DMX has checked himself into rehab, according to TMZ.
The Ruff Ryders legend made the call after canceling a series of performances due to what was deemed a “medical emergency.” DMX reportedly entered the rehab facility voluntarily Thursday (April 28) in Southern California with the support of his manager, Pat Gallo, and his ex-wife, Tashera Simmons.
“It is important right now that he take some time off to focus on his health so that he can be a better father, friend and entertainer,” Gallo said in a statement. “We are eternally grateful for the outpouring of concern and support that has poured in. We ask that you please keep X in your prayers as he embraces your support.”
The Dog took the stage last week at the Ruff Ryders reunion show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn where the show was littered with technical issues and some ramblings.
This is not DMX’s first trip to rehab as he’s battled substance abuse for quite some time.
Northeastern University student Jerry Spatch has created a card game that could really help any aspiring MC work on their freestyling ability.
Going off the top is something of a lost art these days, and Vers: The Rap Game is trying to bring it back. The game works by players drawing two cards — one theme card, and one card that has three rhyming words on it that a player must use. The game features 400 cards. We’re no maths geniuses but we’re pretty sure that comes to a whole lot of combinations — meaning the game should have a great shelf-life.
Spatch has set up a Kickstarter to help him produce the game, and he’s already halfway toward his target of $10,000. If you’re thinking about investing in the game, a pledge of $25 or more will get you a copy.
For a pledge of $3,000, Jerry will visit you (provided you live in the Continental US) and you’ll get some tea together.
Also, if the Kickstarter passes $100,000, Spatch Games promises to host a ballet that will be broadcast “to the entire world.”
Writing on the Kickstarter page, Spatch explained how he came up with the idea for Vers:
“I was tired of people in university saying I shouldn’t rap because it was unprofessional. Everywhere I went, when people heard about rap they’d think of a bunch of things that it wasn’t. So I made the game and it’s fun and silly and everyone can play it.”
This video gives an overview of how the game works:
Unlike the milder weather that Coachella audiences enjoyed during Weekend 1, this past weekend brought with it soaring heat, reaching 99 degrees in Indio, California by Saturday afternoon. The talent on the stage brought the heat too, as a relatively stacked line-up of Hip __hop acts gave solid performances — albeit dramatically less star-studded than the previous weekend. Drake didn’t bless Future’s set, and DJ Khaled, who was rumored to have Mariah Carey cued up for an appearance, only delivered Yo Gotti and Kent Jones as his guests.
Not to say that guests were a necessity to kill their sets. Travis Scott, who was seen wandering around holding hands with Kylie Jenner, entered the stage on a mechanical eagle and killed it for the second week in a row. New-Toronto chairman Tory Lanez performed solo, at one point crowd surfing the length of the audience while performing his hit “Diego.”
All the way lit @torylanez @coachella #coachella #blankkanvas @dwebb510 #torylanez
A post shared by I Am Blank Kanvas (@dwebb510) on
Gucci Mane did treat the audience to a respectable handful of guests during his set, which kicked off with “First Day Out The Feds.” He brought out Chief Keef, A$AP Rocky — who brought out Playboi Carti — and, as the biggest surprise, 50 Cent, who provided some throwback bars.
#GucciMane surprised fans with a #50Cent appearance during his #Coachella set last night. Find out who else he brought out on the site: theybf.me/2pSZztz or click link in profile A post shared by TheYBF (@theybf_daily) on
The crown jewel of the weekend, though, was Kung Fu Kenny, whose latest album Damn. had the highest sales total for an album’s debut of 2017 so far. For the second week in a row he rocked a solo set. With one slight change, the inclusion of “i” in place of “Mask Off,” he closed out the festival in style.
Embed from Getty Images
If you missed Coachella, and still want to catch Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar this summer, Kenny just announced his North American tour, which kicks off in July.
Friday (April 21) marked the one-year anniversary of Prince’s heavenly ascension and since his departure from Earth at age 57, his catalog has raked in 7.7 million in sales according to Nielsen Music, Billboard reports.
The majority of those sales, totaling 5.65 million, accumulated in the month following Prince’s death at his Paisley Park home in Chanhassen, Minnesota last year between April 21 and May 19, 2016.
Fans of the eclectic musician purchased 2.3 million copies of his various albums and 5.4 million songs were digitally downloaded.
Naturally outshining every artist, even in death, Prince sold more albums than every recording artist in 2016 including Drake and Adele, who pushed 2.23 million copies.
One of his albums, The Very Best of Prince, landed at #8 on Neilson Music’s Top 10 Selling Albums of 2016 with a total of 668,000 units sold. This was followed by Purple Rain (498,000) and 1999 (169,000) among many more of his musical masterpieces.
His signature cut “Purple Rain” sold the most copies out of all his recorded numbers with 621,000 downloads and unapologetically re-entered the Billboard charts at #17, eventually making its way up to #4 after his tragic demise. Prince’s cherished hits “Little Red Corvette,” Let’s Go Crazy” and “Kiss” sold between 335,000-345,000 units respectively.
The “Pop Life” performer’s posthumous greatest hits project 4ever dropped November 20, 2016 and scanned 67,000 copies.
Upon his death, TIDAL was the only streaming service that had exclusive rights to The Purple One’s catalog. Earlier this year, access to his music became readily available to music mavens everywhere who subscribe to Apple Music and Spotify.
Brooklyn, NY – Festival season is just getting started and as the second weekend of Coachella arrives, the 13th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival announces its 2017 lineup.
The whole event, put on by Brooklyn Bodega, Inc., goes from July 10 through 16. DMX and The LOX will be headlining the affair with the finale concert on July 15. OSHUN, Mister Cee and Stretch & Bobbito will also take the stage. Rob Swift returns as resident DJ.
On July 14, Dreamville’s Bas, Cozz and Omen will perform while fans can walk through the “Brooklyn’s Finest” art gallery. Sickamore will also host a photo exhibit showcasing the work of Kerim The DJ and DJ Midnite.
