News

21 Sep 2023

Quavo Visits Capitol Hill To Address Gun Violence, Meets VP Kamala Harris

HipHopWired Featured Video

Quavo & Kamala Harris

Source: @vp/@quavohuncho / Instagram

Gun violence in America is nothing new and while Republicans continue to act as if nothing can be done to stop or even curb the growing problem (like sensible gun laws they refuse to take up), Quavo has now joined the growing list of celebrities calling on congress for action on gun reform.

According to TMZ, the “Nothing Changed” rapper went to Capitol Hill this past Wednesday (September 20) on behalf of his Rocket Foundation (named after his late nephew and partner-in-rhyme, Takeoff. RIP), and along with his mother, Takeoff’s mother and his older sister, Quavo spoke with numerous congressmen and woman to tackle the issue that has affected him and his family personally.

Huncho reportedly met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator Cory Booker and Vice President Kamala Harris, amongst many others. The Migos rapper’s Rocket Foundation was founded with the purpose of preventing gun violence.

We’ll forever love Hakeem Jeffries for quoting Biggie during Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Just sayin.’While we know getting gun reform done is a Herculean task thanks to House and Senate Republicans who worship at the alter of the NRA (and the money they provide), we’re glad to see Quavo doing what he can to help further move the cause in the right direction. Whether or not he can actually get it to budge is another story on its own.

What do y’all think of Quavo taking on this issue? Let us know in the comments section below.

HipHopWired Radio

Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…

21 Sep 2023

Kim Petras Says She Got Locked Out of Her X Account for Her NSFW Profile Photo

When Kim Petras sang that “she’s so problématique” on one of her latest songs, X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — took it literally.

In a post to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (Sept. 20), the pop singer revealed that she had been locked out of her X account for sharing “adult content” in her now-deleted profile picture of her bare breasts. The message from X that she shared said that Petras was not permitted to “include graphic violence or adult content in your profile photo or profile header image,” and said she needed to delete her profile image in order to regain access to her account.

While Petras’ profile picture has since been removed from her account, she made her feelings on the matter abundantly clear. Super-imposed over the screenshot of X’s message, Kim simply added three middle finger emojis to her Stories.

X’s media policy includes a ban on “adult nudity and sexual behavior,” part of which the platform describes as “full or partial nudity, including close-ups of genitals, buttocks or breasts.” Notably, X’s policy leaves the door open to exceptions in cases of “artistic, medical, health or educational content.”

The news comes days after Petras surprise-dropped her once-shelved album Problématique on Monday (Sept. 18). Serving up 10 French-pop anthems, the album was originally shelved due to leaks in August 2022, which led to a string of since-deleted tweets from Petras in which she said that she “didn’t get approval to release anything,” and that the album was stuck in “limbo.”

Petras is also set to head out on her latest world tour in support of her other album released in 2023, Feed the Beast. Beginning Sept. 27 in Austin, the tour will take the pop star across North America and Europe for 34 dates, ending on March 5 in Milan, Italy.

21 Sep 2023

Becky G Teams Up With Cheetos For Scholarship Giveaway

Giving back was the theme of Cheetos’ Deja tu Huella Community College Tour and the first stop in the nationwide trek brought out the likes of one special guest, Becky G.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

On Thursday, September 7, the Latin superstar appeared at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College to help spearhead the event, which jump started an initiative to give out 500 scholarships this year. During her special appearance, the star, who serves as the brand’s first-ever fingertip spokesperson, took to the stage at the Culinary Pathway building and shared remarks with the students about why this partnership made so much sense.

“I can’t express enough what it means to me to have this wholesome moment with Cheetos,” she told the audience. “I used to sell my Cheetos in my backpack at school. That’s right. Thinking about what Cheetos has done for the community and when [the brand] came to me to be a part of the Cheetos familia and the Deja tu Huella, it was an obvious yes for me.” Among the other notable names at the event included LATTC President Dr. Alfred McQuarters, LACCD Chancellor Dr. Francisco Rodriguez and more.

