celebrity news
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Source: Give Lyrics / Give Lyrics
Give Lyrics, a trailblazer in merging fashion with music culture and lyrics, has created three commemorative varsity, coach, and bomber jackets in celebration of what would have been the 50th Birth Anniversary of legendary producer James “J. Dilla” Yancey.
Source: Give Lyrics / Give Lyrics
The exclusive outerwear embodies Dilla’s groundbreaking musical legacy and timeless influence on music and Hip-Hop culture.
“We are honored to unveil the Dilla World – J Dilla Limited Edition 50th Birthday Commemorative Jackets, a tribute to one of the most influential producers in hip-hop history,” said Give Lyric’s Founder, April Woodard, in a statement. “J Dilla’s impact on music and culture is immeasurable, and this jacket serves as a celebration of his enduring legacy and artistic brilliance.”
The Give Lyrics x Dilla World – J Dilla Limited Edition 50th Birthday Commemorative Jackets will be available in extremely limited quantities, making it a must-have for collectors, fans, and aficionados of Hip-Hop culture. Design elements include a purple donut associated with lupus awareness, street signs of the neighborhood where J Dilla produced iconic hit records, the lyric “Turn It Up” and James Yancey Foundation crest also the iconic MPC 3000.
A percentage of sales will support The James Yancey Foundation.
Crafted from premium materials and accents, the flagship offering–the bomber jacket exudes luxury and authenticity. Fulfilled and crafted by fellow emcee Arkmallah “Ockz” Hilliard owner and operator of Embroidery Chef.
Give Lyrics works to harmonize social giving with artistic expression, creating a world where every purchase resonates with purpose. They strive to empower individuals to make a difference by providing a platform where meaningful merchandise meets impactful causes.
They share royalties with music artist and support social causes near and dear to their hearts, while providing fans with apparel and accessories that spark conversations moving the culture forward.
To purchase Give Lyrics x Dilla World – J Dilla Limited Edition Jackets and to reserve your piece of Hip-Hop history, visit http://www.givelyrics.com.
Source: Give Lyrics / Give Lyrics
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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Music management mogul Deb Antney is looking for the next queen of rap with a new reality competition series. ‘Deb’s House’ will feature eight up-and-coming female artists who move into a shared house to compete to become Antney’s next “rap protégé,” according to a report from Deadline.
The series will air on ALLBLK, which is part of the AMC Network. The announcement was made this week at the Television Critics Association panel.
“I envisioned a competition show that deviates from the norm—one centered around personal growth and self-competition,” Antney said in a statement. “Collaborating with (co-creator and co-EP) Rasheed to bring this vision to life has been an incredible journey. Witnessing the music industry veer away from artist development towards a focus on superficiality and explicit content prompted my desire to return to the core values of true lyricism and mentorship.”
She added, “The search for the next female rap sensation in Deb’s House is my way of reigniting that passion. The selection of our show as ALLBLK’s first commissioned competition reality series is truly thrilling. My sincere appreciation goes to my AMC Networks family, particularly Brett Dismuke, for their steadfast belief in this transformative project.”
This isn’t Antney’s first time on reality tv. She and her son, Waka Flocka Flame appeared on two WETv series, Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta, Waka & Tammy.
Antney has managed several iconic rap stars including Gucci Mane, French Montana and Nicki Minaj.
Brett Dismuke, head of content for ALLBLK and WETv said in a statement that “Ms. Deb is a pioneer and influential voice across the music industry who has discovered, established, and guided the careers of some of hip-hop’s most prolific and successful artists.”
He added, “We cannot wait for our ALLBLK audience to join the search and ultimately see who Ms. Deb crowns as the next iconic female MC.”
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Source: handout / Warner Music Group
On Friday, (Feb. 2) Megan Thee Stallion and Warner Music Group announced that the Houston rap star entered a historic deal that will allow her to maintain her independence as a musician while also having access to the music company’s robust global services, ranging from radio promotion to worldwide marketing.