The rest of the week will feature a new addition to the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, #ForTheCulture Conversations. Rakim will join the event’s founder, Wes Jackson, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Paid in Full. Later, industry guru Julian Mitchell will share his advice on how to create and monetize a personal brand. The Combat Jack Show will also be broadcasting live as part of the series.
Tickets are on sale now at eventbrite.com.
Check out the flier for the 2017 Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival below.
2017 @bkhiphopfest announcement is out. Cop your tix today for that Early Bird Discount. http://bit.ly/BHF17Tix. Stay tuned for more announcements
A post shared by Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (@bkhiphopfest) on
San Francisco, CA – As the vinyl reissue of Dr. Octagon’s 1996 magnum opus, Dr. Octagonecologyst, inches closer to its May 5 release date, the excitement from die-hard Kool Keith, Dan The Automator and DJ QBert fans is palpable. The album is a certified classic in the books of many Hip __hop connoisseurs and with the new edition of the record, people will also be privy to five previously unreleased tracks. The trio recently performed Dr. Octagon material live for the first time ever at two shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Dan The Automator was surprisingly shocked at the warm reception.
“It was crazy because we didn’t advertise,” Dan The Automator tells HipHopDX. “We put up two posts on Instagram with no real official stuff and both shows sold out in three hours. The demand was a lot higher than we thought. We knew we were going to do shows, but we didn’t know how people would react. These places were small — like 600 to 700 people. We knew we needed it to do well. We underestimated. We probably could have done 2,000, but we didn’t know.”
Now that the Handsome Boy Modeling School alum is aware of the amount of people out there itching for more of Dr. Octagon, the trio is planning on doing additional live shows in the near future. He also confirmed that new material from Dr. Octagon is apparently not too far off from being unleashed. However, he admits dropping a full album is not as simple as it used to be.
“There are new [Dr. Octagon] songs — let’s put it that way,” Dan says. “Releasing an album is all convoluted and complicated these days. Personally, I think singles are the only way. You kind of waste an album if you put it out there because you get the same amount of press and impact with a single. Maybe we’re going back to a ‘50s and ‘60s vibe where everyone just makes 45s.”
Considering he comes from an era when crafting an entire album was a meticulous labor of love and actually held more value than a download or MP3, he confesses it’s a bit disheartening that tangible records have become less impactful.
“It hurts the work part,” he says. “Guys like me and [Prince] Paul who have concepts, it doesn’t translate as well with singles. We’re all still figuring that out. We want to make records. I want to listen to one front to back, but we have to figure out how to market that.”
For now, Dan The Automator is focused on his upcoming show with Qbert in Denver this weekend and will presumably be jumping in the studio again soon with Kool Keith, who he says is “dead serious” when he’s working.
“He’s a stream of consciousness rapper, so sometimes it doesn’t work,” he says. “But when it does, it’s fucking amazing.”
Check out an image of the Dr. Octagon vinyl reissue above and pre-order it here.
Indio, CA – Although no official reunion was announced, ,Jurassic 5 has been touring as a collective again for the last four years. In fact, the Hip __hop aficionados actually performed at Coachella in 1999, which is where DJ Nu-Mark popped up again last weekend.
@Coachella friends come visit me tonight @HeinekenHouse 9-10PM (Sat. 4-15) lots of treats planned! #coachella #coachella2017
A post shared by DJ Nu-Mark (@djnumark808) on
While catching up with the talented turntablist at the artist compound, Nu-Mark spoke about his upcoming headlining set at The Heineken House. “I’m going to try to fit in as many genres as I can,” he said. “I’m going to stay away from one genre.”
Thanks for chopping it up with us, DJ Nu-Mark 🙏🏽 #Jurassic5 #Coachella
A post shared by HipHopDX (@hiphopdx) on
If fans were unable to catch the DJ live, they have another chance. Nu-Mark is teaming up with Method Man on his new show, Drop The Mic.
“James Corden has a segment on his late night show called ‘Drop The Mic,’ where celebrities rhyme against each other,” he explained. “It’s hilarious. Like Kevin Hart battles someone. . . it’s really funny. They did a spin-off show on TBS, where Method Man is the host, the co-host is Hailey Baldwin, and I’m the DJ.”
The show is set to premiere next month in May.
“They’re taking the writing really funny,” he said. “It’s really funny. It’s good. I’m up there with all my toys, too. So it’s crazy. It’s gonna be insane.”
When asked about his recent “Zodiac Tracks” series, Nu-Mark made sure to explain it can be viewed visually, too.
“It’s a live video,” he said. “I put it on SoundCloud as well. It’s really about paying homage to all the great artists that influenced me. So I gather artists in specific Zodiac signs, like I just finished Aries. Did cats like Q-Tip, Chance The Rapper and a bunch of the other artists. And I mix all those artists using all vinyl in a video setting on my Facebook. Then I take it down in seven days.”
To this day, he continues to experience legal woes when it comes to the art of DJing and admits Facebook might even eliminate his page.
“They’re threatening to take my whole page down, ‘cause it’s not my material,” he said, laughing. “And record companies still don’t believe in the word ‘promotion’ I guess. I don’t know. They should know the numbers that I’m pulling. I’m just giving them sales.”
Nu-Mark also spoke on how turntablism has evolved since his time.
“I think a lot of cats are incorporating Serato now into their turntable sets, as far as turntablism, as far as doing tricks,” he said. “Whereas back then, it was purely vinyl, and containing copies of two pieces of an artist, so doubles of everything. There’s more incorporation of electronic music in turntablism today.
“There was one toy that I saw called Music Blocks that just blew me away,” he continued. “It was incredible. It’s a toy that sounds like a SP-1200. I just kind of thought that if this toy sounds that dope, then there must be a ton of other toys are incredible. I just started collecting new toys, older ones all the way from the ‘60s — all the way up. Then at one point I was like, ‘What would happen if I just filled the whole stage with toys and make a whole set out of it?’ Seven years later, I’m still touring off that kind of stuff.”
