Month: October 2022

California Becomes First U.S. State To Ban Using Rap Lyrics In Court

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California has become the first state in the U.S. to ban lyrics from being used against rappers as evidence in court proceedings. The landmark law came into effect on Friday, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill to limit “creative content” from being held against artist or musicians in the state. It’s been a long and arduous fight for advocates against this practice, but recent legislation in New York points towards a brighter future along with this bill. Amid the YSL indictment that put Young Thug and Gunna behind bars in large part due to their lyrics, fans are probably grateful to see their outrage result in action from authorities.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California – Monica Schipper/Getty Images

That New York bill did not completely ban the use of lyrics, though, and there’s a similar loophole in California’s bill: lyrics can be used but only if reviewed and deemed necessary for the verdict by the judge. Even with this caveat, AB 2799 (the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act) is a one-of-a-kind piece of legislation that takes unprecedented steps to protect rappers’ creative works. Governor Newsom signed the bill on a Zoom call with rappers E-40, Meek Mill, Killer Mike, YG, and more in attendance.

Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, who introduced the bill, expressed his belief that the DAE Act “will give judges needed guidance for evaluating whether a creative expression is admissible during a criminal trial and provides a framework which will ensure creative expression will not be used to trigger or reinforce stereotypes or activate racial bias.” Entertainment attorney Dina Polt was one of many to celebrate the achievement.

“This legislation sets up important guardrails that will help courts hold prosecutors accountable and prevent them from criminalizing Black and Brown artistic expression,” she stated. “Thank you, Gov. Newsom, for setting the standard. We hope Congress will pass similar legislation, as this is a nationwide problem.”

A similar bill was introduced in Congress last July, so rap lyrics might still have a chance for salvation at the federal level. For now, state laws are what stands between a rapper’s artistic expression and jail time, and California is setting an important precedent for the rest of the union.

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Jada Pinkett Smith Describes Tupac Kiss As “Disgusting” In Resurfaced Interview

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While hip-hop lovers have often speculated that Tupac and Jada Pinkett Smith may have been each other’s “the one that got away” prior to the rapper’s untimely death, a resurfaced interview from 2015 finds the Girls Trip actress explaining to Howard Stern just how wrong those theories are.

Many have wondered how the mother of two avoided the temptation right in front of her in the form of one of her closest friends, and the host didn’t hesitate to press her by asking, “How were you not attracted to Tupac?”

American actress Jada Pinkett Smith with American rapper Tupac Shakur, 1996. (Photo by Mychal Watts/WireImage)

“I met Tupac at the Baltimore School of the Arts. We went to High School together,” Pinkett Smith recalled, also noting that, while the West Coast artist was undeniably charismatic, he was also poor, and allegedly only owned two pairs of pants and two sweaters when she met him.

As Stern inquired about if ‘Pac was as “gangsta as we all thought he was,” the 51-year-old confirmed the gossip. “He was a revolutionary without a revolution. That kind of energy just transferred into a whole other thing,” she explained.

When the host asked if Pinkett Smith thought the “All Eyez On Me” hitmaker was in love with her due to the beautiful poetry he penned in her honour, she said, “It is so funny. Now being older, I have more of an understanding of what that was between us.”

“When you have two young people who have very strong feelings but there is no physical chemistry… between us at all. And it wasn’t even just for me. It was him too.”

The Red Table Talk host shared that there was once a time when she asked Tupac to kiss her, just to see what would happen. “When I tell you it had to be the most disgusting thing, kiss for us both,” she admitted.

While Stern suggests the lack of sexual chemistry was due to the “platonic” nature of their relationship, Pinkett Smith offered a more philosophical explanation.

“The only way I can put it is the ‘Higher Power’ just did not want that,” the Baltimore native suggested. “I feel as though if Pac and I had any kind of sexual chemistry we might have killed each other because we were both so passionate and we loved deeply.”

In the same interview, Pinkett Smith said she didn’t feel guilty about not being on good terms with 2Pac at the time of his death, as she knew that he knew that she loved him.

Check it all out below, and tap back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.

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Boldy James & Nicholas Craven Drop Off “Fair Exchange No Robbery”

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Even in comparison to his fellow hyper-prolific members of Griselda, Boldy James has a staggering rate of output. Just in May, the Detroit rapper released Killing Nothing with Real Bad Man, a 13-song LP with features from Knowledge The Pirate, CRIMEAPPLE, and more. In the year prior, he dropped Bo Jackson and Super Tecmo Bo, both collaborations with The Alchemist. In 2020, he dropped a whopping three albums.

But all of that is not to say that a Boldy drop isn’t exciting. On Fair Exchange No Robbery, James teams up with producer Nicholas Craven, who has an Alchemist-esque sensibility, delivering Boldy sample-heavy instrumentals that perfectly compliment the rapper’s matter-of-fact delivery.

