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22 Dec 2022

Thom Bell, Philadelphia Soul Icon, Dies at 79

Thom Bell, the iconic pioneer of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s, passed away on Thursday (Dec. 22) in Bellingham, Washington. He was 79 years old.

The news was first reported by Philly R&B radio station 105.3 WDAS-FM, with host Patty Jackson saying, “We remember Thom Bell: record producer, arranger and songwriter known for his work with Linda Creed, Gamble and Huff, the many hits, the creators of Philly soul.” The station also paid special tribute to the late musician on its website by sharing a video of the Stylistics’ 1972 Bell-produced single “People Make the World Go Round.”

Bell’s attorney confirmed his passing to Billboard, saying, “Thom Bell left an indelible and everlasting mark on the history of popular music, but even more so, he will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind and loving friend and family man. The music world has truly lost one of the greats.”

Nile Rodgers also took to social media to pay his respects to Bell, tweeting, “#RIPThomBell He is one of the greatest writers and producers of all time. My condolences go out to his family and friends. He was the architect of the relationship between #BernardEdwards & me as we were the band for the group New York City (I’m Doing Fine Now) a Thom Bell smash.”

Bell, who was born in 1943 and studied classical music when he was a child, was known for working with early R&B acts like the Delfonics, the Spinners and Deniece Williams. With Linda Creed, he co-wrote a number of soul classics like “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” “You Are Everything,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New” and “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart).” In the late ’70s and early ’80s, he also co-wrote and produced tracks for a young Elton John including “Are You Ready for Love” and “Mama Can’t Buy You Love.”

In 1975, Bell became the inaugural Grammy winner for producer of the year, non-classical. He had previously been nominated for co-writing the Delfonics’ “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” and arranging the Stylistics’ “Betcha By Golly, Wow.” In 2017, the Recording Academy presented him with a trustees award — the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award for non-performers.

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006 as well as the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum a decade later.

Bell is survived by wife Vanessa and his children, Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell and Christopher.

Read tributes to Bell below.

22 Dec 2022

9 Can’t Miss Moments from ‘Homeward Bound: Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon’

It’s not a surprise that Homeward Bound: Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon, which aired on CBS on Wednesday Dec. 21, was so satisfying.

Paul Simon has long been regarded as one of our top songwriters. He won the 1970 Grammy for song of the year for “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and was nominated in that category for “Mrs. Robinson” and “Graceland.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982 and received that organization’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 1998. In 2007, he became the inaugural recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Many of the participants on the two-hour special spoke warmly about Simon’s songs. Elton John recalled early days when he and Bernie Taupin would sit on the floor listening to Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends through headphones and marvel at the songs and the sounds. Garth Brooks sai,d “When your stuff was playing, our house was a sweet place to be in.” Dustin Hoffman said, “The Graduate would not be The Graduate” without Simon’s songs. Sting, Herbie Hancock, Oprah Winfrey and actor Woody Harrelson also paid tribute to the master songwriter.

Ken Ehrlich, who was the producer or executive producer of the annual Grammy telecast for four decades from 1980-2020, executive produced this special (and co-wrote it with David Wild). Ehrlich’s talent, taste and connections are a big reason the show was so compelling.

Here are nine of the most memorable performances from the special, which is available to stream on demand on Paramount+.

22 Dec 2022

Cardi B Lets a Troll Know She’s Worth More Than $40 Million & That She Could Lose It at Any Second

Looks like we can add financial planner to Cardi B’s résumé. Earlier this week, the superstar schooled a fan who criticized her wealth on social media.

The exchange started when Cardi tweeted, “We going through a recession…..Merry Christmas,” along with a festive Christmas tree emoji. The statement then prompted a follower to clap back, “Says the rapper worth 40 million,” using a GIF of an irritated man nodding his head and rolling his eyes.

Well, naturally, the “Hot Sh–” rapper wasn’t going to take that shade lying down. “I’m worth more [than] that and guess what? If I don’t save, work and budget I could lose it too!” she replied. “What makes you think that no matter how much money you got you can’t lose it all if you don’t manage your money correctly. I too have bills, responsibilities and people I have to help.”

