Detroit
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It seems Trick Trick and Rick Ross have moved past their differences. The two have officially squashed their beef in front of a concert crowd.
As spotted on HipHopDX the two Hip-Hop heavyweights no longer have issues with each other. On Tuesday, September 17 Death Row Records investor Michael “Harry O” Harris hosted the Our Community First Action concert in Pontiac, Michigan. Here the two rappers shared the stage and embraced. From there Rozay performed his sleeper hit “I’m Not A Star” to the crowd’s approval. Rick Ross then addressed everyone on the microphone. “I want to take time out and salute the ones really making a difference in the community,” he said as a nod to Harry O’s work in the city.
The following day Rick Ross took to social media to speak on the moment and confirming Harry O made it all happen. “You flying me out last night, you having Trick Trick bring me out on stage. I’m sure everybody knows me and Trick Trick had our differences for over a decade and here we are just moving forward, doing big things in the community. We got some more big things coming” he explained in the video.
In 2010 it seems that Trick Trick took issue with Ross over some comments he made. Rumor has it Trick Trick and almost 100 of his affiliates blocked him from performing in Detroit. Since then it has been alleged Trick put out a no fly zone out on Ross; a street term that infers that that MMG boss wouldn’t be safe in the town.
You can see them together on stage below.
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Eminem has been very clear about his devotion to Detroit and has always paid homage to the city where he began his career as a battle rapper. Now a seasoned veteran, Eminem enlisted the services of Detroit’s younger generation of artists Big Sean and BabyTron to join him on the track “Tobey” and also appeared in a video with (the former?) Slim Shady.
The track “Tobey” is the second single from the upcoming The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), the 12th studio project from Eminem that drops Friday (July 12). Produced by Em, Cole Bennett, Car!ton, Daniyel, Marvy Ayy, and John Nocito, “Tobey” opens with a verse from BabyTron who delivers a strong verse followed by the pyrotechnics of Big Sean before both yield the anchor verse to Eminem.
Check out the video below.
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As a Detroit native himself, Skilla Baby has his thoughts on the best rappers from the city. The musician joined the This Is Keke Palmer podcast as a guest recently, where he disagreed with the notion that Eminem is the best rapper from Detroit. “I don’t know because if you think number-wise Eminem is the […]
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Donald Trump, America’s top felon, is continuing his presidential campaign by employing some of the same smoke and mirror tactics to attract the Black vote. During a “Blacks For Trump” event in Detroit over the weekend, observers online couldn’t help but notice that there was a significantly high number of white folks in the crowd despite the aims of the rally.
Donald Trump made his way through two campaign events on Saturday (June 15) and from several accounts, one side showed support while the other side was less than enthusiastic.
According to Politico, Trump’s campaign stop at the Turning Point Action conference in downtown Detroit was filled with some of the former president’s loyal flock decked out in the finest of MAGA wear as expected. It was the kind of spectacle Trump relishes and positions him as a larger-than-life character ready to take on the so-called “radical left.”
On the other side of town at the 180 Church, it frankly didn’t appear to be that many Black folks there for Trump although the business mogul somehow managed to get Dr. Ben Carson out of his conservative coffin for a spell to speak to the crowd. From the outlet’s account and those seen online, Trump has a long way in winning over Black voters in the battleground state of Michigan and especially its urban centers.
Seeing through the okie-doke, a heckler at the church event asked Trump about his handling of the COVID-19 situation and also told the presidential hopeful to “drink some bleach” among other comments. Further, attendees didn’t clap for Trump’s anti-immigrant jab about stolen jobs by illegal aliens but did support an attack on “gender ideology.”
Earlier that day, Trump’s campaign team began pushing messaging out for a “Black Americans for Trump” initiative set to launch along with the Juneteenth holiday. The initiative boasted support from prominent Black figures from all walks of life, including beleaguered former Detroit Mayor and fellow felon Kwame Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick most likely did the solid as Trump commuted his sentence.
In response, the campaign team for President Joe Biden released a comment from Detroit Pastor James Perkins who aimed shots at Trump.
“Every time Trump opens his mouth to talk to Black folks, he demonizes us, insults us, and makes empty promises he’ll never keep,” Perkins said.
