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The Source Magazine Remembers Whodini’s Ecstasy Two Years Later

December 23, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On this date two years ago, John “Ecstasy” Fletcher of the legendary rap duo Whodinia passed away suddenly in the presence of his family. Ecstasy was only 56 years old. As a member of Whodini alongside his partners Jalil and Grandmaster D, Ecstasy stood out as one half of Whodini’s smooth, mature lyricism coupled with their unique fashion style.

“The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul who graced The World’s heart through performance, hip-hop, family, children and grandchildren,” his family said in a statement on the date of his passing. “John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher was a beloved man, the life partner to Deltonia and ex-husband to Carla, twin brother to Joseph, artist, friend, and lifetime performing partner to Jalil.

“Please send love and prayers to our family, and with open hearts we ask the ancestors to cover his soul in peace and tranquility. Play his music if it moves you, and know he’ll be hearing you on his way home this day, Dec 23rd.”

The post The Source Magazine Remembers Whodini’s Ecstasy Two Years Later appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Wiz Khalifa Says He Wants To Battle Lil Wayne In Verzuz

December 23, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Mr. “Black And Yellow” Wiz Khalifa has definitely etched his position in today’s Hip Hop landscape and with several accolades under his belt, Khalifa is now looking to face off against one of the game’s greats in a VERZUZ battle.

The Pittsburgh native made the challenge during an interview, saying, “Wayne. I think that would be fun, ’cause Wayne’s a really dope performer. So it’s like, me and him going back and forth performing bangers, that sh*t [would] be hard. And we both smoke hella weed. I think that would be more like a concert than a Verzuz.”

See the interview below.

Wiz Khalifa says he wants to go against Lil Wayne in a Verzuz pic.twitter.com/ETmUiENvCS

— RapCentury (@RapCentury_) December 23, 2022

The post [WATCH] Wiz Khalifa Says He Wants To Battle Lil Wayne In Verzuz appeared first on The Source.

The XXXTentacion Foundation Intervene In Jackson, Mississippi’s Water And Medical Crisis

December 23, 2022 by newhiphopnews

XXXtencation has been trending lately, as his trial is set to begin in January. A lot has been said about the rapper but what many people do not know is that X had goals and dreams that he didn’t get to see come to fruition.. One of those was the foundation he created to assist those in need. His mother is continuing his dream through various initiatives.

In August 2022, the national media started to shine a light on Jackson, Mississippi’s water crisis. The city had sustained heavy rain, which resulted in massive flooding. Years of neglect, combined with racism and a pump malfunction, became a recipe for disaster.

More than 170,000 residents, including infants and children, were left without water. Locals were unable to drink, shower, or even flush toilets. Seniors and lower-income residents with medical needs are forced to choose between buying crucial medications or purchasing water. A boiling water advisory was put in place to help salvage the issue. Still, according to Rukia Lumumba, Chair of the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition and sister of Jackson’s mayor, the situation is far from resolved.

“The water crisis has left over 150k residents under a boiling advisory. This will last at least a year or more. So we still need more water and water filters,” said Lumumba.

The water crisis has created a medical emergency amongst affected individuals in Jackson.

“Not having access to clean drinkable water is detrimental to the health of anyone, especially infants, kids, and the elderly who have preexisting conditions,” stated Dr. Tom Ellison, MD.

Ellison is the Founder and Director of Project Help, a national medical-based non-profit disaster relief organization of over 4500 doctors who volunteer during natural disasters. Project Help has assisted residents in Jackson since August when they got a call from the XXXTentacion Foundation in late October. Since that time the foundation has provided enough water to last residents til March of 2023.

Cleopatra Bernard is a Music, Film and TV Executive Producer. Bernard is also a philanthropist, and the mother of late Rapper, XXXTentacion. The executive and her team decided to step in and help the residents of Jackson through the XXXTentacion foundation.

The post The XXXTentacion Foundation Intervene In Jackson, Mississippi’s Water And Medical Crisis appeared first on The Source.

Shy Glizzy Affiliate Taliban Glizzy Arrested By U.S. Secret Service On Weapons Charges

December 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

According to numerous news reports, Taliban Glizzy, an affiliate of Washington D.C.-based rapper Shy Glizzy, was arrested on December 12 and charged with two counts of unlawful possession a weapon and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Taliban, who has been under federal surveillance for over a year, was taken into custody by the U.S. Secret Service and prosecutors are alleging that Taliban is a threat to the safety of the community and that he be held behind bars until his trial.

When Taliban was stopped by police on the date of his arrest, officers found $17,000 cash, and Oyster Perpetual Rolex and diamond earrings. Last year, Taliban posted a pic of himself on Instagram at Locked & Loaded, a shooting range in Miami that specializes in machine guns. I nJuly, DC Metro Police recovered two firearms in a Lyft that was connected to the D.C. slang spitter.

Taliban Grizzly plead guilty in Prince George’s County, Maryland to attempted robbery in 2011 and in January 2017, he also plead guilty to two counts of possession of controlled dangerous substances. Prosecutors allege Taliban possessed a “number of firearms” last month on a trip from Miami to D.C.

US Secret Service were later able to confirm Taliban Glizzy’s identity and a warrant was ultimately issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody following the traffic stop in D.C.

Court docs obtained by AllHipHop state, “The government retains the ultimate burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant presents a danger to the community and by the lesser standard of a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant presents a risk of flight—even where it is presumed that those standards are satisfied.”

The prosecutors also issued concern over Taliban’s lyrics and video from his 2021 video “Suicide Bombers”, which is in line with his Taliban moniker.

“The dangerousness that Defendant poses to the community cannot be understated,” the docs continue. “That he has persisted in possessing weapons designed to kill and maim evinces a level of dangerousness that cannot be mitigated by less restrictive conditions or combinations thereof.”

