Month: February 2022

BREAKING: Alleged Killer Of Legendary Harlem Hustler Alberto “Alpo” Martinez Arrested For 2021 Halloween Hit

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According to a report from The Daily News, the person responsible for the October 31 slaying of former Harlem drug kingpin Alberto “Alpo” Martinez has been arrested and charged for his murder in Harlem last year.

27-year-old Shakeem Parker was already in custody on New York City’s Riker’s Island for a gun charge when he was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in the death of Martinez.

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“Detectives gathered information that he was the shooter,” a police spokesman said. Parker has prior arrests for burglary, robbery and drug possession, according to the Daily News.

The street legend turned government witness had the highlights of his drug empire reenacted in the 2002 Roc-A-Fella Films flick Paid In Full starring Cam’Ron. Actor Mekhi Phifer played Rich Porter, Martinez’s business partner and best friend who Martinez notoriously shot to death in 1990.

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Talib Kweli Teased A ‘New Black Star Album’ And Praised ‘My Brother’ Yasiin Bey

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Black Star New Album
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The collaboration between Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def, has been one of the most formative albums in hip-hop history. Referred to colloquially as “Black Star,” the supergroup’s sole album together, Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, came out over twenty years ago now in 1998. And though both artists have released plenty of music as solo artists since, the demand and hope for a second Black Star record has never abated. Since then, Talib has become a part of Uproxx by launching his People’s Party show.

Today, seemingly out of nowhere, Talib all but confirmed that the follow-up record actually exists, and that it will actually come out. “The new Black Star album was recorded in hotel rooms and dressing rooms across the globe. I love how my brother @yasiinbey pushes me musically. #blackstarforever follow @blackstarkeepshining today…” he wrote, captioning a photo of both men in what is, presumably, one of the many hotel rooms where the pair worked on their new music.

If this news is timely, as in, the album or some new music teasing the project is coming soon, then 2022 just got a whole lot better. Hey, if A Tribe Called Quest can make a comeback album that’s just as good as their old material, why can’t Black Star? Stay tuned.

Memphis Rapper Snootie Wild Shot And Killed In Houston

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After several reports announced that Memphis rapper Snootie Wild was shot in the neck and was on critical condition on Friday, but the artist signed to Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group imprint was confirmed to have succumbed to his injury on Saturday(February 26). He was only 36 years old.

Snootie, whose real name is LePreston Porter, accidentally backed into a ditch, but was approached by occupants of another vehicle soon after. According to the police report, the occupants of the other vehicle and Porter exchanged words shortly before a single gunshot went off, which struck Porter in the neck. He was given CPR on the scene and transported to a local hospital where doctors gave him a 50/50 chance of survival.

The Houston Police Department have reportedly received the surveillance footage of the scene, however, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been named.

Wild is known for his “Yayo” track featuring label head Yo Gotti as well as his “Made Me” track with K Camp.

On the rapper’s official IG page, a memoriam is posted that reads, “Gone in body, but your NAME & LEGACY will live forever! 💙”

Snootie was the second rapper from Memphis to lose his life, with the city still healing from the death of Young Dolph last November.

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Grammy Award Winning Producer Swizz Beatz Releases ‘Long Live Jazz’ LP

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Entrepreneur, legendary producer and leading industry visionary Swizz Beatz teams up with premium vinyl brand 12on12 for the release of album Long Live Jazz. 

Following acclaimed collaborations with Travis Scott x Saint Laurent and RUN DMC, Swizz Beatz is not only the latest curator to work with 12on12, but he also comes on board as their new business partner. Acquiring a strategic stake in the high-end luxury vinyl brand, Swizz continues to build on 12on12’s reputation for unique Vinylworks’ and bespoke limited collector’s editions by compiling his own exclusive 12″ vinyl compilation featuring artwork from his own private collection (The Dean Collection) shot by revered photographer Kwame Brathwaite as the unique work of art for the record. 

Swizz Beatz’s 12on12 is a limited edition premium package that is hand-numbered to a run of 1000 copies featuring a meticulously selected track list which shares Swizz’s love and passion for jazz across its four sides.

 A modern day renaissance man, Swizz Beatz is keen to showcase Jazz to new generations and audiences while capturing the new vibrancy of the Jazz scene; demonstrated by his selection of a reworking of The Weeknd’s hit “Call Out My Name” by today’s leading jazz musicians the New Masters and featuring one of the most vital voices in 21st century Jazz: Immanuel Wilkins. 

Swizz’s selections are all intentional taking the listener on a journey from iconic recordings of jazz standards including Miles Davies “Round Midnight” and Kenny Dorham’s “Alone Together” through to contemporary jazz from present day greats such as “Doubts” by Ibrahim Maalouf, where you can hear the unmistakable influence of Miles Davis alongside Maalouf’s Arabic sounds. 

The piece of art selected by Swizz Beatz for the cover image “Untitled (Grandassas in Car)” was shot in 1968 during a Garvey Day Celebration in New York by Kwame Brathwaite. Brathwaite has a long history with jazz, having started his career as a co-founder of the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS) before going on to photograph superstars like Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley, as well as jazz greats like Miles Davies and John Coltrane. 

Swizz Beatz says, “Jazz has always been magic to our ears. I feel like it should definitely get more attention! This is the first step to pay homage to the great craft & art. Photography is also one of the best expressions of art and should be shown more often. Art & Music are brothers and sisters so I thought it was a great match. I’m a big fan of Kwame and I also love that I’m able to share pieces from my collection through music!””

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