Atlanta rap titan Clifford “T.I.” Harris has branched out into a more politically charged mind state as of late — he dropped the Us Or Else EP in September 2016, broached the subject of police brutality in the striking video for “Black Man” with Quavo, Meek Mill and RaRa, and even participated in an New York City protest on November 9 after Trump was officially elected.
Although he’s not aiming to get into politics any time soon, he does believe Tupac Shakur would have been the perfect candidate. After Mr. Harris honored the slain legendary rapper at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, where Shakur was being inducted, he spoke to Billboard about the endless possibilities had Shakur not been murdered in 1996.
“Anything could have happened with ‘Pac, man,” Tip said. “Just his diverse intellect, and the way he thought outside the box could have led him anywhere in life. He may have gotten into politics by now. Who knows?”
Despite his intention to stay out of public office, the Grand Hustle boss did offer plenty of poignant advice for those wanting to get involved in making a difference in the world, which he believes starts at home.
“Get involved with local elections,” he said. “Find out who your local politicians are and hold them accountable to create substance within the community.
“I’m not a politician,” he added. “If I can use my influence for the best for someone else, who I feel is deserving, I would do that, but I am not a politician. I’m too motivated.”
While T.I. continues pushing his new Hustle Gang artist, RaRa, working on his VH1 show, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle, and preparing to drop more music of his own, there’s a sense he won’t stop being vocal about his stance on politics any time soon. Catch the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony April 29 on HBO.
Chicago, IL – After teasing the event last week, Chance The Rapper’s 24th birthday extravaganza officially went down on Sunday (April 16) as planned. Held at Chicago’s Studio Paris Nightclub, the raucous party raised over $100,000 for his non-profit, SocialWorks.
Aside from what appears to be one of the most decadent custom cakes ever created — constructed to look like a bucket of Harold’s Chicken complete with hot sauce, fries and a bottle of kiwi-strawberry Mistic — Lil Chano brought along a couple of special guests, Ludacris and T-Pain, who both hit the stage at some point during the evening.
Thank God for the people in my life. I've had unimaginable & undeserving blessings in my 24 years here. I love you chicago, let's see what we can do for this world.
A post shared by Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) on
Ludacris performed one of his breakout hits, 2001’s “Move B***H,” while T-Pain got a bit more soulful with “Buy U A Drank,” which he released in 2007. In addition to the spirited celebration at his hometown venue, Chance’s younger sibling, Taylor Bennett, also wrote a song for his big brother — the aptly titled “Only Brother” — which Chance confessed brought him to tears, according to one of his Twitter posts. Check out Chance’s elaborate birthday cake above and the two performances below.
Kendrick Lamar shook up the Hip Hop world with his single “Humble” and the release of his latest studio album, DAMN, has put the industry under its spell. The single had the highest Billboard Hot 100 Hip Hop debut since 2010.
The track also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Digital Genre R&B/Hip-Hop charts for the week ending April 6, while Bruno Mars and The Weeknd continue to duke it out over the next two spots with their long-lasting presence.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” Goes #1
Although TDE’s biggest star didn’t exactly go as avant-garde as he did with his last album, it appears that fans are appreciating the straight-forward approach from the Compton lyricist.
Mike WiLL Made-It’s swirling track was a far more conventional choice than expected but it has managed to connect with fans even though some of the lyrics caused a mild bout of controversy over respectability politics. Over 111,000 listeners put their dollars behind the song, but it remains to be seen if it will have staying power beyond the week.
Bruno Mars Gets Knocked Down A Peg To #2
Bruno Mars’ fun, sugar-sweet single “That’s What I Like” has been booming on the charts for 20 weeks now and has sold over 726,000 copies so far. The Hawaiian crooner’s “24K Magic” title track single from his latest studio album is also resting comfortably in the Top 10 at #6, selling an impressive 1,376,934 copies overall.
The Weeknd Hangs Around For Second Week At #3
The Weeknd’s “I Feel It Coming” is another 20-week workhorse that won’t quit, with fans still throwing their support behind the Daft Punk-assisted single. Future’s “Mask Off” is creeping up on The Weeknd at #4, and Kyle’s “iSPY” swaps spots with Future Hendrix at #5. Big Sean’s “Bounce Back” made a big leap from #14 last week to #9 this week despite 23 weeks on the charts, and Drake’s “Passionfruit” has been holding at #7 for the past three weeks.
The Top 10 R&B/Hip Hop Single Sales For Week Ending 04/06/2017
#1. Kendrick Lamar – “Humble” — (111,176) (debut)
#2. Bruno Mars – “That’s What I Like” – 76,657 (726,167)
#3. The Weeknd f. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming” – 37,068 (640,269)
#4. Future — “Mask Off” — 32,361 (167,752)
#5. Kyle – “iSpy” f. Lil Yachty – 32,001 (417,754)
#6. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” – 25,117 (1,376,934)
#7. Drake — “Passionfruit” — 21,135 (70,650)
#8. Rihanna – “Love On The Brain” – 20,020 (820,241)
#9. Big Sean – “Bounce Back – 17,016 (448,207)
#10. Calvin Harris – “Slide” f. Migos & Frank Ocean – 16,821 (113,183)
HIPHOPDX – This week in Hip Hop, Kendrick Lamar bestowed upon the Hip Hop world DAMN., but not without a leak first. Also, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne found themselves under investigation for their association with alleged drug dealer Cuban Harry who sung like a Canary at trial and still got convicted. Then, Joey Bada$$ sales projections for All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ were announced.
Kendrick Lamar Releases “DAMN.”
Hours before Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. dropped, it leaked. Yup. All 14 tracks.
Fans weren’t too happy about it and quickly pointed out that a Target employee may have been the culprit.
.@dangerookipawaa @TopDawgEnt @kendricklamar @miyatola @iamstillpunch Blame Target for the leak haha pic.twitter.com/j0qqHM8uAi
— PincheChewster (@PincheChewster) April 13, 2017
Rihanna, U2 and Zacari are the only features on the project and production has been handled by the likes of The Alchemist, 9th Wonder, Teddy Walton and Mike WiLL Made-It, who blessed the lead single “HUMBLE.”