Whatever the number above 40 million, Cardi’s net worth was certainly helped this year by her savvy career moves and various successes — from collaborating with GloRilla on their smash hit “Tomorrow 2” and Rosalía on the new “Despecha” remix to banking a cool million-dollar payday to perform a 35-minute set at a private backyard party during Art Basel in Miami.

Meanwhile, she recently teased that her long-in-the-works sophomore album should be arriving sometime in 2023, and even dropped a snippet of an unreleased song as an early Christmas gift to her fans.

Cardi and her family also experienced tragedy this year, mourning the brutal murder of her brother-in-law Takeoff after the Migos rapper was gunned down in the early morning hours of Nov. 1 at a Houston bowling alley.

Check out Cardi’s sound financial advice below.

22 Dec 2022

Gwen Stefani Remembers Late No Doubt Member John Spence: ‘Today and Always’

Gwen Stefani honored the memory of one of No Doubt‘s founding members, John Spence, in a tribute posted 35 years after his death.

Spence was the original lead singer in the earliest days of the Anaheim, Calif., group, while Stefani provided backing vocals. The first version of No Doubt — with a name inspired by a phrase Spence often said — was formed in 1986. “For some reason there was automatically this built-in following,” Stefani said in a 1996 interview with Spin. “People loved the fact that it was a girl, that it was 2-Tone, that it was me and John up there.” A year later, Spence died by suicide at the age of 18.

“remembering John Spence today, and always,” Stefani wrote of the late singer and friend on Instagram Wednesday (Dec. 21).

The pop star and Voice coach shared six photos on her post, leading with a black-and-white image of the two of them together. Some of the other pictures included performance shots and what appears to be a school yearbook photo of Spence.

See her collection of personal photos with Spence on Instagram.

22 Dec 2022

Lizzo & Austin Butler Want to Wish You a Merry Christmas With a Classic Carol: Watch

Lizzo and Austin Butler still have some Christmas leftovers from their joint Saturday Night Live appearance. On Thursday (Dec. 22), the pop star and Elvis actor joined forces on TikTok to wish their fans and followers happy holidays with one of the iconic songs of the season.

“We wish you a merry Christmas/ We wish you a merry Christmas/ We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year,” the pair sang in unison. After finishing their brief song, Lizzo — who was holding the camera — and Butler embrace, much to her delight and surprise.

“If we show up as Christmas carolers at your house wyd?” Lizzo captioned the jolly video.

The pair joined forces on the Dec. 17 episode of SNL. While it marked Butler’s first time hosting the program, Lizzo originally made her debut in December 2019, when she performed a holiday-themed version of “Good as Hell,” and she returned last season in April, when she hosted and performed “About Damn Time” and “Special.” For the latest episode, Lizzo performed her cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas.”

Lizzo appears to be into the Christmas spirit this year — in a preview of her upcoming interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the three-time Grammy winner chatted about owning her first-ever home in Los Angeles, which was decorated to the brim with Yuletide flair. “It’s like not having stuff for a long time, and now [that] I’ve got it, I’m going overboard,” Lizzo gushed in the preview. “I’m literally Santa Claus.”

See Lizzo and Austin Butler’s TikTok below.

22 Dec 2022

‘2’ to 1: GloRilla & Cardi B’s ‘Tomorrow’ Tops R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart

GloRilla and Cardi B’s collaboration “Tomorrow 2” hits No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart (dated Dec. 24). The song rises from No. 2 to top the list after a 6% boost to 21.1 million audience impressions made it the most-heard song on U.S. monitored R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the week ending Dec. 18, according to Luminate.

Through the new leader, GloRilla captures her first No. 1 on the list. Her sole prior entry, the viral hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” with Hitkidd, reached a No. 3 peak in August.

For Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2” becomes the hitmaker’s fifth on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. She previously led with this slate of chart-toppers:

“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” 10 weeks at No. 1, beginning Sept. 30, 2017
“No Limit,” G-Eazy featuring A$AP Rocky & Cardi B, six, Dec. 23, 2017
“Money,” nine, Feb. 2, 2019
“Please Me,” with Bruno Mars, 11, April 6, 2019

Plus, the combined might of both rappers yields only the fourth all-female collaboration to reach No. 1 out of 297 total leaders on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay since the chart’s launch in 1992. Brandy and Monica inaugurated the club with the smash single “The Boy Is Mine,” which ruled for five weeks in 1998. In 2007, Keyshia Cole recruited Missy Elliott and Lil Kim as featured acts for the track “Let It Go,” a four-week champ that year, and in 2020, Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, became the third entrant into the league and spent three weeks atop the list.

Of note, there’s one more instance of multiple female acts on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay No. 1, though it isn’t an all-women billing. In 2001, Ja Rule’s “Put It on Me,” featuring Lil Mo and Vita, posted six weeks in charge.

Beyond its R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay coronation, “Tomorrow 2” retains its standing to claim a fourth week at No. 1 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart as the most-played song on U.S. monitored R&B/hip-hop radio stations. There, it continues to improve, with 5% more plays in the tracking week ending Dec. 18 than the prior seven-day period. Similarly, it wins a third term atop Rap Airplay after a 7% audience boost in the same tracking window.

On Rhythmic Airplay, meanwhile, the collaboration ascends 8-7 thanks to a 9% gain in weekly plays at the format. Success at all the formats helps the song maintain its No. 15 peak thus far on the all-genre Radio Songs chart for a second straight week, where, despite its static position, “Tomorrow 2” increased 5% in audience impressions to reach 31.9 million for the week ending Dec. 16.

22 Dec 2022

Star Search: The 20 Best Astrology-Themed Gifts for Every Zodiac Sign

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s time to get grounded! The arrival of Capricorn season means that your home and work life could probably use some attention.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, a generational planet considered in Roman mythology to be a fatherly figure to the planet Jupiter (which rules Sagittarius, the sign before Capricorn) and although September happens to be the busiest birthday month, “goat season” is special because it takes us from the holidays into the new year.

With the sun in Capricorn, a new moon in Sagittarius and Mercury heading back into retrograde on Dec. 29, we figured now would be a great time to round up a collection of astrology-inspired gift ideas for every zodiac sign.

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You’ve probably noticed that astrology is more popular than ever. Gone are the days of zodiac items being restricted to crystal shops and Etsy. Nowadays, astrology gifts are available just about everywhere — including major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Nordstrom.

Whether you’re a water sign, earth sign, air sign, fire sign, or somewhere on the cusp, this list has something for everybody.

See more below.

The Birthdate Book

$95 $100 5% off% OFF

Know someone who has a birthday coming up? Birth charts provide a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you. The Birthdate Book is a customizable, made-to-order book illustrating your birth chart with over 70 pages of detailed, astrological analysis.  

Capricorn Crystal Birthday Gift Set

$19.99 $26.99 26% off% OFF

Think inside the box! Astrology lovers will like this crystal box set, which comes complete with healing stones. The Capricorn collection pictured above includes six natural stones: Tiger’s Eye, Garnet, Red Jasper, Clear Quartz, Black Obsidian, and Green Fluorite.

Uncommon Goods

Crystal-Infused Zodiac Nail Polish

$18

Nail art meets astrology! This adorable set features crystal-infused, vegan nail polish for all the signs.

Glow in the Dark Constellation Blanket

$24.95 $35 29% off% OFF

Cozy up in constellations with this luminous blanket featuring all 12 star signs: Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn.

Uncommon Goods

Zodiac Star Sign Socks

$12

While you’re cozying up in a blanket, throw on a pair of zodiac socks! The socks are made from a breathable, soft bamboo blend, and available in women’s sizes 6-9.

Amazon

Wax & Wit Capricorn Candle – 9oz

$24.95

You light up my life! This funny candle is perfect for the earth sign with a sense of humor. Find more Zodiac candles here.  

