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Today In Hip Hop History: Nas’ Iconic ‘Illmatic’ Album Turns 30 Years Old!

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Nas Illmatic

30 years ago today, Nas dropped his debut LP, ‘Illmatic.’ Released by Columbia Records in 94′ Nas recorded the album at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Produced by DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself, the bangers on the album will be embedded in Hip Hop culture as classics merely based on their production alone.

The album sold 60,000 in the first week and debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 chart. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the RIAA. In 2001 it earned a platinum certification after shipping 1,000,000 copies in the United States alone.

Lyrically, Nas delivered certified street verses on ‘Illmatic’ that influenced the majority of the ’90s and is regarded as one of the greatest LPs of all time by critics and major publications globally.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas’ Iconic ‘Illmatic’ Album Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas’ Iconic ‘Illmatic’ Album Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Paramount Pictures Released ‘Juice’ In Theaters 32 Years Ago

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On this date in 1992, Paramount Pictures presented the highly anticipated hood flick Juice, which stars a still rising rap star by the name of Tupac Shakur, who plays a crooked crimie from Uptown by the name of “Bishop”.

His co-star, Omar Epps(Higher Learning, In Too Deep), plays a local DJ with industry potential named “GQ”, alongside Jermaine “Huggy” Hopkins(Lean On Me) and Khalil Kain, who all form a loosely knit crew of truants who are headed in the wrong direction.

This movie was very instrumental in bringing Hip Hop artists onto the silver screen, with cameo appearances from Treach of Naughty By Nature, Queen Latifah, EPMD’s DJ Scratch and Special Ed. Juice also helped to introduce the soundtrack as a way to market movies for larger budgets.

For those who never took notice, it wasn’t until after ‘Pac made everyone love to hate his character Bishop that Shakur’s run-ins with the law became more frequent and his “Thug Life” persona became more noticeable and for its own intent, purposeful. Many will say that it was life imitating art. Some will say that this was the real Tupac; he was just being filmed.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Paramount Pictures Released ‘Juice’ In Theaters 32 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Paramount Pictures Released ‘Juice’ In Theaters 32 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip-Hop History: The Roots Released Their Sophomore Album ‘Do You Want More?!!!??!’ 28 Years Ago

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On this date in 1995, Black Thought, Questlove, Dice Raw, Rahzel and the original Roots crew dropped the Philly Hip Hop collective’s second LP Do You Want More?!!!??! on DGC Records. Recognized as a classic fusion of Hip Hop and jazz, Do You Want More?!!!??! was the first major full-length debut from the Philly-based group.

Produced primarily by The Grand Negaz and Questlove, the singles the led the album was the catchy “You Ain’t Fly”, “The Lesson Part 1”, which introduced Black Thought’s lyrical protegé, the one, and only Dice Raw.

Commercially, the album didn’t do the number doing its era, however, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA more than two decades after the year of its release(2015).

Salute to Mr. Tariq Trotter, Questlove, the beatbox extraordinaire Rahzel, Dice Raw and the entire Roots crew for this.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: The Roots Released Their Sophomore Album ‘Do You Want More?!!!??!’ 28 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: The Roots Released Their Sophomore Album ‘Do You Want More?!!!??!’ 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Bas Announces 2024 North America Tour in Support of New Album

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Bas Announces 2024 North America Tour in Support of New Album

Bas is set to embark on a 23-city North America tour, supporting his recently released fourth album, We Only Talk About Real Shit When We’re Fucked Up.

The tour, produced by Live Nation, kicks off on March 3 at the House of Blues in Dallas and includes stops in major cities such as Los Angeles, Toronto, and Atlanta, and concludes at Irving Plaza in New York on April 9.

Bas’s latest album, produced by a stellar lineup including Boi-1da, T-Minus, and J. Cole, draws profound inspiration from his global travels across five continents since 2022. Collaborating with an international array of artists such as J. Cole, Amaarae, AJ Tracey, and more, Bas creates a transcendent musical journey that defies borders and cultural boundaries.

You can see the full run of dates below.

BAS 2024 TOUR DATES: 

Sun Mar 03 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues

Mon Mar 04 – Austin, TX – Emo’s

Tue Mar 05 – Houston, TX – House of Blues

Fri Mar 08 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues

Sun Mar 10 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren

Mon Mar 11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco

Tue Mar 12 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory

Wed Mar 13 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

Sat Mar 16 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater

Sun Mar 17 – Seattle, WA – Neumos

Mon Mar 18 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom

Thu Mar 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot

Fri Mar 22 – Denver, CO – Summit

Sun Mar 24 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater

Mon Mar 25 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues

Wed Mar 27 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre

Thu Mar 28 – Montreal, QB – Beanfield Theatre

Sat Mar 30 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall

Sun Mar 31 – Washington, DC – The Fillmore Silver Spring

Mon Apr 01 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club

Tue Apr 02 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts

Thu Apr 04 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre

Tue Apr 09 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza

The post Bas Announces 2024 North America Tour in Support of New Album first appeared on The Source.

