On this date in 1993, Calvin Broadus Jr. aka Snoop Doggy Dogg released his highly anticipated first album Doggystyle on Death Row Records. This was the label’s first full-length project by a solo artist, which was piggybacking on the success of Death Row’s last release, The Chronic, the Dr. Dre album where many had just heard Snoop for the first time.
Doggystyle, which was produced exclusively by Snoop’s mentor, Dr. Dre, huddled around the concept of the “dogg”, with the animated cover and cartoon insert of a street-wise hound that wanted by the opps and the “bitches” for his “doggystyle”, which of course, is a famous sex position.
Some of the album’s leading tracks include the x-rated “It Ain’t No Fun (If The Homies Can’t Have None)” featuring childhood friend Nate Dogg and then recently formed Dogg Pound, Daz and Kurupt, the Slick Rick ode “Lodi Dodi” and the world-famous alcoholic anthem “Gin And Juice”.
Even with a four mic rating, Source staff writer Reginald Dennis said that the album escaped the coveted Five Mic rating because he felt like it was “rushed”, but nonetheless, with the introduction of such a monumental artist coupled with the authenticity of the gang-ridden West Coast streets, this album is by far one of the most pivotal albums of the 90s, even before the East Coast/West Coast rivalry, which came at least two years later. Salute to Snoop, Dre, the Dogg Pound, The Lady Of Rage, RBX, Suge, and the rest of the legendary Death Row for putting together this classic album!
Kendrick Lamar has respect for the legends, especially those from the West. On the opening track of his new album, GNX, “watched out murals,” Lamar revealed his reaction to Snoop Dogg, reposting Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss toward him:
“Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made’, I prayed it was the edibles It was only right for me to let it go”
Back in the beef days, Drake received a cease-and-desist and had to remove the “Taylor Made Freestyle” from online. Originally posted on Instagram, the single used an AI-generated Tupac voice to provoke Lamar.
According to Billboard, the estate threatened to sue and stated the voice was “a flagrant violation” and “blatant use” of Pac’s legacy.
The message was delivered via a cease-and-desist letter filed by Howard King, requesting Drake pull the song within 24 hours or face all of the estate’s “legal remedies.”
“The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality,” King wrote in the letter. “Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. The Estate would never have given its approval for this use.”
Additionally, the letter reads, “The unauthorized, equally dismaying use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend to the Estate who has given nothing but respect to Tupac and his legacy publicly and privately, compounds the insult.”
Last Friday (April 19) on Instagram, Drake dropped off the “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
Upon pressing play, you will hear something you wouldn’t expect: Tupac’s voice. The single opens with an AI Tupac verse requesting KDot stand up for the West Coast. It is followed by an AI Snoop Dogg asking for the same.
AI Tupac raps: Fuck this Canadian lightskin, Dot We need an undebated West Coast victory, man Call him a bitch for me Talk about him liking young girls, that’s a gift from me Heard it on the Budden Podcast, it’s gotta be true They told me the spirit of Makaveli is alive In the nigga under five-foot five, so it’s gotta be you
AI Snoop added: ‘Cause right now it’s looking like you writing out the game plan on how to lose How to bark up the wrong tree and then get your head popped in a crowded room World is watching this chess game, but are you out of moves?
After that, Drake pops in for his own slick talk: The first one really only took me an hour or two The next one is really ’bout to bring out the coward in you But now we gotta wait a fucking week ’cause Taylor Swift is your new Top And if you ’bout to drop, she gotta approve
Since “Like That,” your tone changed a little, you not as enthused How are you not in the booth? It feel like you kinda removed You tryna let this shit die down, nah, nah, nah Not this time, nigga, you followin’ through
He ends the song with a message, “I know you’re in that NY apartment, you struggling right now I know it.”
Former Death Row head Suge Knight didn’t like Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss to Kendrick Lamar. Not because it attacked Lamar but because it put 2Pac and Snoop’s voices together on the song.
Speaking on his Collect Call with Suge Knight podcast from Breakbeat Media, Suge said, “Putting him on a song and dissing Kendrick for everybody entertainment–that ain’t how it go.”
He added, “Then putting him on a song with Snoop, who was a part of his downfall and exit, ain’t ever a good look. Pac was a king on that chessboard. He never was a pawn, so he can’t make him be a pawn now.”
