Over the weekend, 21 Savage and Multi-Platinum Hip-Hop Producer Metro Boomin attended and performed at the big unveiling of the Louis Vuitton and Nike “Air Force 1” Exhibit in Brooklyn, NY, created by the late Louis Vuitton Creative Director, Virgil Abloh. Metro Boomin, dressed in Louis Vuitton, lit up the stage with a set of his best hits, while 21 Savage played favorites including “Bank Account,” “A lot,” “Knife Talk,” and others.
The Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” is the first time the sneaker has been made outside of a Nike plant. Late fashion icon and Louis Vuitton Men’s Artistic Director Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) believed the Nike Air Force 1 to be a cultural symbol in its own way, as an emblem of the streetwear community that reared him.
You can learn more about the collection between Nike and Louis Vuitton here.
Lil Kim paid tribute to the icon The Notorious B.I.B. in classic New York City form with a star-studded gala presented by Lexus and Pepsi. Last night, May 20th, 2022, the biggest names in hip hop gathered to commemorate Biggie’s 50th birthday. Biggie’s legacy was recognized with a star-studded black-tie gala and concert at Guastavino’s (409 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022), which featured performances of Biggie’s most iconic singles.
Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Junior M.A.F.I.A., CJ Wallace, T’yanna Wallace, Fat Joe, Havoc, Sway, Smif-N-Wessun, Tek and Steele, Prayah, Ceaser Emanuel of Black Ink Crew, and others gathered to honor the late rapper.
The event honored Biggie, who is widely regarded as the greatest rapper of all time, with performances of his most popular classics. Biggie’s impact to hip hop continues to inspire future generations. His illustrious career has left an indelible mark on mainstream culture. B.I.G. is still alive!
On Biggie Smalls and Lil’ Kim‘s official Instagram sites, as well as Lil Kim’s YouTube channel, fans can get a behind-the-scenes peek at the spectacular event. Culture Creative, a Black-owned Emmy Award-Winning firm, organized the event. Culture Creative’s mission is to link businesses with growing cultural marketing destinations through new and inventive forms of authentic storytelling.
Biggie’s and music industry giants “Don Pooh” Brooklyn Chophouse Times Square hosted the after-party. Around 230 AM, Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, and Junior M.A.F.I.A. arrived, and Brooklyn Chop House fired up the kitchen to serve Lil’ Kim and her team!
Biggie’s golden anniversary is this upcoming Saturday. The Notorious B.I.G., who would have turned 50-years-old on May 21, is receiving a number of tributes in New York City.
On Friday, there will be a ceremony in partnership with Bad Boy/Atlantic and Rhino Records at the Empire State Building with family members, friends and collaborators of the legendary rapper, Christopher Wallace.
While Brooklyn’s Barclays Center will feature a video montage of him on the mega oculus display above the venue’s entrance.
New York City is going B.I.G. for Biggies 50th birthday.
On Saturday, the landmark skyscraper will be changing its lights to red and white, with a crown spinning on its mast.
In addition, the MTA is releasing a special MetroCard edition featuring the Brooklyn-born Hip-Hop icon and there will be a free orchestral tribute at the Lincoln Center on June 10.
Doja Cat needs surgery on her tonsils. The “Get Into It (Yuh)” singer took to Twitter to say a doctor had to cut into her left tonsil because she had an abscess in it.
In a follow-up post, she said her tonsils got infected before the Billboard Music Awards earlier this month and she was taking medication for it, but she forgot and drank wine and vaped “all day long.”
nah so my tonsils got infected before bbmas and i was taking fuckin antibiotics but forgot that i was taking them and then i drank wine and was vaping all day long and then i started getting a nasty ass growth on my tonsil so they had to do surgery on it today.
Today she confirmed in another tweet that she has to have surgery on her tonsils asap and her recovery will cause her to cancel several shows including her tour with The Weeknd.
“I wanted you to hear it first. Unfortunately I have to have surgery on my tonsils asap. The surgery is routine but the recovery is going to take a while due to swelling. That means I have to cancel my festival run this summer as well as The Weeknd Tour. I feel horrible about this but can’t wait for this to heal and get back to making music and create an experience for y’all.”
YSL’s Lil GotIt says Young Thug and Gunna are grieving the death of YSL labelmate Lil Keed.
