Hip Hop News
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Vic Mensa went deep in depth about solidifying his spirit, and the beef he had with DJ Akademiks in the past, via a new interview.
The Chicago native sat down for a lengthy profile with Paper, in which he spoke heavily about his creative and personal journey to this point. Going back to Ghana, where his father’s family still resides, has been vital. “I’ve been able to build some pretty phenomenal things using that privilege and treat it as an opportunity to play that role to be the bridge between Black America and Africa,” Mensa said.
While the There’s A Lot Going On artist has been striving towards bettering himself on all fronts, he did touch upon a recent moment where a clip where he publicly called out media personality DJ Akademiks for exploitation of the Chicago drill scene and violence re-emerged. Mensa said it came from a personal connection.
“Because a kid that I grew up with and went to karate with when we were five years old ended up being a street n***a, gang banging, et cetera. He was also a very talented rapper. When he got killed, there was music involved, there were big drill artists involved, and I heard about it on Akademiks’ parasitic platform. So that’s why I was upset,” he said.
Mensa prefaced that by speaking at length about the differences between the emerging drill scene in Ghana and what already exists in Chicago. “Their music largely reflects their realities, which are not the same as American drill realities. Ghana is a very peaceful place. People don’t get killed like that. There’s a lot of struggle though, so their music is rooted in struggle,” he remarked.
The former Ye collaborator also spoke about his commitment to sobriety, which helped him confront various moments in his past and recalibrate his relationships. He also talked about how he’s come to accept being labeled a conscious rapper: “I can never be mad at the idea of being a conscious rapper. The truth is just that I’m a multifaceted person.”
Vic Mensa also spoke about his foray into punk music, and how he and Chance The Rapper linked up along with Erykah Badu and other artists to organize and perform at the Black Star Line Festival that took place in January.
—Photo: Momodu Mansaray / Getty
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Adidas has released information that estimates the company could lose over one billion dollars after parting ways with Ye aka Kanye West, citing issues with moving previously manufactured stock as a cause.
On Thursday (Feb. 9), the athletic brand released a statement on its website concerning its estimated financial outlook for this year. It opened by addressing the company’s decision to end its partnership with the rapper last October, stating that it could lose $1.3 billion due to being unable to move the rapper and designer’s Yeezy clothing and footwear.
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“The numbers speak for themselves. We are currently not performing the way we should,” said adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden in the statement. “2023 will be a year of transition to set the base to again be a growing and profitable company.” The full report discloses that $534 million alone could be lost in operating costs for the year and “accounts for the significant adverse impact from not selling the existing stock.”
Adidas had previously expressed plans to sell the remaining Yeezy sneakers under its own name at a discount, which would save them $300 million in marketing fees and royalty payments. That option does come with some challenges. “All of this work is extremely labor intensive and it can only be done one shoe at a time,” said Matt Powell, a footwear retail expert. “So, it’s very costly to go through this process.” Destroying the goods is another option, but industry experts have advised against such a move.
The news comes after the company decided to sever its ties with Ye after the “Father Stretch My Hands” rapper made a series of antisemitic remarks in interviews and online. Initially putting the “partnership under review” after Ye wore a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt. Adidas made the decision to drop him after he appeared on the Drink Champs podcast and said, “I can say antisemitic s*** and adidas cannot drop me.” It follows behind the news that their IVY PARK collaboration with Beyoncé failed to match sales expectations last year, with sales dropping by 50%, according to reports.
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Former MC Dee Barnes published a lengthy statement calling out the Grammys after they named what she deemed the “Ike Turner Award” after Dr. Dre.
In an op-ed published in Rolling Stone on Wednesday (Feb. 8), the journalist and rapper spoke out about the move by the Black Music Collective to bestow that honor. Barnes was assaulted by the producer and rapper when he was then a member of N.W.A. At the time, she was the host of Pump It Up!, a Hip-Hop show on Fox that ran for two years and was key to the rise of the culture. Dre issued an apology in 2015 to the New York Times, not naming anyone in particular.
In the op-ed, Barnes spoke about how she initially was welcoming of the Impact Award being given to industry legends Missy Elliott, Epic Records CEO Sylvia Rhone and Lil Wayne along with Dr. Dre. Her position changed once she learned that the award would be named after him.
“Everybody wants to separate the art from the artist, and sometimes that’s just not possible,” she said, referring to his past history of abuse by saying “to name an award after someone with that type of history in the music industry, you might as well call it the Ike Turner Award.”
