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Source: press handout / Tru Soul Records
Pete Rock paid homage to the great Luther Vandross, saying that the singer “thanked him” for his craft years ago.
The legendary producer Pete Rock was part of a producers’ panel that was part of the event lineup on the inaugural Rock The Bells cruise that began Nov. 13. During the panel discussion, which was hosted by Torae, Pete Rock along with DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lil Jon and Mannie Fresh spoke about their careers and experiences as producers. As the subject of sampling came up, the “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” producer revealed that he was once praised by Luther Vandross for his work.
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“Luther Vandross thanked me for sampling ‘Don’t You Know That’ for Heavy D,” Pete Rock shared, which made the crowd gasp. “He said that I did a wonderful job, and I was like, ‘Wow.’” The song he was referring to was “Don’t You Know That?” from Vandross’ 1981 hit album Never Too Much. The sample would become the backbone for Heavy D’s chart-topping hit “Got Me Waiting,” from his 1994 album Nuttin’ but Love. That album would go platinum. Torae then asked Pete Rock jokingly, “Big Luther or little Luther?” which brought on a wave of laughter from the audience.
Pete Rock would then speak about his admiration for Marley Marl and the way the Hip-Hop icon approached sampling. “Marley was like the first James Brown in Hip-Hop,” he began. “He told me that a lot of the things in the beats that he made were mistakes that sounded like they belonged in the records.”
He would also touch on how there were certain artists whom he and other producers patently avoided in terms of sampling. “Steely Dan, I don’t touch their stuff,” he said. “Gilbert O Sullivan – don’t even listen to his music.” O’Sullivan is best known as the artist who sued Biz Markie in 1991 for the rapper’s sampling of his song “Alone Again (Naturally).” The Irish singer would win the lawsuit, getting 100% of the royalties and making sampling a more arduous and costly effort.
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Source: Rock The Bells / Rock The Bells
Watch out Mattel because Barbie is about to got some competition in the toy arena courtesy of Dr. Lisa Williams and Rock The Bells.
Recently Rock The Bells announced that the brand is collaborating with Dr. Lisa Williams on a new line of Hip-Hop culture figures dolls dubbed The Fresh Dolls which represents the multicultural communities that Hip-Hoppers grew up in across the board. The dolls which come in an array of skin tones and one-of-a-kind faces were made to represent to give today’s kids from different ethnic backgrounds something that they can relate to as they play with their friends.
Rock The Bells reports:
“At the Dr. Lisa Company, we are committed to creating collections that are truly authentic, engaging and representative for all multicultural children,” says Dr. Lisa Williams, chief executive officer and founder, The Dr. Lisa Company. “We are excited to collaborate with Rock The Bells to highlight hip-hop culture, which continues to influence and inspire. Through this new collection, we will help reinforce the love of Hip-Hop among so many as well as introduce it to brand-new audiences around the world.”
Now venturing into the world of Hip-Hop, The Dr. Lisa Company has collaborated with Rock The Bells to unveil the Rock The Bells x Dr. Lisa Company Collection. The collection spotlights two dolls — Ebony, a B-Girl, and Anthony, a B-Boy. Both dolls are adorned with clothing that captures the essence of graffiti art, and with full articulation in all their joints, they genuinely embody the spirit of all four of Hip-Hop’s core elements – breaking, MCing, graffiti, and DJing. Notably, Ebony’s hair is also versatile enough to be styled and washed.
Aside from the dope dolls, The Dr. Lisa Company and Rock The Bells will also be collaborating to create four animated shorts to further educate the kids on the four main elements of Hip-Hop. We can’t wait to see that. LL Cool J for one is just as excited as everyone about this upcoming collaborative project.
Added Uncle L:
“Hip-Hop is timeless and transcends generations. This collaboration with The Dr. Lisa Company is all about celebrating the culture and our icons, while also educating our young fans,” says LL COOL J, Founder and CEO of Rock The Bells. “These dolls are more than just toys; we’re bringing the elements of Hip-Hop through fashion, coloring books, and animation so a new generation can learn about and take pride in their love for the culture.”
The Fresh Dolls are available now on Walmart.com and can be purchased for a cool $13.
Will you be copping some Fresh Dolls? Let us know in the comments section below.
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As Hip-Hop pioneers, Run-DMC’s legacy is undeniable and New York City is cementing it further by giving the group its own day.
Through a press release, it was announced that New York City Mayor Eric Adams bestowed Rev. Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels with a proclamation declaring an official “Run-DMC Day”, which will forever be celebrated on August 9th. The news comes as the Hollis, Queens group was feted with the Run-DMC Pop-Up Celebration by Adidas Originals. The group made the news public through their Instagram page.
