Kool Keith and the gang offer up a five-mic classic as their debut LP 35 years ago.
Now, this is what you call that real NYC “Golden Era” Hip Hop. BX natives Ced Gee, Moe Love, TR Love, and the infamous Doctor Octagon aka Kool Keith can celebrate alongside The Source in debuting a classic project three decades ago. On this date in 1988, the UltraMagnetic MCs dropped Critical Beatdown on the Next Plateau label.
With the majority of the production done in-house courtesy of Ced Gee and the rest by the late Paul C, the 15 track CB gave us Hip Hop theme songs like “Give The Drummer Some,” “Watch Me Now,” and the unforgettable “Ego Trippin’.”
Salute to Keith, Ced, Moe, and TR for this five-mic classic!
Sexyy Red revealed that she wants former President Donald Trump reelected to office. Why? He gave stimulus checks and freed rappers. In conversation with podcaster Theo Von, Sexyy Red revealed that she likes Trump.
“At first I don’t think people was f**king with him,” Sexxy Red said. “They thought he was racist, saying little sh*t against women. But once he started getting Black people out of jail and giving people that free money. Aw baby, we love Trump. We need him back in office.”
The free money Sexxy Red refers to are stimulus checks during the pandemic, which Trump was known to have stamped his signature on.
You can hear it from Sexxy Red below and read more about Trump’s struggle here.
Sexyy Red proves she’s as real as it gets in her latest hit, “Shake Yo Dreads.” The track not only showcases her unapologetic style but also celebrates her roots as she proudly declares, “I’m from the North Side, I still be in the streets.”
Despite her rising fame and success, Sexyy Red stays true to her Northside roots, making it clear that she’s far from the industry image some may perceive. This authenticity and her fierce attitude have garnered her a dedicated following.
“Shake Yo Dreads” is just one of Sexyy Red’s recent releases, following her Lil Durk collaboration, “Hellcats SRTs 2.” She’s also made history by placing four songs on the new TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, including the chart’s first-ever #1 hit with “SkeeYee.” Her rapid ascent in music highlights her staying power and distinct approach to hip-hop.
Retired NBA legend Michael Jordan just became the first athlete ranked among America’s wealthiest people on the Forbes 400 list. Jordan, who has been a billionaire since 2014, catapulted onto the Forbes 400 list this year following the sale of the Charlotte Hornets in August for $3 billion. The former pro basketballer had been the team’s majority owner since 2010, when he bought the franchise for $275 million. Jordan built his fame through his 15 seasons with the NBA, but Forbes notes that his fortune largely stemmed from his off-court ventures.
For instance, Jordan earned $94 million during his time with the NBA, but he has scored an estimated $2.4 billion in pre-tax earnings from branding deals with McDonald’s, Gatorade and Nike — with the latter representing a sizable portion of his wealth. His most recent annual royalty check from Nike was for $260 million, Forbes notes.
Forbes reports:
Since Michael Jordan stepped onto an NBA court for the first time in 1984, earning an outsized payday has been a layup. Across his 15 NBA seasons, he hauled in $94 million and was the league’s highest-paid player in 1997 and 1998. But it was off the court where Jordan put serious air between himself and every other athlete on the planet, earning an estimated $2.4 billion (pre-tax) over his career with brands such as McDonald’s, Gatorade, Hanes and, of course, Nike, where his most recent yearly royalty check was for some $260 million.
Jordan had his biggest score in August, though, when he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets at an eye-watering $3 billion valuation. Even if he had sold at Forbes’ most recent valuation, an estimated $1.7 billion in 2022, it would have been a coup for the 60-year-old Hall of Famer. Instead, the 27th most valuable franchise in the NBA traded hands for the second-highest sale price in league history and nearly 17 times its value when Jordan became principal owner in 2010.
That places him in rare air. With an estimated net worth of $3 billion, Jordan has arrived on The Forbes 400, marking the first time a professional athlete has ranked among America’s wealthiest individuals.
Fetty Wap is getting all the pictures off in prison, following up on some previously dropped images from August. In the new set, Fetty is shown to have found some friends, posing with a crew of guys while wearing a crew neck and skully.
Fetty Wap is currently serving six years in prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar drug trafficking ring.
The New York Daily News reports Fetty Wap, born William Junior Maxwell II, was charged with conspiring of distributing over 100 kilos of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine from the West Coast for sale in New Jersey and Long Island.
In 2022, Fetty Wap pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine. After the plea, Fetty’s lawyers attempted to secure the five-year minimum as a sentence, citing his role in the trafficking was a result of financial strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the coming of the worldwide pandemic, things began to change for Mr. Maxwell. There were no opportunities to perform, thus his income was severely limited. He was sued personally, was going through a divorce, and was involved with a tour manager who was stealing from him. While the bills kept coming in, the money to pay them was running out,” his lawyer, Elizabeth Macedonio, wrote.
