Hip Hop News

Will Smith And Martin Lawrence Reveal Their G.O.A.T. Rappers

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Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are having a moment. Three decades after they were two of the biggest stars on television, they’re proving themselves to be even bigger draws as movie stars. Bad Boys: Ride or Die has killed at the box office, and part of the reason why is the promo tour Smith and Lawrence are on. They’re everywhere, sharing anecdotes about their friendship and their seemingly bulletproof franchise. The Smith and Lawrence convo we didn’t expect, however, was who the greatest rapper of all time is.

Smith and Lawrence recently went on the YouTube series GOAT Talk to discuss, well GOAT topics. Given the impact that both of them have had on hip-hop culture, it was only a matter of time before they were hit with the “GOAT rapper” question. Their answers did not disappoint. Martin Lawrence decided to go with a generational peer and a close personal friend. “I would have to say Snoop Dogg for me,” he noted. “Because Snoop’s always come through for me. He’s done my show and has always been excellent. And he’s a good friend of mine.” Both Lawrence and Snoop Dogg appeared in the 2019 film The Beach Bum. The latter also made a cameo on a 1994 episode of Martin.

Read More: Will Smith Admits He Hated Quincy Jones’ Original “Fresh Prince” Theme

Will Smith Struggled To Pick Between Three Rappers

Will Smith’s answer was more intriguing. He rose to fame as a rapper. He was the first rapper to win a Grammy, in fact, so he’s technically a GOAT candidate himself. Rest assured, however, the actor didn’t pick himself. He decided to go old school with his picks. “I think that in terms of changing the game,” he posited. “Rakim.” Will Smith was unable to limit his answer to one, though. He mentioned two other men who shaped his love for the genre. “The combination of Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz,” he explained. “In terms of me developing my love for hip-hop.” The Caz shout out is timely, given that Smith recently encountered the rapper during a radio interview.

Smith gushed about Grandmaster Caz during his appearance on Sway In the Morning. He told the host that he modeled his rhyming style after the Cold Crush legend. In the middle of his interview, Caz walks in the room and leaves the Oscar winner starstruck. Smith let out a yell of surprise before hyping up the rapper to the rest of the room. “Ladies and gentleman,” he said. “The full, complete and total inspiration for the Fresh Prince: Grandmaster Caz.” Smith might’ve said Rakim first, but this encounter tips the scale in Caz’s favor.

Read More: Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith’s Friends Doubt Sincerity Of Reconciliation: Report

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Normani Revealed Her ‘Dopamine’ Tracklist Featuring Cardi B, Gunna, And James Blake, So Let The Countdown Begin

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Normani Essence 2024
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It’s really happening, guys. Normani will release Dopamine, her long (long)-awaited debut full-length studio album, in mere days after years of contradicting updates.

Normani first announced Dopamine in February, but then two months passed before “1:59” featuring Gunna, the lead single, arrived on April 26. The following month, Normani dropped her “Dopamine (First Dose)” album trailer and “Candy Paint,” the second single.

On Wednesday night, June 12, Normani revealed the album’s full tracklist, so there’s truly no going back now. Cardi B and James Blake are joining Gunna as featured artists.

“This moment symbolizes so much more than any photo could ever capture,” Normani captioned an Instagram carousel earlier this week. “There has been so much resistance and many adversities throughout this process for me. Thank you to my fans for always keeping me encouraged and for being my reason to continue to endure and push through. This chapter is dedicated to you. ily guys more than you know.”

The sultry, slow-burning “1:59” and the playful, more upbeat “Candy Paint” showcased different sides of the former Fifth Harmony member, so the full Dopamine palette figures to have at least one song to satisfy everyone’s taste.

Normani’s Dopamine Tracklist

1. “Big Boy”
2. “Still”
3. “All Yours”
4. “Lights On”
5. “Take My Time”
6. “Insomnia”
7. “Candy Paint”
8. “Grip”
9. “1:59” Feat. Gunna
10. “Distance”
11. “Tantrums” Feat. James Blake
12. “Little Secrets”
13. “Wild Side” Feat. Cardi B

Normani’s Dopamine Album Cover Artwork

Normani Dopamine
RCA

Dopamine is out 6/14 via RCA Records. Find more information here.

Kendrick Lamar And Drake Diss Tracks Sold As Cassette Tape Collectible

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Kendrick and Drake’s beef has become so historic within the culture, that some bright minded entrepreneur created the idea of packaging the entire series of diss tracks between Drizzy and K.Dot on a cassette tape and selling it as a collectible item for authentic Hip Hop aficionados.