“This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter of my life and career,” Megan said, according to a press release. “I’m really focused on building an empire and growing as an entrepreneur, so I’m proud to take this next step in my journey and work with Max Lousada and the entire Warner Music Group team in this new capacity. I know we’re going to create history together.”
In the agreement, Meg will release music through Hot Girl Productions – her independent music and entertainment entity – and simultaneously work with Warner Music and its international affiliates.
She will also retain full creative control of her music releases along with the option to bring artists who are signed to her imprint into the WMG ecosystem.
“Meg is not just a superstar,” WMG Recorded Music CEO Max Lousada said in the release. “She’s an artistic force and a mogul in the making – authentic and unapologetic in defining her own unique place in the cultural landscape. So many relate to her remarkable story and have witnessed her come into her power on her own terms. At Warner, we’re creating an environment where original talents can explore both their creativity and entrepreneurialism, while building long-term careers. Following on her success with 300, we’re excited to continue our journey with Meg through this dynamic new partnership, with our global teams, infrastructure, and expertise supporting her every step of the way.”
The announcement was also celebrated by Meg’s management company, Roc Nation. The company’s CEO Desiree Perez wrote, “Megan continues to be an absolute trailblazer,” she added. “This new chapter with Warner Music Group will shift the landscape in the music industry and empower other independent artists to follow in her footsteps and claim their power. It’s also a testament to Max’s ability to reimagine the relationships that major music companies can engage in with independent artists.”
The deal comes after the superstar was recently appointed a brand ambassador for Planet Fitness starring in an ad and releasing a line of merch.
The superstar rapper is also at the top of the charts with her single “HISS,” which has already reached No. 1 on Apple Music’s Global charts, Spotify’s U.S. charts, iTunes and YouTube Trending within the past week of its release.
Megan stopped by Good Morning America last week and announced that she will soon release a new album and that she has a Hot Girl Summer tour on the way.
“Oh, we’re having the tour this year. The Hot Girl Sumer tour is going to be 2024, summertime,” the Houston rapper said during her GMA appearance. “I feel like I’ve never been able to be outside doing my own thing during the summer, since like 2019. So this is going to be the first time that I drop an album on time for the summer. I do want to give the hotties the Megan Thee Stallion experience.”
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Source: @mr.officials.llc / Instagram
Fans of the late rapper Takeoff were stunned after seeing the MC come to life in an impressive wax figure.
During an interview with Cleveland’s Z107.9, Mr. Officials revealed the project took seven months to complete and the cost of the immaculate project, was upwards of $100,000. The sculptor said despite his urge to re-invest his money into his personal needs, he leaned into God’s voice.
Mr.Officials.LLC shared the heartfelt story behind the work of art and why it also signified “new beginnings.”
“I haven’t posted in a while and here’s why,” the narration of the Takeoff video begins. “I’m grieving and I’m mourning and I didn’t even know it. Some of you may or may not notice that I’m closing my business after three years. I’m losing my car, it’s on its last wheel. I’m driving a 14-year-old car and I soon won’t have that. I’ll be homeless if all goes well. Now before you begin to feel sorry for me, I’m okay. My gift will make room for me because it always has, and even with all my losses I still believe that this is my year.”
“I’ve heard God say over and over, ‘Finish what you started,’” the narration continued. “So I thought well maybe I could finish some sculptures. I could finish working on some projects that I started on, but it’s way too expensive and like I said, I need a new car. He kept saying to me, ‘This is not about you. Your gift is to inspire. Finish what you started.’ So, as I continued to finish working on projects, I began to grieve and mourn the individuals that I was working on. Crying while creating, this young man I’ve been working on is deceased, and yet I still feel a sense to pray for him.
The behind-the-scenes video concluded with the lesson Mr. Officials felt was behind it all, the push to keep going.