After DAMN.‘s release, it appears Kendrick’s “loud and abrasive” artwork designed by Vlad Sepetov has become an afterthought following all of that harsh criticism.
Stream Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. here.
Chris Brown & Lil Wayne Under Investigation Over Cuban Harry Drug Ties
Miami producer Harrison “Cuban Harry” Garcia haphazardly posted his illegal moves on Instagram and consequently got busted for selling drugs by Homeland Security. Among his buyers were reportedly Chris Brown and Lil Wayne who Garcia says he sold “a lot of narcotics” to. A wire transfer from Breezy in the amount of $15,000 was also traced.
Cuban Harry used his Instagram to promote his services under the handle “Muhammad_A_Lean” as he allegedly pushed marijuana, Xanax and cough syrup.
Despite his lawyer trying to portray him as a kid who tries to be harder than he actually is, jurors still made the decision to convict him. He will be sentenced on June 3.
Joey Bada$$’s All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ was released last Friday (April 7) and now the sales predictions are officially in.
The politically-charged album delivered “woke” in music form, spearheading the Black millennial revolution. The 22-year-old addresses every tough social justice issue from socio-economics to racism.
Hits Daily Double predicts that Joey will move 24,000-27,000 units and 31,000-34,000 SPS. This should place him at #9 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Read more here.
DXclusives: G Herbo, Destructo, Los Rakas & The Breakdown
Catching up with Chicago artist G Herbo at SXSW in March, the “Pull Up” rapper tells HipHopDX that he credits Nicki Minaj for helping to get his career off the ground.
“I’m so humble and down-to-earth. I look up to Nicki Minaj, of course, she helped jumpstart my career,” he said in an exclusive interview with DX’s Shirley Ju. “Of course, I love Nicki forever. But I thought I just seen Remy Ma in Miami. I was going to walk up to her and get a picture. It’s Remy Ma. She one of the coldest Hip Hop females ever, along with Nicki.”
EDM DJ Destructo gives HipHopDX some insight on why he made his recently released EP Renegade.
“I feel that most people that do music are cookie cutter and they copy,” he tells Associate Producer Ural Garrett. “My whole attitude with making music or throwing festivals is to be different and mix and match things that you wouldn’t know goes together. Put sounds together. The people who follow me, listen to my music or come to my shows are renegades to because they want something different. Back in the day, if you liked rapped, you stay over there. If you like rock, you stay over there. If you like techno, you stay over there. Now kids like everything. They’re renegades. They like what they like.”
Latin rap duo Las Rakas hail from The Bay and they spoke with Senior News Writer Victoria Hernandez about the Oakland Raiders becoming the Las Vegas Raiders and how it affects them as loyal fans.
“We’re there every year, whether they’re winning or losing,” Raka Rich says. “We’re loyal. And a business decision didn’t matter about our loyalty. Everything is for money. It didn’t matter about the people. That’s where the world is going now. Everything is for money. It didn’t matter it has a great vibe.”
There’s no way Rich will be rooting for his hometown’s old team in the future.
This past week’s The Breakdown with Justin Hunte explored all of the rappers who are inspired by Tupac. From Troy Ave comparing attempts on his life to ‘Pac’s last days to even teen heartthrob Lil Zane, Hunte looks at the Battle of the Tupac-A Likes from all angles along with Scarface and E.D.I. Mean.
Although the internet may not be capable of handling back-to-back albums from Kendrick Lamar, an internet theory is hinting at the possibility of a second album from the Compton rhymer dropping this weekend.
Shortly after K-Dot dropped DAMN, a user by the name of n9y25ah7_ hopped on Reddit with an intriguing theory on the possibility of a second Kendrick album coming Easter Sunday. As time passes, more and more users are uncovering evidence in support of the hypothesis.
Some of the “proof” that has been put forward could be interpreted in different ways, so take this theory for what it is: a theory.
The original user took note of the fact that Kendrick “dies” at the start of DAMN and could be resurrected with an album released on Easter, the day Jesus was said to have returned from the dead.
“KENDRICK ‘DIES’ IN THIS ALBUM. HE GETS SHOT IN THE INTRO AND IT GOES FULL CIRCLE ON THE LAST TRACK. JESUS DIED AND WAS RESSURECTED 3 DAYS LATER ON EASTER. EASTER IS 3 DAYS FROM NOW. KENDRICK IS JESUS AND WILL BE RESURRECTED IN 3 DAYS WITH A NEW ALBUM,” n9y25ah7_ writes.
The Reddit user also referenced a tweet from TDE’s in-house producer, Sounwave, to craft another theory about a Sunday release. Sounwave posted a photo of Morpheus, Laurence Fishburne’s character from The Matrix, known for offering Keanu Reeve’s Neo a red pill and a blue pill.
4|14|17 pic.twitter.com/IGXPG21iI1
— Sounwave (@SounwaveTDE) April 14, 2017
There is the possibility that the red and blue signify two different albums from Kendrick. The album art for DAMN, as well as Kendrick’s new Spotify picture both back up that possibility.
“DAMN REPRESENTS THE RED PILL. THE BACKGROUND OF THE ALBUM ART IS RED BRICKS. TODAY KENDRICK CHANGED HIS SPOTIFY PICTURE TO A BACKGROUND WITH BLUE BRICKS. RED PILL AND BLUE PILL. CRIPS AND BLOODS,” n9y25ah7_ added.
In a separate thread, another reddit user touched on the possibility of Kendrick dropping an album about dying (DAMN) and another about living.
“Album starts with a story. At the end of the story on the first track he gets shot and dies. And the end of the last track on the album it rewinds and starts the story again. The second album will be the second telling of the story but instead of dying he will live,” reddit user, Shit_Lord_Detective wrote.
In regards to a possible title for Kendrick’s rumored second album, Twitter user @sourbhris offered some insight.
@z0mbycr4p @SounwaveTDE theory: damn is red pill, blue pill is nation, making DAMNNATION
— SOUR CRE▲M 🅱 (@sourbhris) April 14, 2017
Sunday night also corresponds with Kendrick’s headlining set for Day 3 of Coachella, which will be streamed live on YouTube, so if he does have a Part 2 hidden up his sleeve, he’ll have a massive live audience for it.