Kyyba Films, in partnership with Anchored Lens Productions, proudly announces the nationwide theatrical release of the highly anticipated urban drama Trap City on December 13, 2024. The announcement is accompanied by the debut of an exclusive first-look trailer that promises an electrifying cinematic experience.
Trap City stars Grammy-nominated rapper and New York Times bestselling author Jay “Jeezy” Jenkins in a career-defining role as Reverend Lylee. The film offers a powerful narrative of fame, power, resilience, and redemption. Jeezy‘s compelling portrayal of this morally complex character bridges the worlds of music and film, delivering an unforgettable performance. “Trap City sheds light on the realities of fame, power, and the sacrifices we make to overcome adversity. This film is a powerful narrative that I know will resonate with audiences,” said Jeezy.
Joining Jeezy is the magnetic Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder), who takes on the role of Deshawn, a young artist navigating the gritty realities of the music industry while trying to escape a life entrenched in violence and impossible choices. Together, their performances anchor a story that holds a mirror to the struggles and triumphs of inner-city life. The cast also features powerhouse performances from Clifton Powell (Ray, Saints & Sinners), Erica Pinkett (All Eyez on Me, BMF), Omar Gooding (Baby Boy, Smart Guy) and international stars Yogi Babu, GV PrakashKumar, Nepoleon Duraisamy, and Tarina Patel.
Written, directed, and produced by Tel K. Ganesan, the film serves as a stark exploration of society’s obsession with fame and power, juxtaposed with the resilience of the human spirit. Ganesan, who has described Trap City as a “movement,” emphasizes the film’s deeper message. “Trap City holds a mirror to society’s allure of fame and power. It reflects the intricate tapestry of contemporary life, shedding light on how power can uplift or shatter the human spirit,” said Ganesan.
On this day in 1988, founding Flavor Unit member MC La Kim aka Lakim Shabazz dropped his classic debut album Pure Righteousness on the Tuff City imprint. Produced exclusively by the late great DJ Mark “The 45 King”, Pure Righteousness was one of the first albums that were released under the Flavor Unit umbrella, with Queen Latifah’s monumental All Hail The Queen LP not being released until an entire year later on the Tommy Boy label.
Even thought PR only consisted of nine tracks, 9-12 songs was the contemporary amount of songs on a full length studio Hip Hop album in the late 80s. With the first two songs serving as Lakim’s introductory singles, “Pure Righteousness” and “Black Is Back” were two integral songs of that era and adding to the mounting Black consciousness that was so prevalent during that period of Hip Hop music.
Salute to Lakim and Mark The 45 King(RIP) for this important piece of Hip hop history!
Multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy Award-winner John Legend today unveiled Get Lifted (20th Anniversary Edition), a deluxe digital edition of his extraordinary debut album, out now via Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment. Featuring new contributions from guest artists including Tems, Killer Mike, Lil Wayne, Simi and Black Thought, the celebratory release expands the original album with 11 bonus tracks, including eight brand-new remixes, rare B-sides, and two previously unreleased studio performances recorded during the original Get Lifted sessions.
The Get Lifted (20th Anniversary) album will be pressed and packaged in a deluxe 3LP 12″ vinyl edition, offered exclusively here, with all copies signed by Legend; the 3LP edition will be available on March 7, 2025. In addition, a special 2LP 12″vinyl edition of Get Lifted, combining the original album with the bonus track “So High”[Cloud 9 Remix] featuring Lauryn Hill (currently available on DSPs), will be available on Friday, December 20.
The deluxe digital and upcoming 3LP editions of Get Lifted (20th Anniversary) include the original 14-track album plus bonus remixes: “So High”[Cloud 9 Mix] featuring Lauryn Hill (as included on the Get Lifted digital album); “Used To Love U [9th Wonder Playmates Imagining Remix] featuring Black Thought; “Number One”[Obi Remix]; “Let’s Get Lifted Again”[Man-Man Remix] featuring Killer Mike & Lil Wayne; “Ordinary People”[Man-Man Remix] featuring Tems; “Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside)”[Man-Man/The Imports Remix] featuring Simi; “She Don’t Have to Know”[Man-Man Remix]; and “It Don’t Have to Change”[Man-Man Remix] featuring The Stephens Family.