“Praying for his soul, praying for his family, friends, and band members. That’s when it hit me. This will be the year that I take off. God was using me in the life and legacy of the late rapper Takeoff to let me know that he has not forgotten about me. And what’s funny is this isn’t even my prayer. My prayer is not to have a new house, or a new car or a new business. My prayer is for this to be your year of Takeoff. Your job will go to another level. Your marriage will go to another level. Even your finances and health will increase. I believe that this will be the year to Takeoff,” the narration concluded.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Officials has gone viral, in 2022 he set the internet ablaze for creating a life-size wax figure for the late Nipsey Hussle that took him nine months to finish.
The wax figure comes over a year after the artist was tragically gunned down in downtown Houston. Takeoff, born Kirsnick Khari Ball, was tragically shot and killed during an altercation in Houston in 2022. He was 28 years old. Patrick Clark was arrested and charged with the shooting last year but was released from jail on a $1 million bond.
Check out the full interview below.
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Source: Allen Berezovsky / Getty
The rumors have been swirling around for months, but this week Common and Jennifer Hudson confirmed that they are dating.
The rapper is set to appear on The Jennifer Hudson Show today (Jan. 22).
In a teaser preview, Hudson, 42, introduces the Chicago rapper with a rap freestyle saying, “Now y’all know I’m a singer, but I’ve been around this hip-hop thing a little bit.” When he emerges, Common, 51, presents her with a large floral bouquet.
“Now, we gotta get down to business, Mr. Common. I’m a host and so I have to ask you this question ’cause everybody always wanna know this — are you dating anyone?” Hudson asks in the clip.
“I’m in a relationship that is with one of the most beautiful people I ever met in life,” he said coyly. “She’s smart, she loves God, she has something real down-to-earth about her, she’s talented.”
“But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT,” he continued. “She had to win an Oscar on her first movie. I set my stand high. She had to get her own talk show.”
In the clip, Hudson blushes at his response.
They then reverse the performance with him asking her if she is seeing anyone and she responds that she is “very happy” in her current relationship.
Common adds, “This relationship is a happy place for me,” he shared. “Seeing her happy actually makes me really happy. So, I’m very grateful. I thank God each and every day, and I’m just letting God guide this relationship.”
The couple are both Chicago natives and rumors have been swirling that they were dating for nearly a year after they were seen out and about together in both Philadelphia and their hometown.
In November, Hudson sat down for an interview with Gayle King where she also confirmed that she was “very happy.”
“Word on the street is you’re very happy,” co-host Gayle King asked, according to BET. “I am very happy, yes ma’am,” the singer replied, though she stopped short of name-dropping who the person is.
“In a very nice relationship with someone who shall remain nameless,” King added.
It looks like that special “someone” is no longer nameless.
Check out the full clip below.
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The childhood home of one of music’s most iconic stars went up in flames in the early morning hours of Christmas Day. According to a report from ABC13, the former home of Beyoncé, located in the 2400 block of Rosedale Street in Houston’s Third Ward, caught fire around 2 AM local time.
The fire reportedly ripped through the second story of the home where the family that lives there now was still dressed in festive holiday pajamas. According to accounts from those on the scene, no one was hurt in the fire which was reportedly under control within moments of the arrival of Houston’s Fire Department.
“They did a great job. I’m going to say in less than 10 minutes, we had a really good grip on this fire,” District Chief Justin Barnes said.
HFD is still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
The Knowles family has long since moved out of the home, but fans still consider it an iconic landmark.
While Beyoncé no longer lives in Houston, she and her family regularly host charitable events in the city. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global superstar and her mother, Tina Knowles, helped set up mobile testing sites in her hometown, according to CNN.
Beyoncé has offered no comment about the fire at this time.
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Photo: Getty
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Academy Award-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson is opening up about the struggles of being a Black actor.
The star became visibly emotional as she shared that she has considered quitting acting after regularly being underpaid.
In an interview with Gayle King on SiriusXM, and The Color Purple co-star Danielle Brooks and the film’s director, Blitz Bazawule, Henson addressed a report that she thought about ending her illustrious career as she struggled financially despite her fame.
