Hip Hop Culture | Hip Hop Arts and Lifestyle Archives - Page 49 of 61

Cormega Brings Adidas To Queensbridge For Back To School Book Bag GiveAway

August 24, 2022 by newhiphopnews

t’s been a quite week for hip-hop emcee and author Cormega, who dropped a new single, “Essential,” produced by Havoc. In addition to formally announcing the release of his long-anticipated next album, The Realness II, he unveiled a billboard in Times Square! New music isn’t the only thing he’s preparing for. The proud parent of two is also getting Queensbridge kids and their families ready to return to school!

On Sunday, August 21st from 1pm-3pm, Cormega partnered with Adidas to distribute FREE Adidas book bags to hundreds of kids in front of The Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement aka Queensbridge Community Center at 10-25 41st Ave, Queens, NY 11101. For the past four years, Cormega has discretely given backpacks and school supplies to kids in the community. This year he welcomed families publicly sharing, “I came to Queensbridge as Cory, and Queensbridge made me Cormega!”GB NY Sneaker Boutique and Riis Settlement Center, joined as sponsors of the FREE family friendly event which featured free vegan pizza from Krave It NY Pizza, ice cream, and of course music!

Cormega has been giving back to Queensbridge Projects long before he recorded his first record. Hiphopdx.com wrote an exclusive story in 2002 about an all-expense trip which took several busloads of people to Six Flags Great Adventures Amusement Park in New Jersey.

“I usually sponsor basketball tournaments, but I wanted to do something more to impact families, especially during inflation. For three years, I have purchased whatever was available, book bags, school supplies, clothes and and gave them to kids in Queensbridge. Some kids got book bags with flowers and stars. This year we upgraded to Adidas bookbags! It was cool to partner with a brand the kids and their parents respect,” shares Cormega. “I’m grateful to everyone – Adidas, GBNY, Riis, Krave It, the ice cream man – who joined in to help get the kids ready as they return back to school!”

The post Cormega Brings Adidas To Queensbridge For Back To School Book Bag GiveAway appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Atlanta Murder Suspect Captured During Traffic Stop After 28 Years On The Run

August 23, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Last week, an Atlanta man was pulled over by deputies with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office doing random registration checks and found out that the man driving had no insurance and his driver’s license was suspended.

The deputies told the man, who said his name was Rais Sekhem, that his South Carolina-issued license was suspended before he was arrested and charged with driving on suspended license, no insurance, and suspended registration.

After being fingerprinted, the man’s prints came up under the name Muhammed Bilal El-Amin, who is wanted for the 1994 murder of 18-year-old Jafferd Tucker at Atlanta’s Oakland City Train Station, who El-Amin allegedly shot in the face.

The post [WATCH] Atlanta Murder Suspect Captured During Traffic Stop After 28 Years On The Run appeared first on The Source.

Microsoft Reveals that Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation’ Could Crash Some Laptop Hard Drives

August 22, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Millions of people have been turning up to Janet Jackson‘s ‘Rhythm Nation’ for over three decades, but some laptop computers apparently are not fans of the chart-topper. Last week, Microsoft revealed a bizarre vulnerability in which playing the 1989 hit can cause certain laptops to crash.

The bizarre story apparently began back when multiple users contacted Windows XP product support to report issues with their devices, mostly the widely used 5400-RPM laptop hard drive that was sold around 2005. It’s common to set up a laboratory experiment on a device or software application whenever there are multiple reports of an issue, such as the reported issue with ‘Rhythm Nation’ and the laptops. The laboratory experiment found that the song didn’t just necessarily crash the laptop that it was being played on, but also nearby laptops that were using the same hard drive model.

Raymond Chen at Microsoft explained it in a blog as such: “the song contained one of the natural resonant frequencies for the model of 5400 rpm laptop hard drives that they and other manufacturers used.”

Since then, the manufacturer has added a custom filter in the audio pipeline that detected and removed the offending frequencies during audio playback. Additionally, this hard drive was a spinning disk hard drive and most spinning hard drives have been gradually phased out in favor of solid-state drives over the years, but as Chen notes, they still persist in a host of devices around the world.