For the culminating moment in the presentation, the star invited brand ambassador Brizzo Torres, famed mascot Chester Cheetah and more to join in on a dance-off, giving the audience a glimpse at some synchronized dance moves. Later on in the day, a block party outside of the building was set-up to give students the opportunity to engage in career-boosting workshops, see artist Bobby Alvarez show off his mural skills, get their hands on free Cheetos samples and dance along to tunes provided by 102.7 KIIS FM.

After the appearance, Becky sat down with Billboard News to speak about why the Deja tu Huella mission means so much to her. “As a little girl born and raised in Inglewood, who has had the chance to tour the world and do so many things, I want the same for others in communities like mine,” she told host Tetris Kelly. As for what’s up next for the star, the singer is about to embark on her first headlining tour, “Mi Casa, Tu Casa Tour,” later this September. “I get to sing all my Becky G music from the last couple years, which is crazy to think about because I’ve been doing this for a minute now,” she explained of the 16-date tour.


For more information on Cheetos’ Deja tu Huella campaign, head over to the campaign’s official website, and get ready for the brand to take over Miami as part of Billboard Latin Music Week. Click here for more details on the week-long festivities.

21 Sep 2023

The Deals: Mau y Ricky Start Label With Warner Music; Round Hill Expands Into Neighboring Rights

Sibling duo Mau y Ricky launched their new independent label, Why Club Records, in partnership with Warner Music Latina. According to a press release, the new imprint will not only act as a home for the duo — who were previously signed to Sony Music Latin — but will also “look to impact culture through music with a purpose, supporting artists who have something to say and want to break through the mold.” About Why Club Records, Mau y Ricky said: “We trust [Alejandro] Duque and [Roberto] Andrade as the ideal partners for this new stage. We are working on the most important album of our career so far.” The Miami-based duo’s first single under the new label, “Vas a Destrozarme,” will drop Oct. 5. – Griselda Flores

Round Hill Music acquired Austin-based neighboring rights agency Rident Royalties, which deals with film/TV composers and production music. With the acquisition, Round Hill’s existing neighboring rights platform, Sound Hill, expands to more than 1,200 performers and 120 record labels. The deal also allows it to tap the production music and TV/film score neighboring rights markets and expand into additional territories. Rident Royalties owner/president Chris Kennedy will serve as co-head of Sound Hill alongside Róisín Brophy.

Virgin Music partnered with independent publisher, record label and management firm Position Music, which boasts a catalog of more than 35,000 songs. Under the deal, Virgin Music will distribute Position Music’s new releases and existing catalog while helping to market, promote and develop Position’s frontline label roster, which includes artists, songwriters and producers such as Judah & the Lion, Kyle Dion, Ryan Oakes, Kid Bloom, Layto and Fantastic Negrito.

Atlanta-based management company Crown World Entertainment, founded by CEO Vincent Searcy, acquired Indie Distro and, with the purchase, launched Crown World’s new independent distribution arm, CWE Distro. The company will now offer music distribution to all streaming platforms as well as data insights, brand strategy, digital marketing, synch licensing, neighboring rights and content monetizations. For $29.99 a year, emerging artists who sign up for CWE Distro will keep 100% of their royalties, receive guaranteed distribution to more than 50 digital service providers and more. Plans for established artists are available by invitation and require no subscription fee. The first releases from CWE Distro are “Find Someone” by singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger and WifeyBaby’s “Stingy.”

Independent podcast company Acast partnered with royalty-free music platform Slip.Stream in a deal that will allow Acast podcasters to access more than 70,000 songs for use in their content. All 100,000 Acast podcasters will receive “Pro Level” access to Slip.Stream free for six months and a discount offer to upgrade to an annual Pro plan after that.

