man” Brin has spoken publicly about being gay, there are very few openly homosexual males in Hip Hop. Kxng Crooked thinks it is time for that to change.

[ALSO READ: BET Hip Hop Executive Buttah Man Discusses His Decision To Come Out As Gay]

“It’s like, if you’re gay, you’re just a gay guy,” said Crooked. “There’s a lot of people that came out in the industry. A lot of executives that we’ve known for years.”

The Slaughterhouse member named DreamWorks co-founder and Geffen Records creator David Geffen as an example of an openly gay man in the entertainment business.

Geffen Records has been associated with acts like Common, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg, but David Geffen is not personally viewed as being connected to the culture. Crooked wants closeted rappers to follow Geffen’s openness.

“Here’s my thing, everybody knows the gay rappers,” stated Crooked. “Or they have their opinions on who is gay. So my whole thing is just come out. ”

He added, “If you’re a gay rapper, it’s not that important to hide it. It’s more important that you say it, if Hip Hop is the final frontier for masculinity in music… If football is one of the final frontiers of masculinity in sports and you got guys coming out, why not in Hip Hop.”

[ALSO READ: Statik Selektah & Kxng Crooked To Join Forces For “Statik KXNG” Album]

Watch Kxng Crooked’s interview and take the poll below.

Mar 18, 2015

Marvin Gaye’s Family Is Going After Record Labels And T.I Over ‘Blurred Lines’

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The Gaye family is continuing to issue out lawsuits to everyone involved in the making of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” track. They recently won their case against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Willliams for $7.4 million but they are not letting this issue die down.

The family of Marvin Gaye is now going after Universal Music, Interscope Records and Star Trak Entertainment and wants them added to list of copyright infringers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. They also want the judge to hold T.I accountable for his role that he played in the “Blurred Lines” record, eventhough he did not produce it.

If the record labels are found reliable, the judge could issue an injuction on how “Blurred Lines” is distributed in the future.

Williams and Thicke plan to appeal the previous decision. There has also been talk of the Gaye family going after Pharrell again because they feel that his Oscar-nominated hit “Happy” sounds to similar to Marvin Gaye’s 1966 hit “Ain’t That Peculiar.”

Mar 17, 2015

Bilal Talks Working With Kendrick Lamar On ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly dropped a week before its scheduled Mar. 23rd release and it’s dominating hip-hop conversations across the coasts. But the Compton emcee was not the only mastermind involved in the creative process. Singer Bilal made two guest appearances ( “Institutionalzed” and “These Walls”) on the 16-track effort and was also credited on being behind the scenes for four other tracks.

XXL caught up with the Philly native to explore his involvement in K. Dot’s sophomore effort.

Bilal says Kendrick along with Thundercat, Terrace Martin and Anna Wise created “a real creative environment” and that the Black Hippy rep “works crazy hours.” As far as his work on the album, he says he did “a ton of stuff.”

“I didn’t really know where it was gonna go,” said the 35-year-old. “I was just doing stuff in the lab, you know. [Laughs] I like to work and go for it. So when I spoke to him he was like, “Man, I want y’all to be on the whole album.” I thought he was just… I didn’t know if that actually wanna gonna happen because a lot of people say stuff like that. You know, usually when you do a song you fall in love with every song you do after you finish it. [Laughs]”

He also compared Kendrick’s studio ethic with that of collaborators The Roots and Common.

“What’s similar about all of them is that there’s always an organic connection; they’re truly involved in every aspect of their music and it’s the same way when I was working with all of those people that you mentioned.” He continued, “Now, the thing that makes Kendrick different is his style and his approach. His approach is different… I think all good stuff comes from the same source and we’re all kinda trying to draw from that same source in the universe so he’s a good antenna right now. He’s got his antennas up and you can feel that when you’re in the studio with him.”

Read the full interview here.

Azealia Banks Releases Nude Photo + Talks Lorde, Jay Z, God, & Why She Hates America

The ever outspoken performer Azealia Banks is featured as a cover girl for the April 2015 issue of Playboy. The Harlem native also spoke with the magazine for an exclusive interview.