“Coinciding with the group’s Friday (August 11th) return to headline the Hip Hop 50 Live Concert, the pop-up gives fans access to merchandise from Barriers Worldwide and the Crate NY in addition to coolers in partnership with Igloo and other Run-DMC novelty merchandise items,” the press release also stated, taking time to acknowledge the group’s longstanding partnership with Adidas. The pop-up will run through August 12th at Bleecker Street Trading in Manhttan.
The honor comes as the group is fresh off of their sensational performance at the Rock The Bells Festival at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York last Saturday. They will also be performing at the Hip Hop 50 Live concert to be held at Yankee Stadium, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the culture since the first jam held by DJ Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx in 1973. It adds to a run some believed to be their final one, as DMC had stated before in an interview with Rock The Bells that the group would take its final onstage bow this past April.
“Run-DMC is over,” he said at the time. “The only way Run-DMC gets back together is if The Beatles get back together. Can that happen?” He continued: “The final show that we are ever going to do is going to be at Madison Square Garden in April. It’s going to be the last episode of the documentary we’re doing. Run-DMC’s last show ever. ‘Cause it’s time for Run to go be Paul McCartney and me to be John Lennon. We done did what we could do.”
McDaniels and Simmons, along with the late Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, forever shaped Hip-Hop culture with their debut album in 1983. Attaining superstardom, the group was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from the Grammy Awards in 2016.
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LL Cool J stopped by Sway’s Universe and delivered a freestyle sure to further add to his iconic musical resume.
On Wednesday (Aug. 2), the Hip-Hop legend dropped in for an interview with Sway Calloway on his SiriusXM show ahead of the highly anticipated Rock The Bells festival, which will be held at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York this weekend. After a lively half-hour discussion, Sway asked LL Cool J to freestyle. “I don’t know if it can happen now, but man, I never had you bust a verse on my show,” he said. The veteran MC agreed to the delight of Sway and the crew.
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“There was smoke when the mother’s water broke,” he began. “The doc saw the horns/ Oh my God, it’s a GOAT/ The nurse cut the cord, got shocked with a million volts/ Almost dropped him on the floor, but the baby started to float.” LL Cool J continued: “The whole world’s raving for the baby, the bell tolls/ A crowd gathered ’round, throwing punches and elbows/ Then his mama arose, and recited a poem/ Todd’s a Hip-Hop God, f**k rock ‘n’ roll.”
Earlier in the interview, LL also spoke about the impact of The F.O.R.C.E. Tour and also took time to shoot down a persistent urban rap legend that claimed The Notorious B.I.G. subliminally dissed him on “Who Shot Ya?” with the lines “Old school, new school need to learn though.” The theory was advanced by journalist Bonsu Thompson.
“I need him to stick to his day job, and if that is his day job, he might wanna reassess that shit,”, LL Cool J joked. “I got love for him, I’m just teasing. No, that’s not true. I’m in the studio when Biggie wrote ‘Who Shot Ya?’ Like, I was literally in the studio when he made the song. I was literally, physically in the studio with Notorious B.I.G. when he wrote ‘Who Shot Ya?’
He added: I said, ‘Biggie, why you smoke so much weed when you write these joints?’ He said, ‘It makes me feel like I’m in the track,’ and we just started laughing. He was doing what rappers do: ‘Old school, new school.’ He’s saying whoever want it, can get it. That’s regular … Now it’s about selling swag, and that’s okay, I’m not judging but I’m just saying, that’s 100% false.”
Check out the entire interview below.
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The Rock The Bells Festival has announced a newly revamped food market and the addition of a “Hip-Hop Bar” to the event in August.
Organizers for the acclaimed Hip-Hop festival have announced a new path for their food court, a first-of-its-kind culinary experience that was a smashing success last year. This year, they’re introducing the Food That Slaps Market. In addition, this year’s festival will also see the debut of the Drinks That Slap Bar, billed as the first-ever Hip-Hop bar experience.
For the Food That Slaps Market, the Rock The Bells team partnered with the renowned James Beard Foundation to conduct a search for the best culinary innovators who are tapped into Hip-Hop culture. The winners of that search include Fly Private Social, Soul and Wheel, Made From Scratch, Backyard Barbeque, and Black Rican Vegan. These vendors also were awarded a 1-year membership to the foundation’s patron program. They will be joined by Juices For Life by Styles P, Simply Fried, Mikey Likes It, Bulldog Burgers, E-40’s Goon with the Spoon, and Nas’ Sweet Chick.
With the Drinks That Slap Bar, concert-goers can now sample the best alcoholic offerings from some of Hip-Hop’s beloved artists which include Juvenile’s Juvie Juice and E-40’s Earl Stevens wine brand among other cocktails taking their themes from the culture. The Earl Stevens wine brand was launched by the Bay Area legend in 2013 with “Function”, named after his hit at the time before expanding to include other releases made in Napa Valley, California. Juvie Juice was born out of a collaboration between the 400 Degreez rapper and Urban South Brewery based in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.