“I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, being paid a fraction of the cost,” Henson said, according to The Huffington Post. “I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired.”
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The actor became visibly emotional as she detailed the financial expense of managing her career.
“I hear people go, ‘You work a lot.’ I have to. The math ain’t mathing,” she said. “Big bills come with what we do. We don’t do this alone. The fact that we’re up here, there’s a whole entire team behind us. They have to get paid.”
According to Complex, Henson shared in another recent interview that she replaced her entire team after they failed to capitalize on the success of her role as Cookie Lyon on Empire.
In response to being asked what her best decision was as an actor, Henson replied, “Firing everybody after Cookie. Everybody had to fucking go. Where is my deal? Where is my commercial? Cookie was top of the fashion game. Where is my endorsement? What did you have set up for after this?”
Despite Oscar nominations and critical acclaim, Henson notes that she feels underpaid compared to her white counterparts.
“It seems every time I do something and I break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate, I’m at the bottom again, like I never did what I just did,” she told King. “And I’m just tired. It wears on you, you know?”
This Christmas, Henson will star alongside Brooks, Fantasia Barrino and an all-star Black cast in the reimagining of the beloved film, The Color Purple. Henson plays the iconic Shug Avery in the Oprah Winfrey-backed release.
Henson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button where she starred alongside Brad Pitt. She has previously said that despite asking for “half a million” in pay for the role, she was ultimately paid only $150,000. The film went on to earn $127.5 million domestically and $208.3 million in foreign markets, with a total gross of $335.8 million, according to IMDB.
“Listen, I’ve been doing this for two decades and sometimes I get tired of fighting because I know what I do is bigger than me. I know that the legacy I leave will affect somebody coming up behind me,” Henson recently told The Hollywood Reporter. She added that she is advocating for other Black actors. “My prayer is that I don’t want these Black girls to have the same fights that me and Viola [Davis], Octavia [Spencer], we out here thugging it out.”
Henson received support from Gabrielle Union who wrote on X (former Twitter) “Not a damn lie told. Not. A. Damn. Lie. We go TO BAT for the next generation and hell even our own generation and above.”
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The Detroit music community is mourning the passing of funk legend Joseph “Amp” Fiddler who has passed away at the age of 65.
According to a post on his official Instagram, the beloved performer died after “an extensive and noble battle with cancer.”
The influential producer and musician is credited as being an instrumental force in the development of the career of James “J. Dilla” Yancey. It was Fiddler who taught Dilla how to use the Akai MPC sampling machine when the two lived as neighbors in the historic Conant Gardens neighborhood in Detroit.
A trained pianist, Fiddler played keys for George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic from 1985 to 1996. A post on the Funkateer’s official Facebook page salutes Fiddler, “Rest in eternal musical excellence Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Joseph Anthony “Amp” Fiddler (May 17th, 1958-December 17th, 2023). Fly on Amp! We love you dearly!”
On his own, Fiddler worked with Moodymann, Jamiroquai, and Prince, among others. His keyboard playing also appears on Seal’s 1994 hit “Kiss from a Rose.” In 1990 he released his first solo album With Respect under the alias Mr. Fiddler, followed by 2004’s Waltz of a Ghetto Fly and most recently 2017’s Amp Dog Knights, according to Detroit Metro Times.
Messages of love and condolences have been pouring in from across the world of Hip-Hop. Roots drummer, Questlove wrote on Instagram, “Rest easy brother Amp. For all those talks during the Pfunk tour. For all the music. Especially of course mentoring the one who mentored us (Dilla)——thank you brother 🙏🏾 #AmpFiddler”
Dan Charnas, author of the book Dilla Time, shared a message and an excerpt from his book where he explored how Dilla and Amp met.. “Some people give and ask for things in return, keep score, make sure they get theirs. Some people don’t. The latter group are quite rare. Joseph Anthony Fiddler was a true mentor. He transformed countless lives with his generosity. Thank you, Amp, for transforming mine. Thinking of all his people people today.”
