Hip Hop Community News

Fred White, Earth, Wind & Fire drummer, dies at 67

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Drummer Fred White Dead at Age 67

Musician Fred White, who was the drummer for the sound pioneering and chart-topping group Earth, Wind & Fire has died at age 67.

White joined the band at age 19 in 1974 alongside the group’s founders- his siblings Maurice and Verdine White.

In a statement, Verdine White shared praise for his late younger brother’s musical talents and contribution to music, stating “he joins our brothers Maurice, Monte and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels! Child protégé, member of the EWF ORIGINAL 9, with gold records at the young age of 16 years old! He was brother number 4 in the family lineup. But more than that at home and beyond he was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous!”

(His older brother Maurice passed on in 2016 at the age of 74.)

The band sold over 50 million records globally and were responsible for creating a unique and iconic sound that combined disco, soul, jazz, pop, R&B, funk, disco, big band, Latin, and Afro pop genres. Although Fred left the group in the 1980’s, he returned for a reunion performance as the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

The official Earth, Wind & Fire Instagram account shared a video of White performing a drum solo during the group’s world tour in 1979.

No cause of death was immediately provided.

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Roddy Ricch Checks Paparazzi for Filming Him Putting Car Seat in his Car

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Roddy Ricch has altercation with paparazzi

Roddy Ricch is the latest celebrity to push back after paparazzi have crossed personal boundaries. Video, allegedly taken on December 29, recently surfaced showing an unnamed member of the paparazzi getting a little too close for comfort to The Box artist.

The video, which was shared by The Hollywood Fix, was taken in West Hollywood and shows Roddy and two men (likely his security detail and a store employee) trying to load what appears to be a car seat into the artist’s black car. The person (an unknown male) recording the film at first just zooms in on the three men before approaching them and talking about how he saw the artist in concert.

The security guard blocks the camera and tells the person recording “he’s doing something private now, he’s doing something for his family.”

The person appears to back off before continuing to try to talk to the artist, to which the security guard repeatedly tells him to back off. The person continues to record and Roddy approaches him and tells him to “turn that off” and says he wants to talk to him “like a man.” The man continues to object and Roddy continues to ask him to turn the camera off, saying “you walked up on me…this is real life, bro.”

The man backs off and talks to someone off camera, confirming that it is indeed Roddy Ricch, but saying “he [Roddy] is in a bad mood though.”

Roddy and his security guard drive off without incident.

Earlier this year, rapper Kodak Black had a similar incident in which he told a person filming him in his private life to back off and stop recording, citing the murder of PNB Rock days before. (The artist’s murderer apparently found his location based on a social media video.)

It is unclear who the car seat was for. Roddy has one child, a son, with baby mama Allie Minati.

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Rapper Theophilus London is Reported Missing in Los Angeles

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Theophilus London Reported Missing in LA

Despite recently performing with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, rapper Theophilus London is nowhere to be found- and he has now officially been declared a missing person.

This week, London’s family officially reported him missing, filing an official police report with the LAPD. The family alleges that they have not seen or spoken with the 35-year-old artist since July. (His last Instagram post was from July 11.)

London hails from Trinidad and Tobago and has worked with the likes of Kanye West, Travis Scott, Azealia Banks, Tame Impala, and many more. He has also performed at many international and North American music festivals, drawing praise from music critics in multiple genres.

According to TMZ, London’s father made the following statement: “Theo, your Dad loves you, son. We miss you. And all your friends and relatives are searching for you. Wherever you are send us some signal. No matter what we will come get you son.”

The rapper’s family has urged the public to contact the LAPD if they have information about his whereabouts or well-being. They can also reach out to London’s cousin, Mikhail Noel, on Instagram at @iamdjkellz.

in 2011, London released his debut album, Timez Are Weird These Days. It was followed up by Vibes (with Kanye West serving as executive producer) in 2014 and Bebey in 2020.

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

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XXXTentacion Look At Me!

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. 

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Oasis Recruits G Herbo, 19 Keys, Faheem Muhammad, EYL & More for Rebuild Chicago Event

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Oasis held its REBUILD Chicago event at the Harold Washington Theater on Monday night. The event included panel talks, fireside chats, and a town hall meeting with Chicago locals to discuss ways to give back to the city. G. Herbo made an unexpected appearance on a panel to explore the value of community ownership.

The one-day seminar looked at concrete solutions to enhance, advance, and rebuild Chicago. Rashid Bilal and Troy Millings of Earn Your Leisure, Michael Amir and Faheem Muhammad of Oasis, Global Leader 19 Keys, Professional Boxer Mike Rashid, and Cory Jacobs, Senior Advisor to Sean “Diddy” Combs, were also in attendance.

“Last night was EPIC! For a thousand people to come out, in the cold, on a Monday, to learn more about OASIS is AMAZING! But REBUILD isn’t about a day, it’s a movement, it’s about action,” said Amir. “So although yesterday was a success, the real work comes tomorrow.”

G. Herbo discussed the significance of communication in order to achieve change, and he believes he has been effective in getting his message over to Chicago’s teens and young adults because he speaks to them from a place of experience rather than authority.

“These kids see me and understand I was once them,” he said. “I talk to them in a way where I’m not telling them what to do. I’m telling them I understand them and they respect it.”

19 Keys started the event with an intense speaker-to-audience conversation that drew in the crowd immediately. Mustapha Farrakhan Jr. and Julian Mitchell are also on the panel. Jermaine McArthur, an investor in Oasis, was also present. DJ Preme provided the music, and Los Angeles radio personality DJ Hed presented the broadcast.

“Rebuild Chicago was not an event! It was the launching of a program that aims to uplift people all over America,” said Muhammad. “Oasis is changing the narrative through Real Estate. Build with us!”