The new markets will definitely be a welcome complement to the star-studded festival, which will take place on Saturday, August 5th at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York. Tickets for the Rock The Bells Festival are still available on their website.
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LL Cool J and Rock The Bells are setting forth on the high seas with the first-ever Afrocruise, which will sail in 2024.
The Hip-Hop icon and his Rock The Bells platform are teaming up with AfroFuture, a firm dedicated to highlighting the best of African culture through live performances and festivals to launch the inaugural Afrocruise. AfroFuture, formerly known as AfroChella, will also be partnering with AfroVerse for this maiden excursion. The voyage will set sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas on the Norwegian Pearl. The Afrocruise is dedicated to all things African and its diaspora and will be presented by music cruise leader and festival lead Sixthman.
The musical lineup is stocked with some of the best artists of the diaspora beginning with Adunkele Gold. Other artists include Ayra Starr, Black Sherif, The Compozers, Juls, Mayorkun, Naira Marley, Spinall, Teni, Uncle Waffles, and Zinoleesky. Other Afrobeats and amapiano artists will be added to the lineup in the near future. In addition, the totally immersive event will have other engaging activities such as a suya BBQ on the pool deck, DJ sets, and basketball and FIFA video game tournaments. There will also be parties hosted by Afrobeats & Brunch, London’s Days Like This, Positive Vibes Only (PVO), RNB HouseParty, and NYC’s No Wahala podcast with Tune Day + Bawo.
Those booking their passage on the Afrocruise will also have the opportunity to indulge in a shore excursion in Nassau, as well as partake in the numerous amenities that the Norwegian Pearl has to offer such as the Pearl Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, Sports Court and the many bars and dining options onboard. The Afrocruise will set sail from Miami on March 29th, 2024 through April 1st, 2024. Those interested can book their tickets at theafrocruise.com.
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LL Cool J‘s celebrated hip-hop platform Rock the Bells and AfroFuture, a global cultural entertainment platform committed to showcasing African culture through festivals and live performances, will set sail with Sixthman next spring for a celebration of African and diasporic culture for the first-ever AfroCruise, which was announced Wednesday (May 31).
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship, AfroCruise will take to the high seas from March 29 to April 1, 2024, from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas.
The fully immersive event will feature fashion, food and a lineup of Afrobeats and amapiano artists that will be revealed soon. And in between performances, Afrobeats & Brunch, London’s Days Like This, Positive Vibes Only (PVO), RNB HouseParty and NYC’s No Wahala podcast will host once-in-a-lifetime parties. AfroCruise will also have a jollof competition over different styles of jollof rice from Ghana, Nigeria and other West African countries, as well as a suya pool deck BBQ, diaspora gala, DJ sets, basketball and FIFA video game tournaments and more.
The first round of pre-sale signups are available through Sunday, June 4, at 11:59 p.m. ET, and they conclude next Wednesday, June 7, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Public on-sale begins next Friday, June 9, at noon ET on theafrocruise.com.
Experiential partner AfroVerse, which is dedicated to amplifying African culture through art, food and music activations, is also on board for AfroCruise. And later this year, Sixthman, the industry leader in festivals and music cruises, is partnering with Rock the Bells on Rock the Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience to celebrate the genre’s 50th birthday. That cruise is set for Nov. 13-17, traveling from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, to Grand Bahama Island.
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A new concert event, The F.O.R.C.E Live tour is in effect with LL Cool J featured as a headliner along with The Roots and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Source: General / Live Nation
The F.O.R.C.E (Frequencies of Real Creative Energy) Live Tour is the first that the Hip-Hop icon is headlining in 30 years. Each of the 24 dates across the U.S. (with a stop in Toronto) on the tour will feature the two-time Grammy Award winner with The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip, the same powerful tandem at the heart of their celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop at this year’s Grammys. Rock The Bells is the major organizer of the tour event. “I’m excited to be on my first Arena tour in 30 years. It’s proof that our culture is more viable than ever. Get ready for some non-stop beats and rhymes. See you this summer!”, the rapper said in a press release.
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The lineup for the tour is a hearty one, curated by LL Cool J himself. It features Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, and more special guests. The F.O.R.C.E. Live tour, according to the press release will feature the lineup “unlike the traditional “opening act – headliner” format, the show will be a nonstop musical mash-up with artist performances interwoven within one continuous musical set backed by The Roots.” These same artists will also perform at the Rock The Bells Cruise slated for November.
The tour kicks off on June 25th at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, and ends its run at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California on September 3rd. A ticket pre-sale for fans will be held by Live Nation on Thursday (April 27th) beginning at 10 A.M., with the general sale taking place on Friday (April 28th) through Ticketmaster. Tickets will also be available through StubHub once the general sale begins. To find out more, visit the website.
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