After speaking out about the struggles she’s endured, Barnes was shut out from the industry. Which led to her battling to house and provide for herself on a long-term basis. “The blacklisting I’ve faced still feels active, and it took me a long time to accept that,” she said.
Barnes likened her situation to the vitriol that Megan Thee Stallion endured after being the victim of assault by Tory Lanez. “I watched what happened to my little sister Megan, and it just was heartbreaking to me because we have not changed in all these years.” She ended the op-ed by revealing that she is working on a memoir and getting back into journalism, thanks to the support of Black women writers and journalists.
She also hoped for a chance to settle things once and for all with Dr. Dre in a face-to-face summit. “But I think that’s going to be the only thing to turn the tide, so to speak — if we have a come-to-Jesus moment in person, in public. Because everything happened publicly, it’s got to have closure publicly.”
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The backstage dispute between Quavo and Offset at the Grammy Awards was halted apparently due to Cardi B stepping in, reportedly.
The “WAP” rapper had just gone backstage after presenting the award for Best Rap Album to Kendrick Lamar at the ceremony on Sunday night (Feb. 5th), when video cameras from Entertainment Tonight caught her scolding both members of the Migos group, Quavo, and Offset. “Both of y’all wrong. Both of y’all! This is not right,” she yelled before continuing: “No, b—-es, shut the f–k up. ’Cause you shouldn’t have been talking.” Cardi B is married to Offset, and the two share two children – their daughter Kulture and their son, Wave.
It was unclear whom the latter comments were directed towards, but it was later revealed that the two were having a heated argument ahead of the “In Memoriam” tribute segment of the show where their late colleague Takeoff would be honored. According to TMZ, both Offset and Quavo were asked to take part but Quavo refused to let Offset join him onstage. The two allegedly got into a scuffle and had to be separated.
Quavo would appear onstage shortly after to perform “Without You”, a song he wrote specifically for Takeoff, who was also his nephew. Offset is also related to the two, as a cousin. The absence of Offset led many watching to be a bit disappointed at the bad blood that still exists between the remaining Migos members. Offset would later deny that there was any altercation,
posting to Twitter: “What tf look like fighting my brother yal n—-s is crazy.”
The murder of Takeoff outside of a bowling alley in downtown Houston, Texas last November has been extremely hard on both Quavo and Offset. Offset has been vocal about his grief, saying that he’s been in a “dark place” since the tragic incident. Quavo, who was present at the time of the shooting, has also been publicly and privately mourning the loss. The alleged shooter, Patrick Xavier Clark, is set to stand trial for the incident on March 9th.
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Any plans that Ye aka Kanye West might have on visiting Australia might be on hold as officials from that nation publicly suggest that he would be banned over his past anti-Semitic behavior.
According to reports, the artist has reportedly been eager to visit the country in recent days. The reasoning behind the potential trip is to visit the family of his new wife, Bianca Censori who grew up in Melbourne. This has sparked conversation among members of the government who have suggested that Ye would be denied entry due to his recent anti-Semitic comments.
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“People like that who’ve applied for visas to get into Australia in the past have been rejected,” Minister for Education Jason Clare said in an interview with local network Channel Nine. “I expect that if he does apply he would have to go through the same process and answer the same questions that they did.” This was echoed by opposition leader Peter Dutton, who had been minister of immigration under the previous government. “His anti-Semitic comments are disgraceful, his conduct [and] his behavior are appalling,” Dutton told 3AW radio. “He’s not a person of good character and the minister has the ability to stop somebody coming into our country of bad character.”
Peter Wertheim, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, met with the rest of the council members on Tuesday (Jan. 24th) to issue in writing their argument that they are opposed to Ye visiting. “We had a sympathetic hearing,” Wertheim said to reporters. “We’ve made the case that this particular individual does not meet the character test and that it would be in the national interest not to grant him a visa and we set out our reasons in some detail in that letter.”
There is precedent for Ye to be denied a visa by the Australian government over his comments and behavior, which falls under the purview of “good character”. Far-right figures have been denied visas, such as Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes who was banned in 2018 after a public outcry including a petition signed by 81,000 people. According to the Australian Citizenship Policy and the Migrant Act of 1958, “good character” is defined as behaving in an ethical manner and by the rules of the nation’s society once a visitor arrives and during their stay.
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Dex, the son of pop star Cyndi Lauper, has announced an upcoming album with features from fellow rappers G-Eazy and Trippie Redd.