In other Acast news, the company partnered with podcast network Luminary to expand the reach of selected Luminary Original podcasts. Under the agreement, five shows — including Joking Not Joking with Mo Amer and Azhar Usman and How I Masaba with Masaba Gupta — will be made available to listeners across all platforms via Acast. Additionally, Acast will serve as Luminary’s exclusive monetization partner for these podcasts across all platforms. Luminary will also utilize Acasts’s recently launched Acast+ Access capability to allow listeners to access exclusive content on the listening app of their choice.

ASM Global will operate the new, 185,000-square-foot Henrico Sports & Events Center slated to open at Virginia Center Common in Glen Allen, Va. in October. The Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority board of directors, which oversees the center, approved an initial five-year contract in July, with the option to extend it annually for up to five additional years. Under the deal, ASM Global will provide staff and oversee the venue’s day-to-day affairs, including managing the box office, contracting with vendors, handling maintenance, event management, food and beverage concessions and licensing and permits. The Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority will continue leading on scheduling to make sure the venue, which boasts a capacity of 3,500, is available for county events including high school graduations and tournaments. ASM Global will help to fill off-peak times with local programming including sports clinics, leagues and camps.

Also in ASM Global news, the company secured venue operations and management rights for Connect Conference Centre (known as C3 and formerly known as Opportunity Pavilion) in its second Dubai-based deal after the Coca-Cola Arena. Located in Expo City Dubai, C3 will host a number of events for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) which runs from Nov. 30-Dec. 12.

Lastly at ASM Global, the company renewed its management deal with the 475,000-square-foot Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland for five years. Forthcoming plans at the venue include the creation of a Sky Lounge with a view of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Lake Erie.

Dreamus, a Korean entertainment company and subsidiary of Korean multinational SK Planet that handles distribution and events for K-pop artists including Twice, Psy and MissA, is now using the cryptocurrency and blockchain platform Avalanche. Under the partnership, users of Dreamus’ ticketing app OK Cashbag can now buy Avalanche-backed tickets, allowing Dreamus “to build a ‘Blockchain Ticket Total Solution Service,’” according to a press release. The company will use Avalanche to enable easy digital transactions, get around scalpers, stop secondary market abuse and address issues around counterfeit tickets. Dreamus plans to launch a secondary ticketing marketplace later this year.

House music label Defected Records partnered with demo submission platform LabelRadar, which is under the umbrella of The Beatport Group’s music services division. Under the deal, Defected and its sub-labels (including D4Dance, DFTD, Glitterbox, Big Love, Soulfuric, Nu Groove, Classic, 4TTF, DVINE Sounds, Stay True Sounds and The Remedy Project) will now field demo submissions from artists around the world via LabelRadar’s streamlined process. This marks the first time in Defected’s history that the label has allowed demo submissions.

Amazon Music is the exclusive livestream partner of this year’s Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival, which returns to Downtown Las Vegas for its 10th anniversary Sept. 22-24. Sponsored by JBL and Boost Infinite, the livestream will be available on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch starting at 5 p.m. PT each day of the festival.

Afterparty, a platform that scales one-to-one fan interactions for creators, has raised $5 million in funding in a round led by Blockchange Ventures with participation from existing investors Acrew Capital, Act One Ventures and Tamarack Global along with new investors Wilson Sonsini and Vinny Lingham. Afterparty will use the funding for product development, including AI voice, photo and video messaging. The new AI platform, dubbed Afterparty AI, will give fans “24/7 on-demand access to conversations with their favorite creator’s AI,” with images and videos created with the platform becoming “one-of-a-kind collectibles unique to each fan who generates them – all of which are verified on the blockchain and can easily be shared on social platforms,” according to a press release. Each interaction and piece of content fans share becomes a “point of access” to exclusive experiences allowing them to connect with creators one-to-one.

Live Music Society, a non-profit that has given over $3 million in grant funding to small venues and listening rooms across the United States since 2020, has partnered with international music residency The House of Songs to reestablish the latter’s presence in Austin. Under the deal, House of Songs — which has brought together artists from over 30 countries for songwriting sessions — will establish a new hub in Austin after pulling out of the city during the pandemic.