[ALSO READ: Erykah Badu Expresses She’s Not Into Azealia Banks’ Music; Banks Says Badu Is Jealous]

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During her talk with Playboy, Banks discussed her tendency to use words the some people view as offensive:

When you rip a people from their land, from their customs, from their culture — there’s still a piece of me that knows I’m not supposed to be speaking English, I’m not supposed to be worshipping Jesus Christ. All this s**t is unnatural to me. People will be like, ‘Oh, you’re ignorant because you don’t speak proper English.’ No. This is not mine. I don’t even want this s**t, so I’m going to do whatever the f**k I want with this language. I’m going to call you a fag or a cracker or a b***h.

She also suggests the public is hypocritical when it comes to her voicing opinions versus other stars:

It’s always about race. Lorde can run her mouth and talk s**t about all these other bitches, but y’all aren’t saying she’s angry. If I have something to say, I get pushed into the corner.

Banks did mention one famous performer she greatly admires:

Jay Z. That’s the only person I have my eye set on. The race thing always comes up, but I want to get there being very black and proud and boisterous about it. You get what I mean? A lot of times when you’re a black woman and you’re proud, that’s why people don’t like you. In American society, the game is to be a nonthreatening black person. That’s why you have Pharrell or Kendrick Lamar saying, “How can we expect people to respect us if we don’t respect ourselves?” He’s playing that nonthreatening black man s**t, and that gets all the white soccer moms going, “We love him.” Even Kanye West plays a little bit of that game—“Please accept me, white world.” Jay Z hasn’t played any of those games, and that’s what I like.

Banks says she hates America:

Yes! I hate everything about this country. Like, I hate fat white Americans. All the people who are crunched into the middle of America, the real fat and meat of America, are these racist conservative white people who live on their farms. Those little teenage girls who work at Kmart and have a racist grandma—that’s really America.

Her views on God:

I don’t understand how someone could be an atheist. Think about God as software, right? If you were to look at God’s face, your head would explode. Because your head is a calculator, and the amount of information that would be embedded in his face would fit only on a Google-size data center. Your head cannot handle that much information. Stop looking for God.

To celebrate her Playboy cover, Banks decided to share a nude photo with her nearly 600,000 Twitter followers. You can view the NSFW picture here and read her full Playboy interview here.

**[ALSO READ: Azealia Banks Discusses Her Using The Word “F*ggot,” The “White Gay Media” & Homophobia (AUDIO)]**

Mar 16, 2015

Raekwon Unveils ‘F.I.L.A’ Cover Art And Tracklist

Raekwon has been cheffin’ up some new music and has released the cover art and tracklisting for his seventh album, Fly International Luxury Art. The 15-track release has appearances from fellow Wu-Tang Clan spitter Ghostface Killah, A$AP Rocky, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, French Montana, 2 Chainz and more. F.I.L.A drops on Apr. 28th.

Peep the tracks below.

Fly International Luxurious Art

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01. Intro (Prod. by Jerry Wonda)
02. 4 In the Morning Feat. Ghostface Killah (Prod. by Scram Jones)
03. I Got Money Feat. A$AP Rocky (Prod. by S1)
04. Wall to Wall Feat. French Montana & Busta Rhymes (Prod. by She Da God & Snaz)
05. Heated Nights (Prod. by Frank G)
06. Fila Word Feat. 2 Chainz (Prod. by Scram Jones)
07. 1,2 1,2 Feat. Snoop Dogg (Prod. by Scoop Deville)
08. Live to Die (Prod. by S1)
09. Soundboy Kill it Feat. Melanie Fiona & Assassin (Prod. by Jerry Wonda)
10. Revory (Wraith) Feat. Rick Ross & Ghostface Killah (Prod by Bluerocks)
11. All About You Feat. Estelle (Prod. by Jerry Wonda)
12. Nautilus (Prod. by Scram Jones)
13. Worst Enemy Feat. Liz Rodriguez (Prod. by Matt Burnett)

Kendrick Lamar Reveals ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’s Album Features

Countdown to Kendrick is here as the Compton rapper is set to unveil To Pimp A Butterfly. The track listing of TPAB has finally been revealed and the album is offers a diverse collection of guest features. Expect Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Thundercat, James Fauntleroy, Bilal, and Anna Wise on the March 23rd release. See the whole listing below.