“I’m so thrilled to be celebrating 20 years of the album that introduced me to the world,” said Legend. “Get Lifted has always meant so much to me and to so many of my fans and supporters. I’m so grateful for the career that this album launched. These last 20 years have taken me far beyond my wildest dreams.”
He continued, “Revisiting the original album and some of the unreleased songs from that era has been such a meaningful experience. Reinvigorating the music with fresh remixes and collaborations featuring some of my favorite artists makes this celebration even more special.”
As a special treat for Legend’s fans, Get Lifted (20th Anniversary) offers four early rarities from the Get Lifted era including two previously unreleased studio performances (“Do What I Gotta Do” and “Just In Time”), revealing fresh insight into the young artist’s vision for a career that would span decades while steering the course of hip-hop and popular music. These early revelatory, now essential John Legend songs lay down the grooves and vision for Legend’s groundbreaking musical path in the 21st century. “Do What I Gotta Do” and “Just In Time” are previously unreleased while “Money Blown” and “Johnny’s Gotta Go” are B-side/CD single rarities remastered for this edition.
On this day in 2010, famed producer Kanye West released his fifth full length studio album entitled My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on the Def Jam Recordings/Roc-A-Fella imprint.
West delivered the album of the decade in 2010.From its composition, multiple album covers, a short film, ballerinas, the infamous red suit, and more, Ye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy would set an almost unreachable precedent for artists of all genres that would succeed the first decade of the new millennium.
Album Conception
He distanced himself from the world and returned to what made us all fall in love with his genius. Ye hid away in Hawaii, working on MBDTF, inviting artists to the island to join his reemergence into the culture’s good graces. Ye would go on record saying My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the first album he decided to write down all of his raps because his mission was perfection. His career depended on it.
According to Rory Farrell, who interned at Def Jam during this time, West entered the label’s office, fully dressed in a black suit, with the intention of playing the album, but was unimpressed with what they were wearing. West gave Def Jam an ultimatum: dress better or no album. It was ultimately a privilege. He returned the next day with the album. At this time, “Runaway” was 16 minutes long, but would be condensed to 9:08.
West released a number of covers for the album. The most thought-provoking was deemed controversial and rejected by a number of retail stores. Can’t a man sit on a couch with his phoenix? Oh, the days of physical album copies.
BET AWARDS & VMAS Return
Kanye West opened the 2010 BET Awards atop of a mountain to perform, “Power.” This was his first public performance since the infamous VMA mic grab. Decked out in an all-red suit with an oversized sphinx chain, West was back.
Two months later he would close the 2010 VMAs and debut “Runaway,” a tribute to douchbags, that would see the return of The Clipse’ Pusha T.
GOOD Fridays & Runaway Film
West launched a weekly free music series to support the album, leading up to the album’s release. 3 of the songs from the series would appear on MBDTF, including “Monster” with an incomparable verse from Nicki Minaj.
West would turn “Runaway” into a 35-minute short film featuring supermodel, Selita Ebanks. The film explored the beauty of a phoenix, attempting to live in society. The album would serve as the soundtrack to the film and part of the film would serve as “Runaway’s” music video.
Actor Michael Rainey Jr., best known for his PowerBook II: Ghost role, returned to his hometown of Staten Island to launch a groundbreaking $2.4 million financial literacy initiative in partnership with Equifax and The Recovery Education Foundation. The event at Port Richmond High School was electric as students cheered and expressed their excitement to meet Michael, who shared his personal journey and the importance of financial education. He specifically spoke to upperclassmen who are preparing to embark on the real world.
The initiative provides students with identity protection, credit monitoring, and a digital curriculum to prepare them for a financially secure future. The program’s launch is pivotal in empowering the next generation of leaders, offering practical tools and hope in today’s challenging economy.
Legendary rapper and actor O’Shea Jackson Sr., widely known as Ice Cube, has publicly denied allegations of supporting President-elect Donald Trump or his MAGA movement. During his recent appearance on The Baller Alert Show podcast on Tuesday, November 19, Cube addressed the persistent rumors and called them false, adding that they had caused significant damage to his reputation.