The idea of an artist dropping surprise albums back-to-back isn’t entirely far-fetched, given that Future released FUTURE and HNDRXX within a week of each other earlier this year. That said, rumors of a third album spread quickly before eventually being quashed by the man himself.
With Kendrick not keen on spoiling any surprises, fans will just have to wait until Sunday to see if the theories hold any weight.
Biloxi, MS – Boosie Badazz accused Biloxi, Mississippi police of stealing $1 million worth of his jewelry earlier this week after he and a group of his associates were pepper-sprayed at a local mall for an alleged assault, which resulted in five arrests. Authorities now say his missing “jewelry sack” has been recovered despite the fact the Biloxi Police Department initially denied having it, according to Page Six.
In a new Instagram video, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana native expressed his anger about the situation and spoke about what he described as police “brutality” and an act of “evil.”
I told you 🙏these mfs r thieves,racist etc. all of sudden it's found smh I'll see y'all n court #nomobiloxi
A post shared by Boosie BadAzz (@officialboosieig) on
“All of a sudden, my jewelry has been found,” he said. “My jewelry has been recovered and it’s at the police department. After three days of nobody knows where my jewelry at, it has been found. Corruption. They knew they couldn’t take my jewelry, and sell it, and get away with it. Now, my jewelry has been found. All you people was going against me. Against me. Going against me for getting brutality from these people.”
The 34-year-old recently had another reason to celebrate when he announced his upcoming role in the boxing film Glass Jaw, which marks his major film debut. He plays an underground fight club runner who places a bet on the lead character’s fight and wins. Until that hits the theaters, check out his Instagram video above.
New York, NY – T.I. is apparently not only the king of trap music, but he invented it, according to a recent interview he did with author/radio personality Angie Martinez on Power 105.1’s The Angie Martinez Show. The Hustle Gang mastermind claimed that before he came along, trap music wasn’t even a thought. It had yet to even take its first breath.
“We want to make sure that we give everybody the best T.I.P. album that we can give them,” Tip said when speaking on his new project. “I’m going for trap music on this. Because a lot of people don’t really, really know that I created trap music. There was no such thing as trap music prior to [T.I.]. No such thing. It didn’t exist. It was Outkast and crunk, like that’s what it was. Organized Noize and crunk.”
While the Atlanta rap mogul could be considered a pioneer of the genre, it’s unlikely people will agree that he is the originator, although he did say his second album, Trap Muzik, started it all.
T.I. has been supporting his new Hustle Gang artist RaRa and participating in VH1’s Hip-Hop Squares, while presumably finishing his next studio album. He also just wrapped up an appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where he dressed up like Tupac Shakur and performed some of the late rapper’s music. Check out the clip of the interview above.
Bruno Mars is carrying momentum from 2016 well into this year with his single “That’s What I Like” landing back at the #1 spot for the second week in a row for the Digital Genre R&B/Hip-Hop sales chart ending March 30, 2017.
TDE’s Kendrick Lamar made an epic statement with the hyped release of his loosie “The Heart Part 4,” which debuted at # 2, while The Weeknd continues to hold strong at third.
Bruno Mars Lands Back At #1
The enduring star power of Bruno Mars has morphed into a series of top-charting wins for the Hawaiian crooner. The pop-friendly “That’s What I Like” single sits at #1 for the second week in a row on the Single Sales chart. The song has been selling robustly for the past 19 weeks, with nearly 650,00 scanned in total.
The funky title track from Mars’ 24K Magic is just outside the top five sitting at #6 and also has been on the charts the past 19 weeks.
Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 4” Roars In At #2
K-Dot put the industry on notice with the blistering teaser, which many felt served as a prelude to an album many thought to be delivered on April 7. The varying moments in “The Heart Part 4” cover a lot of ground and some rumored sneak-dissing but mainly it shows just how potent the Compton rapper is as a top-tier lyricist. The single scanned 55,100 in its debut.
The Weeknd Moves Down 1 Spot, Kyle Falls 1
The Weekend’s Daft Punk-assisted “I Feel It Coming” is also in its 19th week and scanned 43,075 for the week, this after rocking the #2 spot last week. The drop down in rank pushed Kyle’s “iSpy” out of the top three to #4, but the Lil Yachty pairing still shows some staying power with 31,681 scanned.
The Top 10 R&B/Hip Hop Single Sales For Week Ending 03/30/2017
#1. Bruno Mars – “That’s What I Like” – 79,133 (649,510)
#2. Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 4” — (55,100) (debut)
#3 The Weeknd f. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming” – 43,075 (603,201)
#4. Kyle – “iSpy” f. Lil Yachty – 31,681 (385,753)
#5. Future — “Mask Off” — 28,916 (135,391)
#6. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” – 26,446 (1,351,817)
#7. Drake — “Passionfruit” — 24,901 (51.717)
#8. Rihanna – “Love On The Brain” – 23, 639 (820,241)
#9. Kodak Black — “Tunnel Vision” — 20,024 (131,188)
#10. David Guetta — “Light My Body Up” ft. Nicki Minaj — 19,988 (23,048)
HipHopDX – This week in Hip Hop, Kendrick Lamar announced the release date of his forthcoming album. Also, drama ensues around reports saying Suge Knight revealed who really killed the late Tupac Shakur and rumor has it that Eminem just might be releasing new music.
Kendrick Lamar Album Gets Official Release Date
Kendrick Lamar had the whole world thinking that he was dropping his next project April 7 after his ending line on “The Heart Part IV” basically put Hip Hop on notice. He told his colleagues they have until that date to have their shit together.
Yeah, it ended up just being a release date for his new album. The pre-order option is available on iTunes. Though it’s not clear what the name of his fourth studio album will be. “Humble.” is the only song listed in iTunes under what’s been titled “ALBUM” and pitch black album cover.