1. Wesley’s Theory ft. George Clinton & Thundercat
2. For Free? (Interlude)
3. King Kunta
4. Institutionalized ft. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg
5. These Walls ft. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
6. U
7. Alright
8. For Sale? (Interlude)
9. Momma
10. Hood Politics
11. How Much A Dollar Cost ft. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley
12. Complexion (A Zulu Love) ft. Rapsody
13. The Blacker The Berry
14. You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
15. i
16. Mortal Man

Mar 15, 2015

Amber Rose Joins “SlutWalk”

Amber Rose has joined a good cause with an interesting name – “SlutWalk”.

Strolling since 2011, the SlutWalk Movement isn’t new, but it has found a new audience with the socialite. SlutWalk was created when a police officer in Toronto, Canada told a student to “Stop dressing like a slut.”

Apparently, since Amber has been criticized for her dress style and sexy IG posts, she has created her own version of the walk.

She stated: “My Slut Walk will be about every Woman Equality issue we deal with everyday u can walk and make signs for the issues ur passionate about. I’m in the beginning stages of putting this together but with ur help this could be an amazing liberating experience for us women. Stay tuned for more info in weeks to come. #AmberRosesSlutWalk ❤️”

Rape culture often blames women for getting sexual assaulted stating that their choice of clothing entices men to attack them. Essentially it gives the attacker an alibi for his actions. On the other hand, those that partake in the slut walk are encouraged to dress like “sluts” to underscore that no matter what they were, sexual assault us unacceptable.

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Mar 14, 2015

Kanye West Says President Obama Has Called His Home Phone

Nobody wants to see Kanye and the President fight, but the pair disagree over whether or not the man in the highest office of the nation has called Hip-Hop’s most polarizing figure’s home.

RELATED: President denies calling Kanye West.

Check out what Kanye had to say about it.

Who has a home phone anyway?

Mar 13, 2015

Empire Continues To Dominate

Empires viewership continued to rise this week, up 3% from 14.7 million to 14.33 million.

The Fox show debuted in Early January and has continually risen at an uncanny rate since its debut. Fans of the show continues to bloom at

The viewership slipped slightly in the coveted 18-49 demographic, which some attribute to daylight savings time.

Next week marks the 2-hour season one finale of the Terrance Howard and Taraji P. Henson led show.

Lil Wayne Throws Microphone & Storms Off Stage During Concert (VIDEO)

It has been a stressful week for Lil Wayne. Two days ago Wayne was a victim of a prank call that had the media reporting gunshots were fired at his Miami Beach home, and there was also an incident with an unwanted prostitute being sent to his house. Now video has surfaced of the Young Money leader getting visibly upset with a DJ at his concert in Florida.

[ALSO READ: Lil’ Wayne Previews New Video ‘HollyWeezy’ (VIDEO)]

Wayne was performing at Nova Southeastern University when the DJ apparently played the wrong version of the song “CoCo.” Weezy wanted the track from his Sorry 4 The Wait 2 mixtape. He then threw his microphone at the DJ stand and left the stage.

[ALSO READ: Juvenile Talks Signing Back With Cash Money, Shares Thoughts On Lil Wayne Vs Label]

Watch footage from Wayne’s concert below.

Mar 12, 2015

Common Talks Oscar Win, Serena Williams Dating Rumors, & Leaving Oprah Hanging (VIDEO)

Last month Common joined Eminem and members of Three 6 Mafia as the only rappers to ever win an Academy Award. The actor/Hip Hop star visited The Breakfast Club to talk about his “Best Original Song” Oscar win for “Glory.”

[ALSO READ: Common & John Legend Perform “Glory” At The Oscars, Win Best Original Song (VIDEO)]

“We were feeling confident, but until they say your name you just don’t know. They were talking about some of the other nominees, and its different people voting,” said Com. “I ain’t going to lie. I was nervous, but I was still like, ‘Okay man, we can do this.'”

Besides making history with the track from Selma, Common also blew up social media on Oscar night for what seemed like a snub towards Oprah Winfrey. Common appeared to avoid the Oprah’s high-five as he walked to the stage to accept his award.

“I thought she was giving a high-five to John [Legend], so I was saving myself. I didn’t want to get caught out there,” said Com laughing. “That’s my girl. She’s cool.”

