Questlove Announced The Release Date For His Next Book, ‘Hip-Hop Is History’

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At this point, Questlove has so many jobs, it’s not only hard to keep track of them all but one also wonders when exactly he has the time to do so many things without the assistance of a secret twin, a la The Prestige. He’s joked about it himself, but it’s getting out of hand; in addition to organizing the Grammys’ hip-hop tribute in 2023, organizing the annual Roots Picnic, directing the live-action Aristocats remake for Disney, and curating playlists for his celebrity friends, he’s a best-selling author. In that last capacity, he just announced the release date for his upcoming book, Hip-Hop Is History, a deep-dive follow-up to his fifth book, Music Is History.

Questlove announced Hip-Hop Is History last August, so that turnaround is pretty impressive. At the time, he said, “No one asked me to, but I’m carrying that burden. And for all those who are present and accounted for, there is something to celebrate with hip hop’s 50th.There may be a lot of water under that bridge. Our disdain for looking in the rearview mirror is entrenched in pain and trauma. But as a child of legacy and nostalgia culture, I want to be the GPS for people to celebrate that thing called hip-hop.”

Hip-Hop Is History is out on June 11 via Auwa Books, Questlove’s own imprint.

Soulja Boy Wants Blueface Beef Squashed, Offers To Put $1K On His Books

Soulja Boy and Blueface’s beef has been one of the oddest to witness in recent times, mostly because of how exaggerated it all seemed. Moreover, it started with an interview question from Funny Marco to the latter about who has more hits, and devolved into some nasty back-and-forths. In fact, things took even more of a turn when the California rapper turned himself in to prison for alleged parole violations, and Soulja couldn’t help but laugh and advocate for his freedom only so they could fight. But during his most recent Instagram Live session at press time, the viral “Crank Dat” pioneer expressed regret over taking things too far.

“I wasn’t feeling that Live, bro,” Soulja Boy began. “I should never let no n***a be able to stoop me down to that level, bro. To where I’m laughing at a n***a ’cause he in jail. It was funny for a lil’ five minutes. I feel like I let the Internet s**t get to me. The Soulja Boy s**t, you know what I’m saying? To where I’m just, like, ‘Man, f**k this, I’m finna turn up, I’m finna flash out.’ You know what I’m saying? But me as a real n***a, I’m just, like, ‘Man, you know what? I gotta be real.’ It ain’t about what nobody think, it ain’t about the Internet. It’s about me as a man and as a person. You dig what I’m saying? As a man and as a person for me, man, I’m just gon’ squash the whole s**t, man.

Read More: Soulja Boy’s Baby Mother Taking Anxiety & Insomnia Meds Amid Blueface Lawsuit

Soulja Boy Squashes His Side Of Blueface Beef: Watch

“I’m over this s**t. It started off as some Funny Marco interview s**t, then it went to some Verzuz, who got more hits, and then it went just left hand,” Soulja Boy continued. “You feel what I’m saying? It went left hand. Which I jumped out the window too, like, talking about a n***a girl. Like, ‘Oh, I’ll F your girl’ and I’ll do this and do that. I shouldn’t have said that, you dig what I’m saying? I should’ve just, like, ‘Man, you know I got more hits than Blueface. The end.’ Or, you know, ‘Ha ha, he think he can beat me in a Verzuz, ha ha ha, for sure.’ And kept it moving. Ain’t nothing good gon’ come from beefing but death or jail. I know what it feel like to be locked down in a jail cell.

“You don’t know what’s gon’ happen, you don’t know what’s going on on the outside,” he concluded. “N***as ain’t f***ing with you, ain’t nobody putting money on your books. I know what it feel like. They said put money? I got a thousand dollars. Whoever know somebody, Blueface’s people, Wack 100. Y’all hit me up, I’ma put a thousand dollars on that n***a books. Free Blueface. We don’t want jail on no n***a. Let that n***a come out and do his s**t, man, you know what I’m saying? And that’s the end of that s**t man. I love all my fans, I’m sorry y’all had to see me doing all that s**t on the Internet, man. I just be getting caught up sometimes with this Internet s**t, bro.” For more news and updates on Blueface and Soulja Boy, stick around on HNHH.