The post Bas Announces 2024 North America Tour in Support of New Album appeared first on The Source.

SOURCE SPORTS: LaMelo Ball and PUMA Transform Charlotte Court with Colorful Unveil

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LaMelo Ball and PUMA Transform Charlotte Court with Colorful Unveil

Basketball sensation LaMelo Ball, in collaboration with global retailer Foot Locker and PUMA, has revealed a vibrant refurbished basketball court in Charlotte. The court, presented for the first time at the George E. Simmons YMCA in Charlotte, North Carolina, showcases Melo’s logo and the bold “Not From Here” aesthetic inspired by his MB signature basketball sneaker franchise with PUMA.

The grand unveil festivities on Saturday included a skills and drills challenge, dunk exhibition, pick-up games, DJ set, and various Fan Zones featuring engaging basketball activities. The court’s design reflects LaMelo’s unique style and aligns with Foot Locker’s commitment to investing in basketball. In December, Foot Locker solidified its dedication to the sport by announcing a multi-year partnership with the NBA, becoming an official marketing partner in the U.S. This court transformation adds to the brand’s basketball-focused initiatives and follows LaMelo Ball’s prominent role in Foot Locker’s 2023 holiday campaign, “The Heart of Sneakers.”

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LaMelo Ball and PUMA Transform Charlotte Court with Colorful Unveil first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: LaMelo Ball and PUMA Transform Charlotte Court with Colorful Unveil appeared first on The Source.

Dthang Gz Joins GUMBO Brands, Receives $250K Cash and New 100-Carat Chain

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In a groundbreaking move, Luka Brazi, representing GUMBO Brands, has officially welcomed Dthang Gz, a key figure in the Bronx drill movement, into the GUMBO family. Freshly released from incarceration, Dthang Gz, also known as Daniel Collins, was not only embraced by French Montana with a generous gift but received an astonishing $250,000 in cash and a stunning GUMBO diamond chain worth $500,000.

Dthang Gz has played a pivotal role in the Bronx drill scene, showcasing his dynamic performances through YouTube videos with a collective viewership exceeding 10 million. Notable singles like “Talk Facts with TDOT and Bando” and the diss track “Wedgie Man This Wedgie Man That” underscore his influence in the music industry.

The surprises continued as GUMBO Brands, recognized for excellence in the cannabis and lifestyle sectors, exceeded expectations with the cash gift and diamond chain. Alongside these gestures, GUMBO Brands officially signed Dthang Gz to a management deal, initiating what promises to be a fruitful collaboration.

Founded by the Black-owned entrepreneurial power couple Karim Butler and Alexis Major, GUMBO Brands has rapidly grown in the industry, expanding into the media world with ventures like Drink Champs. With strategic partnerships with renowned artists such as Meek Mill, Davido, Moneybagg Yo, and others, GUMBO Brands has solidified its position as a multi-million dollar enterprise, seamlessly blending entertainment and cannabis culture.

The post Dthang Gz Joins GUMBO Brands, Receives $250K Cash and New 100-Carat Chain first appeared on The Source.

The post Dthang Gz Joins GUMBO Brands, Receives $250K Cash and New 100-Carat Chain appeared first on The Source.

Nicki Minaj Expands ‘Pink Friday 2 World Tour’ with Additional Shows

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Nicki Minaj's 'Pink Friday 2' Enters 14 Songs in Hot 100

Nicki Minaj is set to elevate her largest worldwide tour, Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour, with the addition of second shows in various cities. The extended North America dates include performances in Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Nashville, and Toronto, while global additions cover Amsterdam, Cologne, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Manchester, Paris, and Stockholm.

An impressive total of 13 additional dates has been incorporated into the tour, with more regions expected to be unveiled throughout the year. The ticket presale for North American shows, starting on January 16, will be exclusive to Citi card members through the Citi Entertainment program. European and UK fans can access presale tickets from January 17 at 9 am local time.

Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour has already succeeded significantly, becoming her highest-selling tour. The tour witnessed over 25 sold-out arena shows within days of the official presale, including 30,000 tickets for her tri-state hometown performances. Fans can secure their tickets for all shows at NickiMinajOfficial.com.