The post Shy Glizzy Affiliate Taliban Glizzy Arrested By U.S. Secret Service On Weapons Charges appeared first on The Source.

R. Kelly’s Manager Receives 1 Year In Jail For Shooting Threat At ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Screening

December 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

According t several confirmed reports, R. Kelly’s former manager to a year behind bars for a shooting threat at a screening of the Lifestime documentary about the incarcerated singer, Surviving R. Kelly.

Donnell Russel was sentenced to a year in jail, which he will serve concurrently with the 20-month sentence he was handed down for threatening one of R. Kelly’s alleged victims. Russell tol the judge that he was not “a horrible person”, but that he’s just made some “bad decisions” as the manager of the troubled crooner.

Russell is schduled to begin serving his sentence at the beginning of 2023.

The post R. Kelly’s Manager Receives 1 Year In Jail For Shooting Threat At ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Screening appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Deb Antney: OJ Da Juiceman Was Really The Street One, Not Gucci

December 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Management mogul Deb Antney appeared on a recent episode of the Ugly Money Podcast and doubled down on her admittance to neglecting OJ Da Juiceman, however, Ms. Antney did make a claim about OJ that seemed to slight another former artist, Gucci Mane.

When comparing OJ to Mr. LaFlare in reference to their street credibility, Antney said matter-of-factly, “He was really the street one. It wasn’t Gucci, it was him. He was the street guy. That’s who the real street guy was, Juice. But he wanted to change his life. He really wanted to change his life.”

See the interview clip from Ugly Money below

The post [WATCH] Deb Antney: OJ Da Juiceman Was Really The Street One, Not Gucci appeared first on The Source.

Happy Birthday To Miami Bass Pioneer Uncle Luke!

December 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On this date in 1960, record exec, rapper, producer and pioneer Luther Campbell aka Uncle Luke was born in Miami, Florida. Luke has morphed into one of the trailblazers of today’s strip club-based Hip Hop that is seen from southern artists such as Future, Kodak Black and even Megan Thee Stallion.

As the one time leader of the legendary 2 Live Crew, Campbell launched Luke Skyywalker Records, becoming the first Hip Hop mogul in the Dirty South boasting a gold album(The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are). After five group albums and eight solo albums, Campbell ventured into adult films, starred in his own reality show and even made a run for Mayor of Miami in 2011.

Happy 62nd born day to the Liberty City native who became a father, husband and a definitive part of Hip Hop history!

The post Happy Birthday To Miami Bass Pioneer Uncle Luke! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: DMX Released His Second LP ‘Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood’ 24 Years Ago

December 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On this date in 1998, Earl “DMX” Simmons dropped his sophomore release, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood on the Def Jam/Ruff Ryders imprint. Less than a year following his debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, X put out one of his most celebrated releases that shipped gold in its first week and were posted at the top of the charts for almost an entire month following its release.

The project, which was produced by Irv Gotti, Dame Grease and Swizz, debuted at number 1 on Billboard Top 200 just like X’s premier album. This feat was only accomplished once before by Tupac with All Eyez On Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.

The singles that led the album’s success were the dark, autobiographical “Slippin’” and the Swizz Beatz produced “No Love 4 Me” featuring then Ruff Ryders newcomer Drag-On. The album enjoyed additional success being that this was the project in heavy rotation during DMX’s silver screen debut alongside Nas in Belly.

Thanks to the entire Ruff Ryder team including the Dark Man Unknown himself for this timeless Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: DMX Released His Second LP ‘Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Tory Lanez Trial: Legal Analyst Says Jury Must Weigh Confusing and Conflicting Evidence

December 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

As the saga of the Tory Lanez trial in connection to the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion continues, Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Mathew Barhoma says eyewitness Sean Kelly’s testimony hurt the prosecution’s case and contradicted Megan Thee Stallion’s testimony.

Barhoma zeroed in on the testimony of Sean Kelly, an eyewitness who implicated both Megan and Tory as possible shooters, said that the prosecution could be withholding evidence by not including Kelly in their case. He said, “The fact that the prosecution did not include Sean Kelly, a direct eye witness, in their case is suspect. It may leave the jury wondering why the defense has to introduce it and what the prosecution may be hiding. The prosecution is left with having to convince jurors that Sean Kelly is a liar. Otherwise, their case is on life support.” Barhoma added, “The eyewitness likely left the jury more confused with further contradictions. However, he affirms a portion of Tory’s narrative, which is that Megan and Harris indeed engaged in a violent altercation outside. That is inconsistent with Megan’s testimony. Moreover, Sean implicated both Harris and Tory as potential shooters.”

The L.A. appellate attorney also said that without conclusive DNA evidence pointing to Tory as the possessor of the weapon, the prosecution’s case is weakening. Barhoma stated, “The lack of conclusive DNA evidence on the gun implicating Tory is another blow to the prosecution’s case. If the allegations are that he took four to five shots using that gun, one would assume there would be definitive and clear DNA evidence implicating Tory as the shooter. Tory’s defense team should be able to make a lot of hay out of that during closing arguments. This evidence may help Tory affirm his narrative that Kelsey was possibly the shooter.”

He spoke about Megan Thee Stallion and the Houston native’s credibility on the stand and said that the prosecution should have led the trial with Megan’s testimony. “Megan was credible on the witness stand and the prosecution should have led the trial with her testimony. It would have likely laid a better foundation for the remainder of this trial.”

The Tory Lanez/Megan Thee Stallion trial is still ongoing, with Lanez facing over 20 years in prison if convicted.

The post Tory Lanez Trial: Legal Analyst Says Jury Must Weigh Confusing and Conflicting Evidence appeared first on The Source.