In an interview over the past weekend, the 25-year-old rapper spoke about the project while leaving Los Angeles International Airport for a promotional tour for the “F*** You Gumbo” cannabis brand that he’s involved with. He was asked about being perceived as a “nepo baby”, given that the pop legend Cyndi Lauper is his mother.
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“If you know me personally, I grew up in Harlem bro. Me and my mom were split up when I was a kid. But we reconnected through music, which was kind of beautiful,” Dex responded casually. He continued: “I don’t complain about my story man. Everything is a blessing.” He was then asked if he’d ever do a track with the “Time After Time” singer. “I’ve got three or four records with my mom,” but demurred when asked if she’d be on his album. He did confirm that Trippie Redd and G-Eazy would be on his new project.
Dex revealed that his mom took him seriously as an artist when her label had worked to sign him onto the label without her having advance notice based on his previous appearances on G-Eazy’s Scary Nights album and being on tour with Sean Kingston. “From seeing that, she just went, ‘okay, he’s ready’”, he said. He’s also been highly protective of their relationship, exemplified in a post he made on his Instagram stories after appearing with her at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards with the caption: “Say what you want about me but keep my mother’s name out of your mouth. I couldn’t have asked god for a better mother.”
The rapper, also known as Declyn Lauper, had previously been in the news after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct last October in New York City. He was caught by police in a stolen Mercedes-Benz after leaving a memorial for a friend in Harlem in July. The dictates of the plea deal instructed him to complete five days of private community service and to remain out of trouble for a one-year period.
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The Harlem Festival of Culture has released the details of their highly anticipated kickoff concert at the Apollo Theater with Lil Kim as the headliner.
On Thursday (Jan. 19), the festival board announced the details for “The Jump-Off With Lil Kim and Friends” concert. The show is slated to take place at the world-famous Apollo Theater Thursday, Jan. 26 coinciding with the legendary institution’s 89th anniversary. The event (named after one of her hit singles) will be Lil Kim’s first time as a headliner at The Apollo.
The bill will also feature Grammy Award-winning artist Ashanti, along with Remy Ma and Fivio Foreign, with more guests set to be announced later. “It’s going to be a night to remember to help kick off the Harlem Festival of Culture’s road to the Festival with some of my special friends,” the “Magic Stick” rapper said in the press release. “Apollo was like my backyard and I played there so much and every time it was always love. The crowd is always amazing!”
The concert is also the first event to launch HFC’s partnership with The Apollo in advance of the venue hosting Festival events this coming July. “We are thrilled to be in support of the Harlem Festival of Culture, this is a moment that will not only celebrate our Culture but provide a time to engage our beloved Harlem Community and all that it has provided to Global Culture,” said Kamilah Forbes, Executive Producer at The Apollo in the press release.
INFINITI was also announced as a presenter of the concert. “INFINITI is proud to celebrate the commencement of the Harlem Festival of Culture at the Apollo during what is sure to be a memorable evening,” Group Vice President at INFINITI Americas, Craig Keeys said. The Harlem Festival of Culture was created in April 2022 to capture the vibrant spirit of Harlem, and to build upon the energy and creativity that was expressed in the iconic Harlem Cultural Festival that took place in 1969.
That festival, regarded as a landmark moment in Black History, was reintroduced through the Academy-Award-winning documentary Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not be Televised) produced by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots. Since its inception, the Harlem Festival of Culture has welcomed partners such as AMC Networks and ALL ARTS, and seminal artists such as New Edition’s Michael Bivins and Wyclef Jean on its boards.
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Veteran rapper Bun B took time to reflect on Jay-Z’s apparent usage of his lyrics for one of his hits and on their relationship in an interview.
The “Still Trill” rapper sat down as the guest on the most recent episode of the People’s Party with Talib Kweli podcast. At about the halfway mark the discussion soon turned to his feelings about the revelation that the first four lines of the third verse of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” were taken from Bun B’s verse from the UGK song “Touched.” The track was on their iconic 1996 album Ridin’ Dirty. “99 Problems” would go on to be one of the standout hits from The Black Album.
“I feel like enough people know,” the Port Arthur, Texas native said. “But I don’t feel like it’s that big of a deal. I would call it mutual respect. We do this a lot in Hip-Hop, right? Where we have artists who have said, ‘Fuck that was dope, the way he said that.’ And sometimes you wanna pay homage to that wordplay. How many songs, Kweli, have you listened to and been like, ‘I woulda rhymed that last part like this.’”