These efforts may have some effect but slim as Trump lost Wayne County to Biden in the last presidential election. The entire county leans towards the Democratic Party and polls suggest those results will be repeated.
On X, formerly Twitter, folks are reacting to Donald Trump and his struggle “Blacks For Trump” event. See those replies below.
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The highly anticipated reopening of Michigan Central Station is just around the corner, following a six-year restoration by Ford Motor Company, and Detroit‘s biggest stars are coming together for a once-in-a-lifetime concert to celebrate.
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The event, Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central, is executive produced by Eminem and Paul Rosenberg and will feature performances by Michigan natives Diana Ross, Big Sean, Illa J, Jack White, Kierra Sheard, Theo Parrish, Slum Village, the Clark Sisters, Sky Jetta and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. They will be joined by presenters Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders and players Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown, as well as Judge Greg Mathis, Loni Love, Sam Richardson and Taylor Lautner. Other performers include Common, Fantasia, Melissa Etheridge and Jelly Roll, along with presenters Mike Epps and Sophia Bush.
The Station first opened in 1913, as was one of the grandest and tallest train depots in the United States. However, The Station closed in 1988 as travel preferences and technology changed, and remained vacant until Ford’s acquisition of the property in 2018. Since then, the company has been working to restore The Station and retrofit it with modern technological infrastructure to support its next chapter.
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“We wanted to celebrate the reopening of Michigan Central Station in style and make it a night to remember for Detroiters and people watching around the world,” said Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford. “I am honored and grateful that so many of Detroit’s musical legends, sports heroes, artists and innovators are joining us to celebrate the city we all love and the bright future we are creating together.”
The sold out Live From Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central event will stream live exclusively on Peacock on June 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, NBC will air a one-hour primetime special on June 9 starting at 7 p.m. ET/PT. The concert will also stream locally on Local 4+ and ClickOnDetroit.com.
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Eminem burst onto the scene in the 1990s and employed his Slim Shady persona to allow the zanier parts of his brain to come forth. After teasing the so-called death of the character, Eminem published an obituary for Slim Shady in a Detroit newspaper in a leadup to a new album according to reports.
As spotted on Detroit Free Press, Eminem, 51, shared the fake obituary feature as an advertisement, and it seems like the artist born Marshall Mathers is serious about letting the persona go as he preps a new summer album.
From Detroit Free Press:
Under the label “OBITUARIES,” the blurb is headlined “Slim Shady Made Lasting Impressions,” with the subtitle “Fans ‘Will Never Forget’ Controversial Rapper.”
The piece goes on to remember Slim Shady as “a rogue splinter in the flourishing underground rap scene” who was introduced to the wider world on the 1999 hit single “My Name Is.” The ad describes the character’s “complex and tortured existence” and his “sudden and horrific end.”
On April 25, Eminem shared a cinematic clip on the NFL Network during this year’s NFL Draft stylized as a true crime drama featuring 50 Cent, which cleverly announced the title of his upcoming album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace). No date for the project has been announced.
Check out the spot below.
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Movement 2024 has rounded out its lineup with a flurry of new acts, announced today (Feb. 28.) Artists joining the previously announced phase one lineup include Atlanta rap icon Ludacris, Los Angeles-based producer/rapper Channel Tres and techno legend Richie Hawtin, along with The Blessed Madonna, Chris Lake, Masters At Work, Carl Craig and Robert Hood, LTJ Bukem, Paul Woolford performing under his Special Request alias and many more.
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These artists join previously announced names including Fatboy Slim, James Blake, Solomun, Goldie (who will play a second festival set, per today’s announcement), Honey Dijon, Gorgon City, LP Giobbi, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Indira Skream, Mount Kimbie, DJ Minx, Boys Noize b2b VTSS and others.
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See the complete Movement 2024 lineup below.
Movement 2024 will take place at the festival’s longstanding home in Detroit’s Hart Plaza on May 25-27. Tickets are on sale now and start at $289.
The annual festival is produced by Detroit-based Paxahau, which launched in 1998 as an underground party promoter. The dance-focused company has produced Movement for the past 18 years, helping it gain global renown as one of the world’s premiere techno festivals. Paxahau is run by a team of 15 year-round, full-time employees across four departments: marketing and communications, production, talent and creative. During Movement, they bring in an event staff of 350 to help bring the event to life.