Official reports have not been confirmed on the nature of his death. Although rumors have surfaced that GotIt’s older brother Lil Keed, real name Raqhid Jevon Render died from liver failure due to excessive drug use. Multiple reports allege that Keed overdosed on promethazine with codeine aka “lean,” with his brother Lil Gotit, real name Semaja Zair Render close by.
Lil GotIt took to his Instagram stories over the weekend to share Young Thug and Gunna’s feeling about Keed’s passing. He said Thug knows Keed is “guarding him through these times.”
“Talked to @thuggerthugger1 yesterday,” he wrote. “Keed, u f**ked him up with this one, but we know you guarding him through these times and make sure he gone be alright. We da Proud Family can’t nothing stop us.”
YSL rappers Young Thug and Gunna were among 28 people named in a Georgia indictment for conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. They are currently being held with no bond.
Gunna and Thug will remain in jail until further notice. Gunna is due back in court in June. Share your comments on social media.
The Notorious B.I.G. estate dropped a major metaverse announcement on Christopher Wallace’s (Biggie’s) would-be 50th birthday on Saturday, May 21.
Biggie fans can enjoy The Notorious B.I.G. on Web3 via a hyperrealistic model of his likeness in a new metaverse activation called “The Brook.” Fans can register to be the first alerted to when they can enter this unique world.
The teaser of the Brook below features the voice of Mark Pitts, who managed Biggie in life and worked with the teams at Surreal, Zoan and Willingie to give an authentic voice to the creative direction of the metaverse.
“Being born and raised in Brooklyn, I wanted it to feel as close to the Brooklyn that helped raise me. The hyperrealism is authentic to that experience. As we expand, we will use that same authenticity in other cities,” said Pitts.
“Technology continues to create opportunities that are beyond one’s imagination and I’m excited that we are stepping into the future with a beautiful rendition of a hyperrealistic avatar of my son Christopher and I’m thankful for our wonderful team of creative partners for their work to deliver Biggie into new media for his fans to enjoy,” said Biggie’s mother Voletta Wallace.
The late great cultural icon was born Christopher Wallace in Brooklyn, New York. The Brook, by definition, is a small stream or river that flows into other rivers that eventually flows into the ocean. The Brook is also a reference to the four-time Grammy nominee’s hometown and will be realized as a metaverse activation of hip-hop culture, lifestyle, music, entertainment, sports and fashion.
Happy 50th Birthday B.I.G.!! The Biggie Avatar is coming to “The Brook”, a Hyperrealistic Metaverse experience that looks like a metaverse should… “REAL” Learn more about the Brook. Link in bio. @brookversepic.twitter.com/XoUH4nnjkI
According to the release, the platform will encompass an immersive digital space, giving users the opportunity to experience and explore virtual worlds, buy tickets to and attend virtual concerts, purchase virtual and physical merchandise, buy virtual real estate, and buy, sell and trade NFTs. The platform will launch with The Notorious B.I.G. and then spread to other activations and talent.
The project, developed in partnership with ZOAN, Surreal Events, and Hyperreal, is tied to his hometown in Brooklyn, to deliver Biggie into a new media for his fans and give provide a new platform to experience the culture of Hip-Hop.
Watch the trailer below. Share your thoughts with us on social media.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams saluted Brooklyn icon The Notorious B.I.G. at City Hall this past Thursday ahead of what would have been Biggie’s 50th birthday.
On hand in City Hall was C.J. Wallace, the song of Biggie, and Chief Advisor Dr. Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Adams spoke to the impact of Biggie’s life and the work that he created that lives on today.
Mayor Eric Adams Honors Christopher Notorious B.I.G. Wallace 7 8 screenshot
“Biggie Smalls is truly an icon. All of the elected officials, from the top executive in New York City, the public advocate and our attorney general, all grew up on Biggie Smalls,” Adams said.
According to NY1, Adams also highlighted the way Biggie navigated to stardom with the assistance of his mother, Voletta Wallace.
“He was raised by a single mom,” Adams said. “That’s why so many of us could relate to it. Just the love his mother showed. But what he did, that I believe was so much more significant, is that he was able to turn pain into purpose. He used his music to define what was happening in everyday life.”
Yesterday, the Empire State Building held a ceremony with Bad Boy Records, Atlantic, and Rhino Records to light the building red and blue with a crown spinning on top.