Detroit Hip-Hop artists are deeply morning with many sharing memories of the legendary artist.
Messages of love and respect also poured in from X (formerly Twitter).
Details about the official celebration of Amp Fiddler’s life have not been disclosed. A GoFundMe is actively seeking funds to cover his funeral expenses.
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Source: Variety / Getty
Tiffany Haddish has officially been charged with DUI after she was arrested in Beverly Hills last month following calls to the police about a running car stopped in the middle of Beverly Drive with the driver, who turned out to be Haddish, slumped over behind the steering wheel.
According to TMZ, the Girls Trip actress’ case was under review by the L.A. District Attorney’s Office and it was determined that she was driving with a .08% BAC.
Because this is actually the second time within the last couple of years that she has caught a DUI charge after falling asleep behind the wheel (pretty much the same thing happened to her in Georgia in January 2022), a lot of people were beginning to worry about the She Ready comedian’s wellbeing. So, it came as somewhat of a comfort when she opened up about the arrest during an interview with Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier saying she was in good spirits but also acknowledging that she needed to get herself together.
“I’m going to get some help so I can learn balance and boundaries,” she said.
Still, Haddish’s DUI arrests could yield serious consequences for the 43-year-old. Prosecutors in the Peach State are even pushing for stricter bond conditions.
From TMZ:
In fact, in light of her Cali arrest, Georgia prosecutors are pushing for stricter restrictions on her — wanting to modify the bondconditions from her open DUI case there to restrict her from using booze and drugs completely.
BTW … if Tiffany is convicted of both offenses, both California and Georgia have laws that require jail time for a second offense — in CA, the minimum is 4 days, in GA it’s 3 days.
A few days in jail obviously wouldn’t be the end of Haddish’s world, but the situation is still very unfortunate. What is fortunate is that Haddish hadn’t caused any accidents or injuries to others while driving under the influence.
Driving drunk is dangerous, y’all. We hope Tiffany Haddish receives the help she needs.
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It seems that Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie is living up to his Madd Rapper alter ego with claims that his catalog is better than that of the late, great James “J. Dilla” Yancey.
“I love J Dilla to death, but he can’t see my catalog,” Angelettie said on Math Hoffa’s podcast. My Expert Opinion, as reported by HipHopDX.
D-Dot was a member of The Hitmen—the in-house Bad Boy production team and he crafted hits like“Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G, along with Diddy‘s “It’s All About the Benjamins” and JAY-Z‘s “Where I’m From.”
The producer sounded like one of his old skits when he added, “Put their shit up against mine. My shit is all over the place. Shit I made 27 years ago.”
Dilla fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to sound off about D-Dot’s claims to have a better catalog than the late Detroit legend who produced songs for A Tribe Called Quest, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, and his own group Slum Village.
Another commenter pointed out a misconception that Dilla was only a “backpack” producer, adding, “The best gag I think is to call Dilla “conscious rap” or lofi because the nigga rapped solely about cars, cash, hoes, beats. Slum also. Nigga shit purely. Despite making soulful, soothing joints, the drums told U what time it was.”
Another chimed in, “J Dilla has to be one of the most misunderstood artists ever. He’s constantly portrayed as this conscious backpacker with a rigid idea of what hip-hop is. In reality he was super experimental, loved bounce and funk and rapped about jewelry and Range Rovers.”
Dilla died on February 10, 2006. The producer was also a prolific rapper who emerged from Detroit’s hip-hop underground and quickly became a favorite among the hip-hop elite with his unique drum style.
His music has been celebrated by symphony orchestras, he has been honored with a street, Allée Jay Dee, named after him Montpellier, France and his MPC is in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
A book about his life and his musical stylings was recently published by hip-hop scholar and teacher, Dan Charnas called Dilla Time.
Peep more of D Dot getting schooled, and Dilla praise, in the gallery.