PINK FRIDAY 2 WORLD TOUR DATES: 

Fri Mar 01 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena 

Sun Mar 03 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena 

Fri Mar 08 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena 

Sun Mar 10 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena 

Wed Mar 13 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center 

Fri Mar 15 – Inglewood, CA – Rolling Loud California*

Mon Mar 18 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center 

Wed Mar 20 – Atlanta, GA  – State Farm Arena

Thu Mar 21 – Atlanta, GA  – State Farm Arena – JUST ADDED

Fri Mar 22 –  Orlando, FL – Amway Center

Sun Mar 24 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena – JUST ADDED

Tue Mar 26 –  Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

Thu Mar 28 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center

Fri Mar 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center 

Sat Mar 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden 

Mon Apr 01 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena 

Tue Apr 02 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 

Thu Apr 04 –  Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center 

Fri Apr 05 – Hartford, CT – XL Center 

Sun Apr 07 – Raleigh, NC – Dreamville Festival*

Mon Apr 08 – Boston, MA – TD Garden – JUST ADDED

Wed Apr 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden 

Fri Apr 12 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center 

Sat Apr 13 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum 

Wed Apr 17 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre 

Thu Apr 18 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena 

Sat Apr 20 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena 

Wed Apr 24 – Chicago, IL – United Center 

Thu Apr 25 – Chicago, IL – United Center – JUST ADDED

Sat Apr 27 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center 

Tue Apr 30 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena – JUST ADDED

Wed May 01 –  Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center – JUST ADDED

Thu May 09 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center 

Sat May 11 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Sun May 12 – Austin, TX – Moody Center 

Mon May 13 – Oklahoma City, OK – Paycom Center 

Thu May 23 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome – JUST ADDED

Sat May 25 – Manchester, UK – Co-Op Live 

Sun May 26 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena 

Tue May 28 – London, UK – The O2 

Wed May 29 – Glasgow, Scotland – OVO Hydro – JUST ADDED

Thu May 30 – Manchester, UK – Co-Op Live – JUST ADDED

Sat Jun 01 – Paris, France – Accor Arena 

Sun Jun 02 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome 

Tue Jun 04 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena – JUST ADDED

Wed Jun 05 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena

Fri Jun 07 – Berlin, Germany – Mercedes Benz Arena

Sun Jun 09 – Paris, France – Accor Arena – JUST ADDED

Tue Jun 11 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena – JUST ADDED

Wed Jun 12 – Stockholm, Sweden – Tele2 Arena – JUST ADDED

The post Nicki Minaj Expands ‘Pink Friday 2 World Tour’ with Additional Shows first appeared on The Source.

The post Nicki Minaj Expands ‘Pink Friday 2 World Tour’ with Additional Shows appeared first on The Source.

SOURCE SPORTS: Ice Cube Honored with Naismith Hall of Fame Award

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On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Ice Cube, the iconic artist, actor, and co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, reached another pinnacle in his illustrious career as he was honored with the esteemed Naismith Hall of Fame Award. This recognition, known as The Naismith Hall of Fame Ice Cube Impact Award, celebrates Cube’s significant contributions to professional basketball and his dedication to community service.

The newly introduced Naismith Award, named in Cube’s honor, will be an annual accolade presented to individuals in the basketball community who have made exceptional contributions to the sport and have positively impacted their communities. Cube will personally chair the selection committee for future award nominations.

The celebration included unveiling the Ice Cube Impact Award Exhibit, showcasing a collection of photographs capturing Cube’s life, from his youth basketball days to iconic moments with NWA and Kobe Bryant. A video featuring Cube discussing his journey and the award’s significance added depth to the exhibit.

“I am so honored; when you have an award in the hall of fame, people have to take you seriously; it gives you a certain level of credibility,” he continues. “I am looking forward to finding finalists who do good work across the country that positively impact the lives of others through basketball, famous or not.”

“The Hall of Fame team enjoyed meeting and honoring Ice Cube as we welcomed him to the Hall of Fame family. We look forward to utilizing Cube’s platform in both entertainment and basketball to discover and celebrate people in challenged communities nationally who are using basketball as a lever to improve their neighborhoods, and more importantly, help guide young people by reinforcing positive life skills through their love of the game,” adds John Doleva, President/CEO of Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Before the Hall of Fame ceremony, Cube received a warm welcome from CEO/President John Doleva and enjoyed a two-day celebration, including a tour of the recently renovated Hall of Fame and a visit to the Kobe Bryant exhibit.

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Engaging with the Springfield community, Cube, and BIG3 Coach Nancy Lieberman participated in a basketball clinic for local children. The center court at Hoop Hall buzzed with excitement as Cube emphasized the importance of practice. Cube also visited Deberry Elementary School, offering an inspirational talk to the students.