He continued plainly: And I think that’s what happens. I think you feel like, ‘This is a dope rhyme, I don’t think enough people heard this shit. I’m finna drop this shit in here.’ Sometimes you take a dope rhyme and make it a hook, and then people gotta go back and figure it out. But nah, I don’t think a lot of people know that. I don’t think it’s a big deal that they don’t know. Or a big deal if they do.”
The Trill Burgers founder has often spoken about his connection with Jay-Z, dating back to Pimp C’s guest verse on “Big Pimpin” from Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. In the years since Pimp C’s passing, Bun B has shared that his UGK partner had initial misgivings about appearing on the track out of respect for the late 2Pac.
“So, 2Pac was not a Jay-Z fan, this is very well-known,” Bun B said in another podcast interview. “Jay-Z had been introduced to UGK by a big DJ in New York named Clark Kent. And he’s like, ‘I like these guys, I wanna work with them.’ And Pimp C did not want to fuck with people that 2Pac did not fuck with, because he thought 2Pac was the best judge of character.”
Check out the entire podcast episode below.
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Rapper Lil Tjay’s mission to support fellow rapper Ice Spice ended with him in handcuffs as he was arrested on the way to her video shoot.
According to reports, officers from the New York Police Department conducted a car stop of a black Cadillac Escalade on Monday afternoon (Jan. 16th) at West 183rd Street and Ryer Avenue in the Bronx around 4 P.M. They reported that five men including Lil Tjay were in the vehicle and that four handguns were recovered. A passerby took video footage of the encounter, which was later shared on Twitter. He was reportedly en route to film the video for “Gangster Boo” with Ice Spice.
Lil Tjay, aka Tione Jayden Merritt, was arrested and taken to a local precinct. Representatives for the NYPD stated that the 21-year-old was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, along with the other men in the car. They had pulled the SUV over because it lacked a front license plate and had tinted windows.
Fellow Bronx native Ice Spice was also involved in an encounter with police officers nearby when she was pulled over on Walton Avenue, according to sources. The “Munch” rapper was not charged with anything and freed to go on her way, but her passenger, Markus Grisham, was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon. It was reported that he allegedly had a 9-millimeter handgun on his person when detained at the traffic stop.
The arrest is the latest bit of trouble for Lil Tjay, who was shot multiple times in an attempted robbery at a shopping plaza in Edgewater, New Jersey last June. The “Run It Up” rapper had to undergo emergency surgery, with concerns that the damage he sustained was life-threatening. He made a significant recovery to the point that he recorded and released the track “Beat The Odds” from his hospital bed.
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Soulja Boy called out the rap community after seeing Megan Thee Stallion receive little to no support in her case against Tory Lanez – but others have called him out over his own alleged history of abuse.
The “Crank That” rapper spoke out about the Grammy Award-winner and how silent many were in relation to Lanez’s treatment of her and the ensuing trial on social media. “Yall ni**as out here shooting bi**hes and ain’t nobody gone say nothing? I’m the only ni**a in the whole rap game that’s gonna say something? Ok, cool,” he said in an Instagram Live session.
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He continued his tirade, directly addressing the Brampton, Canada artist. “You want to shoot bi**hes in the feet ni**a? Yous a pu**y ni**a and when you get from jail ni**a you know where I’m at. You got a problem ni**a I’ll beat your bi**h a** ni**a. Don’t never rap over none of my beats, don’t never freestyle over none of my beats. You trash ni**a, your music trash, your career trash, your whole life trash.”
Tory Lanez was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic handgun, discharging a firearm with gross negligence, and carrying a loaded and unregistered weapon last December. The charges stemmed from Megan Thee Stallion being shot after a verbal and physical altercation between her, her former friend Kelsey Harris and Lanez. The “Sorry 4 What” artist is facing a sentence of over 20 years in prison and deportation back to Canada.
While the passion behind Soulja Boy’s words was evident, there were some who questioned his sincerity as well as the timing. One Twitter user asked plainly, “Where was this energy the whole time you was doing features with him last year?”
Another called out the rapper for being hypocritical in the wake of reports of him allegedly abusing his former girlfriend, Nia Riley. The revelation sparked a back-and-forth exchange between Soulja Boy and her father, R&B legend Teddy Riley. The rapper was also accused—by another woman who was a former personal assistant—of allegedly kidnapping her and beating her, leaving her with cracked ribs and a concussion.