Exclusives

Today in Hip-Hop History: The Notorious B.I.G.’s Posthumous Third LP ‘Born Again’ Dropped 24 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, the late Notorious B.I.G. released his second posthumous album, Born Again. This project was a compilation album featuring old recorded verses over newer beats with guest features. The album had a high reception rate, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and selling 485,000 albums in the first week. It sold so well that it was certified double platinum a month and seven days after its release.

The album’s critical reception was mixed, to say the least. Many critics were stuck in between whether this album was merely a way for Bad Boy Records to cash in on an opportunity or a tribute album to arguably the best rapper of all time. Rolling Stone wrote that the “album won’t damage his legacy, but Born Again won’t improve that legacy much either.” Late in 2004, the magazine stated that “The posthumous Born Again proved Biggie was still dead, but his place in the MCs Hall of Fame remains untouchable.” Whether or not these reviews ring true to listeners is up for debate, but what is certain is that the star-studded cast of features on this project definitely helped Biggie flex his abilities even from the grave. Features on the project included greats such as Busta Rhymes, Redman, Method Man, Missy Elliott, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg and although these are titans of rap, none of them were able to outshine the Notorious B.I.G. For Biggie fans, this project was a gift from the afterlife. It has become a must-have among all diehard fans of the late king of New York.  The album made appearances on the top music charts all over the world and has sales that continuously increase due to the successes of Biggie in his life. After this project, Bad Boy released one last posthumous album titled Duets: The Final Chapter in 2005.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Camron’s ‘Purple Haze’ Album Turns 20 Years Old!

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On this date in 2004, Cam’Ron released his fourth solo album entitled ‘Purple Haze’ released on the Diplomats, Roc-A-Fella, and Def Jam imprints.

This was the first solo album from the Dipset capo following the Dipset craze, where he switched from his obsession with the color pink to the more regal purple. Songs such as the anthemic “Down And Out” featuring a fairly new artist named Kanye West and Syleena Johnson, “Bubble Music” and “Adrenaline” featuring Twista and Psycho Drama help to popularize the highly anticipated album that took about a year to be released following several label delays during the Roc-A-Fella break up.

The album was propelled by samples from old soul and reggae music, which only helped to add to the LP’s popularity.

Salute to Cam, Dipset, and everyone involved with this timeless Hip Hop gem!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Camron’s ‘Purple Haze’ Album Turns 20 Years Old! appeared first on .

Today In Hip Hop History: UGK’s Pimp C Passed Away 17 Years Ago

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On this date in 2007, Chad Butler aka Pimp C of Houston’s legendary Underground Kingz along with Bun B, lost his life from an overdose of promethazine syrup, which is called “lean” on the streets, in West Hollywood, California. He was only 33 years old. Even though his physical presence is gone and sorely missed, many artists still pay homage to Sweet Jones through his music and dedication to him of their own music.

Born Chad Lamont Butler on December 29, 1973, in Port Arthur, Texas, Pimp C emerged into the Hip Hop scene with his partner Bun B to make the Underground Kingz (UGK) one of the greatest rap groups to come out of the Dirty South and undoubtedly the best rap duo from Texas.

In his illustrious three-decade-long career, the Pimp released nine UGK albums, six full-length solo albums, and even a posthumous book Sweet Jones: Pimp C’s Trill Life Story by Ozone Magazine owner Julia Beverly, which dropped last summer.

RIP PIMP C!!!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: UGK’s Pimp C Passed Away 17 Years Ago appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Brand Nubian Dropped Their Debut Album ‘One For All’ 34 Years Ago

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On December 4, 1990, Brand Nubian released their classic Five Mic debut album One For All on Elektra Records. Boasting production Dante Ross, Skeff Anslem, the SD 50s (Stimulated Dummies), Jam as well as their own hands on the boards, Brand Nubian arguably released one of the most influential debut albums in Hip Hop history. The Source Magazine’s Record Report of All For One gave the LP a perfect rating, stating AFO, “overflows with creativity, originality, and straight-up talent. […] the type of record that captures a whole world of music, rhymes, and vibes with a completely new style.”

Over 30 years ago, Grand Puba Maxwell of the Masters Of Ceremony linked up with the Gods Derrick X and Lord Jamar Allah, recruited X’s childhood pal Alamo as the DJ to form the four-man crew of Brand Nubian. The crew pioneered the sound of the Gods, infusing the knowledge and wisdom of the 5% Nation in their lyrical content, and used the music to attract many young Black youths of that era to Black consciousness. Together the quartet has only released this album, but Lord J and Derrick X, who is now known as Sadat X, have dropped two additional projects under the Brand Nubian flag. Even with all of their respective solo endeavors, their collective impact on the culture of the rap game is forever embedded in the fabric of Hip Hop.