X(formerly Twitter) user @3ternalsirenity posted a pic of the attractively packaged cassette on X yesterday(June 11) complete with a $199.99 price tag, but it was discovered that Tape Head City is selling it on their website for $16 (plus shipping).

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The Certified Lover Boy bombed first with “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Col last year with a subliminal shot at Kendrick, who hit back with a feature verse of his own on Metro Boomin’ and Future’s “Like That”. Drake’s second effort was “Push Ups(Drop And Gimme 50)”, which was succeeded by Dot’s “Euphoria.” Soonafter, “Family Matters,” “Taylor Made Freestyle” and “Meet The Grahams” were just prequels to Kendrick’s monstrous smash “Not Like Us”, which seemed to have ended the battle.

Drizzy’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” is no longer available online as the 6 God had to remove it from all platforms after the Tupac estate issued a cease and desist letter to the former Disney star for his unauthorized use of ‘Pac’s voice.

Thus far, the last offering from either side was Drizzy’s “The Heart Part 6.”.

The post Kendrick Lamar And Drake Diss Tracks Sold As Cassette Tape Collectible first appeared on The Source.

The post Kendrick Lamar And Drake Diss Tracks Sold As Cassette Tape Collectible appeared first on The Source.

Young Jeezy Requests Parental Fitness Evaluation Amid Custody Battle with Jeannie Mai

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Rapper Young Jeezy and TV personality Jeannie Mai are still in a heated custody battle over their daughter Monaco, following Jeezy’s divorce filing less than three years after their marriage. The latest development in this high-profile split sees Jeezy seeking a judge’s intervention to order a parental fitness evaluation for both himself and Jeannie Mai.

According to legal documents obtained by The Blast, Jeezy is requesting several forms of “relief” in the ongoing divorce proceedings. The rapper is asking the judge to mandate a “parental fitness exam” for both parties and to grant him “joint physical custody” of their minor daughter. Additionally, Jeezy has proposed a “temporary parenting plan order” and has requested that the court award “temporary child support pursuant to statutory guidelines.”

This filing comes after Jeezy garnered support from his ex-partner Mahi and his daughter’s nanny, both of whom testified to his peaceful and caring nature as a parent. Despite past legal disputes over child support with Mahi, she emphasized Jeezy’s dedication to his children, adding weight to his request for joint custody.

However, the divorce proceedings have been further complicated by allegations of domestic violence leveled against Jeezy by Jeannie Mai. The former talk show host has accused him of abusive behavior, claims that Jeezy has categorically denied.

Jeezy’s request for a parental fitness evaluation aims to provide an objective assessment of both parents’ capabilities, potentially influencing the court’s custody decision. By seeking joint physical custody, Jeezy is advocating for an arrangement that would allow him to remain actively involved in Monaco’s upbringing.

The legal document also indicates that Jeezy is pushing for a swift resolution to the divorce, asking the judge to set a “final trial” on “the next available trial calendar.” This move suggests Jeezy’s desire to expedite the proceedings and establish a stable arrangement for their daughter as soon as possible.

As the custody battle unfolds, both parties will likely present their cases, supported by testimonies and evaluations, to determine the best outcome for their daughter Monaco. The court’s decision will hinge on various factors, including the results of the proposed parental fitness evaluations and the evidence presented by both sides.

Thoughts?

The post Young Jeezy Requests Parental Fitness Evaluation Amid Custody Battle with Jeannie Mai first appeared on The Source.

The post Young Jeezy Requests Parental Fitness Evaluation Amid Custody Battle with Jeannie Mai appeared first on The Source.

Post Malone Loved His Madame Tussauds Wax Figure So Much That He Wondered If It Could Perform On His Behalf

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Post Malone 2024 Governors Ball
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Post Malone is tempted to take a page from Lil Nas X’s book. In 2022, Lil Nas X’s Madame Tussauds wax figure resembled him so well that he used it to prank call Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzo, and several other famous friends. Post met his wax figure while backstage at Governors Ball 2024, which he headlined on June 7, and he already has plans to use it to his advantage.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?” Post said upon seeing the figure, as shown in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) by Consequence. “I literally thought that was a person. Is this real hair? Whose hair is it? Mine? That was y’all in my shower?”

While giggling, Post also asked, “Can this do my shows for me? I’d love to catch up on sleep.”

Then, Post temporarily tricked his mother into believing they took his real hair from his shower to use for the wax figure.

