newhiphopnews

Despite his passing, Pop Smoke is a rapper whom we will continue to hear about for a very long time. The Canarsie-born artist and Brooklyn drill music pioneer was shot dead in Hollywood last February just as his career was about to take off to new heights. He’s still experiencing enormous amounts of success in the afterlife, recently earning six posthumous platinum certifications just from music released after his death. According to a report from RapRadar, the late rapped has allegedly just tied a new record with none other than Prince.  

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

According to the report, the decorated rapper’s post-death debut Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon has spent an impressive 19 consecutive weeks at the top position on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The project now ties with Prince’s iconic 80s album Purple Rain as the second-longest number one on the chart. 

With the most weeks at the pinnacle position since M.C. Hammer’s Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt Em in 1990, Pop surpassed Michael Jackson’s Bad and is currently only second behind Jackson’s Thriller. 

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

He’s already surpassed Eminem’s Recovery as the longest-running rap album to remain at No. 1 on the Top Rap Album charts, holding the top position going into its 20th week. 

[via]

Talk show host Claudia Jordan has responded after Gary Owen’s wife, Kenya Duke, accused her of somehow being part of the reason for the couple’s divorce, although it’s unclear exactly what Duke alleged against both Jordan and Owen. Jordan, however, has publicly denied all accusations and claims made by Duke. 

Kenya seemed to claim that Gary Owen’s alleged mistress, while not Claudia Jordan herself, is a friend of Jordan’s. “I have all your info. I am going to deal with you in a minute, I am a little busy now,” Duke wrote in an convoluted IG caption. “You can have him but you can’t disrespect me and my kids in the process.” She added, “Tried to be quiet out of respect for my kids but @claudiajordan has me on one this morning. 23 years together Gary didn’t have s*** but a raggedy pickup and good credit, no place to live.”

In an Instagram live session, Claudia Jordan decided to address her so-called involvement. Claudia Jordan and Gary Owen have been friends for about 20 years, according to Jordan who also added, “the fact that I’m being dragged into this is stupid and it’s just not true.” She then continued to say that she wanted to “tell the facts” and said, “I understand that divorce is difficult, but you don’t have to drag people in.” 

Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images

Jordan blamed Duke for pulling her into this drama, and she is none too happy about it saying, she “has reached out to friends of Kenya so we can talk women-to women and not play this out in front of everybody, but I also feel like I want to keep it 100 with my peoples and tell the facts.” 

“I have nothing to do with whatever is the reason for their divorce…sometimes people just break up,” Jordan stated, denying having ever been a mistress, and claiming that she doesn’t have any friends who have admitted to having an affair with Owen.

Prior to even hopping on IG Live, Jordan first sent out some cryptic tweets about this messy situation. 

Kenya Duke filed for divorce from Gary Owen after eighteen years of marriage, as we reported on at the beginning of the week. Details regarding their separation are still unknown. Gary Owen has yet to make any comment regarding the split or the accusations about cheating. 

We’ll keep you updated as this situation continues to unravel.

Check out the IG Live captured below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by the Jasmine BRAND (@thejasminebrand)

It goes without saying that Eminem’s catalog is so deep that it’s hard to compartmentalize his legacy into a single greatest hits album. Yet Curtain Call, originally released in December of 2005, has done a reasonably solid job in summarizing the biggest moments of Slim’s first six years in the game. So much so that the project has remained a genuine mainstay in the Billboard Charts, having spent a total of five-hundred and twenty weeks in the Top 200. 

Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty Images

According to a new report from Forbes, Eminem’s Curtain Call has officially spent a decade on the Billboard charts, a milestone that locks it in as the sixth-longest-running album (though really tied for fifth) in Billboard history and the highest in the hip-hop genre. Tied with him is Guns N Roses’ Greatest Hits with 520 weeks, and ahead are Metallica’s eponymous project with 598, Journey’s Greatest Hits with 659, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Legend with 669, and Pink Floyd’s timeless classic Dark Side Of The Moon with a staggering 958 weeks. 

As you marvel at the sheer amount of time the infamous cult classic “FACK” has been discovered, consider that Eminem’s Curtain Call shows no signs of slowing down. Though besting Pink Floyd’s record may take some time, he’s currently neck and neck with Guns N Roses and closing in on Metallica, should it ever fade to black. One can’t help but wonder how far Em’s first Greatest Hits record can actually go, a testament to his universal appeal and longevity. And given that the project currently sits at seven-times platinum, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Em eventually line up a second Best-Of, given how many hits emerged in the latter half of his career.

Congratulations to Eminem for another dominant milestone. Do you think Curtain Call can set a new record as the longest-charting album of all time? 

Philadelphia-born rapper PnB Rock is one of the most popular exports from his city but he remains one of the more slept-on artists in the game. He’s experienced tremendous success in his career, racking up over a billion streams on Spotify. His songs “Selfish”, “Horses”, and “I Like Girls” have proven to be massive hits but despite how well they’ve performed, the rapper says he doesn’t see much money from them at all.

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Taking to Instagram to lament on how he regrets signing his label deal, PnB Rock said, “Wish somebody woulda sat n told me not to take the deal, I don’t make money off my music I got paper still.”

In the video, he holds several bands of cash, likely totaling over $20,000. While he may not be seeing much money from his streams, he’s definitely not going broke. PnB Rock is still striving, he just wishes he would have structured his deal to work out more in his favor. 

The 29-year-old has only released one song this year, titled “Rose Gold” with a posthumous verse from King Von. The record was released via Atlantic Records. Rock hasn’t been very active in terms of releasing new music, coming through with his sophomore studio album TrapStar Turnt PopStar almost two years ago. Do you want more new music from PnB Rock?

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

The entire hip-hop community rejoiced late last month when Bobby Shmurda was finally released from prison last month. The hitmaker was arrested back in 2014 shortly after achieving international fame, ending his career potential incredibly prematurely. While it had been reported that Shmurda was released on parole, the conditions of his parole supervision were previously unknown. According to newly obtained legal docs by TMZ, the rapper allegedly isn’t allowed to drink any alcohol, hang out in bars or around gang members despite being out.

Brad Barket/Getty Images for Power 105.1

The publication reports that he’ll be under parole supervision all the way until February 23rd, 2026. Until then, he’ll have to adhere to an 8 pm curfew, submit to substance abuse testing and receive counseling for aggression and anger. 

The easiest part of his parole terms is just that he must “seek, obtain, and maintain employment.” Considering his status as an acclaimed rapper, he’s good on that part. 

He’s already had a few performances out in Atlanta during NBA All-Star Weekend. Literal moments after his release, he boarded a private jet with Quavo and hit the studio with the Migos member. 

The news of the parole terms tie up a couple of loose ends in the rapper’s behavior. Days after his release, footage went viral of the rapper denying a drink at the club, gesturing to his water bottle instead. 

As long as the Brooklyn drill pioneer keeps up the good behavior he can continue to stay out of trouble. 

[via]