Fair Exchange is a mellow listen, just as its cover art would indicate. The samples selected by Craven are largely warm and inviting 70s deep cuts. But the sonics can sometimes be misleading; on “Power Nap,” James’ lyrics are threatening, yet nestled in a lilting lullaby sample.

Check out the project below, and let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Tracklist

  1. Straight & Tall
  2. Stuck In Traffic
  3. Scrabble
  4. Town & Country
  5. 0 Trey Nine (feat. Gue Wop)
  6. Monterey Jack
  7. Designer Drugs
  8. Six Toes
  9. You Ain’t No Menace
  10. Power Nap

DaniLeigh & DaBaby’s Daughter Velour’s Cutest Moments: IG Gallery

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27-year-old DaniLeigh’s relationship with DaBaby may not have worked out exactly as planned, but it did produce the pair’s adorable 1-year-old daughter, Velour.

In the time since the young girl’s arrival, the “BOOGEYMAN” rapper and his ex have gotten in plenty of public blowouts, one of which even resulted in a bowling alley brawl between Baby and DaniLeigh’s brother, Brandon Bill$. At this time, they appear to have a civil co-parenting arrangement, although Dani didn’t hold back on venting about her feelings about their tumultuous split when sharing her My Side EP in July.

While the 30-year-old is already a father of several other children, Velour is the Miami-born singer’s firstborn, and the pride she clearly has for her little girl shines through all the way down her Instagram feed.

We’ve scoped out DaniLeigh’s social media to find her sweetest mother-daughter moments with her little one – keep scrolling to see the heartwarming photos for yourself.

The “Cravin’” hitmaker’s fans were first introduced to her baby girl at the end of 2021. Currently, the earliest photo of Velour on her mom’s feed was shared in December and sees Dani gushing over the infant’s eyes, smirk, and face. Other uploads from the same month see the baby at her smallest, before she would go on to grow into Leigh’s mini-me.

DaniLeigh took a hiatus from posting for almost the entire first half of 2022, but when May came around, she returned to celebrate her first Mother’s Day in a very public (and adorable) way. The month saw plenty of fun in the sun for the two as well when the entertainer showed off her child’s luxurious Burberry bathing suit and snapped some selfies during golden hour.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd1avxYLFgD/

Things got busy for the 27-year-old in June as she prepared for the release of her juicy EP, but she still found time in her busy schedule to arrange time for Velour to join her at work in Los Angeles.

She may only be one, but BabyLeigh was still able to assist her mom with her latest project, appearing in both the “Dead To Me” music video and a teaser trailer for the My Side project.

July brought plenty of celebration for DaniLeigh, but once August rolled around, it was Velour’s turn to take over the spotlight. The growing girl celebrated her first birthday on the 12th by cruising around in her own little car to match her mama’s, and when it was time for her party, she spent the day dancing and making memories with her friends and family.

As the summer came to an end, DaniLeigh headed out on the road to our her new music until mid-October. While she’s certainly having fun chasing her dreams, based on a recent IG upload, it’s clear that she’s missing her daughter now more than ever.

Bree Runway Reminds Us She’s “THAT GIRL” In New Single & Music Video

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Bree Runway is back with a bang, sharing her latest single, “THAT GIRL,” this New Music Friday.

The London-born performer shared the EASYFUN-produced upbeat track after taking some time off from the industry, and the bouncy, upbeat club banger has her fans proudly rallying behind her.

“I’ve been on a mini hiatus and there’s no better way to remind you that I’m ‘THAT GIRL’,” the 29-year-old told Paper Mag. “This song automatically makes me feel like the main character in the middle of a sweaty club, and I’m just oozing sex, glamour and confidence whilst everybody watches.”

She continued her explanation with, “It’s my everyday reminder of how fabulous I am, and it’s your new everyday reminder too – you’re automatically a 10 if you: turn this on, f*ck with it, press play and feel liberated, pumped up, and free.”

Earlier this year, the singer dropped off “Pressure” and “Somebody Like You.”

Check out the music video for “THAT GIRL” above, and stream the latest single from Bree Runway on Spotify below.

Quotable Lyrics:

And my ass thick but my bank account thicker
Tasty ass bitch, skin brown like a Snicker
I don’t see nobody, I don’t care about these n*ggas
And I can’t push your brand if it’s not six figures

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Kid Cudi Breaks Silence On Rolling Loud Bottle Throwing

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Kid Cudi is back with a new album. Entergalactic features a plethora of talent, including 2 Chainz, Don Toliver, and Ty Dolla $ign, and it also has an accompanying animated special. The “Pursuit Of Happiness” rapper has been doing some interviews to promote the new project, and in conversation, he finally addressed walking off stage during his performance at Rolling Loud Miami.