In opposition, prosecutors were pushing for a nine-year sentence and even used his hit single “Trap Queen,” citing it as a history of a pattern. “Trap Queen” was used as a tribute song to an ex-girlfriend who helped distribute it in Patterson, NJ.
Law enforcement busted the drug ring, collecting $1.5 million in cash, 16 kilos of cocaine, two more of heroin, and several fentanyl pills. Additionally, two 9-mm handguns, a rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition were recovered.
All hail Queen Beyoncé. The Renaissance tour is now over, and according to Live Nation, it is one of the most successful tours of all time.
The Renaissance set of dates earned $579 million worldwide, with 2.7 million fans attending across 56 dates. The show hit 39 cities. One of the feats of the tour was a five-night stay at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, the longest run of shows for any artist in history, bringing in 238,00 fans each night.
The final numbers are in. Beyonce’s #RENAISSANCEWorldTour brought in $580 million across 56 sold out shows.
It more than DOUBLES Beyoncé’s previous touring record set by the Formation World Tour and cements its place as the highest grossing tour by a black artist in history. pic.twitter.com/QYZA4ImaV4
The final total for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour doubles her previous record held by the Formation World Tour. Renaissance is now the highest-grossing tour by a female artist, Black artist, and solo artist in American history.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour grossed over $579 million from 56 shows, according to HITS Daily Double.
It officially becomes the highest-grossing tour by any female artist, Black artist, and solo American act in history. pic.twitter.com/e8eEeiPt3W
James Harden is ready to shake up training camp for the Philadephia 76ers. After no-showing Media Day, Harden is now set to attend the Moby Arena at Colorado State University for camp.
According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, there are no details of whether Harden will practice. Speaking on the impending arrival of Harden is new Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. “If he’s here tomorrow, like we’ve said on everything, we will get ready to make some adjustments on everything,” Nurse said.
On Friday, Harden received 25% of his contract, following the 25% paid to him on July 1.
Other players on the Sixers would welcome back Harden. Tyrese Maxey stated he would be welcomed back to the “brotherhood.”
The Sixers open practice on Sunday at TD Garden against the Boston Celtics.
Horrorcore rap is a niche, but interesting subgenre of rap. It has existed since the early ‘80s and has maintained an enigmatic presence in the Hip Hop scene. Horrorcore rappers typically blend dark and horror-themed lyrics with hardcore rap elements. They use the genre as a form of artistic expression to address several topics through dark and horror-infused lenses. These topics include societal issues, personal struggles, and deep fears, among others.
With Halloween drawing nearer, the stage is being set for Horrorcore rappers to shine. Sure, many of them haven’t had mainstream appeal but they’re constantly growing their respective fanbases. It’s also important to note that while the sound borrows from punk, alt, and rock, Horrorcore rappers are still centered around Hip Hip. Their pens are also particularly of note, as they rarely hold back from emotive lyricism. Overall, it would be worth anyone’s time to dive into the subgenre, and these rappers are a great entry point.
Eminem is the most notable name in the history of horrorcore rap. Although the bulk of his work is far removed from it, his stylistic choices in his early work, like The Marshall Mathers LP and The Slim Shady LP have always been linked as seminal works in the subgenre.
In 2009, Eminem returned to form with the release of Relapse, which is widely considered a Horrorcore album. The album shot to the top of the charts and also earned him the Grammy for Best Rap Album. Two horrific highlights of the project are the single, “3 a.m.,” and the chilling “Same Song And Dance.” The latter track also features one of Dr. Dre’s most haunting beats. However, in hindsight, Eminem shockingly referred to the album as “meh.”
Twiztid is a Horrorcore duo that consists of Jamie “Madrox” Spaniolo and Paul “Monoxide” Methric. Together, they conjure up the stuff of nightmares with their music. They have been together since 1992 and were previously members of the group House of Krazees. Twiztid’s music infused elements of Hip Hop and rock. The duo is quite popular in the Horrorcore scene, and they have had several appearances on Billboard charts. Throughout their career, they have released over 40 different projects, so there’s a lot of their music to check out. However, for your Halloween playlist this year, we recommend “We Don’t Die” and “Blood… All I Need.”
With a name like that, there’s already an idea of what to expect from this duo. The members of Insane Clown Posse are rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Their duo name is often abbreviated as ICP and developed a cult-like following since they began releasing music in 1989. The members of this duo are two of the best Horrorcore rappers out there with an enduring career that spans decades. It’s a tough choice to decide on where to begin with their extensive discography. Not to worry though, we’ve picked out two classic songs from their arsenal of hits for you to start with. You should definitely add “Halls of Illusions” and “My Axe” to your 2023 Halloween playlist.