Read More: Chrisean Rock Celebrates Blueface’s Birthday With Romantic Throwbacks

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Cardi B Taken Aback By Custom Made Book From Her Fans For Christmas

The latter half of 2023 for Cardi B has not been an easy one. Her outbursts have warranted some concern and hatred toward the New York hitmaking MC. Additionally, her on-and-off relationship with her “husband” Offset has come to another end recently. Speculation around their newest split came after the two unfollowed each other on social media and it turned out to be true.

Cardi has sent repeated shots with her most recent one twerking to Sexyy Red’s “Bow Bow Bow (F My Baby Dad).” However, she put her differences aside this Christmas to celebrate with her and Offset’s kids. She went all out, as both got their own special trees and loads of gifts and goodies. Cardi was also granted a kind gesture this holiday season from her biggest supporters.

Read More: Boosie Badazz Reunites With His Mom & Drops $50k On His Family For Christmas

Cardi B Was Blown Away

 
 
 
 
 
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In the video above, Cardi took the time to share a custom book that was created by her fans from across the globe. It features some letters showing their appreciation for the music she has put out and what she has meant to them. She was so impressed by the time and funds it took for this to come to life. “Just know that I love you guys. I just thought it was a beautiful gesture.” She claims the book costs somewhere between $400-$500. It is great to see that people are still supporting her even through one of the roughest patches in her life.

What are your initial thoughts on Cardi B’s custom-made book from her fans as a Christmas gift? Do you think she is back on track to becoming happier and more at peace? Is this one of the most creative gifts you have ever seen someone receive? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Cardi B. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.

Read More: Metro Boomin Teases Zaytoven Collaborative Project, Asks Fans For Name Ideas

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Victor Wembanyama Reveals His Favorite Off-Court Hobby

Victor Wembanyama recently revealed that one of his favorite things to do while not playing basketball is reading fantasy novels. “I actually wondered how many books I have read. I think I read even more than before, with all the traveling,” Wembanyama told the San Antonio Express-News. Spurs teammates corroborated the story, saying Wembanyama is usually seen on team flights with his nose buried in a thick book. At a recent press conference, Wembanyama named fantasy as his favorite genre. He named Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series as one of his favorites and also recently finished the fantasy juggernaut, The Wheel of Time.

Reading is a big part of Spurs team culture, with coach Gregg Popovich encouraging his players to read and remain up to date with current events. “He gives us a book every month or every couple of weeks. It’s like a little book club,” Tre Jones explained. Popovich has been spotted in recent years at famous bookstores like New York’s Strand Bookstore and Portland’s Powell’s Books.

Read More: Chris Paul Tries To Look Taller In Photo With Victor Wembanyama, Social Media Goes Wild

Victor Wembanyama Jersey Goes For Record Price

Elsewhere, the jersey from Wembanyama’s NBA debut recently fetched a massive price at auction. The jersey sold for $762K, nearly eight times the estimated price. The auction, handled by Sotheby’s, ran through mid-to-late November with an anonymous bidder coming away with the one-of-a-kind item. Of course, the price tag is nowhere close to the record set by Michael Jordan‘s 1998 Finals jersey ($10.091M). However, it’s an amazing price for the jersey of a player who was less than 20 games into his NBA career at the time. Furthermore, it did set a new record for the sale of an NBA rookie debut jersey. The all-time record for a full rookie uniform was set in 2021 with the sale of Kobe’s rookie kit.

A major contributing factor to the auction, which reportedly drew 62 bids alone, is how Wembanyama has gone from strength to strength over the course of his young career. Of course, Wembanyama is no ordinary rookie. The Frenchman has been professionally in the well-regarded French league since 2019. While many European players come to the NBA with prior professional experience, few have that experience at the same level or hype as Wembanyama. By comparison, two-time MVP Nikola, who played three years in Serbia before the NBA, was a mid-second-round pick in 2014.

