GUTTR, the groundbreaking fraternity of Hip Hop connoisseurs, proudly unveils their debut album, Everything Is.., featuring the Grammy-nominated rapper/producer Havoc at the helm, exclusively producing for the iconic Ras Kass and the dynamic RJ Payne.
This momentous project signifies a historic unionization in the realm of rap. Seasoned music executive Norman “Storm” Bell and Havoc lead the charge in this innovative collective, with Ras Kass and RJ Payne contributing their exceptional artwork to create a revolutionary musical masterpiece. In the words of Ras Kass, “Havoc being on board to set the musical canvas on an entire album for brothers to paint these bars has been the opportunity of a lifetime.”
The album’s lead single, “Roll Call,” exemplifies the collective talent of GUTTR. It features Method Man, Fame (M.O.P.), Sway, and more, representing their respective boroughs and cities. The video, directed by Norman “Storm” Bell, boasts celebrity cameos, including appearances by Ice T and other notable figures.
Everything Is.. features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Twista, Raekwon The Chef, Kid Capri, Kurupt (Dogg Pound), Freeway, Method Man, Fame (M.O.P.), and narration by Sway. With 8 tracks delivering straight-up bars, this album is the result of years of collaboration and a once-in-a-lifetime musical endeavor.
Kid Capri is a Grammy award-winning DJ and producer who pioneered the early rap sound. Despite being a godfather of the genre, many young people may not be familiar with the Brooklyn-born artist’s extensive resume. For the younger crowd, the DJ is likely most recognizable for his contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning album Damn. On the 2017 record, Kid Capri provides narration, exclaiming phrases like “You know what happens on Earth stays on Earth!” and “New Kung-Fu Kenny!”
The hip-hop icon is currently trending due to his recent private battle with cancer, which he revealed to the public in the final days of 2023. Per Capri’s announcement, he is officially cancer-free going into 2024, with plans to remain busy and active as the years roll on. His peers have hailed Kid Capri as The Guru of Mixtapes, and he boasts a highly impressive catalog of releases in collaboration with many of hip hop’s greatest lyricists.
Kid Capri was born David Anthony Love Jr. in February of 1967. Though the iconic producer was born in Brooklyn, he spent his early days growing up in the Bronx. Releasing his first known works as early as 1987, Kid Capri is said to have experimented with music as early as 8 years old. In his youth, the producer would scratch records using his father’s Zenith stereo system. This habit would eventually evolve into the DJ’s famed record scratch trademark down the line.
Kid Capri utilized a grassroots approach to building his buzz on the street, often getting his name out by performing in clubs and local joints across New York. The prolific record-scratcher is often hailed as being one of the first-ever DJs to perform on major television networks such as VH1 and BET. Throughout the 1990s, Capri could be found manning the boards during Def Jam Comedy on HBO.
Notable Collaborations And Signing To Warner Brothers Records
Before long, Kid Capri’s inventive style and creative production choices made him a go-to producer for a host of hip-hop legends. Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, Capri worked with artists such as KRS One, Big L, Heavy D, and more. In 1991 Kid Capri signed to Warner Brothers Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and released his first full-length album, titled The Tape. The Tape featured Capri’s vocals delivered over production by the legendary Biz Markie, and peaked at No. 87 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
In 1997 Kid Capri joined Diddy on the Puff Daddy and the Family World Tour, serving as the in-house DJ across the UK and the United States. In 1998, Kid Capri actively recorded his second album, Soundtrack To The Streets, in studios located across New York, Los Angeles, and Miami before its release. Soundtrack To The Streets featured vocals from prolific rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Slick Rick, Jay-Z, Buster Rhymes, The Lox, and many more.
After the release of Soundtrack To The Streets, Kid Capri took an extended hiatus from releasing full-length LPs. Instead, the DJ focused on performing live at high-profile events across the country. In 2003, Capri helmed the boards at the BET Awards, before linking with Martha Stewart to headline her end-of-year Christmas party. Kid Capri manned the boards during Rakim’s set at both the 2007 and 2008 Rock The Bells festivals. This trend continued through events such as Jay-Z’s 2018 Oscars party, as well as DJ Khaled’s birthday party in the same year.
In 2022, Kid Capri shocked the world with the release of his first LP in over 25 years. The MC’s third album, titled The Love, consists of 19 tracks produced, written, and performed by the at-the-time 55-year-old artist. The record also included “Uptown” a collaboration with his daughter, R&B singer Vina Love, showcasing the excellent musical chemistry shared between the generational music icons.
Kid Capri was also very active during hip hop 50 celebrations throughout 2023, despite privately battling cancer throughout the year. According to the DJ’s Instagram, he plans to accomplish even more in 2024, hinting at more live shows, and perhaps additional full-length releases. No matter what Capri does in the coming years, it seems clear that the hip hop iconoclast is here to stay, proving that there is still a lane in modern music for those who paved the way for the genre of rap to thrive.
Kid Capri, a name that echoes through the annals of hip-hop history, stands as a pioneer and icon in the world of DJing and music production. Renowned for his unparalleled skills on the turntables and his influential role in shaping the sound of hip-hop, Kid Capri’s career spans several decades of innovation and crowd-moving performances.
As of 2023, this legendary DJ’s enduring presence and impact in the music industry have resulted in a net worth of $4 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth. It symbolizes not just his financial success but also his significant contributions to the culture and art of DJing.
