Today, the illustrious and world famous DJ Kid Capri celebrates his 56th birthday!
David Anthony Love Jr. aka Kid Capri has had one of the most successful careers in Hip-Hop history. As a pioneer in the mixtape game, Capri has inspired generations of rappers thus creating an imprint in the game that few can measure up to. He’s worked with an army of OG’s including KRS-1, Heavy D, and Slick Rick. He’s also worked with game-changers like Jay Z, Ghostface Killah, Styles P, and Big L. Capri was also the sole DJ on HBO’s long-running, Def Comedy Jam, which recently hosted its 25th Anniversary to which the Brooklyn-born/Bronx-raised DJ served as the honorary man on the 1s and 2s.
The new generation of Hip Hop wouldn’t be where it is without Capri blazing the trail.. The Prime Minister of mixtapes set the standard for every upcoming rapper or producer that wanted to put their music out there for the public. He was and still is one of the game’s original influencers.
On this date in 2000, the Hip Hop community was both shocked and saddened by the untimely death of lyrical giant Christopher “Big Pun” Rios. As the premiere artist for Fat Joe’s Terror Squad, Pun became the first Latino Hip Hop artist to go platinum and discovered TS’ First Lady, Remy Ma.
Pun is regarded as one of the game’s best lyricists to ever do it, or as he is aptly described, one of the best “dead or alive”. His only two full-length releases, Capital Punishment and Yeeahhh Baby, are considered classic albums among true Hip Hop aficionados and continue to get radio play on his smash singles “I’m Not A Player” and the posthumous “It’s So Hard”.
Rest In Peace to Pun and sincere condolences to the Rios family from the entire Mind Squad.
On this date in 2003, 50 Cent released his second and most critically acclaimed album to date Get Rich Or Die Tryin on Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
After his street-certified buzz from his Guess Who’s Back mixtape, a meeting with Eminem eventually turned into a million-dollar deal on Dr. Dre and Em’s Shady/Aftermath imprint. With the album executive produced by Dre and Fif, this project became probably the most anticipated release of any debut Hip-Hop album of the new millennium.
Debuting at the pole position on Billboard 200, GRODT sold almost 900K units its first week and is now certified 6x platinum. The commercial success of the album in terms of radio and video plays as well the movie that launched starring 50 Cent with the same title helped earn the album a Grammy nod in 2004.
Some of the album’s forerunning singles include the ever-popular “In Da Club,” “21 Questions” featuring the late Nate Dogg, and “P.I.M.P.,” which became an international hit.
Salute to 50, Dre, Em, and the entire G-Unit for this timeless piece of Hip-Hop history!
Today marks what would be the 28th birthday of a young man by the name of Trayvon Martin, that not only in the United States but the rest of the world came to know because he chose to defend himself against his assailant George Zimmerman and his life was taken as a result.
George Zimmerman claimed that he saw Trayvon leaving a store and that he looked suspicious, so he decided to follow him. After following him, a physical altercation transpired between the two of them and an unarmed Trayvon took a bullet to his chest and died on the scene. Trayvon died two weeks after his 17th birthday on February 26, 2012. As for Zimmerman, he received was a jury acquittal for second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in July 2013.
Trayvon didn’t get the chance to tell his parents goodbye, attend prom, or pretty much any of the things that are enjoyed by teenagers. His parents Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin have to live with the burden that their child did not receive any justice for what happened to him.
Almost nine years after his untimely death, Trayvon Martin’s legacy in the fight for human and civil rights for Black people in America is everlasting. His name still stands among the victims of gun violence by rogue police officers and overzealous citizens that came after him such as Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and countless others.
24 years ago on this date, a 23 year old Guinean immigrant named Amadou Diallo was murdered by four plain clothes NYPD police officers in his hallway after they unloaded 41 shots into Diallo in front of his Bronx apartment. The haphazard officers hit Diallo with only 19 shots; less than half of what was discharged from their weapons.
All four the officers involved were cleared of any wrongdoing after a mixed jury in the Empire State’s capital city acquitted the officers. Claiming the impossibility of a fair trial in NYC, an appellate court ordered that that the trial be switched to Albany. Amadou’s family filed federal and state charges of wrongful death and civil rights violations in 2001, which resulted in a $3 million dollar settlement from the city.