Post Malone’s wax figure will be featured at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, while the real Post Malone will headline Bonnaroo Music Festival 2024 in Manchester, Tennessee on Friday, June 14, and he may or may not be tattooing an explicit image onto Steve-O’s forehead while he’s there.

Young Thug’s Attorney Brian Steel Will Avoid Jail For Now As He Appeals His Court Contempt Sentence

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On Monday, June 10, Young Thug’s ongoing YSL Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) trial was interrupted in bizarre fashion when Brian Steel, Young Thug’s attorney, was taken into custody after being held in contempt of court.

According to Billboard, Steel “will not have to report to jail this weekend on criminal contempt charges after the Georgia Supreme Court granted his emergency motion for bond,” a ruling from Wednesday, June 12.

“The decision means that Steel’s jail sentence — 20 days, to be served over ten consecutive weekends starting this Friday — will be put on pause until the Supreme Court rules on his appeal of the contempt order, which his attorneys have argued was an abuse of the judge’s authority,” Billboard relayed.

FOX 5 Atlanta initially reported that Steel’s charge is due to his approaching the bench following a lunch recess and “revealing his knowledge of an ex parte conversation that took place before court” between the Judge Ural Glanville, prosecutors, and witness Kenneth “Lil Woody” Copeland. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution additionally noted, “It could upend the entire trial, which has already lasted 18 months —making it the longest trial in Georgia’s history.”

See clips of the moment unfolding below.

Yung Bleu Calls Out Boosie Badazz For Being Obsessed With Him

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Yung Bleu and Boosie Badazz used to be on the same team. The former signed to Boosie’s record label Bad Azz Music Syndicate in 2020. He even released a statement claiming he was “Badazz for life.” This turned out to be untrue. Yung Bleu walked away from the label and signed with Empire Records the same exact year. Boosie did not appreciate the flip. The two rappers have been beefing ever since, with Boosie claiming that Yung Bleu has used the beef to help promote his albums. Things reached a boiling point on June 12.

Yung Bleu hopped on Instagram to absolutely blast Boosie Badazz for his claims. He criticized Boosie and went as far as to suggest that he’s the one who’s been using the beef to keep his relevant. “Boosie got my n*ts in his mouth every interview that n**ga obsessed,” the rapper wrote. “I dropped a rap album with one week promo and no singles just to get out of my deal and did 17x more than you.” Yung Bleu got even meaner with the rest of his rant. He mocked Boosie Badazz for being over the hill, and claimed that he could no longer book shows the way he used to. “I’m not arguing with a n**ga only barely get booked in 100 miles out Mississippi.”

Read More: Yung Bleu Arrested For Allegedly Throwing Woman To The Ground

Yung Bleu Claimed Boosie Couldn’t Sell Tickets Anymore

Not blunt enough? Don’t worry, Yung Bleu had more. He called his former label boss a “lame” and went after the man’s living conditions. “U better hope a storm don’t come and knock them cheap a*z paper thin a*z condos in your backyard down,” he wrote. “N**ga got a motel 6 at his house shut up.” It’s the year of the hater, per Katt Williams, and Yung Bleu is making sure fans don’t forget. He eviscerated the rapper so severely that commenters actually came to Boosie’s defense. “[Boosie] put in soooooo much work,” one user wrote. “You could never downplay his work ethic.” Another pointed the impact that Yung Bleu has had compared to Boosie. “Bleu,” they commented. “We not picking you over Boosie lol… ever.”

In Bleu’s defense, he did try to resolve things peacefully. So he said, at least, during an April interview with Sway In the Morning. The rapper claimed that he tried to terminate his contract while still keeping a good relationship with Boosie Badazz, but felt that their squabbling reached a breaking point. “Now it’s just like, nah,” he told Sway. “I feel like it’s over, that era for me over. I put it behind me.” Boosie has not yet responded to Bleu’s Instagram rant, but if we know anything about the Louisiana rapper, it’s that he will have plenty to say.

Read More: Boosie Badazz Thinks Drake’s Neighborhood’s Shooting Could’ve Been Much Worse

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Rick Ross To Sell 300 Pairs Of Sneakers In “Luxury And Lifestyle” Auction

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Later this month, Rick Ross will give back to the entrepreneurial spirit and auction off over 300 pairs of rare kicks and other personal items during the inaugural “Push It To The Limit: Luxury And Lifestyle” auction.

In partnership with the Creative Collective NYC and the Boss Up Grant, Rozay will auction off upwards of 800 items in total and donate all proceeds will be donated to aid “entrepreneurs with grants to accelerate their continued impact, business initiatives and scale their operations.”