Another female celebrity’s association with Common’s victory made waves as well. A photo posted by former girlfriend Serena Williams with Com’s newly won Academy Award had some thinking the two were back together. Common was asked about his current relationship with the tennis champion.

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“That’s my girl. I give her love all the time. I saw her at the party, and I’m going to give her that respect. She can hold the Oscar,” said Common.

The Chicago native also discussed wanting to work with Jay Z, his history with Empire‘s Taraji P. Henson, possibly playing The Green Lantern, future projects, wanting to win the EGOT, and more.

Watch Common’s interview below.

Mar 11, 2015

Gunfire At Lil Wayne’s Mansion – Or Was It?

A gunfight at Lil Wayne’s Miami mansion left four people hurt, according to reports.

The rapper wasn’t at home when it went down.

Reports say that a call came in on the non-emergency line with the police and notified them that the people had been shot inside the home of the well-regarded rapper.

Other reports have said that no emergency vehicles were dispatched, nor were there any victim registered.

A few days ago, a suspicious looking person was flagged after being seen outside of the residence.

Mar 10, 2015

Pharrell Williams And Robin Thicke Must Pay Millions To Marvin Gaye’s Fam

Jurors took two days to determine Robin Thicke and producer Pharrell violated the rights of the late Marvin Gaye and now must pay $7.4 million.

The copyright case stated that the pair essentially stole the sound of Marvin Gaye’s hit song “Got To Give It Up.” The proceedings took place in Los Angeles.

T.I., who is also in the suite, was exonerated.

The financial burden broke down as follows: $4 million in damages to the Gaye family, $1.6 million from Pharrell and a little over $1.7 million from Robin Thicke. Another $9,375 were awarded in statuary damages.

Nona Gaye, daughter of Marvin, said “Right now I feel free from Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams’ chains. The said the verdict was “a miracle.:”

Mar 9, 2015

Trina Signs Imprint Deal With Penalty Entertainment, Set To Release New Album

Veteran Miami rapper Katrina “Trina” Taylor and The Executive Club Worldwide are teaming up with Penalty Entertainment (Sony Red Distribution). The Diamond Princess’ Rockstarr Music Group imprint will join the Penalty roster, and her sixth studio album will be released via the label.

[ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Capone-N-Noreaga/Good Belt Gang Sign To Penalty Entertainment]

“I am honored to welcome Trina and The Executive Club Worldwide to the growing Penalty family,” expresses Neil Levine, President and CEO of Penalty Entertainment. “The Trina brand is one of the most prevalent brands within the Hip Hop industry, and Penalty is pleased to continue the trajectory of such an A-list artist.”

Trina’s next project is scheduled for release this summer. The album features executive production credits from songwriter/producer Rico Love (Beyoncé, T.I.). The female rhymer also recruited Love for the LP’s lead single “The Real One.”

“This is the beginning of a new direction and stage within my career, and now my own imprint – Rockstarr Music Group,” states Trina. “I have collaborated with so many different talents during my career thus far, and I am beyond excited to share this phase with the world as I continue to evolve.”

Previously, Trina dropped studio albums such as Da Baddest B*tch (2000), Glamorest Life (2005), and Amazin’ (2010). She also released over 10 mixtapes since first grabbing the attention of the music world as a guest on Trick Daddy’s “Nann N***a” in 1998.

“This is just the beginning of a successful new phase for Trina and her undeniable career growth,” adds Executive Club Worldwide’s Jullian Boothe. “I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside her on all of her albums, and we are entering an exciting new chapter to take it to the next level.”

[ALSO READ: Trina: Female Rappers Work Harder Than Some Of These Dudes (VIDEO)]

Big Sean Announces ‘Dark Sky Paradise’ Tour

Big Sean is bringing his dark sky paradise to your city. The “Blessings” rapper revealed on twitter over the weekend that he was hitting the road in support of his new no. 1 album and has included some international stops along the wat. The 25-city trek kicks off in Cancun, Mexico on Mar. 12th and then passes through the Bahamas, Texas, Japan, London, Ohio, Vegas and Minnesota. More dates are expected to be added to the tour.

Peep the dates below.