ASOS Mix-and-Match Astrology Pajamas

$21 $26 19% off% OFF

This stellar pajama set features an allover celestial print and a relaxed fit perfect for lounging around the house. ASOS Mix-and-Match Astrology Pajamas are only available in select sizes, but you can mix and match them with shorts or pants. If there’s more room in your budget, check out the Karen Mabon Zodiac Short Pajamas ($180).

Sephora

Sephora Astrology Lip Stories Lipstick

$5.50 $9 39% off% OFF

A vegan lipstick with an astrological flare. This Sephora lipstick is available in multiple shades for each zodiac sign in satin, matte or a metallic finish. You can also find this lipstick on Amazon.

Rellery

Rellery Scorpio Zodiac Necklace

$155

No matter your zodiac sign, jewelry is always a good gift idea! Rellery’s Zodiac Necklace is made from gold-plated sterling silver and it’s available for all 12 zodiac signs including the Scorpio design pictured above. The pendant measures just under 3/4 inches and the adjustable chain measures 16-18 inches. Looking for a cheaper astro necklace? Click here.

Greenline Goods Aries Stemless Wine Glass

$17.98

A perfectly affordable gift for fire signs, water signs and other wine lovers, this astrology wine glass holds 15 ounces of liquid and prominently features the Aries constellation on the front and bottom of the glass and stars all over. If you rotate the glass, you’ll notice the other 11 constellations are featured as well. This adorable wine glass is available in any of the 12 zodiac signs.

Amazon

18K Gold Plated Zodiac Stud Earrings 12 Constellation Astrology Card-Sagittarius

$5.69

The only way is up for Sagittarius! This fiery, mutable sign reminds us to chase our dreams and face life with carefree confidence. These 18K, gold-plated stud earrings are available in all 12 zodiac designs.

The Astrology Deck: Your Guide to the Meanings and Myths of the Cosmos

$11.67 $18.95 38% OFF

Capricorn season is a time to dig a little deeper. This astrology deck is great for astrology novices and pros, star gazers and anyone fascinated by the zodiac. Created by a professional astrologer, the set include 70 cards, an interactive birth chart and instructional booklet.

Papier

Virgo 2023 Planner

$32

There’s a good reason why Virgo is ruled by the plant Mercury. For one, Virgo is a stable earth sign skilled in verbal and non-verbal communication, and they like to keep things organized. With 2023 right around the corner, you’d be remiss not to have a planner on deck.

Revolve

Gemini Long Sleeve Band Tee

$60

Calling all Geminis: here’s a shirt that puts your astrological sign on display! This long-sleeve band tee is available at Revolve in sizes XS-L, click here for more zodiac shirts.

Casetify

Pisces iPhone Case

$88

A gift for the sensitive but intuitive pisces. This Casetfy phone case is available for iPhone and Android in multiple colors including peri purple, matte black, clear black, kiwi and bubble gum.

Glow in the Dark Zodiac Art

$35

Zodiac glow! This dazzling wall art (measuring 5 x 5 inches) celebrates the uniqueness and beauty of each zodiac sign. The collection pictured includes Taurus, Libra and Cancer.

Amazon

Astrology Meditation Ottoman (Cover Only)

$17.99

A celestial gift for a meditating Virgo or Gemini, and anyone else prioritizing mindfulness and relaxation. This boho cushion cover can be used for a meditation ottoman, a large pillow and other comfy decor pieces.

Urban Outfitters

Ark Made Zodiac Crystal Aroma Therapy Spray

$12

The Zodiac Aroma Therapy Spray is designed for every zodiac sign with special blends of essential oils and crystals to benefit your moon, sun or rising sign.

Amazon

3D Constellation Crystal Ball with Silver LED (Aquarius Zodiac Sign)

$19.99 $25.99 23% OFF

Aquarians are multifaceted and filled with light, just like this crystal ball. The 3D Constellation Crystal Ball showcasing the water bearer sits above a 3.15-inch, silver LED base. The crystal ball is available in any of the 12 zodiac signs.

Walmart

What’s Your Sign?

$17.99 $19.99 10% off% OFF

What’s your sign? Players compete to create the funniest horoscope by matching the included Ending cards with Horoscope cards while a rotating judge choses the winner. The card game is designed for three to 20 players ages 17+.