Salute to Puba, Lord Jamar, Sadat, Alamo, Stud Dougee(RIP), Dante Ross, Skeff, and everyone at Elektra who was involved in bringing the people such an important part of Hip Hop history!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Brand Nubian Dropped Their Debut Album ‘One For All’ 34 Years Ago appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Today in Hip-Hop History: 2Pac’s “California Love” Featuring Dr. Dre Was Released 29 Years Ago

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On this date in 1995, Death Row Records released one of the label’s most successful singles featuring Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, and Zapp frontman, the late Roger Troutman aptly titled “California Love” from ‘Pac’s All Eyez On Me LP.

As Tupac’s first single as a Death Row artist and as a free man after his 1994 rape conviction, California Love dropped during the height of the East Coast/West Coast rivalry and helped to propel Death Row to the top of the Hip Hop food chain, featuring the game’s hottest rapper and the most sought after producer. The B-side to the Jodeci-powered “How Do U Want It?” posted up in the Billboard pole position for a solid two weeks and ‘Pac was posthumously nominated for Grammys in the Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group categories.

“Only In Cali where we riot not rally, to live and die/ In L.A., we wearing Chucks, not Ballys(yeah, that’s right)..”

Salute to the late, great Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, the entire Death Row staff, the legend Roger Troutman and everyone involved with this smash single that will forever live in Hip Hop history.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: 2Pac’s “California Love” Featuring Dr. Dre Was Released 29 Years Ago appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records Released ‘Christmas On Death Row’ LP 28 Years Ago

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On this date in 1996, Death Row Records, led by then CEO Suge Knight, dropped an exclusive Christmas project for the holiday season. Sadly, this album was released just shy of three months after the tragic shooting death of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas.

The album featured all of Death Row’s favorite acts including Michel’le, who at the time was involved with Knight, Snoop Dogg and The Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Danny Boy and several other up and coming artists on the label. The star-studded line-up rehashed many Christmas soul classics and carols including “Silver Bells,” “Frosty Thee Snowman,” and “White Christmas.” With 200K in sales, the virtually unheard of album didn’t do too bad. The best part was that it was reportedly all for charity.

Salute to the entire Death Row for releasing this under the radar Hip-Hop classic!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records Released ‘Christmas On Death Row’ LP 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Happy 53rd Birthday To Treach Of Naughty By Nature! Five Degrees Of Success

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Today in 1970 in “Illtown” New Jersey, the king of “OPP”, better known as Treach, was born. For those who don’t know, Treach was the frontman for the New Jersey rap collective Naughty By Nature. Born Anthony Criss in East Orange, New Jersey, Treach got his musical start in his hometown. He, Vin Rock, and DJ Kay Gee came together as the group New Style and released an album called Independent Leaders in 1989. Treach and Naughty by Nature saw the majority of their success with their 1991 single “O.P.P”. This song featured a sample from The Jackson 5’s “ABC” and debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart making it one of the most popular crossover songs in rap history. The success of this single opened the doors for Treach to venture into other elements of Hip Hop culture in the 90s. Starting with a guest appearance in the 1992 cult classic Juice, Treach began the next wave of his career as an actor. His biggest role came in 194 when he starred as “A-1” in Jason’s Lyric.

In honor of his birthday, we have put together a list of the five degrees of success that put Treach in the room with other influential voices in Hip Hop and popular culture.

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1. Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton– First on this list is “Pepa” of the legendary Salt N Pepa. From 1998 to 2001, the two were joined together in holy matrimony. They share a daughter beautifully named Egypt Jahnari Criss born September 2, 1998.

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2. Tupac Shakur– In his first big-screen appearance, Tupac played the role of “Bishop” in the cult classic Juice. If you remember correctly, Bishop was not a character who made friends easily. At the beginning of the movie, Bishop has beef with a character named Radames and if you pay attention, you can see Treach standing behind Radames as he and Bishop have one of their many verbal altercations.

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3. James Gandolfini– Who doesn’t love a good mob story? In 2006, Treach’s TV acting prowess landed him a gig on an episode of The Sopranos as the character “Marvin”. His role was short-lived, but not many are able to say they played the opposite of the infamous Tony Soprano.

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4. Queen Latifah– This fellow New Jersey rapper was in and out of Treach’s musical and acting career. She was one of the first successful artists to give Naughty By Nature the attention they deserved. She has featured Treach on songs throughout her discography. She was even cast alongside Treach in his first big-screen appearance (although they were never on screen together).

5. Leonardo DiCaprio-Although this relationship may be more loosely based than the rest, it’s important none the less. Naughty’s track “Hip Hop Hooray” was featured on the soundtrack of the very successful film Wolf of Wall Street starring Leo DiCaprio in 2013.