Dave Chappelle‘s attacker has a new charge and it is completely unrelated to the Netflix is a Joke incident. According to Complex, L.A.’s District Attorney’s Office announced that 23-year-old Isaiah Lee was charged with attempted murder. The new charge is in connection with an incident from 2021.
According to authorities, Lee is accused of stabbing a roomate during an altercation at a housing apartment on Dec. 2. Lee pleaded not guilty.
“The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime,” said LA County District Attorney George Gascón. “The incident that occurred at the Hollywood Bowl was misdemeanor conduct and rightfully referred to the City Attorney’s Office. Based on the nature and severity of the December attack, Mr. Lee is now facing felony charges which my office will prosecute.”
For his attack on Chappelle Lee was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon. At one point, Lee created a rap song called “Dave Chappell” in 2020, the song didn’t contain any messages that could assume harm would one day come to the A-List comedian.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated the man was carrying a “replica handgun” with a knife blade inside when he tackled Chappelle. After he tackled Chappelle, the man attempted to flee the area but was quickly surrounded and “stomped out,” as Chappelle alluded to onstage. Images and video from the scene show the damage to Lee’s body, most notably a severely disfigured arm.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are not the only ones with a new Hip-Hop baby. Congrats go out to G Herbo and Taina Williams who welcome their new baby girl, Emmy Love Wright. Emmy is the second child of Herbo and Taina.
The two revealed on Instagram Emmy was born on May 17, holding both of their children on the staircase of their home. LAter another picture of Herbo in the hospital bed with Taina was shown.
eBay is opening is teaming with The Wear ‘Em Out Store in Los Angeles that rewards sneakerheads for actually wearing their new kicks out of the store. eBay is recognized for its unequaled selection of new and pre-owned sneakers. The Wear ‘Em Out Store, which will be open Memorial Day weekend on Fairfax Avenue, will offer up to 70% off today’s market price on some of the most unique and coveted sneaker models, with lower rates for shoppers who physically wear their purchases out the door.
“Most people can identify with that feeling of getting a new pair of shoes that you love so much, you just HAVE to wear them out of the store,” said Garry Thaniel, GM of Sneakers at eBay. “The Wear ‘Em Out Store celebrates a love of sneakers, while acknowledging that sneakerheads are often balancing what they wear with what they keep in the box. eBay is the place to find every style and every price, and now we’re offering an incentive to lace up the most coveted sneakers of the summer.”
According to a recent eBay survey of 1,000+ sneakerheads, the majority of respondents stated they only wear about half of their collections. The Wear ‘Em Out Store was created to inspire sneakerheads to live in the moment and wear their favorite shoes on their feet this summer.
Offset, an award-winning international musician, businessman, and fashion icon known for wearing some of the most coveted kicks from his extensive and exclusive collection, was enlisted by eBay to help curate the Wear ‘Em Out Store’s offering, using his years of sneaker collecting to determine what collectible kicks enthusiasts would most want to un-deadstock.
“eBay is my go-to place to find the kicks you can’t find anywhere else,” said rapper Offset. “For sneaker collectors like me who lay awake at night trying to decide if you’re going to wear your new kicks, eBay’s Wear ‘Em Out Store makes light of something that haunts the entire sneaker community and gives people a new way to access the shoes they want for summer.”
eBay will provide visitors an exclusive glimpse of the Wear ‘Em Out Store at Sneaker Con Anaheim this weekend, including several of the designs that will be presented on Fairfax, such as the Jordan 1 Retro High OG Patent Bred or the Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner. The store will stock a selection of the season’s most-wanted fashions, as well as new releases that would ordinarily be available exclusively at deadstock pricing.
Event details are available below:
The Wear ‘Em Out Preview | Sneaker Con Anaheim, May 21 – 22 The weekend prior to Memorial Day at eBay’s Sneaker Con Anaheim, a custom display of notable sneaker styles will reveal the “Wear ‘Em Out” inventory – offering attendees a preview of the expert-picked pairs available to shop the following week.
The Wear ‘Em Out Store | 455 N Fairfax, Los Angeles, May 27 – 29 Through Memorial Day weekend, eBay invites sneakerheads in the Los Angeles area to visit the store, shop styles such as the Jordan 1 Retro High OG Patent Bred or Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner, and purchase at up to 70% off.