“This is a labor of love that all of us clustered around since we were young,” Paxahau Founder Jason Huvaere told Billboard in 2023. “Detroit techno culture is what we committed to years ago, it’s second nature.”
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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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The city of Detroit is on a high as the Detroit Lions are only one more win away from their first ever Super Bowl appearance.
As a city with a team that once went 0-16, the current success has most native Detroiters feeling proud and a little emotional. This is why when Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, Rachaad White did “The Blade Dance” after scoring a touchdown against the Lions during Sunday’s Lions-Bucs divisional round matchup—the city responded with outrage.
Detroiters have also flooded White’s Instagram comments going in about the perceived “disrespect.”
White later told M-Live reporter Kory Woods that he learned about Icewood from teammate Will Gholston who is from the Detroit area. White is from Kansas City. “(Gholston) did it one time. He got a sack when we played somebody in Tampa. And I was asking him about the dance. I thought it was cool,” White told MLive. “And then he just basically filled me in on where it was from, who it was from and stuff like that. So the biggest thing is they can say what they want to say, but it wasn’t disrespect; it was to pay homage.”
The rapper’s son, known as Lil Blade, responded with a selfie on Instagram, writing, “Idk if I should be happy or irritated @detroitlionsnfl.”
Icewood, considered one of the forefathers of Detroit street rap, popularized the dance with his most successful single, “Boy Would You (Boss Up and Get This Money). Born Darnell Lindsay, Icewood was part of a rap group called The Street Lordz and was slain in a hail of gunfire at the age of 28 in 2005.
The rapper’s life was documented in an episode of TV One’s Sins of the City last year.
The Lions ultimately won the game and are one win away from their first Super Bowl appearance. They take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Jan. 28 in the Bay.
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Detroit promoter and entertainment provider The Right Productions has teamed up with health and human service agency Neighborhood Service Organization to provide housing for artists in need. To help alleviate the issue of chronic issues of homelessness the two entities have launched the Tommy Garrett House as a solution for the local artistic community in Detroit.
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Located on the northwest side of Detroit, the Tommy Garrett House is a three-bedroom, 1,920-square-foot home designed to house six artists at a time. Named after the internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter and recording artist Tommy Garrett, who overcame homelessness with NSO’s support, this house aims to foster a nurturing environment for artists to live, build stability and create work safely in the heart of Detroit.
“Addressing the complex issue of homelessness is challenging. More than 1,500 people in Detroit experience homelessness on any given night. Despite nearly 6,000 households accessing housing assistance in 2022, a significant number are not officially considered homeless, but they lack access to safe and stable housing, resulting in a continuous cycle of transition,” said NSO president and CEO Linda Little in a release.
Little added that NSO’s collaboration with The Right Productions started when both entities conceptualized and hosted the inaugural Community of Hope concert featuring R&B artists Maxwell and Tamia. The Community of Hope inaugural concert, also hosted by the City of Detroit, took place in July of this year to energize, inspire and foster a community-wide drive to address the challenges faced by the unhoused and their families in metro Detroit. Funds raised from the Concert of Hope event were allocated to address homelessness by supporting housing and services tailored to the needs of the unhoused individuals, including those within metro Detroit’s creative community.
“The overrepresentation of Black individuals among the homeless population, the prevalence of domestic violence and the median length of 69 days for homelessness highlight the challenge, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, long-term and affordable solutions, such as initiatives focused on permanent housing,” said Little. “The Tommy Garrett House was created to do just that for local artists.”
President and CEO of The Right Productions Shahida Mausi added: “Sometimes you see a need and wish you had the ability to address it. I had long wanted a way to provide housing and support services for artists of many genres. Having worked with artists for my entire career, I’ve seen the gaps in financial and mental health services in the creative community. I dreamt of a place where creative people could feel supported and cared for during difficult times. I shared my dream with Linda Little at NSO, who has the expertise to bring a dream into reality.”
In addition to the Tommy Garrett House, the second annual Community of Hope is scheduled for Aug. 2-4 at Detroit’s Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, which The Right Productions runs. The event will feature two evenings of inspiration and performances by various musical artists including headliner Kem. Efforts will also be made to connect the unhoused population in metro Detroit with community organizations that offer a comprehensive range of wraparound resources and will engage a colloquium of stakeholders.