Levellr, a company that helps artists use messaging tools like Discord to reach fans, raised a $1 million pre-seed round led by Crush Ventures. The company’s clients include Fred again.., Pink Pantheress, Gorillaz, Swedish House Mafia and Maisie Peters. The money will be used to hire additional employees and grow into new verticals including sports and gaming.

Music rights and metadata management software platform Orfium signed an agreement with Japanese entertainment company Avex to manage its music catalog on YouTube. Under the deal, Orfium will work to maximize the monetization of Avex’s repertoire using its AI-based matching technology.

Music financing service RoyFi teamed with earthprogram, a quasi-record label and provider of business development solutions for the music industry. Under the partnership, artists can apply to access funds directly through RoyFi via the new earthprogram website, allowing a “consistent through line of support and career development from the beginning of consultancy with earthprogram through capital provision and financial literacy education with RoyFi,” according to a press release.

Instrument brand Gibson and its charitable foundation, Gibson Gives, partnered with Purdue Polytechnic Institute’s School of Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program that will provide experiential learning to students in MET’s guitar lab. Via Gibson Gives, Gibson will gift guitars from its collection to be showcased in the class’ lab; provide direct monetary support to the Purdue guitar lab to ensure it remains operational throughout the year and facilitate the hiring of undergraduate teaching assistants; assist in providing essential lab supplies and materials required to design and manufacture stringed instruments; and provide insights and experiences from Gibson’s trained luthiers and executives throughout the semester. Support will extend at least through the 2023-24 academic year.

21 Sep 2023

Listen: Luke Combs & Shenandoah Refresh Shenandoah’s 1989 Hit ‘Two Dozen Roses’ [Premiere]

As collaborations and interpolations of classic hits pile up in the country music genre, an iconic ’90s country group and one of country music’s current biggest stars are teaming up to refresh a ’90s country classic.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Grammy-winning country band Shenandoah and reigning, two-time CMA entertainer of the year Luke Combs will release a rendition of Shenandoah’s 1989 No. 1 Hot Country Songs hit, “Two Dozen Roses,” on Friday (Sept. 22).

The collab came about after Shenandoah heard that Combs had been performing the now nearly 35-year-old hit during his concerts.

“People would send us videos of him performing the song live and we thought, ‘How cool would it be to have Luke record the song with us?’” Shenandoah lead singer Marty Raybon tells Billboard in a statement.

They joined Combs in the studio over the summer, and according to Raybon, “he sang the florist bill off of it. It appears ‘Two Dozen Roses’ is as big as it ever was and having Luke’s vocal on there just proves the timelessness of what folks have felt about this song for years.”

The song, released by 8 Track Entertainment, was produced by Noah Gordon and recorded at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, the same Alabama stomping grounds where Shenandoah recorded the original version of the song. “Two Dozen Roses” was written by Mac McAnally and Robert Byrne.

The song comes at a time when covers and interpolations using classic songs are abounding, including the CMA Award-winning Cole Swindell hit “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” (which interpolates the Jo Dee Messina hit “Heads Carolina, Tails California”), Combs’ own rendition of the 1988 Tracy Chapman hit “Fast Car” (Combs’ version raced to the No. 2 spot on the all-genre Hot 100 chart), and an upcoming tribute album to The Judds.

Meanwhile, Kane Brown’s latest song pays homage to the Phil Collins classic “In The Air,” while Chris Young’s recent track is a nod to David Bowie’s classic “Rebel Rebel.” Americana artist Joshua Ray Walker’s recent album What Is It Even? features cover versions of a slew of female pop hits.