Read More: Victor Wembanyama Towers Over Drake In Latest Picture Together

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XXXTENTACION’s Mother Reveals The Kinds Of Books He Was Reading: Watch

One person’s death that might have hit the hardest was the tragic loss of XXXTENTACION. It is crazy to think five years have passed by already. Every day music fans mourn for him and his family. His legacy is something that probably no hip-hop fan will ever forget. Some sort of justice was served back in April at least. Three men, Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams, were all sentenced to life in prison. Additionally, Robert Allen accepted a plea deal, testified, and was granted two years, but has 20 years of probation.

Any sort of information we can get about XXXTENTACION is always nice to see, especially when it relates to his personal life. According to XXL, his mother, Cleopatra Bernard, chatted with podcaster, Gary The Numbers Guy, for an interview that delved into the mind of XXX. You can check out the full chat below if you are so inclined. A lot of the discussion centered around numerology and occult.

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XXXTENTACTION Was Into Occult

One of the clips from the talk that is making waves around the internet is the display of books that XXX used to always have his nose in. Cleo explains in a little extra detail. “These are some of his books, so you have an idea where his mind was. The things that he found interesting.” It is quite an expansive collection with them ranging from mythology, numerology, witchcraft, and more.

What are your initial thoughts on XXXTENTACION’s mother revealing the types of books that her son was into? If you had to guess what kind of things XXX was into, would this be what you would have imagined? Have you ever read books like these before and do you believe in occult? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around XXXTENTACION, as well as everything else going on around the music world.

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Stephen King Net Worth 2023: What Is The Author Worth?

Born in the tranquil town of Portland, Maine, in 1947, Stephen King’s roots seemed far removed from the macabre tapestries he’d go on to weave. His childhood, punctuated by familial shifts and an early tryst with the written word, served as the fertile ground from which his passion for storytelling would burgeon. Yet, beneath the veneer of his ordinary upbringing lay a mind that danced with phantoms, specters, and otherworldly tales. And as the calendars flipped to 2023, this master storyteller found himself perched atop a staggering net worth of $600 million, as delineated by CAknowledge.

Career Highlights & Accolades

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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 22: Author Stephen King signs autographs for fans. Prior to performing with the Rock Bottom Remainders at El Rey Theatre. On June 22, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/WireImage)

Stephen King’s name is synonymous with horror literature. From the haunting narratives of Carrie and The Shining to the dystopian landscapes of The Stand, his stories have sent chills down the spine of readers for decades. But it’s not just the written word where King reigns supreme. His stories have painted the big screens, with adaptations like Shawshank Redemption and It raking in accolades and box office gold alike. More than just a writer, King’s illustrious career has seen him don multiple hats – director, screenwriter, and even occasional actor.

Personal Life & Highlights

stephen king
NEW YORK – JUNE 1: Authors Stephen King (L) and Scott Turow perform. With the Rock Bottom Remainders at Webster Hall June 1, 2007 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images)

Behind the terrifying tales is a man who, much like his stories, is multi-layered and full of surprises. King’s life hasn’t been devoid of struggles. His battle with addiction and his near-fatal accident in 1999 are testaments to his resilience. A family man at heart, King shares a close bond with his wife, Tabitha, and his children, many of whom have inherited the literary gene. His Maine residence, with its ornate gates adorned with spiders and bats, is a nod to his love for the Gothic, even as it stands as a sanctuary for the writer and his muses.

Business Ventures & Philanthropy

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BANGOR, ME – SEPTEMBER 06: Stephen King attends a special screening of “IT”. At Bangor Mall Cinemas 10 on September 6, 2017 in Bangor, Maine. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)

While King’s primary claim to fame remains his extensive bibliography, he has never avoided exploring new ventures. His foray into digital publishing with the release of Riding the Bullet was a nod to his forward-thinking approach to literature. Beyond the realm of business, King’s heart beats for philanthropy. Over the years, he and his wife have generously contributed to libraries. Additionally, educational initiatives and healthcare causes, especially in their home state of Maine. For King, the act of giving is as innate as the act of creating.