Interestingly enough, the Justice Department decided that Diallo’s civil rights were not violated.
Artists such as Immortal Technique and Wyclef Jean have referenced the tragedy in their songs, which became one of the most pivotal cases in the fight against police brutality.
Deaths at the hands of law enforcement such as George Floyd, Botham Jean, Eric Garner and Breonna Taylor will always be a reminder that the challenge of injustice against Black and Brown people must be confronted.
On this date in 1976, rapper, actor and entrepreneur Cameron Giles, also known as Cam’ron, was born in New York City.
Following the break up of Harlem-based group Children Of The Corn, Cam’ron and childhood friend Mason Betha embarked on solo careers, with Cam releasing his debut solo album Confessions Of Fire, while Mase put out the platinum-selling Bad Boy powered Harlem World LP.
In 2001, Cam’s career took a sharp turn for the better when he signed with Roc-A-Fella Records and released his third and best-received album Come Home With Me. Following the success of the album, Cam debuted his talents as an actor and screenwriter when he appeared in the Roc-A-Fella Films Paid In Full, Paper Soldiers, Death Of A Dynasty, and State Property 2.
Currently, Cam is working on the second installment of his Purple Haze series while still working on other solo and Dipset endeavors.
On this day in Hip-Hop history, Sir Mix-a-Lot released his third LP, Mack Daddy. This was the Seattle-born rapper’s most successful project, housing his timeless hit single, “Baby Got Back.”
Although the shine of “Baby Got Back” gave Sir Mix-a-Lot his claim to fame, it wasn’t the strongest track on the project. As much as people want to tag Sir Mix-a-Lot a “one-hit wonder,” his ability as a rapper is one that doesn’t give much room for questioning. At the time of his popularity, there weren’t many rappers outside of New York or Los Angeles gaining any real commercial success, let alone chart placements. Sir Mix-a-Lot was able to gain stardom due to the bulk of this project.
Released under Def American Recordings with the majority of the production coming from Rick Rubin, this project hit the ground running. The first single “One Time’s Got No Case” is one containing traditional Hip-Hop subject matter: racist police and social injustice. The rest of the project, besides the hit single, of course, narrates a tale of his life in the streets of Seattle.
“Baby Got Back” is a song Sir Mix-a-Lot will be performing until the end of his career. The song hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release. It also saw international success claiming #8 in Australia, #3 in New Zealand, #25 in Germany, #56 in the UK, and #31 in the Netherlands. The song has also been voted the #1 “Greatest One Hit Wonder Of The 90s” by VH1.
After this album, Sir Mix-a-Lot went on to release three more studio albums. He’s also taken his talents to the small screen, being cast in reality television with guest appearances on various shows. In 2014, Nicki Minaj released the single “Anaconda” paying homage to Sir Mix-a-Lot’s famed single and sampling a section of one of his verses.
Rapsody is hip-hop royalty, and now she reveals exactly what fans can expect on her next album.
On Thursday, Feb. 2nd, in the thick of Grammys week in Los Angeles, Roc Nation held an exclusive listening experience for their newest signee, Reuben Vincent, who just released his debut album titled Love is War. And with Rapsody coaching him as his big sis and Young Guru guiding him as a producer, the result speaks for itself: a conceptual project that’s reminiscent of the Golden Era of Hip-Hop.
The evening consisted of an album playback, as all three broke down the meaning and composition behind each record. And while many topics were covered, one definitely stood out amidst the rest: relationships.
In fact, Rapsody actually revealed her next album will see her speaking on her own experiences with love.
While speaking on the track she’s featured on, “February 13th,” she states, “I’m pursuing my dreams: when you really locked in sometimes, you gotta make sacrifices. And one of the sacrifices that I made was relationships. I lived in the studio. I would not go out to no club, I never put myself in a position to really meet people. Then whatever whatever, I found myself in a relationship. I talk about this on my next album, so I’m not gonna go too deep in. [laughs]”
“This was partly my experience, a majority of it, sprinkled with a little bit of experiences of people around me,” she adds. “I always like to make music that people can relate to. My part in this is how are you showing the behind the scenes stuff? Every relationship that I have had, I always stood on: I don’t cheat, and I don’t lie. But this one time, I told this one little lie that changed the whole thing of somebody that I really was deeply in love with. And I had to sit with that.”