Shenandoah formed in Muscle Shoals in 1984, and issued their self-titled debut in 1987. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Shenandoah notched five chart-topping Hot Country Songs hits (including “Two Dozen Roses” and “Next to You, Next to Me,” among others), and 15 top 10 hits on the same chart, with hits including the Grammy-winning Alison Krauss duet “Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart,” as well as “Church on the Cumberland Road,” “Ghost in this House,” and “I Want to Be Loved Like That.”

Hear Combs and Shenandoah’s collaboration of “Two Dozen Roses” below:

21 Sep 2023

Lil Wayne on How Coach Deion Sanders Brought the ‘Prime Effect’ to Colorado Football

When Lil Wayne first entered the Colorado Buffalos football program facilities last February, he couldn’t help but gasp at the revamped locker room constructed by newly named head coach Deion Sanders.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

After a smoldering 27-6 run at Jackson State, Sanders — also affectionately known as Coach Prime — encouraged Wayne and the Colorado faithful to buckle their seatbelts as he intended to rewrite history for the once-hapless program. Wayne, a longtime friend of Sanders, was one of the few who believed in Coach Prime’s ability to reverse the fortune of a team that went 1-11 and finished dead last in the Pac-12 division last year. 

“I never doubt Unc,” Wayne relays to Billboard. “I would never doubt him. I think if you were to ask me that question before the season or even before that day I walked in there, I think I probably would have said the same thing. I would have said I could see them at 3-0. I spoke to him that night [when I visited him in February], and his confidence was through the roof, past the stars and the moon.”

Within the season’s first two games, Sanders toppled the likes of last year’s National Championship runner-up TCU in a 45-42 yard burner and a squash match against Nebraska the following week. Coming into their third game last Saturday (Sept. 16), Sanders’ loquacious demeanor, paired with the elite play of his star players Travis Hunter and his sons Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, have propelled the Buffs into the national spotlight as they embarked on a contentious battle against in-state rivals Colorado State. 

The hotly anticipated match-up in Boulder, Colorado was a starry event, as names such as The Rock, Kawhi Leonard, Master P, Offset and Key Glock gallivanted around the stadium to support Prime. Wayne led the team onto the field alongside Prime with a fiery pre-game performance of “Uproar.” Donning a custom-made Buffs Jersey with “Tunechi” emblazoned on the back, Wayne’s spirited efforts ignited the motor of the NCAA’s most-talked-about team as they secured their third win of the season, remaining undefeated. 

“I love Wayne to life like a friend and a son,” Sanders tells Billboard. “I understand his gift and his heart. I see one of the best human beings I’ve ever known well beyond the stage and the handclaps of life.”

Billboard chatted with Lil Wayne about his father-son relationship with Sanders, the resounding results of the “Prime Effect,” hip-hop rallying around Colorado’s football team and shouting out Deion on Nas’ newest song “Never Die.”

Give me a play-by-play of walking out Deion in Boulder last Saturday.

First of all, it was electric. That man got Colorado turnt right now. Them people, they believe. For me, it was just an honor. For the most part, I still can’t believe what he’s doing. It’s unbelievable. Plain and simple. The way he has those people believing, just for him to even invite me and to implicate me and to include me, I just try to make sure I do my part to the fullest, just like those boys do out there for him. 

Before Deion went to Jackson State in 2020, you sent out a tweet to Florida State University in 2019 about hiring him to become the next head coach. You saw the vision very early on. What made you think he could be such a success story in the college game?

You know, he’s been a coach. You gotta look like at Shedeur. Shedeur hasn’t played for no else but his dad. He’s been a coach, he’s been doing this. So with that said, what is it about him or what does he have? It’s just him. Plain and simple — just him. He’s not the only person like that in the college game. There’s a few coaches that has that kind of status.

What I mean by that is due to the transfer portal, you gotta have certain things to get those kids to wanna come to your school and wanna play for you. There’s only a handful of coaches that don’t need those things — it’s just their names. The kids just wanna play for that coach for whatever reason. He’s one of those guys, and when [the kids] get there, they see what it is. They see exactly what it is and he gives them an option. “Are you with it?” If you ain’t with it, then he ain’t gonna tell you to get out, you’re gonna leave. But I bet even if you leave, you leave a better man.