According to a report by the Atlanta Black Star, Ice Cube clarified his stance while discussing a range of topics, including basketball star Caitlin Clark and the highly anticipated addition to his Friday film franchise. When asked about his political affiliations, Cube dismissed the notion that he backed Trump or opposed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
The rumors trace back to Cube’s involvement with Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. At the time, the rapper presented both Trump and then-candidate Joe Biden with his “Contract with Black America,” a detailed plan aimed at addressing systemic inequalities faced by Black Americans. While Biden’s team opted to revisit the proposal after the election, Trump’s campaign incorporated some of the ideas into their “Platinum Plan,” sparking speculation about Cube’s political leanings.
Cube emphasized during the podcast that his actions were not partisan. “I didn’t tell anyone who to vote for,” he said, explaining that his only focus was ensuring that voters received tangible benefits for their support. “You should get something for your vote, and nothing is wrong with that,” he added.
The rapper’s comments aim to put an end to the controversy that has followed him for years, affirming that his engagement was strictly about advocating for the Black community, not endorsing a political party or candidate.
As Ice Cube continues to balance his advocacy with his entertainment projects, including the latest installment of Friday, his message remains clear: his commitment is to creating opportunities and better conditions for Black Americans—regardless of political affiliation.
Jay-Z’s social justice arm, Team Roc, has taken legal action against the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD) and the city’s government, accusing them of obstructing efforts to investigate claims of wrongful convictions and police misconduct.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (November 19), alleges that the KCKPD has failed to comply with a public records request made under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) in November 2023. According to Team Roc, despite paying $2,200 in fees, the department has withheld crucial documents related to allegations of officer abuse and misconduct. The 225 documents provided, the group claims, were mostly irrelevant, consisting of personnel and training records instead of the requested information.
“Kansas City residents have suffered enormously as a result of KCKPD abuses,” the lawsuit states. “Some have been framed for crimes they did not commit; some have been coerced into providing false testimony; some have been sexually assaulted; some have endured brutal beatings; and some have even been killed. Rather than promoting a culture of transparency and accountability, the KCKPD has a long history of turning a blind eye to, at best, and even covering up, if not worse, abusive and/or corrupt conduct by its officers.”
Team Roc has been actively seeking transparency from KCKPD since 2021, previously filing lawsuits to obtain records detailing complaints against officers, as well as documents on the training and oversight of the department’s investigative division. The current lawsuit highlights a systemic pattern of alleged misconduct within the department, including framing individuals, coercing false testimony, sexual violence, excessive force, and even fatal incidents.
“When good faith efforts are met with bad faith tactics, the fight for transparency continues in court. Truth deserves no less. The people of Kansas City, Kansas, deserve no less,” Team Roc wrote in an Instagram post announcing the lawsuit.
Attorney Alex Spiro, representing Team Roc, emphasized that the organization has a right under KORA to access the requested records, which could shed light on the alleged abuses. However, the government’s resistance has made legal action necessary.
“The government has attempted to block our access to those files, and so we’re suing to see what they don’t want us to see,” Spiro explained.
Team Roc’s lawsuit seeks to compel the release of the withheld documents and to hold the department accountable for its alleged failures in transparency and accountability. This latest legal move underscores their commitment to uncovering the truth and advocating for justice in Kansas City.
On this week’s episode of Call Her Daddy, Alex Cooper sits down with millennial rapper Saweetie, who opens up about her current approach to relationships, the craziest way she caught a partner cheating on her, when you should keep gifts from an ex and why she might be done dating rappers. She also discusses her love of hot Cheetos, the time she was renting rooms from Craigslist, coding on Myspace, and her new music.
The Cali rapper talks about how she is perceived by the public, saying, “I would say in the earlier on in my career, I would say, I would just disassociate myself from Saweetie ’cause there’s Diamonté and there’s Saweetie. I’m like, “Okay, if y’all knew Diamonté, to know me is to love me.” She adds, “Y’all wouldn’t be doing all this shitty stuff to me. So, at first, it was disassociation, but now I’m just so at peace with just who I am. I’m like, “God knows my heart,” and as long as God knows my heart, there’s no problem.”
When it comes to dating, Saweetie jokes that her only companion is her career. “I am seeing somebody….Their name starts with a C… Do you want to know their name?…My career, girl.” She goes on to say, “I just feel like I’m at a really special time in my career and I just have all these ideas and I want to channel my energy in a way where I feel like I can make the steps to where I see myself going and you know, I’m just really happy right now. I’m happy where my life is heading, so I’m dating my career.”
Check out Cooper’s interview with Saweetie in its entirety above courtesy of SiriusXM.