Ironically, the news comes within a few days of Apple’s announcement of a serious security vulnerability (along with a software update) for iPhones, iPads and Macs that could potentially allow attackers to take complete control of these devices.

Perhaps listening to music on cassette or record players is truly the only safe bet anymore.

The post Microsoft Reveals that Janet Jackson’s ‘Rhythm Nation’ Could Crash Some Laptop Hard Drives appeared first on The Source.

Scotty ATL Unveils New Album ‘Candler Road to Melrose’ Talks Atlanta Hawks Grillz Partnership

August 21, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Following the announcement of his Atlanta Hawks partnership, Scotty ATL unveils a brand-new album, Candler Road to Melrose. Last week the 37-year-old shared he will create through partnership custom grillz for the Hawks schedule release representing different NBA teams.

On Friday, Candler Road to Melrose released via Cool Club/ Cinq Music Group, which finds the southern emcee exploring the journey and path that led him to his highly successful grillz business on Melrose Ave.

Scotty ATL, known for his distinct drawl and vernacular, keeps it fresh while switching flows over 13 tracks with production from super producer Zaytoven, DJ Burn One, DJ Tune and more.

Candler Road to Melrose arrives as the follow up to Scotty’s trio of singles released earlier this year. “Go Twin,” “LA Care,” and “Nomo Heaux,” featuring Young Dro, all appear on the album.

For collaborations the East Atlanta native taps Curren$y and G Perico on “Spike Lee,” Sleepy Brown on “Remember Chad,” and Iamsu! on “Night Vision.” While Big K.R.I,T. joins on “Chosen & Frozen,” and Ace Hood flexes on “Congratulations.”

The successful entrepreneur and artist continues to build his craft and financial freedom with a new project and expanding his company, Grillz By Scotty.

In recognition of #BlackBusinessMonth this August, Scotty ATL spoke with the Source’s Kim SoMajor about business after COVID-19, new ventures with PUMA, The Atlanta Hawks, and much more.

When and what sparked you to start a grillz business?

I’ve always worn grillz since I was in high school. I made a name for myself in Atlanta as a rapper. One of my old friends lost his job as a dental assistant. He wanted to do grillz. At first I was just helping him and then it got more serious.

How did it serve as another option outside of your rap career?

It has allowed me to make extra income to support my dreams and provide for my family. It has also given me a bigger platform to share with the world.

How did your business adjust during the stay-at-home orders and how is it now?

I adjusted by decreasing staff and increasing my knowledge of online businesses. Now we do both in store and online. I have a store in Atlanta on Candler Rd. and another store on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles.

With your business, you are providing an opportunity for other people too. What has been a definitive moment for you that reaffirmed that you made the right move in starting it?

Everyday I think about that. Helping my dad move out of the projects and give him a job is the biggest.

What’s next for Grillz By Scotty?

Major brand collaboration opportunities on the way. New designs. New moves for the culture. Maybe more locations…

How did you know that was the next move for you?

I knew it because I started making money everyday and that was my goal from the beginning.

Talk about your new grillz design and how you’re elevating your business?

I have newly designed colored grillz are out now. They’re limited edition and very unique. I’m more than a grill maker, I’m a grill designer. You haven’t seen these before.

Congratulations on your partnerships, to watch your dedication and growth in rap and business is very inspiring. What do these success-building opportunities mean to you?

My role as an influencer in this project was to capture ATL culture through my eyes. I had an amazing time and I’m so proud of myself and our company.

You can hear the new release from Scotty ATL below.

Continue the conversation on social media.

The post Scotty ATL Unveils New Album ‘Candler Road to Melrose’ Talks Atlanta Hawks Grillz Partnership appeared first on The Source.

Los Angeles Announced As Host City For Finals Of Red Bull BC One, World’s Largest Breakdancing Competition

August 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

On September 17, the world’s largest, most esteemed breaking competition, Red Bull BC One, will host the USA National Finals in Los Angeles. Winners of the regional cyphers held in Philadelphia, Austin, Orlando, Boston, and Seattle will take the stage at Eden Hollywood to battle it out for the National Championship title and to represent the country at the Red Bull BC One World Final in New York this November.

