JAY-Z Archives - Page 8 of 123

Uncle Luke: Jay-Z, Diddy And Kanye West Work With The System To Make Black People Villains

November 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Outspoken hip-hop legend Uncle Luke recently took to social media to share his thoughts on the ongoing villainization of the Black community. In a passionate rant, he argued that systemic forces are at play, painting successful Black figures as villains within the culture. He specifically named Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Diddy as examples of stars who, in his view, have both benefitted from and contributed to this dynamic.

“LeBron James is a villain,” Uncle Luke said. “Why? Because he has all-Black representation. […] You guys don’t know, that’s how America works. I, Luther Campbell, I am a villain. I’m a bad guy. That’s why when you look at my profile, ‘bad boy of hip-hop.’ I will never get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Puff Daddy was not a villain, he was one of them. Kanye West was one of them. Jay-Z was one of them. Biggie Smalls, a villain. Tupac, a villain. We all are villains. And until you people realize that as Black people in America, you are the villain. It’s black and white. You are the opposite of white. We will always be in competition with them. Y’all don’t hear me.”

This isn’t the first time Uncle Luke has voiced strong opinions on such matters. Recently, he commented on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal troubles, alleging that Diddy’s behavior was heavily influenced by substance abuse. As with his latest remarks, his perspective sparked significant debate among followers, with many taking to the comments section to both support and challenge his claims.

Beyond social critique, Uncle Luke also calls out industry figures when he feels overlooked. Earlier this year, he publicly urged female rappers to acknowledge and compensate him for pioneering the provocative, party-focused style that has become a hallmark of their success. As always, the Miami rap icon keeps his commentary raw, leaving fans wondering what bold statement he’ll make next.

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Candace Owens Questions Beyonce’s Authenticity In Scathing Takedown

November 18, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Candace Owens and Beyonce are on polar opposite sides of the political aisle. Owens is a Republican, and Beyonce has repeatedly endorsed Democratic nominees throughout her career. Her endorsement of Kamala Harris, however, has Owens particularly irritated. The political commentator took to her self-titled show to blast Beyonce for her Harris endorsement. She also threw shots at the singer’s husband, JAY-Z, and her mother, Tina Knowles. It was not a pretty sight.

There’s some context worth providing before we get to the insults. Candace Owens previously implied that Beyonce was paid to attend Kamala Harris’ campaign rally. The singer attended a rally in her native Houston and endorsed Harris in an impassioned speech. Owens’ comments were met with denial from Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles, who wrote “fake news” under Owens’ video. Instead of putting an end to the exchange, however, Knowles’ comments opened the floodgates. Candace Owens went off on the Queen Bey during her November 18 show. She dubbed the singer “annoying” and claimed that Beyonce does not hold the cultural weight she did a decade ago.

Candace Owens Mocked Bey’s Waning Relevance

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“Telling us who to vote for is annoying,” Candace Owens asserted. “You don’t gotta text from your mommy’s burner account on Instagram.” The commentator proceeded to drag JAY-Z into her rant, and implied that the Brooklyn rapper might have ties to Diddy. “If you wanna start with being authentic,” she said. “Maybe give us some answers about Diddy’s parties. Your husband’s been close with him.” This is not the first time a Republican commentator has attacked Beyonce on the basis of her political ties. She was mocked for the sales of her last album, shortly after appearing at the aforementioned Harris rally.

“Beyonce doesn’t need to be doing that,” Xaviaer Durousseau told a FOX News analyst. “[She] needs to focus on keeping her album on the charts because it’s already gone.” The alleged ties to Diddy have also surfaced multiple times. Jaguar Wright tried to link Beyonce and JAY-Z to the disgraced mogul during an interview with Piers Morgan. The couple’s lawyer sent a cease and desist to Morgan, and the host subsequently edited the interview. He later apologized to Beyonce and JAY-Z on the air.

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Uncle Luke Claims Jay-Z, Diddy & Kanye West Work With The System To Make Black People Villains

November 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Uncle Luke is quite the outspoken hip-hop voice, and he recently took to social media to rant about the villainization of the Black community. Specifically, he seemed to argue that there are alleged systems in place that look to make successful Black people out to be villains in the culture, and even named Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Diddy as specific examples of Black superstars that formed part of these very same systems and contributed to the villainization of their community.