Backxwash is a Zambian-Canadian rapper. She is an innovative voice in the Horrorcore scene, and has been active for over five years now. In December 2017, she released her debut single “Stonewall.” She followed it up in 2018 with the releases of her sophomore single “F.R.E.A.K.S,” and her debut studio album BLACK SAILOR MOON. Backxwash has released three additional albums since then. “VIBANDA” and “GNOSTIC FLESH/MORTAL HELL” are good picks to start you off on her music.
Sematary is a 22-year-old trap and Horrorcore artist. Per his Instagram bio, he describes himself as the “GRAVE MAN FROM THE HAUNTED MOUND” among other things. His earliest release on streaming platforms is Rainbow Bridge, his debut album which dropped in 2019. The rapper followed it with Rainbow Bridge 2 and Rainbow Bridge 3 in 2020 and 2021 respectively. He also released several Horrorcore singles along the way.
Just in time for Halloween 2023, Sematary dropped the album King Of The Graveyard on September 29. It is his second album of the year, following Butcher House. His songs “Haunted Mound Reapers” and “Go Dig My Grave” should make it into your Halloween playlist for sure.
This artist-producer trio consists of rapper Daveed Diggs, and producers William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes. Clipping. was formed in 2009, and the group has released seven projects since then. With a vast catalog, we advise checking out their lauded project, Visions Of Bodies Being Burned. They are celebrated as pioneers and experimentalists in the Horrorcore rap subgenre. We recommend adding “Check the Lock” and “Nothing is Safe” to your Halloween 2023 playlist.
Necro, the founder of Psycho+Logical-Records is an accomplished Horrorcore rapper. Additionally, he is often referred to as the “King of Death Rap.” He has been present in the music industry for quite a while, and his debut single, “I Need Drugs,” was released all the way in 1999. Necro has greatly expanded his discography since then, releasing several more solo studio albums. His unabashedly gruesome lyricism and imagery make him one of the best Horrorcore rappers of all time. “Your F**in Head Split” and “Push It to the Limit” are two of the MC’s Horrorcore classics worth checking out.
Drake is going to be dropping a brand-new album on Friday. For All The Dogs is a project that has been teased for quite some time at this point. However, we don’t actually know much about it. There hasn’t been a tracklist for the project, and we also don’t have a features list. Overall, there is even confusion about whether or not “Search & Rescue” will be on the album. Fans are split as to whether or not they even want it, but we digress.
What is for certain about this album, is that the song “Slime You Out” will definitely be on the tracklist. This song dropped a few weeks ago and it features the likes of SZA. The length 5-minute ballad was an immediate hit among fans, even it got criticized by Charlamagne Tha God. Subsequently, the song ended up becoming the number one track on the Billboard charts. It was a massive achievement, especially with the lack of hip-hop on the charts this year. Unfortunately, the song has experienced a major fall-off.
In the latest Billboard update, “Slime You Out” went all the way from first to 12th. Yes, that is correct, the song with Drake and SZA is now outside of the top 10. This is surprising especially when you consider how SZA has dominated the Billboard charts this year. As for who took number one from Drake? Well, it was actually none other than Doja Cat. Her song “Paint The Town Red” is back at number one, and we’re sure she is enjoying the success right now.
With For All The Dogs dropping very soon, it is likely that the artist will have another number one hit on his hands. His albums always chart extremely well, and we imagine every single song will end up on the Top 100 in one form or another. Let us know your thoughts on “Slime You Out,” in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world.
Young Thug was arrested alongside Gunna and over two dozen others back in May of 2022. Overall, these individuals were all hit with RICO charges. Since that time, many of these men have been released. However, this has come with a lot of criticism and some accusations of snitching. Gunna knows this all too well as numerous artists in hip-hop have decided to never work with him again. As for Thugger, well, he is still waiting to go to trial. Unfortunately, things are moving incredibly slowly.
It seems like Young Thug is in the courtroom every single day. His lawyers are doing everything they can to make sure this trial is a speedy one. After all, it is every individual’s right to have a speedy trial. If they are not granted that, then there is an argument to be made that the prosecution is acting in bad faith. Regardless, Thugger is in a bind right now, and as it turns out, things are not getting much better. According to Jozsef Papp of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, there is an update in the case, although one that just leads to more waiting.
In the tweet above, you can see that there are two more jurors who have been qualified to partake in the trial. So far, over 30 people have been approved. However, none of them have actually officially been selected and seated. Instead, qualified jurors have to wait over a month just to be contacted again. From there, they will narrow down the pool and make a decision on who will get to be part of this RICO trial. This is a very tricky case, so it is no surprise that jury selection is taking an incredibly long time.
Hopefully, for Young Thug and others, the process begins to get faster over these coming weeks. In the meantime, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates regarding the trial. We will always keep you informed. Additionally, let us know what you think of these proceedings, in the comments section below.