Details for Lamar’s album include a rumored tracklist with featured work from producers Mike WiLL Made-It, The Alchemist, 9th Wonder and Teddy Walton, among others. U2 and Canadian group BADBADNOTGOOD are listed on the official credits.
Needless to say, Twitter wasn’t very pleased with the news that they’ll have to wait a whole week for some new Dot.
Read more here.
Suge Knight Says He Knows Who Killed Tupac
Reports said Suge Knight partially blamed his ex-wife, Sharitha Golden, of being the reason Tupac isn’t here with us today.
Knight allegedly revealed that he was the true target on that fateful night, twisted in a plot to take him out so Golden and his then bodyguard, Reggie Wright Jr., could run Death Row Records together. The story was quickly shot down by the mogul’s lawyer, who said the story was “fake news” and he did not help Knight pen the alleged affidavit.
Golden has gone on record denying the theory and is considering legal action while Suge Knight Jr. chimed in on Instagram to let it be known that his father would never knowingly put ‘Pac in danger.
Read more here.
Eminem & Paul Rosenburg Tease Fans With The Idea Of New Music
April 9 is seemingly the date scribed on the palm of Eminem’s hand when he was photographed with Peter Rosenburg at a 7-Eleven convenience store this week.
It's been a long time… #7elevenseries
A post shared by Paul Rosenberg (@rosenberg) on
Fans are hoping Em will be dropping a new album on that date. But then again it’s Slim Shady, so you never know what he has under his sleeve. What we do know is, Tech N9ne is hoping to get a record with Billy Joel and Em soon.
Read more here.
DXclusives: Too $hort, The Cool Kids, Suga Free & Sho Baraka
On Monday (April 3), Ruthless Records affiliated producer/keyboardist L.A. Dre passed away. His good friend, Too Short, shared exclusively with DX what his last moments were like.
“[L.A. Dre’s wife] said that he got off the phone, and that he was in a really, really, really good mood,” Short explained. “He spent some time with his wife and right before he passed, she said that he told her to lean over and he was rubbing on her face. He kept saying, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you,’ then he told her to kiss him and as soon as she kissed him, he grabbed his chest and took his last breath. I never heard of anyone dying like that and I think it was just the greatest thing.”
Editor-at-Large Shirley Ju somehow found The Cool Kids among the hustle and bustle of SXSW and was able to secure an interview where Chuck Inglish candidly gave his opinion on why people love Frank Ocean and Chance the Rapper so much.
“Because it’s the most authentic,” he said. “Frank don’t take a lyric off. Same thing with Chance. Everything is from the heart and completely from their own thought process. People want to hear what your world sounds like, not what you’re trying to make for them. No fans wants to hear music made for them. They want to hear the music you made for yourself, so we can tune in. It’s like going to a different channel.”
Los Angeles legend Suga Free had a show at Los Globos March 31 and DX was lucky enough to snag an interview with the iconic rapper. He spoke candidly with Associate Producer Ural Garrett about everything including why he left the pimp world for music.
“I’d be a fool not to believe that my name is at the top of some big pimp organization or whatever,” Suga Free explained. “So, I stopped and I got scared when I stopped. My pimp friends like Pimpin Young — I said I felt funny man. I’m going to tell you exactly how he told me. He said, ‘P we done talked about this but you the only nigga that can stop pimping and still pay their bills cuz.’”
Sho Baraka is bringing his album The Narrative to life on Sunday (April 9) in Los Angeles. His show production will be a new experience as far as concerts go.
“I’m trying to progress to a point where I do something that not many Hip Hop artists have done, which is kinda doing like a stage play,” he shared with Senior News Writer Victoria Hernandez. “Not necessarily on the level of Hamilton, but something more — I guess you could say ‘progressive’ — than just a concert, but less than a full-fledged Broadway production. I wanna do something that is somewhere in the middle that respects the art of Hip Hop as well as respects the art of theater, but does something that marries the two worlds in a way that still has an element of a concert while at the same time displays my talent as a communicator, as a storyteller and actor. This is the show that I’m trying to use to get to that point, so it’s gonna be fun.”
New York, NY – Battle rap is bracing itself for the seventh annual installment in the Ultimate Rap League’s Night Of Main Events, going down Saturday (April 8).
This year, demand for tickets has been so high that the league has broken with tradition and decided that the event will be available to stream on pay-per-view, having sold out New York’s 1,000 person-capacity Irving Plaza several weeks in advance.
Why is NOME 7 generating such hype this year? Let’s a take a look at the card and find out.
T-REX vs K-SHINE
The main event of main events, literally. As far as history in battle rap, these two contenders have more than most other possible pairings. T-Rex and K-Shine were Dot Mobb partners for roughly a decade, backing each other up both inside and outside of the ring.
But after some tension that ultimately led to Shine’s departure from the crew, the two will settle their differences on the stage. T-Rex’s reputation as a legend and a vet stretches back further than Shine’s, but in recent years Shine has held his own with the heavyweights as T-Rex has lost the previous consistency that had people putting him in the GOAT category.
Who will have the upper-hand on Saturday remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: this match-up has the right ingredients for a classic.
TAY ROC vs CHESS
From his early battles with Shotgun Suge and K-Shine, to his rematch against Charlie Clips, to his role in the legendary 2-on-2 performance with Tsu Surf vs NWX, Tay Roc has carved out a reputation for himself in the battle game that any newcomer would envy. The Baltimore vet goes against the Bronx on Saturday as he takes on Chess, whose string of aggressive performances (the most recent against Ave) proves that he’s capable of rocking the big stage.
Those who’ve been paying attention to the battle game might still think of the teenaged MC as an upstart, but the fact is that his resumé is already stacked and only getting more impressive with each opponent. Tay Roc will be his biggest test yet, and whichever man wins will have added a huge victory to boast about.
GOODZ vs T-TOP
With NOME 7, URL has put together a card where not a single battle is easy to call. Goodz vs T-Top is no different. Goodz has always been somewhat under-appreciated in the game — the kind of rapper who can deliver solid performances against the likes of Hollow Da Don and Aye Verb and whose swagger both on stage and off is unmatchable. That said, a lot has changed with URL and its fans since his last performance for the league in June 2014.