22 Dec 2022

Akon Agrees ‘100 Percent’ With Nick Cannon ‘Spreading His Seed’: ‘That’s How Life Is Supposed to Be’

Akon stopped by The Zeze Millz Show this week for a wide-ranging interview and ended up giving his stamp of approval to Nick Cannon‘s rapidly growing bevy of babies.

Host Zeze Mills brought up the topic by touching on Akon’s belief in polygamy, which he clarified was part of his Senegalese culture. “So do you agree with Nick Cannon and his spreading of his seed?” Mills asked, to which Akon responded with an emphatic “100 percent!’

“I agree with him one-thousand percent. That’s how life is supposed to be. Why not? He’s rich … He’s responsible. He takes care of every one of those children … And the baby mothers with it. And they hurt for nothing and they live comfortably!” he continued over the host’s protestations.

Interestingly, Akon’s comments come on the heels of one of the mothers of Cannon’s 11 kids seemingly shading him on social media. “There’s no need to mention me or send anything to my DMs. It has nothing to do with me… and no need to be messy. It’s all love over this way,” LaNisha Cole, whose daughter with Cannon, Onyx, is 3 months old, wrote in a since-expired Instagram Story. “It’s not easy but I have to do it for my daughter. She is incredibly blessed and is surrounded by so much love – and it’s not fake IG photo op love – it’s real day in and day out love.”

Akon also shed light on collaborating with TikTok on his new EP TT Freak, saying, “Me, I see TikTok as an opportunity. I see it as a huge platform. I see it as a way of also opening up the opportunity to create and discover a new audience. ‘Cause I think it’s been a quick, what, 13, maybe 14 years since I released my last album? That’s crazy, when I look at that I’m like, ‘Man, where was I?’ Time flew by so fast. But then what woke me up was the fact that my catalog was re-streaming and kinda resurfacing through the TikTok platform.

“And I’m looking at the demographic that’s actually on TikTok, it made complete sense to me,” he continued. “‘Cause this is a generation that wasn’t around to experience my kind of music at that time.”

Watch Akon’s full chat on The Zeze Millz Show below.

22 Dec 2022

Lizzo Has a Half-Dozen Christmas Trees at Her L.A. Home: ‘I’m Literally Santa Claus’

Lizzo is going Christmas tree crazy this holiday season.

In a preview of her upcoming interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the pop-rap star opens up about owning her first home in Los Angeles and dishes on how she’s been going a tad overboard with her Yuletide decorations.

“It’s like not having stuff for a long time, and now [that] I’ve got it, I’m going overboard,” Lizzo says during the sit-down. “I’m literally Santa Claus.”

The Grammy winner’s interview airs Christmas Day (Dec. 25) on CBS Television Network and will stream on Paramount+.

Lizzo, who recently brought holiday cheer during her musical guest appearance on Saturday Night Live, also discussed the joy of owning her very first house. Prior to the success of her 2019 breakout hit “Truth Hurts,” which reigned for seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, the Detroit rapper and singer spent many nights forced to sleep in her car.

“Staying in people’s rooms and sleeping on their couches,” Lizzo recalls. “Now, on this past tour, which I was blessed to stay in really nice places, but I was like, ‘I miss my house. Like, I can’t wait to come back to my own home and to my bed.’ I was like, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever said this.’ It’s a milestone for me.”

Lizzo has much to be thankful for in 2022. Her latest smash hit, “About Damn Time,” topped the Hot 100 for two weeks in July and August and is nominated for both record and song of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards on Feb. 5. The artist’s fourth album, Special, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in July. The set follows her 2019 blockbuster, Cuz I Love You, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and charted for over 100 weeks.

Watch a preview of Lizzo’s upcoming appearance on CBS Sunday Morning below.

22 Dec 2022

Kurtis Blow Talks 10th Anniversary of ‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’

The Hip Hop Nutcracker “turns Tchaikovsky on his head in the coolest possible way.”

