Hip Hop News

Vanessa Bryant Scolds Evan Rachel Wood For Labeling Kobe A ‘Rapist’ After His Death

by

Vanessa Bryant slammed Evan Rachel Wood, Saturday, for calling her late husband, Lakers’ legend Kobe Bryant “a rapist” in an old tweet. The tweet, which Vanessa labeled “slanderous,” was posted shortly after the beloved basketball star’s death on January 26th, 2020.

“Your false, insensitive, defamatory and slanderous tweet on 1/26/20 is vile and disturbing to say the least,” the widow wrote in response to seeing Wood’s original tweet. “Behavior like this is part of the reason why innocent black men go to jail for crimes they didn’t commit. An accusation doesn’t make someone guilty.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW THE FACTS OF THE CASE,” she continued.

Vanessa Bryant, Evan Rachel Wood
Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images

All criminal charges brought against Kobe during the 2003 sexual assault case were dropped after his accuser refused to testify. She decided to sue the Lakers’ guard and both parties reached a settlement.

“What has happened is tragic,” Wood wrote on the day of Kobe’s death. “I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously.”

Vanessa also called out film producer Abigail Disney, who tweeted a similar message last year.

Wood recently came forward to accuse Marilyn Manson of abuse and sexual assault.

[Via]

Jewelry Designer Lorraine Schwartz and Beyonce Created A Scholarship For Black Gemologists

by
Getty Image

Beyonce has always been the kind of pop star who is interested in giving back to the communities she’s been a part of or benefits from. So when jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz, who has been responsible for plenty of Bey’s red carpet gem-laden looks, decided to began advocating for diversity and inclusion in the precious gems world, it’s no surprise that Beyonce would be a part of it.

As announced via Beyonce.com, the singer and designer are teaming to launch the Beyonce Knowles-Carter x Lorraine Schwartz scholarship at GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. Schwartz has designed jewelry for everyone from Oprah to Lady Gaga to Jennifer Lopez, but Beyonce fans will probably know her work best for the diamond earrings the singer wore on the cover of Dangerously In Love.

“This scholarship is an homage to Beyonce for the inspiration she’s given me through my career,” Schwartz said of the new initiative. “It’s about the love formed from relationships and knowing at the end of the day, we are all the same. Now I have the opportunity to bring that inspiration full circle and show the community the endless possibilities that are in this industry, especially for Black professionals.”

The scholarship will be give “two members of the Black community” the chance to earn credentials at GIA, for the GIA Graduate Gemologist Diploma, with full tuition and paid expenses for the program. The program is primarily online through distance education, and applications for the scholarship are open from March 1 of this year until March 16.

Check out more information on here.

Black Thought Fans Rush To His Defense After A Controversial Tweet Was Shared About Him

by
Getty Image

Black Thought is widely respected within the world of hip-hop thanks to his lengthy resume of impressive contributions to the genre. He’s often regarded as one of the best lyricists to grace the game. Much of his work came alongside The Roots, a group that is more than worthy of respect as a collective as much as they are for its members’ individual work. While the greatness of Black Thought may be an undeniable fact to most, one Twitter user seemed to be a bit uninformed about him. As a result, a tweet they shared delivered a controversial take about The Roots rapper and one that saw hip-hop Twitter rush to his defense.

Responding to a tweet that said Drake could not be grouped with names like “Kendrick, Lupe, Eminem, Black Thought and J. Cole,” a fan of the Toronto rapper looked to share their opinion on the matter. “Drake is more relevant, raps better, has more success, sings better than all these people,” they declared. “Plus who tf is a ‘black thought’ or any of these irrelevant rappers. Another example of HHT searching up rappers who no one listens to [and] comparing them to legends like drake.”

As one might have expected, the tweet brought a flurry of reactions that condemn the individual for their thoughts. One person said, “Saying ‘who tf is a black thought’ should disqualify you from listening to hip hop let alone speaking on it.” Another added, “If you don’t know who Black Thought is keep that to yourself it’s embarrassing.” Even Questlove, a fellow member of The Roots, saw the tweet and decided to share some thoughts of his own.

“Lol at this Black Thought trend. Y’all gone learn one day——I don’t care if he is 83 years old,” he said. “Psssssh even then he will out rhyme anyone….lol——for all of y’all frustrated about Riq’s standing in the world…y’all gotta preach the gospel too. THAT’S how people learn.”

You can find some more reactions to the Black Thought tweet below.

Curren$y Reaches Big Dog Level On “Jermaine Dupri”

by

Curren$y has a massive discography that only keeps on growing. The NOLA rapper is a vet in the rap game whose passion for his craft hasn’t diminished over the years. He’s maintained a strong sense of his artistry and brand, even when he’s crossing over into the worlds of his collaborators. 

This week, the rapper returned with his latest body of work, Collection Agency, marking the release of his first project of the year. The album is a 10 song effort with a sole feature coming from Larry June. “Jermaine Dupri” is a stand-out record arriving towards the middle of the project. Curren$y details his lavish lifestyle filled with budsmoke and muscle cars while referencing Jermaine Dupri’s episode of Cribs where he showed off his Bentley Continental T.

Quotable Lyrics
Some of my cars self-park, but I don’t trust it
All them funky bitches who think they smart play Mario Kart with they hearts
See a OG nod slow, I’ll low-key tear you apart

El Chapo’s Wife To Be Offered ‘New Life’ In Exchange For Cartel Info: Report

by

Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loeram, known commonly as ‘El Chapo’ in reference to his short stature, is considered to have been the most powerful drug trafficker in the world. The Mexican-born kingpin matched the influence and wealth of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, and is currently serving a life sentence at the maximum-security federal prison ADX Florence after finally being recaptured in a shoot-out with Mexican authorities in 2016, later extraditing him to the U.S. According to reports, prosecutors are prepared to offer the drug dealer’s wife Emma Coronel Aispuro and her 9-year-old twin daughters a new life under witness protection in exchange for the Sinaloa Cartel, which her husband presided over. 


