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Senator Gillibrand Secures $3M In Federal Funding For BX’s Universal Hip Hop Museum

December 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced she secured $3 million in funding in the year-end omnibus package to go toward construction of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, which broke ground in the South Bronx in May 2021 and is slated to open in 2024. The omnibus is expected to pass Congress and be signed into law this week.

The Universal Hip Hop Museum aims to become a tourist hub honoring the genre’s influence over art, music, fashion, film, marketing and entertainment, celebrating the pioneers who built the culture, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, DJ Kool Herc, Run DMC and Notorious B.I.G. The funds attained by Senator Gillibrand will go toward helping support the interior fit out of the facility, which is currently under construction at Bronx Point in the “Boogie Down” borough.

“The Bronx has historically been a creative incubator for so many wonderful genres of music, ranging from doo-wop to salsa, but few genres have left a greater mark on mainstream culture than hip hop music,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “It is amazing to see that what started as a party in the basement of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue became a global phenomenon that spawned artistry and entrepreneurs like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and 50 Cent. With the 50th anniversary of hip hop right around the corner, I am proud to have secured funds to help the Universal Hip Hop Museum celebrate everything that is beautiful about hip hop culture.”

Located in the borough that give birth to the musical genre, the Universal Hip Hop Museum is the only state-chartered educational museum that is focused on the preserving the genre’s deep musical history and celebrating the 5 elements of hip hop’s culture: emceeing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti art, and knowledge.

Transcending language, age, race, geographic, and socioeconomic barriers, hip hop has grown from “New York City” street music getting minimal radio play that gave a voice to the voiceless to topping the Billboard charts thanks to musical acts such as Drake, Nas, Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo, as well as influencing other genres ranging from pop music to R&B to heavy metal music.

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[WATCH] Alicia Keys Previews Her First Ever Holiday Masquerade Ball Airing Tomorrow Night On Apple Music

December 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

For the first time ever, Alicia Keys is performing classic holiday music from her ninth studio album, ‘Santa Baby’ in a setting she’s wanted to manifest for a long time — a masquerade ball. Ahead of tomorrow’s Apple Music Live performance, Alicia sits down with Ebro to talk about her performance and the album. She explains her desire to put a more flirtatious twist on some Christmas classics, the magic of Christmas in New York City, crafting the setlist, and what fans can expect from the festive performance. Alicia also sits down at the piano to play a bit of “Little Drummer Girl” and answers a surprise FaceTime from husband Swizz Beatz.

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26-Year Old Mother of Two Dead After BBL Surgery

December 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

In October, 26-year-old Jaynisha “Jayla” Williams and her mother, Latoshia Leggett, traveled to Best U Now cosmetic surgery center in Plantation, Florida so the young woman could receive a breast augmentation and a Brazilian butt lift. As reported by her mother, Wiliams never woke up from the surgery.

According to Leggett, she flew in from California to attend her daughter’s procedure and waited in the facility’s lobby as doctors worked on Williams. “I was asking every hour, ‘How’s my daughter doing? How are things going?’ and they kept telling me, ‘She’s OK. Everything is fine,’” the grieving mother recalled. As time passed, other patients exited, but Williams never appeared. Soon after, an ambulance arrived with its sirens blaring.

“The ambulance pulled up. That’s when I said, ‘Excuse me, can somebody tell me what’s going on?’” Leggett said to the news station. As Williams’ body was rolled out of the building on a stretcher, staff from the Best U Now cosmetic surgery center delivered devastating news. “They politely grabbed me and said, ‘Your daughter is dead,’” she revealed. A report from the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office noted, “The procedure was completed, but [Williams] never awoke from the anesthesia.” Her cause of death was listed as undetermined. Since the tragedy, the Florida Health Department has filed administrative complaints against the facility, as well as Dr. John Edward Nees, the designated physician for Best U Now.

Reports later revealed that an OBGYN name Dr. Millicent Muir gave Williams the anesthesia she never woke up from. The designated physician for the surgery center, claimed they allowed a doctor who wasn’t qualified to administer the aesthesia to sedate Williams.

The victim’s family says no one from the surgery center has reached out to them following their loss. The 26-year-old left behind two young children, ages 5 and 2. “It’s hard. They ask if they can go to heaven to see their mom. They don’t understand,” Leggett tearfully said during an interview with NBC Miami 6.

Soulja Boy Releases Fashion Collection With Sprayground

December 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

The highly-coveted capsule collection is an amalgamation of Soulja Boy’s legacy in the realms of music, culture and fashion that have only elevated the rapper’s reverence over the past two decades. Transcending any form rules, the NYC born label adds its recognizable streetwear flare into this collaboration to continue its explosive growth as the world’s most innovative travel-fashion brand.

Determined to create a collection that celebrated the rapper’s legacy, Sprayground’s founder and Chief Creative Director David BenDavid (DBD) used Soulja Boy’s personal style and turned it into reimagined and sleek pieces that complement Sprayground’s iconic stud designs with a modern ode to Soulja Boy’s artistry in the form of two backpacks, a limited edition teddy-bear backpack that Sprayground has become known for over the past few years, and a jewelry case.

The collection stays true to the brand’s signature aesthetics, featuring a comic-book style backpack and a carefully graffiti-inflected backpack for added oomph, a teddy-bear backpack carries a Soulja Boy inspired look that hits the heel to round out the co-branding, and a one-of-a-kind jewelry box that doesn’t sacrifice accessibility or looks.