The reimagining of the Russian classical composer’s 130-year-old ballet set in contemporary New York City has been living up to that promotional promise for the last 10 years. Now a holiday tradition in its own right, the dance extravaganza is currently in the midst of a 30-city tour. And there for each and every beat, notwithstanding a heart transplant in December 2020, has been the show’s special guest MC and one of rap’s founding fathers, Kurtis Blow.

“I was always a fan and supporter of the fusion of hip-hop with other genres of music,” says Blow, recalling the first time he watched a show rehearsal in 2013. “I saw these young b-boys and b-girls just doing their thing, representing with all the styles from popping and locking to electric boogaloo; kicks, head spins, back spins, windmills, air twists — and doing so to Tchaikovsky’s incredible classical music with hip-hop beats under it. I said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to be a part of this.’”

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The trailblazing artist known for classics such as “Christmas Rappin’,” “The Breaks” and “Party Time,” a fusion of rap and go-go, Blow was the first rapper to be signed to a major label (Mercury Records) in 1979, among other accolades. This past summer, Blow and fellow hip- hop legends, Chuck D and KRS-One founded the Hip Hop Alliance, the first ever union for hip-hop and R&B artists and the workforce that supports them.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker will wrap its 10th season in Hartford, Conn., on New Year’s Eve. The remainder of the tour will be dedicated to the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, freestyle hip-hop dancer/choreographer and The Ellen DeGeneres Show co-host/co-exec producer. “We want to acknowledge the passing of one of our Nutcracker family members,” Blow says of Boss, who was part of Disney’s version of the show, now streaming on Disney+.

During a phone interview during the tour’s New York stop, Blow reflected on why The Hip Hop Nutcracker still resonates, life after his heart transplant and hip-hop’s monumental 50th anniversary in 2023.

For those who haven’t seen the show, what does your role entail?

I get everyone prepared for what they’re about to see by first taking them back with a medley of old school hip-hop songs because the show starts out in 1980 on New Year’s Eve. At the end of the intro, I sing a song called “New Year’s Eve” and in the middle of that, I have everyone count down from 10 to one. When we get to one, we scream Happy New Year as loud as we can. Then the show starts. At the end I come back and do “The Breaks” with the whole cast. These talented dancers from all over the world give 150% every night. Audiences come to the show — whose theme is love conquers all — and leave revitalized. I’m seeing generations from grandparents to their grandchildren and their daughters and sons. That’s what hip-hop is about too: all races, all ages.

What has your life been like since the transplant?

I am a walking, living, breathing testimony that God is still in the miracle business. What God did for me, God is able to do it for you and everyone else. This is a big part of my faith because I’m a preacher as well. Waking up the next morning after the operation, seeing the doctors and nurses and getting a thumbs up … I still get that joy every morning when I wake up. I thank God that I’m still alive — and [I’m] so grateful to be a part of this opportunity to spread love during the holiday season.

Which is something you first did in the late ‘70s with “Christmas Rappin’.”

I think it was 1978. Billboard included me, a young college student, in the last section of an interview about this new thing called rap. I will never forget it because during that time, there were other more popular MCs like DJ Hollywood, Eddie Cheeba, Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa. But that article became the basis of my credibility, and I think it was indirectly a part of me getting my record deal with Mercury. Robert Ford Jr. wrote that article. Later, he and J.B. Moore, who also worked for Billboard, produced my first gold single, “Christmas Rappin’”. I owe Billboard and just want to say thank you!

What does the genre’s upcoming 50th anniversary mean to you?

I started break dancing in 1972, became a DJ in ’73 and started rapping in ’74. I’ve witnessed this culture rise from the ashes of the ghettos of the Bronx, Harlem, Queens and Brooklyn. It was out of that cultural trauma that hip-hop was created; it was escapism in the music. Now it’s been around for 50 years and it’s still powerful — the No. 1-streamed genre in the world. Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what hip-hop has to say. We definitely changed the world. And we have the opportunity to do it again. My message to all the young people out there is: We did it, and now the world is yours. The future is yours. You have the opportunity to build up your families, build up your communities and build up humanity.