Despite coming out of their Funk Flex faceoff looking like the more capable MC, that’s no guarantee Goodz will get the better of North Carolina’s T-Top in their battle. For a dude who was considered Rookie of the Year in 2014, T-Top has become a fearsome prospect, developing a well-rounded style and looking strong against top competition.
This time it’s the vet who’ll need to bring his best to make sure he can keep pace with a rapper who has shirked off the “rookie” tag at an unprecedented pace.
AVE vs SHOTGUN SUGE
#NOME7™ | SOLD OUT | Sponsored By: @caponecigarillo + @yakman302 | REX X SHINE | ROC X CHESS | GOODZ X TTOP | SUGE X AVE | BRIZZ X WILL | 04.08.17 | Irving Plaza | 17 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003 | Log.On URLTV.TV/NOME7 | #youcantcopyrespect™
A post shared by SMACK/URLTV.TV (@urltv) on
Many in the scene regard Ave as the next big thing — so it makes sense that you’d put the golden boy of the URL against one of the league’s best-known bullies. Shotgun Suge is most famous for his aggression and huge presence (literally and figuratively), and there’ll be no shortage of tension on stage when he goes against Ave.
Ave’s last few battles have already generated huge hype and, unlike most big names, he hasn’t taken any battles on smaller leagues since coming to the URL stage. This means that you’re guaranteed an A-Game performance every time from the Virginia rapper. This one is no David vs Goliath, this a titan vs a titan in the making.
BRIZZ RAWSTEEN vs ILL WILL
Fans are expecting a high-octane clash between Brizz Rawsteen and Ill Will, two rappers known for their combative, and occasionally humorous, style. The last time Brizz stepped onto the NOME stage was last year when he showed out against Arsonal and made himself look like Da Rebel 2.0.
There’s a lot on the line for Ill Will who was, arguably, seen as a more worrisome opponent three years ago when he won BET/URL’s Ultimate Freestyle Friday tournament and had a classic battle with Tay Roc. He took a long hiatus from the league but has since returned and will be looking to fulfill his former potential. Standing in front of Brizz Rawsteen for three rounds and walking away with the W would be a forceful step in the right direction.
JAY BLAC’S BREAKDOWN
Check out battle rap blogger Jay Blac’s video breakdown of the card for more info, or at least shake his hand.
Tickets are sold out, but you can get the live pay-per-view here. Check BattleRap.com for live updates too.
Los Angeles, CA – Though the birthday of Suga Free’s classic debut album Street Gospel doesn’t hit until next month, Sean Healy, The Hundreds and White Label Radio held a show at Los Globos celebrating its upcoming 20th Anniversary over the weekend.
Titled “20 Years of Pimpin,” the sold out event featured Pomona’s greatest procurer perform fan favorites including “I Rather Give You My Bitch,” “Why You Bullshitin’?” and of course “If You Stay Ready.”
Following the hour set, Suga Free sat down for an interview with HipHopDX Associate Producer Ural Garrett where he talked about everything from leaving the pimping world to become an artist and his relationship with Snoop Dogg to the status of Street Gospel 2.
Following our time with one of West Coast Hip Hop’s greatest former pimp-turned-rapper, here are seven takeaways from our interview.
Human Trafficking Laws Changed The Pimp Game
“These muthafuckas done switched the laws to human trafficking. Imagine what that sounds like to a bunch of white people. Human trafficking darling. Right? It sounds like you got a bunch of bitches crammed up in a van. My dick getting hard talking about this. It sounds so immoral and sounds just so bad when this is done by choice and not by force period in the first place. Ain’t nobody making these bitches do this shit. I got a saying which is a bitch will pay a light pole meaning she just want somebody with her.”
Leaving Pimping Behind For Music
“I’d be a fool not to believe that my name is at the top of some big pimp organization or whatever. So, I stopped and I got scared when I stopped. My pimp friends like Pimpin Young — I said I felt funny man. I’m going to tell you exactly how he told me. He said, ‘P we done talked about this but you the only nigga that can stop pimping and still pay their bills cuz.'”
The Story Behind “Street Gospel” Cover
“I remember like it was yesterday. That’s them hush puppies. How old are you? 30? You ever had some pussy so good you cried in it? I can talk to you. That was smooth and when we were taking the picture, I remember the owner of the hotel, he didn’t think we was there for what we were there for. He was looking and peeking. I looked at the little sign and it was written on the window in marker no loitering here. I’m like pussy will sell on the moon. I bet when his regulars come around and he get that dicked sucked unless it’s your favorite bitch. Let me tell you something man. Pimping is going to go on and it’s going to go on and go on.”
People Love Porn More Than Amazon?
“Porn is downloaded more than Amazon. Here we have Hugh Hefner and Larry Flynt. These dudes been rivals since they were kids. The porn or sex industry is a $3 billion dollar a year business now. You understand what I’m saying to you? That means that pussy sells more than cocaine.”
He Will Not Do “Street Gospel 2” Without DJ Quik
“[Quik] would have to produce it. I can play some shit for you that you would have think you heard Street Gospel 2. Yeah, real talk man. Right now, you know we’re putting together Planet Capricorn and I’m working on The Resurrection, my record featuring Tiptoe and Drezel. You know Pomona dirt. Them niggas wicked on the mic. We’re calling ourselves the bus clinic because you know I got this saying that I’m so tight with my spitting right now. I know nobody out there is working harder than me.”
What The Women In His Family Thought About His Music
“’Fuck you bitch’ is a universal language of men. If you’re French it’s [faux French]. Y’all muthafuckas know I’m a beast. I’m tired of having to water down what the fuck I want to say and that’s what I’m doing right now. Y’all going to think I’m a fucking monster ’cause boy. It was in my face. Quik was playing the tracks and I was like God damn. I didn’t have much time. I didn’t have time to think about nothing. We were in line waiting for this for years. I thought about my mother, sister, aunts and grandmother and everybody. I got beautiful women in my family. I didn’t give a fuck about what they thought about what I was saying about some women. Yeah, I think it’s pretty fucked up that you can just snatch a fucking baby and then go get married and then end up with three more kids. Then a muthafucka divorce yo ass, but then you come to my shows. Bitch you want to come talk business to me at my job? You know how many times I had to get security to get that bitch? Now maybe I was wrong for that because I missed my son, but underneath all of it, I don’t give a fuck. I don’t give a fuck and that’s why Suga Free is still here cause niggas can pop my tape in their car because they’re scared of that bitch.”