Anyone who’s a fan of Rapsody’s knows the cherished relationship she shares with Young Guru and 9th Wonder, all part of the Jamla record label (founded by 9th).
“Me and Guru would talk: you could be with somebody for 10 years, and you make one decision in 30 seconds that changes everything for the rest of your life,” Rapsody says. “And you have to live with that. You could be hopeful, but at the same time, you have to live with those decisions. That’s me taking a step back and looking at: you can say you sorry all you want to. You can blame this and that, but at the end of the day, you made the decision and you have to live with it.”
“That’s what that verse was,” she continues. “Even as a woman being in this business this long, you see it. I remember when I listened to “Zion” and how Lauryn talked about the idea of having a child, having to make that decision over a career and a child. Now we’re in a time, which is beautiful, where women and men are having children. Yeah I could do this and be a mother and be a father, and I’m proud of it. And I’m going to show my child too, right?
That was one thing that I had to deal with, it’s so layered but that’s what it was. As far as me, it’s not about the bars, it’s about connecting with people and telling real stories. I’m not going to tell any more because my next album, I’ll tell more. Guru, I’m sure you have something you want to add.”
Rapsody then passes the microphone to Young Guru, who says “Rap has the ability to write my life.” Throughout their working relationship, it seems Rapsody’s lyrics have always somehow related to Guru’s own life experiences, in a way that allows the two beautiful sync on real, meaningful music with substance. In other words, pure Hip-Hop!
Young Guru also revealed “February 13th” was “one the best beats he’s ever produced.” It was also a therapeutic process to create, as he was also going through his own break-up.
As we wait to see the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles for the Super Bowl LVII crown, it is important to remember Black History Month runs in tandem with this unofficial American holiday. Despite declining viewership due to the Kaepernick controversy, the NFL is still one of the most-watched sports in the country and is dominated by African-Americans who currently make up two-thirds of the league. With that much Black representation in the NFL comes a lot of Black History including the first Black Quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl.
In 1988, it was Broncos legend and future Hall-of-Famer John Elway versus a then-unknown Redskins backup Quarterback Doug Williams.
Prior to the 1987 season, Williams had not played in multiple NFL games in a season since 1982 as a Quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Williams spent a period of time playing for the USFL team, the Arizona Outlaws, but following the folding of the USFL, Williams was picked up by the Washington Redskins.
For the 1988 championship, the Denver Broncos took on the Washington Redskins. Both teams took four losses in the regular season but the Redskins had more wins thanks to a tie game the Broncos had during the season against the Green Bay Packers.
Elway was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl game and won the Most Valuable Player award as well that season. The Broncos had been to the Super Bowl the year before but lost to a different NFC East team, the New York Giants, so the city was thirsty for another shot at glory.
As for the Redskins, before there were thoughts of a Super Bowl, Williams was competing with ‘Skins quarterback Jay Schroeder throughout the regular season for the starting job. According to Redskins.com, a lackluster performance from Schroeder in the final game of the season and stud level play in the same game from Williams became the deciding factor of who would be the starter going into the post-season.
Things started out slow for Washington in the Super Bowl. The Denver Broncos got out to a quick start with a 10-0 lead, but Williams and the Washington Redskins rallied scoring 42 unanswered points against the back-to-back AFC champions. Williams threw for 340 yards passing and 4 touchdowns earning him Super Bowl MVP honors.
On this date in 1995, Russell Jones aka Ol’ Dirty Bastard dropped the premier single from his debut album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version on Elektra Records. Produced by in-house Wu producer True Master, this track was Dirty’s second highest-charting single, only to be topped by “Got Your Money” from his N***a Please album.
With the name of the song originating from his crew, who were aptly called Brooklyn Zu, there was a well-known Brooklyn gang, who at the time, used the name which prompted ODB to get shot in the Brevoort Housing Projects in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
As one of the borrough’s most memorable anthems, Brooklyn will forever remember ODB as a “native son” that definitely repped BK to the fullest.