The pinnacle of the celebration was Cube awarding the MVP at the 2024 Spalding Hoophall Classic game, a testament to his enduring legacy in basketball, entertainment, and community engagement. Alongside this honor, as a member of NWA, Cube will also receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Ice Cube Honored with Naismith Hall of Fame Award first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Ice Cube Honored with Naismith Hall of Fame Award appeared first on The Source.

Wyclef Taps Pusha T, Flau’Jae, Lola Brooke And Capella Grey For New Single “Paper Right”

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Multi-platinum, and multi Grammy Award®-winning worldwide superstar/rapper/producer/songwriter/composer and legendary founder of The Fugees WYCLEF JEAN has teamed up with Pusha T, Lola Brooke, Capella Grey and rapper/NCAA LSU basketball champ Flau’Jae for his new single “PAPER RIGHT” which is now available everywhere.

In a time where 54% of African Americans will retire into poverty, on “PAPER RIGHT,” Wyclef and the multi-generational cadre of hitmakers he’s brought together on his new single kick off 2024 with an anthemic, and undeniably crowd-moving track tackling the systemic economic wage and retirement gap while celebrating building generational wealth.

With visions of investing, real estate and making money plays for rainy days, “PAPER RIGHT” gives proof positive without proselytizing how saving money for the future no matter how big or small the amount to get one’s “PAPER RIGHT” is the ultimate flex. 

The post Wyclef Taps Pusha T, Flau’Jae, Lola Brooke And Capella Grey For New Single “Paper Right” first appeared on The Source.

The post Wyclef Taps Pusha T, Flau’Jae, Lola Brooke And Capella Grey For New Single “Paper Right” appeared first on The Source.

Diageo Retains Full Ownership Rights of Ciroc and DeLeón Brands in Settlement with Diddy

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Diddy Partners with DJ Khaled to Announce New 'Diddy Direct' Platform

The lawsuit between Diageo and Sean “Diddy” Combs has reached a settlement, which includes the HIp-Hop mogul agreeing to withdraw all allegations and dismissing his lawsuits.

The two released a joint public statement to The Source:

Sean Combs and Diageo have now agreed to resolve all disputes between them. Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits against Diageo with prejudice. Diageo and Mr. Combs have no ongoing business relationship, either with respect to Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which Diageo now solely owns.

No further details of the settlement were revealed.

In June 2023, Diageo PLC severed ties with Sean “Diddy” Combs after the Bad Boy mogul filed a lawsuit stating the company ignored the jointly owned DeLeon tequila brand. Diageo also houses Diddy’s Ciroc.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Diageo allegedly directed its attention to two other tequila brands, one of which is the George Clooney-led Casamigos. Included in the suit, Diddy notes Diageo exhibits racial discrimination by placing DeLeón in the “urban” category and also referring to the tequila as a “Black brand.”

At the time, Diageo called for the lawsuits to be dismissed and cut a deal with Combs. A Diageo spokesperson released a statement to The Source:

We are saddened that Mr. Combs has chosen to recast a business dispute as anything other than that and chosen to damage a productive and valued partnership. Mr. Combs’ bad-faith actions have clearly breached his contracts and left us no choice but to move to dismiss his baseless complaint and end our business relationship. Mr. Combs has repeatedly undermined our partnerships and threatened to publicly defame Diageo if we did not meet his unreasonable financial demands.

Diageo believes strongly in the CIRÔC and DeLeón brands and remains committed to their success, which is why we tried for years to salvage the broken relationship with Mr. Combs. We funded the purchase of DeLeón for the joint venture and proceeded to invest more than $100 million to grow the brand. Despite having made nearly a billion dollars over the course of our 15-year relationship, Mr. Combs contributed a total of $1,000 and refused to honor his commitments.

We have exhausted every reasonable remedy and see no other path forward.

In the filing, Diageo stated, “In an effort to extract additional billions from Diageo, Combs has resorted to false and reckless allegations, including numerous defamatory and disparaging accusations…”

The filing also read, “Notably, the Combs Parties have not sued Diageo for discrimination, nor could they…”

Diageo also called the case “self-serving” and attempting to press the company into early settlement while leaning the public in Diddy’s support by laying claims that don’t have “legal or factual basis.”

The post Diageo Retains Full Ownership Rights of Ciroc and DeLeón Brands in Settlement with Diddy first appeared on The Source.

The post Diageo Retains Full Ownership Rights of Ciroc and DeLeón Brands in Settlement with Diddy appeared first on The Source.