Suga Free & Snoop Dogg’s Relationship Goes Way Back
“We go far back. Dogg know when I’m getting ready to leave the room. Snoop is smart. If you’re an MC and you out here rapping, you better watch him. You see I get off stage drenched in sweat. If I’m not sweating like this, I feel like I haven’t done my job. Snoop look just as cool and calm getting on stage as he does getting off. We were in North Carolina one day and I was off stage breathing hard. I looked at him and said you always calm when you get out stage and he just laughed. Then all the girls started rushing him. I was like damn, the Lord didn’t make two people the same. It’s crazy. I think my nigga is one of the tightest niggas to ever touch the microphone, but Too Short is my favorite rapper. If this nigga was a blanket, he’d be a velour. I’m just a sleeping bag.”
Minnesota, MN – Indie rap legend Tech N9ne and his longtime collaborator Krizz Kaliko recently stopped by Minnesota’s Go 95.3 and not only shared the story of working with Eminem on “Speedom” for his critically acclaimed fifth studio album Special Effects, but also provided some insight into the unlikely inspiration for his upcoming album, Planet.
It was when discussing the structure of Kendrick Lamar‘s monster new single “Humble” that Tech began to explain the primary catalyst for his upcoming album — Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” His grand vision of Planet is a seamless listen — not unlike Billy’s timeless classic — that never stops, but instead changes. “It will take you on a ride, where you never have to fast forward,” he explained.
Later in the interview he described how the situation with Sir Elton John presented an opportunity to bring his plans to fruition. “When Elton John said my name while looking for a record of mine in Vancouver, I thought about how him and Billy Joel toured together a lot. I thought, maybe Elton John can hook me up with Billy Joel!”
Tech also revealed he had big plans for a potential feature. “I really need to talk to him [Billy Joel] because I have a big plan for me and Eminem on this record,” said Tech before quickly clarifying that he hadn’t actually told anyone about it yet.
Tech N9ne, Eminem, Elton John and Billy Joel together on one record would be a thing to behold, but if Thundercat can recruit Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, then anything is possible. While it’s all up in the air, Tech says a collaboration with Sir Elton John might be a possibility. As he told HipHopDX last month “My lawyer out there in L.A. knows his manager, so we’ve connected already. We just haven’t gotten on the phone yet. I can’t wait.”
When Donald Trump won a shock victory over Hillary Clinton to become president last November, not everybody took the news well.
Danger Mouse, the non-CeeLo half of Gnarls Barkley, revealed that election night depressed him so much that it actually stalled the duo’s plan to link up and discuss a reunion.
Speaking to Zane Lowe about the possibility of both men creating new music together for the first time since 2008’s sophomore effort The Odd Couple, Danger Mouse made it clear that more music is always a possibility.
“I’ll say this: CeeLo and I have always been in touch and we’ve always remained friends and still do and always have a creative desire. That was a part of our lives that never really felt over and never really felt finished and he and I still do discuss it a lot. So that means there’s never not been a potential in my head, so it’s definitely a possibility.”
But he went on to reveal that the last time the two men made plans together, the political shock of the century is what kept the meeting from happening.
“The last time we saw each other was the day before the election in Los Angeles. And we were supposed to meet the next day and I was like, “This thing will be over with by 7:00 West Coast time. I’ll see you around 8 or 9 or something.” I was drinking heavily on a couch by myself staring at the TV at that time. I don’t even know where he was.”
Danger Mouse then tried to put a positive spin on election night, saying that Gnarls Barkley’s music is “very personal … discussions about us, about life and where we were,” going as far as to say that November’s election results might turn out to have “started [the beginning of a Gnarls Barkley record].”
Meanwhile, CeeLo has been busy with a new alter ego — the golden-clad Gnarly Davidson.
On Friday (March 31), New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Twitter that his administration is taking steps to close the infamous Rikers Island prison facility. De Blasio drew praise for his actions from Jay Z and John Legend, keeping in line with a growing sentiment against mass incarceration.
Mayor de Blasio is working in conjunction with Speaker of the City Council Melissa Mark-Viverito in closing Rikers, which will happen over time according to a media announcement.
Jay Z published a rare tweet in support of the move, referencing Kalief Browder, the troubled young man who was imprisoned in Rikers. Browder spent three years on the island and took his own life once he was released. Browder was the subject of the Time: The Kalief Browder Story documentary with Jay Z serving as a co-executive producer.
Kalief is a prophet. His story will save lives . You guys watching and your compassion made this happen. Thank you . pic.twitter.com/Vvnt9tDBeR
— Mr. Carter (@S_C_) March 31, 2017
John Legend followed with a pair of tweets and has long been a vocal critic of prison overpopulation.
“Thanks to @NYCMayor, @NYCCouncil, Judge Lippman, @CloseRikers & @glennEmartin for your commitment to end #massincarceration,” Legend wrote in the tweets. “In closing Rikers, New York City takes a crucial step towards ending #massincarceration. Now the hard work begins.”
Others that have spent time behind bars at Rikers Island include Tupac and Bobby Shmurda.
The tweets from Mayor Bill de Blasio and John Legend can be viewed below.
Rikers Island is an expression of a national problem. The mass incarceration era did not begin in New York City but it’s going to end here.
— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 31, 2017
Thanks to @NYCMayor, @NYCCouncil, Judge Lippman, @CloseRikers & @glennEmartin for your commitment to end #massincarceration. https://t.co/13T4aFlaVR
— John Legend (@johnlegend) March 31, 2017
In closing Rikers, New York City takes a crucial step towards ending #massincarceration. Now the hard work begins.