Shining a light on the thriving breaking communities across the U.S., the nation’s top 16 b-boys and 16 b-girls will compete in a knockout bracket, judged by a panel of respected figures within the breaking and hip-hop community, including b-girl legend Asia 1 and Red Bull BC One All Star Neguin with Rakaa, of Dilated Peoples hosting the evening. Joining the regional finalists are wild-card invites of top US breakers including Hijack, Mace, Snap1, Rascal Randi, Sunny, and more. Only one b-boy and one b-girl will go on to represent the USA at the Last Chance Cypher during the Red Bull BC One World Final in New York on November 11.

B-girl Pep-C, an Olympic hopeful who will be competing in Los Angeles, took home the win at the Red Bull BC One Cypher East in Philadelphia last month. She shares, “The Red Bull BC One National Final is an exciting opportunity to put my training and skills to the test against the best b-girls across the country. With the Olympics around the corner, this prestigious competition is a stepping stone on the road to Paris..”

The 2022 Red Bull BC One season celebrates the communities that have helped push break forward to reach new milestones in the sport’s history: Hip-hop’s upcoming golden anniversary in 2023 and the highly anticipated debut of breaking at the 2024 Paris Games. Honoring these pivotal timestamps, the 2022 Red Bull BC One World Final will return to New York, paying tribute to breaking as an intrinsic element of hip-hop culture.

While breaking has its roots in the Bronx, it was also ubiquitous in the west coast hip-hop mecca of South L.A. and on the city’s east side. West Coast Dancers have shaped breaking’s evolution since the 1970s, fusing California-native dance styles like popping and locking with the ground-level gymnastics of New York B-Boys. The West Coast is also home to legendary breaking crews such as Air Force Crew, Radiotron Wizards, and Shake City Rockers, which trace back to intramural battles in L.A.

Emerging in the late 2000s, Squadron, a SoCal breaking crew, ignited a modern west coast breaking revolution. Brought together by breaking icon David “Mex One” Alvarado, Squadron was one of the first independent West Coast Crews made “by and for the scene”, which added a distinct West Coast flavor to the sport by merging it with capoeira moves, house dance, and other techniques. Its members include Red Bull BC One All Stars Omar “RoxRite” Delgado, who was a founding member, and Victor Montalvo.

“Generations of West Coast b-boys and b-girls from San Diego to Seattle have influenced what we know as breaking today. Being a member of Renegade Rockers and to represent the Red Bull BC One All Stars, two crews that are crucial to breaking’s proliferation, I am proud to carry the torch for the breakers who came before me while nurturing the next generation,” shares RoxRite.

Leading up to the competition, Red Bull BC One will host Breakalicious @ Delicious, a celebration of west coast hip hop and break, on Friday, August 26 from 7-9PM PT at Delicious Pizza, a neighborhood pizzeria and local community hub from the founders of the iconic hip-hop label Delicious Vinyl, which helped launch seminal artists such as Tone Lōc (“Wild Thing”), Young MC (“Bust a Move”), The Pharcyde and more.

Breakalicious @ Delicious will feature an open jam session and the unveiling of a limited edition Squadron pizza box. The event will kick off a four-week photo exhibition exploring the west coast break scene and a limited time offering from Delicious, the Pizza Break special, which includes a 12” pizza and two cans of Red Bull.

Tickets to the national final are $10. Secure your spot at the Red Bull BC One Cypher USA here.

The post Los Angeles Announced As Host City For Finals Of Red Bull BC One, World’s Largest Breakdancing Competition appeared first on The Source.

Los Angeles Announced As Host City For Finals Of Red Bull BC One, World’s Largest Breakdancing Competition

August 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Tickets to the national final are $10. Secure your spot at the Red Bull BC One Cypher USA here.

The post Los Angeles Announced As Host City For Finals Of Red Bull BC One, World’s Largest Breakdancing Competition appeared first on The Source.

Dwyane Wade Files To Legally Change Gender, Name Of Transgender Daughter

August 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

According to a confirmed report from TheBalst, NBA star Dwyane Wade has filed a court petition to legally change the name and gender of his transgender daughter, Zaya Wade.