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The post Happy 53rd Birthday To Treach Of Naughty By Nature! Five Degrees Of Success appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Attorney Seeks Mental Evaluation for Suspect in Julio Foolio Murder Case

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The attorney for Rashad Murphy, one of five suspects in the ambush killing of Jacksonville rapper Charles “Julio Foolio” Jones, has requested a forensic neuropsychologist evaluation, hinting at a potential insanity defense. Prosecutors have indicated the case could qualify for the death penalty.

According to News4Jax, authorities allege Murphy is among three men who fired on Jones during a June attack in a Tampa hotel parking lot while Jones celebrated his 26th birthday. The assault, caught on surveillance video, is tied to an ongoing gang feud in Jacksonville.

Murphy was arrested following a SWAT standoff in July. His cousin, Davion Murphy, remains at large. Three others—Isaiah Chance, Alicia Andrews, and Sean Gathright—were arrested in Jacksonville and have pleaded not guilty in Hillsborough County.

The motion seeks a detailed psychological evaluation of Rashad Murphy, including clinical interviews, testing, and reviews of personal and medical records. If granted, the findings could influence the defense strategy in a case where the death penalty is on the table.

Jones was fatally shot on June 23 at a Holiday Inn on Fowler Avenue. Police believe Jones was attempting to secure a room at the hotel after being kicked out of an Airbnb while celebrating his 26th birthday.

Authorities have indicated that the suspects are members of rival Jacksonville gangs who collaborated to murder him. Jones had posted his location online multiple times before the shooting, and it is believed the suspects followed before ambushing his car at the Holiday Inn.

In addition to Jones, three others were injured in the shooting but survived their injuries. Law enforcement also released a video of the incident, highlighting the suspects stalking Jones, wearing all black, and firing upon a car in which Jones attempted to escape. According to News4Jax, He was sitting in the front passenger side. The shooters were armed with a handgun and two rifles. The murder was the latest in a history of violence between 6 Block, which Foolio was a member of, and the gang’s rivals ATK and 1200.

“Today, three dangerous criminals are off our Florida streets and in police custody where they belong,” Waters said. “These individuals have chosen lives of urban terrorism and with arrests we show Tampa, Jacksonville and the rest of Florida, we hold violent criminals accountable.”

Video was also released of the moment when authorities arrested the alleged murderers, which you can see below.

The post Attorney Seeks Mental Evaluation for Suspect in Julio Foolio Murder Case appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Today in Hip Hop History: T.I.’s Third Studio LP ‘Urban Legend’ Turns 20 Years Old!

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T.I.'s'UrbanLegend'AlbumTurnsYearsOldToday

The Atlanta trap star turned celebrity T.I. released his third studio album, Urban Legend, two decades ago today through his label Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard charts top 200 and charted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop and Top Rap Albums charts.

The hit single off the album was “Bring Em Out,” which became his first top 10 hit single on the charts, certified gold by selling over 500,000. His second hit single, “U Don’t Know Me” peaked at the Top 25 Billboard charts certified platinum by selling over a million. The third single, “ASAP,” was on the Billboard charts and certified gold by selling over 500,000. The album itself was certified platinum, selling over a million copies worldwide.

All singles were nominated for Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and street anthem of the year for Vibe Awards.

Peep the video of “Bring Em Out,” which he sampled the from Jay-Z’s single “What More Can I Say.”

The post Today in Hip Hop History: T.I.’s Third Studio LP ‘Urban Legend’ Turns 20 Years Old! appeared first on The Source Magazine.

Today in Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Shot and Robbed in Quad Studios 30 Years Ago

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It was on this day in Hip Hop history that many may argue that the legend of Thug Life and Tupac Shakur began.

On this date in 1994, the rapper was headed into the building on 7th Avenue in Manhattan that houses Quad Recording Studios with his manager Freddie Moore and friend Randy “Stretch” Walker(RIP) of the Live Squad the day after deliberations for ‘Pac’s rape case. When Tupac and his crew approached the elevator, they were approached by three gunmen who demanded their money and jewelry. Moore and Walker obeyed the commands, but ‘Pac began cursing at the gunmen, resulting in him being shot five times and robbed of $40K worth of jewelry before being dragged into the elevator to safety by Walker.

Many people, including Shakur, have suspected Lil’ Cease, who called ‘Pac from the 8th-floor window before he was shot, Diddy and the late Notorious B.I.G. for the hit/robbery attempt, however, that theory was denied by Cease, Diddy, and B.I.G. and no proof of their involvement has ever surfaced. Others have suspected Brooklyn street legends Jacques “Haitian Jack” Agnant, James “Jimmy Henchmen” Rosemond, and Walter “King Tut” Johnson of being involved in orchestrating the shooting, which hasn’t amount to much more than a great hood fable. One thing is for sure. After the shooting, the relationship between the East Coast and West Coast Hip Hop communities was never the same again.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Shot and Robbed in Quad Studios 30 Years Ago appeared first on The Source Magazine.