“LeBron James is a villain,” Uncle Luke began. “Why? Because he has all-Black representation. […] You guys don’t know, that’s how America works. I, Luther Campbell, I am a villain. I’m a bad guy. That’s why when you look at my profile, ‘bad boy of hip-hop.’ I will never get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Puff Daddy was not a villain, he was one of them. Kanye West was one of them. Jay-Z was one of them. Biggie Smalls, a villain. Tupac, a villain. We all are villains. And until you people realize that as Black people in America, you are the villain. It’s black and white. You are the opposite of white. We will always be in competition with them. Y’all don’t hear me.”

Uncle Luke’s Rant About “Villains”

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Of course, this is far from the first time that Uncle Luke has expressed his thoughts on these issues and similar ones. In fact, he recently spoke on the Diddy situation and claimed that he was “consumed” by drugs. So to hear this sort of assessment now is not very surprising, although many in the comments section of the Instagram post covering this above found plenty of room for debate and pushback concerning these remarks.

Meanwhile, Uncle Luke doesn’t just call out rappers for more serious fare, but also when he feels like he deserves some of their flowers, too. He took to social media earlier this year to ask female rappers for recognition and compensation for innovating the more lewd and party-centric style that they eventually came to prominence through. We can only wonder as to what hot take will emerge from the Miami rap icon.

[via]

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Today In Hip Hop History: Jay-Z Dropped ‘The Black Album’ 21 Years Ago

November 14, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Brooklyn’s own Jay-Z released he would-be retirement album The Black Album. Although there was virtually no pause between The Black Album and new Jay-Z music (collaboration albums with both R. Kelly and Linkin Park were released the following year), this album is easily the greatest retirement project of all time.

In its entirety, this album sounds more like a greatest hits album than the eighth project of an illustrious career. Starting with the first track, “December 4th”, this album takes the listener on a nostalgic journey. This opening tale of Hov’s origin sets the tone of the album and properly introduces Jay to an industry that he feels has taken him for granted. This album is an opus to Jay’s distaste with the rap game as a whole. On numerous tracks, specifically “Encore” and “What More Can I Say”, Hov can be heard stating his frustration with being the one punch man (a fictional superhero who can defeat any opponent with merely one punch causing him to become bored with superhero work) of Hip Hop.

Aside from staking his claim as the greatest, Hov spent this album perfectly juggling his unique brand of bragging with the dropping of street knowledge you couldn’t pay for. Singles “Change Clothes” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” are perfect examples of the particular swagger Jay-Z brought to rap. His mature yet flamboyant lyricism is on par with the life described by Robin Leach. As the album progresses, Jay begins more and more to put his would-be competition in its place with sheer willpower. From “Threats” to “Lucifer” it seems Jay is directly challenging the rest of the rap world to get on his level before they never again get the chance.

The album ends with two songs that could interchangeably be used as an outro. Both “Allure” and “My 1st Song” show Jay-Z coming to terms with the final chapter of his career coming to a close, even if he was planning a comeback.

Featuring production from Kanye West, Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, Rick Rubin, DJ Quik, and even Eminem, it’s easy to see why this album is as amazing as it is. Aside from the prolific production team, Jay-Z put together one of his most successful albums without any features (aside from a hook sung by Pharrell). Commercially, the album peaked at #1 on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart and the Billboard 200 chart (where it appeared twice, each for a week). The album also went triple platinum in the United States and made appearances on music charts of eight different countries.

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Shawn Carter Foundation and Toyota Launch Financial Education Program for HBCU Students

November 14, 2024 by newhiphopnews

JAY-Z Becomes First Black Male Artist to Have 10 Albums Go Double-Platinum

The Shawn Carter Foundation, with support from Toyota Motor North America, has introduced Champions for Financial Legacy (CFFL), a financial education initiative aimed at empowering students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their surrounding communities.

CFFL, developed in collaboration with the Coalition for Equity and Opportunity at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, builds on a curriculum originally designed by Wharton professor Keith Weigelt and his Bridges to Wealth program. This program has been part of the Shawn Carter Foundation’s educational efforts for its scholars and their families since 2017.

“We are excited to see our partnership with the Shawn Carter Foundation evolve to include this innovative initiative,” said Monica Womack, general manager, D+I and community engagement, Toyota. “One that not only provides resources to HBCU students but also reaches the heart of the community, through advocacy for financial literacy.”

CFFL represents the latest joint project between the Shawn Carter Foundation and Toyota, which has previously supported the foundation’s HBCU Bus Tour, an annual event that connects students with opportunities at historically Black institutions. Toyota’s backing enables the expansion of this financial literacy initiative to HBCU students and their communities, with the ultimate goal of reducing the wealth gap by equipping participants with essential financial knowledge.