According to documents obtained from the L.A. County Court, Wade is asking a judge to officially change his child’s name from Zion Malachi Airamis Wade to Zaya Malachi Airamis Wade. Zaya is a transgender, however, being that she is under 18 years of age, her father has to be the one to officially request the change in court.

The petition mentions Zaya’s mother, Siohvaughn Funches, but says that Dwyane Wade has full authority to make the decision. “Pursuant to the terms of the Final Custody Judgment, (Wade) has full authority to make decisions on behalf of the petitioning minor, and he is not required to receive consent from Ms. Funches-Wade. As a courtesy, Ms. Funches-Wade has received notice of this petition,” the document reads.

In the filing, Wade asks that the court legally issues a decree recognizing that the minors’ gender is changed to “female. It also specifically cites the reason for the change as “to conform with gender identity.”

The multi-millionaire athlete admits he is shocked by his daughter’s confidence in this area, saying, “I went years without telling my chef that I don’t like cilantro on my burger — as an adult, it took me years to have the confidence to say that…My daughter, at 8 years old, had the confidence to say, ‘This is who I am. This is who I want to be.’”

The petition is now pending with the court.

The post Dwyane Wade Files To Legally Change Gender, Name Of Transgender Daughter appeared first on The Source.

Tevin Campbell Discusses Struggles and Triumphs of Being a Gay Man in the R&B Industry

August 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

Tevin Campbell may be known for his hit 90s song “Can We Talk” and this week, he definitely talked, opening up about what it was like to be a queer man in the R&B industry in the 90s and how it has changed from then to now.

In an interview with host Janine Rubenstein on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, Campbell confirmed that he identifies as a gay man, something that likely did not come as a surprise to many of his fans as earlier this year, he tweeted (and later deleted) the phrase “Tevin is…” followed by a rainbow flag emoji.

Campbell discussed some of the struggles of being a child celebrity, noting that he never really hid his sexuality from anyone close to him, saying that “I didn’t hide anything about me. I didn’t try to act a certain way or anything. You just couldn’t be [gay] back then.”

He explained that many of his songs were just R&B songs, but the industry tends to make songs heteronormative.

He noted that despite growing up in the public eye, that he was lucky to have made it while claiming that a lot of child stars “don’t make it.” He then went on to note that “a lot of us do,” saying that the fact that he has is one of the reasons that he has embraced himself. (Campbell first began his music career at age 12.)

He noted that when he did Hairspray in 2005, it was the first time that he was around a significant number of LGBTQ people who were living their best lives and that’s how he became more comfortable with his sexual identity.

He said that major stars such as Lil Nas X and Frank Ocean have helped increase LGBTQ representation in the R&B and music industries in general, but still noting that there is a lot of work when it comes to representation and acceptance in the industry.

He also dished on some of the general industry turmoil including a decades-old semi-beef with Usher, who was also mentioned as a possible artist to sing “Can we Talk” back in the 1990s. (He said that he and Usher are on good terms and there are no hard feelings.)

He also said that he likes watching the “Can we Talk” challenges on TikTok today and that he is excited about the future of R&B, citing artists such as Frank Ocean and Jasmine Sullivan.

He left listeners with the parting advice to love themselves, both the good and the bad.

The full episode can be listened to on iHeart at https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-people-every-day-76003809/episode/rb-star-tevin-campbell-opens-up-101008105/.

The post Tevin Campbell Discusses Struggles and Triumphs of Being a Gay Man in the R&B Industry appeared first on The Source.

Mary J Blige and Diddy Discuss How Pop Music Tried to”Kill” R&B on IG Live

August 19, 2022 by newhiphopnews

She may be the queen of R&B, but Mary J Blige expressed some concerns about the current state of her kingdom (queendom?) on a spirited discussion with Diddy on IG live in which she claims that pop music killed the R&B genre.

Diddy took to IG live on this week via Hollywood Unlocked after he had asked his followers: “Who killed R&B?” Mary J Blige joined him for a live session (which is archived here) to discuss her thoughts on the genre’s current state and how it got there.

Of R&B being “killed,” she said that “You can’t kill something that’s in our DNA. It’s going to keep transitioning from generation to generation to generation,” noting how many people her age have passed down a love of the genre to their children.