You also said in that same tweet that you would let your sons play for Coach Prime, so having someone who’s not only a coach but a father figure is a beautiful thing. 

A wonderful thing. If you were ever even able to spend 10 minutes around him and those players, you would already see that they’re not just whatever their numbers say. They’re not just whatever positions they are to him. Just like they would run through a wall for him, he’ll run through 20 walls for them.

I don’t know if you caught wind of this, but Deion over the weekend during a press conference said that he loves you like a son.

No. I didn’t hear that. What did he say?

He said he loves you like a son.

Wow. Wow. 

With that being said, beyond football, talk about that relationship that you guys do have off the field. 

I mean, I didn’t get to see what he said during the press conference but to elaborate on it, that’s it right there in a nutshell. A father-son relationship. It’s been that way. He’s known me since I was a teenager, man. He’s one of those guys where you could be doing something in the world, living your life and you can do something where it won’t be the right thing to do, you’ll get a call from him and you’ll be looking at your phone like, ‘How the hell you got my number, man?” There were times in my life where my mama couldn’t get my number [Laughs]. That man will hit you up and it’s straight from the heart.

With that said, there’s only certain people like that where people have met him and called him “Unc” or “Coach.” What that mean is you automatically put him on a pedestal or a level higher than yourself — levels higher than yourself — so you can always look up to him. You don’t do that for everybody. 

One thing I will say, I can’t remember the last time I saw hip-hop in Colorado the way I did on Saturday. You, Offset, Key Glock and Master P were all in the building. We have athletes, entertainers and artists rallying behind Prime. Why is that important to the sport of college football?

No, no, no. I have to disagree. [Laughs?] Hip-Hop has been in Denver before. You forgot A.I. was out there?

You talking about Bubba Chuck. 

I’m talking about Allen Iverson. You forgot A.I. was in Denver? You forgot he a Nugget?

Him and Melo. You’re right. 

Both of them shorts were so big. [Laughs.] 

They had the baby blue jerseys.

Yeah and I gotta go back on you because you forgot the University of Miami. You forgot how Uncle Luke had the hip-hop over there.

Ed Reed and those boys.

Yeah. Honestly, with Unc, this ain’t even him trying to bring hip-hop to it, it’s him just going off the vibes and the moods of the kids that he’s coaching. If they love Taylor Swift, he’ll try his hardest to get her up in there. [Laughs.] Trust me, he’s just going off the vibes. Like I said, they’ll run through walls for him because they understand that he’ll do whatever for them, as well. He’s only going to do it for the better of them. 

I don’t know if you saw, but yesterday Shilo and Shedeur joked about playing in the NFL next season and Prime was quick to stop any talk of that. What’s the ceiling for them on the NFL level?

For Shedeur, I don’t think there is one. He works with The GOAT [Tom Brady] and he’s a sponge. He loves to learn and to get better. When you got a guy like that in any sport or way of life, that path and future is always bright. I think he’s gonna be in the Heisman talk this year. 

Shilo is like, “Hold up. Y’all gotta understand who I am.” Shilo plays the same position as his pops and I think he’s gonna be right there with him. I think it’s gonna be one of those drafts where you got the brothers there. Just like when you had the Watt brothers. It’s gonna be one of them type of drafts. 

From a competitive standpoint, do you see any similarities between you and Prime?

Yeah, it’s impossible for myself not to because I try my hardest to make sure there is some. [I see it] in our drive. The way he believes in himself, is how I believe in myself. Of course, the way that he’s fathered his kids. I have kids of my own. I have sons just like himself.