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Yo Gotti Says He Treats JAY-Z’s Albums “Like Books”

Yo Gotti says that he consumes JAY-Z’s albums as if they are books. He discussed his respect for the legendary rapper during a recent interview on Big Boy’s Neighborhood.

“I study Jay. When Jay put out albums, they like books for me,” he said on the show. “So for a young hustler, a real hustler who understands what he talking about when he’s saying certain things – that’s my information. That’s my research catalogue. If you the right hustler, you gon’ pick up on something.”

Read More: Yo Gotti Snaps Over Jay-Z Classic On Saucy Funk Flex Freestyle

Yo Gotti & JAY-Z At The Grammys

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Hip Hop Artists Yo Gotti and Jay-Z during The 59th GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for NARAS)

He continued: “If you just listening, you just listening. It might go over your head. Or under your head. I feel like some of my experiences and some of the things I’m seeing and learning, I’m putting it in the music.” Elsewhere in the interview, Gotti discussed his new mixtape, I Showed U So, his relationship with Angela Simmons, and much more. Check out Yo Gotti’s full comments on JAY-Z below from his interview with Big Boy.

Yo Gotti Discusses JAY-Z

It’s not the first time Gotti has shared his respect for JAY-Z. While taking a controversial position in favor of 360 deals in music, he quoted JAY-Z on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, last month. “I feel like business is business, right? Going back to what I was saying about myself and my younger days, in my younger business ventures, I think business is business. I think Hov said, ‘What’s 100 percent of 0?’ Right, so to me, you ain’t thinking logical when you think you get everything and nobody get nothing from you. That’s not common sense, bro.” Gotti and JAY-Z also recently teamed up to work on the documentary, Exposing Parchman. Yo Gotti’s new project, I Showed U So, is available now.

Read More: Jay-Z & Yo Gotti Star In Heartbreaking “Exposing Parchman” Trailer

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DJ Khaled Reads From Drake’s New Poetry Book: Watch

“We The Best Music” collaborator DJ Khaled knows how to merge art forms and artists. Whether it’s a bopping new song with three features or social media content with special guest stars, the music producer is down to spread the love. Most recently, he’s spreading the love to one Aubrey “Drake” Graham and his new book of poetry, Titles Ruin Everything. The Toronto-based hip-hop icon gave DJ Khaled a copy of his first published work, with a notecard that said, “Courtesy of The Boy.”

“Life isn’t fair… but karma helps,” DJ Khaled says in an Instagram video showcasing the gift. He’s quoting from a random page he flipped to, offering a brief nugget of Drake wisdom. He continues: “Some days I got it all figured out… but most days I never learn.” Khaled turns the book towards the camera, claiming he isn’t making these lyrical couplets up. He continues to call “The Boy” Drake something special and different. “The minute you think you figured out The Boy,” Khaled says, “he writes a book!”

Read more: DJ Khaled Previews Upcoming “Royal Reimagined” Air Jordan 1

DJ Khaled + Drake = Neverending Success

The infamous DJ is incredulous when reading this latest endeavor from Drake. The poetry is sparse, with single lines gracing each page, but the impact is palpable. “I charged the game… and paid the bill,” is another pithy quote Khaled reveals during his impromptu reading. He ends the video by giving us one last page worth of wisdom: “You’re nothing to write home about.” DJ Khaled says he’s taking his time reading the book — even if it’s very short — because each phrase makes you pause and think deeper about what’s actually being written.