She did however, note that many mainstream radio stations have tried to kill R&B, or at least change the genre to be more in line with mainstream taste.

She first thanked the radio stations around the country that play and support R&B music before explaining that radio stations tend to jump on the bandwagon and play whatever is popular.

She said that the radio stations call it “popular music” when artists like Justin Timberlake and Adele get ahold of it, before explaining that “it [R&B] has been popular music.”

She stated that R&B can’t be killed, explaining that “we have to keep ourselves alive. You can’t kill us because we’re already in the system, in the bloodline, the DNA.”

She cited many popular R&B artists including Chris Brown, Chaka Khan, Etta James, Usher, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Jazmine Sullivan, and SWV that have not been “killed” and are keeping the genre alive.

She also encouraged R&B fans not to be “sheep” and get angry at the radio stations, but rather be shepherds and promote the genre and request more R&B on mainstream radio.

Mary J Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous Tour” starts September 17.

The post Mary J Blige and Diddy Discuss How Pop Music Tried to”Kill” R&B on IG Live appeared first on The Source.

Buying Back The Culture – How The Black Promoters Collective Is Changing The Face Of Live Music

August 17, 2022 by newhiphopnews

It started, as so many stories do today, with a phone call about COVID-19. The devastating effect of the virus was being felt by the music industry. Touring was impossible, and this hit Black and independent promoters with a devastating impact. But it was from these conversations that the Black Promoters Collective was born.

With the murder of George Floyd, and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, the BPC recognized the importance of pooling together resources and knowledge to drive change in the music industry. A step that became not just necessary, but essential.

The BPC felt that the shared experience of Black musicians and promoters, their successes and their voices, could no longer be ignored by a biased industry. Troy Brown, Chief Marketing Officer of the BPC said “It’s time for us, as the culture, to buy back the culture. We need to go to these artists and say, ‘Here’s what we can do for you that some of these other big corporate entities can’t.’”

Now, just a little over two years later, the BPC grossed $60 million in their first quarter by putting on some impressive tours. The Collective headed up a 30-city tour for New Edition, called The Culture Tour featuring Charlie Wilson and Jodeci.

Another tour for Maxwell would feature Anthony Hamilton and Joe across 25 cities. Closing up an astounding quarter with a six-day tour featuring the legendary Patti LaBelle.

Off the back of this success, BPC is now promoting a 23-city tour for Mary J. Blige, the Good Morning Gorgeous arena tour. The tour will feature support from Ella Mai and Queen Naija.

The BPC is clearly starting to claim its share of the market. Working collectively, they sought to buy tours. Their collective work and expertise allow them to bid for entire tours, rather than smaller single dates or venues.

Their combined market weight, bringing together expertise from members from Detroit; Atlanta; Houston; Raleigh, N.C.; New York/New Jersey, Oakland and California, allows them to compete on a level playing field with giants like AEG and Live Nation.

History doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme. This is not the first time that Black promoters have joined forces to confront the deep systemic white bias of the live music industry.

In 1998, a $700 million lawsuit was filed against multiple promoters and booking agencies by a group calling themselves The Black Promoters Agency. The lawsuit claimed antitrust and civil rights violations, but would be lost in 2005.

By contrast, the BPC continues to make inroads into the live music industry. With a mindset that firmly believes in reclaiming and buying back culture that was theirs in the first place, the BPC uses their Collective economics and business knowledge to their advantage.

The BPC has a mission of inclusion, and they mean it. They seek to work across multiple genres with a range of artists. Sticking to their mission, the BPC has managed to bring an increasing number of Black-owned businesses, as well as people of color, into the live music industry. And not just artists, but everyone from the caterers to the vendor partners. An action that, according to BPC’s Troy Brown, “Doesn’t happen in other, bigger corporate outfits.”

The BPC is making huge strides towards achieving their mission. By making the industry more inclusive, the BPC ensures a world that respects the work of Black promoters and provides artists and fans with options that are not just Live Nation and AEG.

By. Marty Most

The post Buying Back The Culture – How The Black Promoters Collective Is Changing The Face Of Live Music appeared first on The Source.