Also, speaking on that, I also gotta shout out Lil Deion, man. We don’t speak about Lil Deion, we speak about Shilo and Shedeur, but I want everybody to know that whatever you see on television, online or on social media about Colorado University or about the football team, you’re watching it through the lens of Lil Deion. He runs that part of everything. He was doing the same thing for Jackson State. When I went to Colorado that night to holla at Unc, he filmed the whole thing and edited it that night so it can be out the next morning.

Lastly, you shouted out Deion on the new Nas record that you’re featured on called “Never Die.” That was the first time you guys teamed up in over 10 years. What was it like to get back in the booth and just be on the same song again?

It’s always love with Nasty, man. Always. He a God. He a God in this thing that we do. I think we saw each other at an Awards show or something. We saw each other recently and we switched info right there. He said he was doing his joint. He sent it to me. I knocked it out and he sent it back.

21 Sep 2023

Will Smith Announces New Hip-Hop Podcast ‘Class of ’88’ Featuring Queen Latifah, Rakim & More

Will Smith announced his new forthcoming podcast, Class of ’88, on Thursday (Sept. 21). Produced by Wondery, Audible, Westbrook and Awfully Nice, Smith will celebrate 1988 hip-hop with episodes alongside Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim and Chuck D. 

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Hip-hop has been a central part of my life for over four decades,” Smith tells Billboard. “I’m hyped to share my first-hand experiences and those of some of hip-hop’s greatest legends as we delve into the origins of one of the most influential genres of music in history.”

Smith will explore the landmark year of 1988, which included the rise of Public Enemy, the ascension of The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, and the outpour of female MCs such as Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah.

Will Smith, Class of '88

Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff enjoyed success in 1988 with their standout record “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The song made history after becoming the first to win the Grammy for best rap performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards. Controversy surrounded the win, as the duo boycotted the awards show because their monumental feat wasn’t televised. The song peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 

The eight-episode series will be available on Amazon Music and Audible beginning Oct. 26. Prime members can also listen ad-free on Amazon Music. 

Listen to the trailer here.

21 Sep 2023

Travis Scott Questioned During Deposition About Astroworld & Hundreds Of Lawsuits

HipHopWired Featured Video

Houston Chronicle

Source: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images / Getty

For the first time since the disaster that claimed 10 lives and left thousands injured, Travis Scott has been questioned by attorneys about his deadly Astroworld Festival in 2021.

According to the Associated Press, on Monday, Scott was questioned during a nearly eight-hour deposition in Houston, Texas, about the hundreds of lawsuits he’s facing since the tragedy.

“Travis Scott’s deposition is typical legal procedure,” his rep, Ted Anastasiou, said in a statement. “What is not typical is how the media continues to focus on him despite being cleared of any wrongdoing by extensive government investigations, including by the Houston Police Department.”

“Travis is fully cooperating with the legal process while still remaining committed to his tour in support of his record-breaking album, Utopia, and his charitable efforts to support at-risk communities,” Anastasiou continued.

Yeah—maybe when you’re client is being questioned about an event that ended in the senseless deaths of 10 people, the youngest of whom was 9, it’s not the best time to start plugging his tour and his latest album. 

Still, it’s true that in June, a grand jury declined to indict Scott after an investigation by the Houston Police Department cleared him of all wrongdoing. But civil court is a different matter and he has plenty of litigation to rifle through, so blaming “the media” for the continued attention being paid to the case seems defensive and possibly dismissive, especially to the thousands of Astroworld victims and their families.

As AP reported, the first trial regarding the lawsuits has been scheduled for May 6, 2024. There are currently more than 1,500 active cases related to Astroworld, many of which were filed against Scott and concert organizer Live Nation.

From AP:

Of these, 992 were cases with physical injuries and 313 were cases of “emotional distress, pain, suffering and mental anguish.” Orthopedic surgeries have been completed in 17 of these cases, with other surgeries recommended in another 21.

Some of the lawsuits have since been settled, including those filed by the families of three of the people killed during the concert.