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[WATCH] Method Man Says He Stopped Smoking Weed During The Filming Of ‘How High’

December 20, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On a recent episode of Maino’s podcast Kitchen Talk, Wu Tang Clan front man and actor Method Man delved into his weed smoking habit and how he had to bring it to a halt for the filming of one of his most famous acting roles as “Silas” on How High.

Maino asked the Iron Lung if the weed he smoked on set was real and Meth replied, “At first, yeah. Hell yeah! And they was like, ‘you guys are so spot on in the morning but after lunch you come back something’s different.’” He went on to say how producer Stacey Sher pulled him to the side and said “You know after this I’m gonna still be a producer, my face isn’t on the screen, but I’ll get my credit. That’s your face on the screen. How do you wanna be seen?”

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Happy 54th Birthday To Graffiti Living Legend COPE2 KD!

December 20, 2022 by newhiphopnews

One of the most infamous graffiti artists of the 20th century is celebrating his 53rd born day today, and he goes by the name of COPE2, founder of the world-famous KINGS DESTROY crew.

Born Fernando Carlo on this date in 1968 in the Bronx, New York, COPE2 began his illustrious graff career in 1985, during the height of the crack era in the Kingsbridge section of his home borough. He picked up his throw up from graffiti bad guy CAP ONE MPC and the rest is history.

COPE’s work can now be found internationally in art galleries for tens of thousands of dollars, but with the game deeply embedded in his heart, you can still find some of his work somewhere in the Rotten Apple rockin’ on the walls.

Happy born day to COPE from the entire Mind Squad!

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Spotify Gives Megan Thee Stallion, Flo Milli Their Own Anime Characters

December 20, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Spotify and leading Livestream shopping platform NTWRK are collaborating to celebrate the streaming service’s “Feelin’ Myself” playlist with an exclusive trading card pack featuring anime caricatures of iconic female rappers Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice, GloRilla and Flo Milli.

The NTWRK x Spotify hype-worthy trading card pack will feature the up-and-coming and established rappers as a modern-day super heroines celebrating women in hip-hop. Fans will have the chance to win the exclusive trading card pack only on the NTWRK app today (Dec. 20) at 1 pm PST / 4 pm EST.

The back of the cards will include the individual initials of each rapper and a barcode that leads users to the Feelin’ Myself playlist, encouraging collectors to dance along as they unveil their new pack of cards.

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Future’s Freewishes Foundation Hosts 9th Annual Toy Drive At Target

December 20, 2022 by newhiphopnews

1000 families were gifted with a shopping spree at Target for the Freewishes foundation’s 9th annual Christmas toy drive. FreeWishes hosted the 9th annual I AM A DREAMER Holiday Pop Up at Target. Children and their families were treated to a shopping spree at the Target courtesy of the foundation.

The FreeWishes Foundation is one of Georgia’s most visible foundations. They makes an enormous impact throughout the Atlanta metro area all year round. From scholarships to health and wellness initiatives or assisting Senior citizens, giving back has always been a priority for Future and the foundation. The foundation was founded by Future, his sister, Tia Wilburn and mother, Stephanie Jester 13 years ago. The foundation has been a major resource for those in need throughout Atlanta. The holidays are no exception to the rule.

“Christmas has always been another opportunity to give and not receive for the foundation. We’ve been committed to giving back to those in need for over ten years, especially in metro Atlanta and the neighborhood we grew up in, Kirkwood,” said Tia Wilburn.

“I’m so happy that everyone was able to get the things they need for their children and family members. We are doing our part to service our communities. In over a decade we’ve never waited for anyone else to help our community. We have always stepped up to the plate. Our commitment to the community is very faith based. God has been a blessing to our family and we want to continue to service the community,,” said Stephanie Jester.

For the last nine years the Freewishes Foundation held an Annual Winter Wishland Extravaganza in Atlanta for over 1,000 kids and their families. Covid halted the in-person extravaganza in 2020. Last year the foundation started the holiday shopping spree for kids which they say works better.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Snoop Dogg Dropped ‘The Last Meal’ LP 22 Years Ago

December 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

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On this date in 2000, West Coast rap giant Snoop Dogg released his fifth full-length studio album entitled The Last Meal, which was released on Master P’s Dirty South, independent powerhouse, No Limit Records, as well as the first album on Snoop’s Doggystyle Records. This album was released during the “dog days” of Death Row, with Snoop and Dre parting ways with their former boss and label owner Suge Knight. The album was leaked on the internet on December 1, 2000, by Suge Knight who made all tracks downloadable in MP3 from the official site of his and Snoop Dogg’s former company Death Row Records, which featured links to tracks from both Tha Last Meal and Dead Man Walkin’ albums, asking visitors to “take The Snoop Dogg Challenge” and decide “song for song” which is the better album.

There was some heavy production on the album, with tracks primarily from Dr. Dre and Master P, adding Timbaland and Soopafly to the unique flavor of this project as well. The most recognizable track from the album was “Lay Low” a melodic track featuring Butch Cassidy, The Outsidaz with Nate Dogg singing the hook and Dr. Dre behind the boards, capturing that original G-funk sound of the 213.

Salute to Snoop, Master P, Dre and the entire No Limit/Death Row teams who helps mold this timeless classic!

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