Alexandria Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

According to DEA agent Mike Vigil, “Prosecutors will dangle witness protection in front of Emma Coronel. That is without question.” Aispuro was recently arrested on drug charges at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Her mug shot was released last Tuesday (February 23).  

“Authorities will offer it simply because of the amount of information she can provide against the Sinaloa cartel,” Vigil continued. “She knows the identities of the upper echelon on the cartel, the drug trafficking routes they use, how they smuggle drugs and how they manufacture drugs.” 

“Crucially, she can provide a lot of information that can lead to US-based indictments against Sinaloa cartel members. And this would not bode for them very well. […] She also knows which Mexican government officials Chapo Guzman and now the Sinaloa cartel were paying off for protection.”


Drew Angerer/Getty Images

 

Vigil later explained, “She would have to go through a psychological exam. She would get a brand new identity, passport, driver’s license, the works. She would get a script of her new life that she must learn for her fictitious back story.”

He added, “She would be placed in a secret location, helped with a place to live and given a small amount of money before she found work. She would have her twins with her, but it would mean absolutely no contact with other family.”


Ted Psahos/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images

We’ll keep you updated on further developments in the case. 

[via]

 

 

Kosine & Jeremih Lament About The Difficulties Of Relationships On “Transparency”

by

Chicago natives Kosine and Jeremih are two artists who know what it means to write songs about relationships, so it would only make sense that they would come together and collaborate on the quintessential relationship song. This latest effort is called “Transparency” and just based on the title alone, you truly get a sense of what this song is about.

Throughout the track, we get some r&b production while Jeremih delivers soaring sung vocals. Kosine’s verses are tight as well, where he takes a more nonchalant approach all while asking his partner to be transparent with him. The track discusses the pitfalls of a union and how things don’t have to be as complicated as they may seem.

Give the track a spin and let us know what you think, in the comments below.

Quotable Lyrics:

Heard his best friend was your neighbor
Blame it on me talking ’bout a side chick
But you’re the only one that’s right beside me
No ain’t worried ’bout those dudes (Damn)
Bitches hating wanna be in your shoes

Trae Tha Truth & Mysonne Drop Collaborative Album “If You’re Scared Stay Inside”

by

Trae Tha Truth and Mysonne were both at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter protests last year and have remained incredibly vocal on social issues over the course of their careers. This weekend, they’ve taken their sounds and merged it together for a brand new collaborative project titled, If You’re Scared Stay Inside. Led by singles, “You Know How We Comin'” and “I Gotta Win,” their new body of work extends for fourteen songs with a run time of a little under one hour. The project includes a slew of features such as Jim Jones, Black Thought, Jay’ton, TJ Boyce, and more. 

Check out Trae Tha Truth and Mysonne’s brand new collaborative effort, If You’re Scared Stay Inside below and sound off in the comments with your favorite track from the project. 

Hulu Drops First Official Trailer For New Marvel Animated Series “M.O.D.O.K.”

by

Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K is the newest development from the collaboration between Marvel and Hulu, and is a stop-motion adult animation set to premiere on May 21st. Hulu dropped the first official teaser trailer for the series on Thursday, giving viewers a taste of the tone for the series and what the animation will look like in action. 

Patton Oswalt voices M.O.D.O.K. in the series, a Marvel villain who made his first appearance in a comic in 1967. His name stands for “Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing” and he has been a recurring enemy of Captain America in the Marvel Universe. M.O.D.O.K. is the leader of the evil scientific group AIM, which is who he has somehow managed to bankrupt in the upcoming Hulu series.

Originally, M.O.D.O.K was supposed to hit the streaming service in 2019 alongside three other MCU television shows. These other three shows are now defunct, however, and M.O.D.O.K. is the only one still standing. Not only is M.O.D.O.K a kind of unique one-off television adaptation for Marvel, but it is also a look at the alternative path the company could have taken prior to Marvel TV’s shutdown in 2019. 

Watch the teaser trailer below and let us know if you’ll be watching Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. in May. 

[Via]

UPS Removes Too $hort & E-40’s Music Video Over Copyright Dispute

by

Copyright infringement is one of those things that could be seen as a silent fatality. Sneaking up and closing in, there’s not much an artist can do once they’re hit with a copyright notice unless they’re willing to try their luck in court. Around two weeks ago on February 16th, Too $hort debuted the music video for his track “Ain’t Gone Do It,” which features long-time frequent collaborator E-40, which appeared on their double release album Ain’t Gone Do It/Terms and Conditions. The hip-hop veterans are the latest to be found in violation of copyright claims by none other than UPS. 

The playful music video for the song features the two rappers donning some “UP$” uniforms–which stands for “United Pimpin’ Services,” while Too $hort delivered items and E-40 acted as a supervisor. The uniforms bare striking similarities to that of the United Postal Service’s uniforms, which is likely what led to the video being taken down. 

Speaking about the concept of the video, Too $hort explained, “It’s always a party and good vibes when you have E-40 and I together – you experienced it on Verzuz, you felt it on our joint album and you’re seeing it in this video.”

He continued, “We really wanted to make a visual that would entertain people and keep the positive energy going.” Despite this positive energy, it wasn’t long before UPS took the video down from Youtube for copyright infringement. Check out a preview of the video below uploaded to a reaction Youtube account. 

There’s no word yet on how the rappers intend to remedy the dispute. 

[via]