The incident was captured thoroughly from various camera angles, and videos of a furious Cudi went viral, showing the beleaguered rapper getting pelted with water bottles. In a conversation with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Cudi discussed the abbreviated show.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 28: Scott Mescudi attend the Entergalactic Premiere at the Paris Theatre on September 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix)

“It’s supposed to be an unspoken agreement amongst artists and fans, that you’re supposed to give the utmost respect and not interfere with the performance,” said Cudi. To him, the audience had broken that agreement, and that was why he was so upset.

Cudi also hinted that Entergalactic might be his final album, at least under the moniker of Kid Cudi. “The Kid Cudi stuff, I think I want to put it on the back burner and chill out with that. I think, I want to be done with it,” he said. “I think, closing the chapter on Kid Cudi.”

While he didn’t say he would never make new music again, the rapper emphasized that he wanted to work on other creative endeavors, including writing for TV and working on his clothing line. He also noted he wanted to focus on being a dad to his 12-year-old daughter.

“I’ve said a lot and I have other desires, I have other things I want to do,” he elaborated. “And I do not see me never making music, I’ll always f**k around in the studio, or make something here and there. But, as far as getting in the studio and working on an album, and then going and touring it, I just don’t have it in me. I don’t have the desire.”

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Billy Woods Drops Ethereal New Album, “Church”

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Billy Woods is well-respected as one of the most elaborate and mysterious lyricists working today, with an inspired cult following that’s built up an independent empire for the New York native. He’s had (as usual) quite the prolific year, with a new album in April titled Aethiopes and a stand-out appearance on Earl Sweatshirt’s latest, SICK! Now, Woods has dropped a surprise project for fans produced by Messiah Musik that hits all the abstract hip-hop notes you’d expect.

Press around Church describes it as “an exploration of memory, faith, marijuana, and fate,” and explains that it tackles “the price of love and the cost of doing business.” Woods coasts through these topics with the same craftsmanship and narrative detail he’s known for, weaving verses that feel strung out and disjointed while keeping you in the track’s trance. Production-wise, the album is generally quite abstract and choppy with its atmospheric use of samples, soundscapes, and off-beat drums. There’s variety, too: boom-bap-turned-jazz-pastiche on the opener “Paraquat,” the lumbering and disorienting “Fever Grass,” and the trippy cloud rap on the closer “Magdalene.”

That last track features rapper Elucid, known for collaborating frequently with Woods as of late under the name Armandhammer. Church also features AKAI SOLO, Fat Ray, and FIELDED. Billy Woods is known for these extensive collaborations, such as his project with The Alchemist, Haram, in March of last year. He’ll also be touring in support of his new releases starting next month, so check your local venues to see if you can catch this mesmerizing set of tracks in the flesh. Check out Church below.

Ed Sheeran To Stand Trial on Marvin Gaye Copyright Claim

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Ed Sheeran

A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Ed Sheeran in connection with his song “Thinking Out Loud” may proceed to a jury trial, rejecting Sheeran’s attempts to have the case dismissed.

In 2018, Sheeran was sued by Structured Asset Sales, a company owning a one-third stake in the assets of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote the song “Let’s Get It On” with Marvin Gaye.  Structured Assets claimed Sheeran had stolen copyrighted portions from “Let’s Get It On” when he wrote, “Thinking Out Loud.”  In response, Sheeran argued that the song elements he was accused of copying, namely, the chord progression and the harmonic rhythm, were not unique enough to receive copyright protection, and therefore he could not have infringed the copyright in the song.  Structured Asset Sales asserted that the combination of both these elements are sufficient to receive copyright protection.  

Judge Louis Stanton did not decide this issue, but wrote that “there is no bright-line rule that the combination of two unprotected elements is sufficiently numerous to constitute a copyrighted work.”  He wrote further that “a work may be copyrightable even though it is entirely a compilation of unprotectable elements.”   Ruling that he could not resolve the issue as a matter of law, Judge Stanton refused to dismiss the claims and ruled that the case would need to be presented to a jury. 

This ruling represents a big victory for Sheeran’s accusers.  It is always uncertain how juries will decide these types of cases, and in the past, juries have awarded large damage awards to plaintiffs under similar circumstances.  For example, in March 2015, a jury awarded $7.4 million to the Estate of Marvin Gaye, finding that Robin Thicke had infringed the Marvin Gaye song “Got To Give It Up” in his song “Blurred Lines.”  

Sheeran has been involved in this type of dispute before.  This past April, he won a lawsuit in the UK in which he was accused of having copied another song when he wrote “Shape of You.”

The post Ed Sheeran To Stand Trial on Marvin Gaye Copyright Claim appeared first on The Source.