“Every day at the Shawn Carter Foundation, we dedicate ourselves to uplifting students and communities that are underserved,” said Dr. Gloria Carter, Shawn Carter Foundation CEO and Co-Founder. “To launch a financial education program that will reach more students and communities, along with dedicated partners like Toyota and the Wharton School of Business, is a vision we are finally seeing come to fruition. We are so excited to see the incredible impact of CFFL unfold and look forward to its growth.”

“One way to strengthen the resiliency of middle-class households is to increase their ability to generate wealth,” said Dr. Keith Weigelt, Marks-Darivoff Family Professor of Strategy at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and Founder of Bridges to Wealth. “I thank both the Shawn Carter Foundation and Toyota for their foresight in addressing a long-neglected social disparity.”

The CFFL curriculum covers crucial topics such as budgeting, market risk, credit scores, mutual funds, and stock market basics. Designed to foster financial independence, the program also incorporates real-world applications and service-learning components, allowing students to directly apply their learning within their communities and contribute to local economic development.

“The Wharton Coalition for Equity and Opportunity (CEO) is pleased to partner with the Shawn Carter Foundation and Toyota in launching the financial legacy program with several HBCUs. This partnership will help us remain committed to closing the wealth gap through an evidence-based approach,” said Dr. Fareeda Griffith, CEO managing director.

The initiative will launch in Spring 2025 at Lincoln University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University, with plans to expand to additional HBCUs. Faculty members at participating institutions will receive free professional development training, and selected student ambassadors will help promote the program and its benefits on campus.

For more information, visit the Champions for Financial Legacy initiative.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Jay-Z Released His 7th Album ‘The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse’ 22 Years Ago

November 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse was the seventh studio album released by rapper Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z. The album was released on November 12, 2002 on the Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings imprints. The Brooklyn rapper released the album as a sequel to his sixth album The Blueprint (2001). The album debuted at number one, shipping with first-week sales of 545,000 units. Jay-Z was already debatably classified as one of the greatest rappers of all time.

During this time, rumors of Jay hooking up with singer Beyonce began to circulate in the industry, the rumor was almost confirmed with the song “03 Bonnie and Clyde” off the album. The world watched as a budding relationship began between the two megastars. “Excuse Me Miss” featuring Pharrell showed a sensitive and grown upside to the BK rapper who previously rapped about drugs and throwback jerseys. Inevitably becoming one of the biggest forces in hip hop and one of our first billionaire couples, The game changed when Jay-Z released this album and How continues to break boundaries. Today the album is certified 3x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.

We salute Jay-Z for another classic album.

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Jack Dorsey Allegedly Prohibits Any Mention Of Jay-Z At His Tech Company

November 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It seems like the complex business relationship between Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Jay-Z still needs to smooth out some rough edges. Moreover, according to a Fortune report, the former and his management teams “sternly warned” their employees at Dorsey’s tech company Block to not make reference to the East Coast rap legend. Jay is one of nine Block board members, and anonymous employees reportedly alleged that no reason emerged as to why they couldn’t mention the reclusive billionaire in any of the company’s various communication channels, such as Slack and email. Also, the report points to Block’s many recent layoffs as a contributing factor to workplace dissent.

For those unaware, Block acquired a major stake in Jay-Z’s TIDAL streaming platform back in 2021, which many saw as a financial finesse. In addition, TIDAL themselves reportedly laid off dozens of employees from an already small staff last week, and the conversation is that Block acquisitions like Cashapp and Square will face similar processes soon. The report also alleges that various of Jack Dorsey’s employees brought Hov up in connection to the Diddy scandal before this ban.

Jack Dorsey Allegedly Bans His Employees From Talking About Jay-Z

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Of course, Jay-Z doesn’t actually have anything to do with Diddy’s federal case, as any and all connections are merely speculative allegations. As such, it’s curious why Jack Dorsey would allegedly choose to do this. Maybe he is trying to support the “Song Cry” MC by quelling salacious criticism against him, or he instead doesn’t want people to point to Jay to fix problems they might be having with Dorsey? There are a couple of possible options, but nothing that gets us closer to the truth. Perhaps the tech tycoon will address this at some other point down the line.

Elsewhere, Jack Dorsey’s thoughts on hip-hop extend far beyond his alleged censorship of Jay-Z’s name in the office. He also ruffled feathers earlier this year for picking a side in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, causing a whole lot of OVO Stans to suddenly praise Elon Musk’s Twitter without ever really caring about it. Jokes aside, fans have their criticisms of these moves, so we’ll see if they ever get an explanation.

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