Scott’s deposition on Monday took place on the same day that hip-hop artist Drake, who performed several songs with Scott during the Astroworld concert, was performing in Houston. Drake was also sued in connection with the deadly concert.

HipHopWired Radio

Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…

21 Sep 2023

EBONY Releases Limited-Edition Print Issue For Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary

HipHopWired Featured Video

50 Cent x EBONY

Source: Keith Major @KeithMajor / Ebony Magazine

One of the culture’s most influential publications is back. EBONY has released a print issue to celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary.

Ebony Magazine Covers

Source: Keith Major @KeithMajor / Ebony Magazine

The magazine has announced that it will be returning to shelves in honor of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. This limited run features several iconic performers including Swizz Beatz, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes and 50 Cent with Rick Ross on the lead cover. In the interview the “I’m Not A Star” rapper speaks on the impact of the culture and more. “I think the core of Hip-Hop was about having a voice for where you was from,” he explained. “When you saw Puerto Ricans breakdancing—you know, I’m somewhere halfway across the world, and I know where they from.”

Ashlee Glenn, Executive Vice President at EBONY detailed her enthusiasm in a statement. “We hand-picked our Fall cover stars because they represent the excellence of the genre. Their style and business acumen are as influential to our culture as their musical prowess, and we could not miss this opportunity to give our loyal readers what they have long been asking for – a physical copy of our legendary print magazine.”

“EBONY Magazine has been a pioneer publication documenting Black life in America since its inception. EBONY has photographed and profiled some of the most iconic figures in Hip-Hop, those who have influenced culture and shaped society. It is a pleasure to partner with EBONY to continue documenting the moments that made history and those which undoubtedly will,” adds Mass Appeal SVP of Partnerships & Content Acquisition Jenya Meggs.

You can purchase this commemorative edition of EBONY at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Publix, Safeway, Kroger, Books A Million, and more, plus select retailers in London and South Africa.

HipHopWired Radio

Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…

21 Sep 2023

Vic Mensa Ends Beef With DJ Akademiks On His Podcast

HipHopWired Featured Video

Willy Chavarria - Front Row & Backstage - New York Fashion Week - September 2023

Source: Jason Mendez / Getty

The heated beef between Chicago rapper Vic Mensa and host DJ Akademiks is now squashed, as each cites their personal growth as the main reason.

On Monday (September 18th), the “Feel That” rapper appeared on the latest episode of the Off The Record podcast hosted by the DJ and media personality who slyly announced it in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “So… I Sat Down with Vic Mensa Again after our last explosive encounter in 2017.”



The episode was a surprise to many who recall the beef between the two being seriously savage. It began in 2017 as Vic Mensa appeared on Complex’s Everyday Struggle which Akademiks hosted alongside Joe Budden. He took offense to Akademiks’ coverage of drill rappers in his hometown of Chicago, going directly at him for “sensationalizing” the violence. “I wanted to slap you in your face, honestly,” Mensa said at the time. “And I’m just seeing you here. I’m like, this is a tame environment, so I will keep it to my words.”

This time around, he spoke about the reason why he was so upset. “In all honesty, I was coming from a place of pain man,” Vic Mensa said. “Tray 57, who I knew as Nigel that I grew up with, he went in the direction that he did and he became a drill artist.” He continued: “He was always gangbanging and when he passed away, I learned about it on your platform the next day. You know, it was peppered with certain judgments and insults.”

For his part, Akademiks reflected on his actions at the time later in the episode, admitting to being “insensitive” to the violence in Chicago at that time and how it was affecting people. He also took accountability for having a role in “inciting” more of those issues through his The War In Chiraq YouTube channel and confessed that ego played a part in his not doing so earlier.

Vic Mensa and Akademiks spoke at length – over two hours – discussing that past conflict and also the nagging perception that drill rap and Hip-Hop culture overall has been trying to shrug off. Mensa also talked about the process of creating his new album, Victor.

Check out the entire episode above.

HipHopWired Radio

Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…