Mar 8, 2015

Big Sean Is Going On Tour This Spring

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Along with linking up with J. Cole for the Forest Hill Drive Tour, Big Sean will be on the road himself for his latest album Dark Sky Paradise. The Detroit rapper will be performing internationally at 25 different locations, ranging from Cancun to Las Vegas. More locations have been announced via Instagram, and more will be announced soon. Sean has received commercial success from his album Dark Sky Paradise, which earned #1 album spot on Billboard’s top 200.

Watch Kanye’s Premiere of “All Day” Video in Paris

Once again, Kanye wins over fans and hypebeasts once again this weekend. During his first performance for a Paris Foundation Louis Vutton series, Ye dropped the official video for “All Day”. You can check out the videos below.

Mar 7, 2015

Scarface Announces New Album Title

Everybody is excited over the new Kendrick Lamar album, but there is another opus on the horizon for 2015. Scarface has announced that he will release a new album this spring, titled Deeply Rooted.

Scarface’s last album was the 2008 classic Emeritus.

The Houston rapper put the announcement in a video.

Kendrick Lamar Teases, Reveals Album Release Date

Kendrick Lamar Opens Up About Ferguson, Self Love, and Racial Confidence

The time is almost hear.

Kendrick Lamar has revealed when his anticipated album will drop. The Compton rapper revealed that the date of release will be March 23.

Kendrick made the revelation on his Twitter account. He also seemingly gave indication that the art would be a mere black box. No title was listed.

Pre-orders are already in motion.

The only song listed is “The Blacker The Berry,” the incendiary track with pro-Black overtones.

Kendrick Lamar iTunes

Mar 6, 2015

Maino Beats Female Assault Charge

Maino was accused of sexual assault and all but found guilty in the public’s collective eye. That notion has changed and the rapper was exonerated today.

Mellanie Monro accused the Brooklyn representative but now she has admitted to lying.

“Violence against women is an important issue in today’s society,” said Nicole Manini, Esq. of the Blanch Law Firm to hiphopwired.com. “As a female attorney, I find it completely offensive to actual victims of domestic violence and assault that Ms. Hennigan (aka Mellanie Monroe) would make these allegations against our client knowing that they were not true. False allegations of abuse and assault diminish the severity of such crimes real victims face and increase the fear that they will not be believed should they come forward against their assailants.”

The charges against Maino and co-defendant Richard Holt have been dropped.

Hennigan was seen on cellphone using the N-word towards the men and then they sprayed her with champagne.

Top 10 NBA Plays For March 4th, 2015

Mar 5, 2015

Bobby Shmurda Delivers Message To 50 Cent From Jail (AUDIO)

Last week incarcerated rapper Bobby Shmurda called into Hot 97 to talk about his current legal situation. The phone call was abruptly cut short, and the Brooklyn native did not get to relay everything he wanted to the station’s audience. Turns out the call was not cut off by the jail’s authorities like previously suspected, and Shmurda was able to speak with Ebro In The Morning again today.

[ALSO READ: Bobby Shmurda Talks Being In Protective Custody & Police Targeting Him For His Music (AUDIO)]

For the latest conversation, fellow GS9 crew member Rowdy Rebel was also on the line. Rowdy explained the conflict over Epic Records not providing bail money was really centered around an issue from the label’s parent company Sony. He and Shmurda also denied Bobby’s supposed uncle Debo Wilson offered to help them get out on bail.

“That n***a’s not even my real uncle,” said Shmurda. “That’s the n***a that’s always trying to rob me of some s**t. That’s a lying as n***a.”

Wilson was part of Shmurda’s original management team but has since become estranged from the rapper. The “Hot N***a” performer revealed he is looking for new representation and wants another New York City rapper to join his team.

“I’ve been trying to get in contact with 50 for the longest for some management,” Bobby stated.

Shmurda later added he feels racism has played a part in the police targeting him. When asked if anything he has done contributed to him being locked up, Smurda replied, “Nothing, except say hi and bye to people. Probably take a couple of pictures with people. That’s it.

[ALSO READ: Bobby Shmurda’s Lawyer Speaks On Epic Records Not Supporting The Incarcerated Rapper]

Listen to Bobby Shmurda’s interview below.

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