“I looked around one day and marveled at how blessed I am,” said the Maybach Music CEO. “I wanted to figure out how to be a blessing to others and share some of the dopest, rarest luxuries with the world that I’ve collected over the course of my career.” He continued, “Inspired by my brother Pharrell, I thought of an auction with the proceeds to help the next generation of bosses. It was the most player and sustainable way to not only touch my fans but also pour into a community that has poured into me.”

Aside from the some of the most exclusive smeakers on the market including a pair of Air Jordan Retro 5 “University of Michigan Fab 5” PEs and his DJ Khaled “Father of Asahd” Air Jordans, Ross will be auctioning off designer clothing items, art pieces, RIAA plaques and a custom-made piano that features the cover art of Michael Jackson‘s Thriller.

The auction is scheduled for June 25-26.

The post Rick Ross To Sell 300 Pairs Of Sneakers In “Luxury And Lifestyle” Auction first appeared on The Source.

The post Rick Ross To Sell 300 Pairs Of Sneakers In “Luxury And Lifestyle” Auction appeared first on The Source.

Jay-Z Performed ‘Public Service Announcement’ At Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall Of Fame Induction

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Jay Z
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When Tom Brady left the Patriots to join the Bucs, there were some tensions with the New England organization he helped transform into the NFL’s gold standard. However, there was never a doubt that eventually he would come back to Foxborough and be honored as the best player in franchise history.

Wednesday night was that night, as Patriots fans flocked to Gillette Stadium to see Brady inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. Typically, a team Hall of Fame ceremony just involves a halftime or postgame ceremony during the season, but someone of Brady’s stature commands something a bit more. That’s not just getting his own night during the offseason, but bringing out some big stars to help mark the occasion. That started with Massachusetts native John Cena narrating a video that kicked off the ceremony.

It continued with the most surprising appearance of the night, as none other than Jay-Z performed “Public Service Announcement” to introduce the GOAT to the stage.

I have to say, Jay-Z sounds great here and despite it being a brief appearance to do one song before a team Hall of Fame ceremony, he doesn’t mail it in at all. That — and the fact he pulled up at all — is an indicator of the power of Tom Brady, who has the respect of just about everyone across the sports and entertainment world for what he did on the football field and his incredible longevity of greatness.

Drake Unveils His New $15M Texas Ranch In Stunning Photos

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Drake is really entering a new phase of his life. His battle with Kendrick Lamar is over, as far as we can tell, and he’s dedicated himself to “summer vibes.” He’s dropped a baffling cover of “Hey There Delilah” and a Sexyy Red duet. Drake’s latest decision, however, may be his most significant. The Toronto rapper has decided to purchase a sprawling, $15 million ranch in Washington County, Texas. He announced the purchase in May, but he finally unveiled the ranch on his Instagram on June 12.

Drake’s photoshoot is moody as one would expect from the king of captions. There’s photos of him outside the ranch, which is called the Inn at Dos Brisas, and photos of him inside. Fans get a peek at Drake’s horses, as well as the stables in which they’re kept. They also get to see him look forlorn and contemplative inside his vehicle. The caption simply reads: “wick ’em.” It’s unclear what this means in the context of the Inn at Dos Brisas. It does, however, harken back to Drake’s 2023 song “Wick Man,” which throws subs at several other rappers. The song also sees the 6 God make reference to several international locations.

Read More: Drake’s Reference Track For Lil Wayne’s “I’m Single” Surfaces Online

Drake Has Settled Down In The Lone Star State

Drake has been hyping up his Texas purchase for months. In September 2023, the rapper posted a video in which he announced his plans to buy property. He even adopted a Texas accent for the bit. “Me and my partna’, we done gone country on y’all,” he told fans. “We said we was gonna do it for a lot of years and we’re doing it today. The sale is made. We gotta drop a new one for this. If you see your girl at the ‘Lover Boy Lane,’ it’s over.” ‘Lover Boy Lane’ is, of course, a reference to Drizzy’s album Certified Lover Boy. Fittingly, the album contains the song “TSU,” which is an abbreviation for Texas State University.

Drake has always had a soft spot for Texas. One of his breakout songs mentions Houston in its title, “Houstatlantavegas.” The rapper has paid tribute to H-Town on “November 18th” by sampling a DJ Screw record and shouting out regional legends. There’s also the iconic “9AM In Dallas,” the planned opener for his debut album. It kickstarted the timestamp series that Drake is still riding out to this day.

Read More: Joe Budden Reveals Drake Abruptly Ghosted Him Following Kendrick Lamar Feud

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