Titles Ruin Everything is available on the website Drake Related. This isn’t the first time a rapper decided to get into the publishing game. Logic back in 2019 launched a short novel, Supermarket, accompanied by a full-fledged album soundtrack for the book. That same year, Russ crafted a self-help book, titled It’s All In Your Head. When you’re someone who has used their words to shape the culture vocally, it only makes sense to put those special thoughts down on paper. And then have DJ Khaled promote those thoughts.

Read more: DJ Khaled Reveals Doctor Visit After His Surfing Mishap

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Questlove Seeks To Inspire “Black Nerds” In New Book

Questlove is finding more and more ways to inspire Black youth. Whether it’s through his timeless classics with his band The Roots or winning Oscars for beautiful depictions of the Black existence, Quest always has the youth in mind. This time around the six-time Grammy winner has found yet another way to inspire young Black kids with the release of his new novel The Rhythm of Time. Despite it being out since Tuesday (April 18), the young adult novel has already found its way into Amazon’s Top 5 best seller list under the “Children’s Action and Adventure” section.

The book aims to inspire Black nerds like Questlove who never saw themselves represented in the books he read. In a recent interview with The View, he told the hosts he dedicated the book to his 9-year-old self who enjoyed reading but never saw himself in the books that were available to him. Although the book isn’t autobiographical, Quest uses his Philadelphia upbringing as inspiration. He told the hosts “I want Black nerds to see themselves as well.”

Questlove Opens Up About New Novel

The Rhythm of Time follows seventh-grader Rahim Reynolds and his friend Kasia Collins, who spend their time building all sorts of crazy gadgets. Rahim is then transported back to 1997 after getting his hands on one of Kasia experimental cell phones. He must find a way back to the present while dodging nefarious obstacles and roadblocks. Questlove collaborated with New York Times bestselling author S.A. Cosby to create the novel, recommended for ages 10 and up (we’re all kids at heart). This is Quest’s sixth publishing venture, the 260-page bestseller is available on hardcover for $16 on Amazon.

In addition to his new book, Quest is also taking his talents to big screen yet again. He’ll be directing a live-action hybrid adaptation of Disney’s classic Aristocats. This will be his feature film directorial debut, and the movie is expected to be a live-action hybrid rendition of the classic film. Questlove will serve as the executive producer alongside co-producers bandmate BlackThought, Shawn Gee, and Zarah Zohlman. Have you read Quest’s book yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Nas Likes To Do This While Touring, Says Tony Yayo

Tony Yayo explained to VladTV what it was like touring with Nas for the Nastradamus promo tour, back in 1999. This was Yayo’s first tour and was there with 50 Cent. He thought that the tour was going to have nothing but partying with women, drugs, and alcohol. While there was plenty of that around thanks to Jungle, Nas was not too interested in it. This was six years into Nas’s career. All of the excitement of tours must have run off of him by then

Instead, Nas was more interested in reading. He really wasn’t smoking that much weed, but instead spent most of the downtime with his nose in a book. Yayo figures that his reading is what made him so good with lyrics. Nine years ago, Nas made an AMA on Reddit and was asked what his favorite book was. The answer was Richard Pryor’s autobiography, Pryor Convictions. He also gave a couple of more suggestions, with Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom and Rick James’s memoirs. He appears to have an affinity towards autobiographical books that talk about people’s rough lives, especially if it involves drug abuse. He is not just reading whatever is new and popular, but also going back to try to find new angles for his lyrics.

Nas Loves Books

50 Cent also talked to MTV previously about what Nas was like during this tour. It was the first time that somebody had ever done something for him without wanting something in return. Nas brought 50 along just to hang out on the tour bus. Later, they had a falling out when 50 mocked Nas in 2005 during his song “Piggy Back” for getting a tattoo of his now ex-wife, Kellis.

However, they had since squashed the beef. Last year, 50 even had this to say. “I love Nas. He’s really the one. He is the guy, the lyrical — we was figuring out how to do it.” In a recent interview with Billboard, 50 revealed that he was going to be working with Nas for the upcoming King’s Disease 4 LP. However, we do not know much more about that at this point in time.