You can learn more about Oasis by visiting here.

The post Oasis Recruits G Herbo, 19 Keys, Faheem Muhammad, EYL & More for Rebuild Chicago Event appeared first on The Source.

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

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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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Latto Hosts ‘Christmas in Clayco’ & Receives Key to the City

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Latto and her non-profit Win Some Give Some sponsored their first annual holiday drive at the Carl Rhodenizer Recreation Center in Clayco, Clayton County. Latto supplied a Christmas supper, gifts, and other needs to 500 Clayton County families with young children under 16 as part of her annual Christmas in Clayco program, which is now in its second year. High-end toys, TVs, bikes, motorized toy cars, and Christmas mainstays were among the gifts.

Clayton County commissioner Alieka Anderson also acknowledged Latto for her ongoing humanitarian activities in the community by formally declaring December 18th “Latto Day” and bestowing her a key to the city. Former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams, Fly Guy DC, Clayton County Board of Education Chair Jessie Goree, Clayton County Commissioner Alieka Anderson, and others were in attendance.

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Goodr Releases Statement For Cancellation Of The 5th Annual Gunna’s Great Giveaway At Walmart

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Over the weekend, YSL front man Gunna was schedule to host his 5th Annual Gunna’s Great Giveaway at Walmart sponsored by Goodr, who released a statement about the reason behind the cancellation. This giveaway was scheduled to happen just days after Gunna’s release from the Fulton County Jail after taking a plea deal in the YSL RICO case alongside Young Thug and a host of other YSL members and affiliates.

Goodr released a statement about the event’s cancellation, saying, “Goodr was saddened to learn of Walmart’s decision to cancel the 5th Annual Gunna’s Great Giveaway event today. Gunna and the entire Goodr team were looking forward to brightening the holidays of the 1,000 families that registered. We are aware of how much the promised gifts meant to those families and we are collectively working to find an alternate solution. Registered families will be updated about the event’s status. Goodr apologizes for any inconvenience this unexpected turn of events has caused.”

The City of South Fulton Police Department announced the cancellation of the gift card giveaway at the South Fulton Walmart and said that any questions would need to be directed at the retailer. 

This event comes just days after Gunna’s release from jail. The rapper accepted a plea deal concerning the RICO indictment brought against another Atlanta Rapper Young Thug and 28 other defendants. 

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OCA Becomes the World’s First Agency Dedicated to Creative Directors

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Fashion styling has been an integral pillar of first-class musician’s success for decades. Whether it is for events, social media, or content creation, clothing is an embodiment of an artist’s brand and a big reflection of how they will be perceived. Now more than ever, the realm of styling has expanded even more to capture the demand for creative direction. Artists are frequently seeking out creative direction to bring their entire vision to life. 

Original Creative Agency (OCA) is the world’s first agency that strictly represents creative directors. Founded by two former artists, Jesse Rose and Jesse Rogg, the agency represents 90 percent of the top 1 percent of musicians. Both founders started off as separate music producers who eventually joined forces to produce artists together.

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Rose said, “When we started our company, Kanye was leading the idea of having a creative team, but also Beyoncé had a creative team as well. And so, our kind of job was like, ‘How can we give other artists a creative team and facilitate that for them?’ And slowly over the last five years, it’s just become more and more essential.” Rogg replied, “I know that the term creative director is a slightly nebulous term. It can mean many different things. To us, it really means to be the architect of the entire creative universe for an artist, or a brand, or whoever a client is, and to make sure that house gets built properly, and the story gets told properly and whatnot.”

The diversification of online and social media content creation has transcended previous traditions of baseline magazine covers, spreads, and music videos. Now, there are so many different platforms that require creative management to truly uphold a relevant and consistent aesthetic. As artists begin to embark on regularly scheduled tours and other events post lockdown, it is important to note how the management of content can completely alter outcomes for better or for worse. 

The evolution of their pairings with some of music’s biggest creative forces has led them to expand their clientele in the culture, entertainment and fashion space. In 2022, OCA collaborated with  Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Steve Lacy, Nicki Minaj, A24, Cardi B, Machine Gun Kelly, Apple, Alicia Keys and many more. As far as fashion goes, the agency has begun working with designer Humberto Leon and fashion creative director Sarah Bassett. 

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Target Progresses on Investing $2 Billion in Black-owned Businesses

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In April of 2021, Target made a commitment to spend  $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025. The general merchandise retailer vowed to expand the number of Black-owned brands available in Target stores as well as spend more with Black-owned suppliers. Target plan is exemplifying their purpose through an end goal that creates more equitable experiences for Black guests, obtains new resources for Black entrepreneurs, and harnesses the full impact, scale, and size of their economic resources.

Today, Target is honoring their dedication to these goals and upholding transparency. They are launching a new media fund initiative through an in-house media company, Roundel. Since 2020, Target’s spending budget in conjunction with Black-owned companies and suppliers has increased by over 50 percent. Additionally, the number of Black-owned brands across their assortment has doubled to more than 100. Target’s clarity in their endeavors moving forward keeps power in the hands of their mission. The Roundel Media Fund, which serves to offset the cost of marketing programs at Target will award over  $25 million in media to Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) brands by 2025. 

In May, Target announced ‘Forward Founders’, the accelerator program for early-stage CPG companies looking to better understand retail. It’s designed to help historically under-resourced founders be the next wave of wealth-building companies. 

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A closer look at some of Target’s progress since the start of this initiative includes over 30 Black entrepreneurs supported through Forward Founders, over 2,000 underrepresented entrepreneurs have been granted access to free resources through Target’s virtual Forward Founders program, over 100 Black-owned brands are now available at Target across every major category, a 65% increase in Black-owned beauty brands at Target over the past year, and over 200 books from Black authors added to this assortment over the last year. 

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