Mastering The Mix: Kid Capri’s Musical Journey
Kid Capri’s ascent in the music world is a story of relentless passion for the art of DJing. It also showed his an innate ability to read and energize crowds. Bursting onto the scene in the 1980s, Capri quickly made a name for himself. His dynamic mixing style and ability to blend genres seamlessly captivated crowds. His reputation as a DJ who could turn any party into an unforgettable experience led to a series of successful mixtapes, solidifying his status as a master of the craft.
Beyond his prowess on the turntables, Capri’s influence extended to music production, working with some of hip-hop’s biggest names and contributing to classic albums. His role as a DJ on Def Comedy Jam showcased his versatility. It also helped bridge the worlds of hip-hop and comedy.
Beyond The Booth: Kid Capri’s Personal Life & Legacy
Offstage, Kid Capri’s life reflects the depth of his character and his commitment to his craft. He’s known for his dedication to keeping the essence of DJing alive. Capri has been a mentor and inspiration to upcoming DJs. He emphasizes the importance of skill, crowd connection, and the roots of hip-hop culture. His journey, marked by both achievements and challenges, is a testament to his resilience and enduring love for music.
Capri’s involvement in community events and his advocacy for the preservation of hip-hop culture demonstrate his commitment to giving back and nurturing the next generation of artists. His story, including his rise to fame from the Bronx and his evolution as an artist, is a compelling narrative of dedication, innovation, and cultural impact.
The Beat Of Success: Assessing Kid Capri’s Net Worth & Cultural Impact
Reflecting on Kid Capri’s career and his $4 million net worth, it’s evident that his influence in the music industry extends far beyond the financial. Moreover, his legacy as a DJ and producer is marked by his ability to revolutionize the art of DJing, his contributions to hip-hop music, and his role in shaping the culture. Overall, Capri’s journey is a celebration of skill, creativity, and the enduring power of music to connect and inspire.
As hip-hop marks its monumental 50th anniversary on August 11, Apple Music is joining the celebration with a series of exciting initiatives that pay homage to the genre’s legacy. To honor this pivotal milestone and in collaboration with Apple Music’s yearlong tribute to hip-hop’s founding figures, the platform is making hard-to-find, iconic hip-hop mixtapes available for streaming for the first time.
Listeners can now groove to DJ mixtape legend Kid Capri’s legendary creations, including “52 Beats,” “Old School R&B Vol.2,” and “10/9/89,” within Apple Music’s exclusive Hip-Hop DNA collection. This curated collection also features a range of audio specials, exclusive DJ Mixes, handpicked classic records, and essential playlists that capture the essence of hip-hop’s diverse and influential soundscape.
“Hip-hop is an unstoppable cultural force and the most dominant genre on Apple Music,” said Ebro Darden, Apple Music’s global editorial head of Hip-Hop and R&B. “We wanted to make sure that we paid homage, paid respect, and that we did a great job capturing these stories. Our aim is to make sure that they’re archived for people to go back and listen to for years to come. The future of hip-hop is bright. Here’s to the next 50.”
Apple Music Radio offers an immersive journey through the genre’s evolution with “Hip-Hop DNA,” a captivating four-part, 20-episode narrative radio series. Hosted by Darden, this series weaves together the tapestry of hip-hop’s evolution, from its Origins across iconic regional scenes like the Bronx, Compton, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and beyond, to the MCs, Producers, and DJs who have left an indelible mark on its history.
As the global hip-hop community joins in commemorating this cultural milestone, Apple Music’s initiatives stand as a testament to the genre’s enduring impact, influence, and vibrant legacy.
As an innovator, originator, and pioneer of the art of DJing in hip-hop, Kid Capri has been around long enough that he doesn’t need to prove anything. Throughout his several decades in the genre, Capri, who was raised in The Bronx, honed his DJ skills at a young age, eventually mastering other creative outlets like producing and rapping. His quick rise led to him gaining national recognition for being the live DJ on Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam for seven years. Capri embodies the elements of hip-hop because he lives and breathes the culture, becoming the blueprint for longevity and building a successful brand in entertainment.
As far as introducing techniques, Kid Capri was an early adopter of extending the record, bringing the record back, and teasing the records to crowds. Capri backs his contributions to DJing with more examples. “Playing the records from different parts than what would normally be played from, playing the record 15 times back-to-back like I did with ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,’” Capri says. “That’s how DJs started doing that on the radio. Playing records fast, putting it on, taking it off in the fourth bar. All these different things you see DJs do right now: Kid Capri.”
The proof of his icon status was seen at this year’s BET Awards, where he curated a celebration of the 50 Years of Hip-Hop through musical medleys across all generations and pulled it off in a way only he could’ve done. 2023 continues to be an active year for Kid Capri as he’s featured on Hip Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium on August 11 for the Bronx Bombers set with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Fat Joe. He’s also back in the studio working on his next album More Love as well as appearing on tracks by Daz Dillinger and Lil Eazy E (“Ridin”), Ron Browz (“Stay With Me”), 5ive Mics (“I’m a Rap Star Remix”), Dave East (“Come 2 Far”), and an unreleased Black Rob collab from Life Story 2, produced by Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie.
Kid Capri remains a household name because he’s always on the road, giving fans plenty of dates to catch him behind the 1s and 2s live. You can hear him on Kid Capri’s Block Party on Sirius XM Fly on the weekends, bringing throwbacks with new tracks that end with a special Block Party mix. His status has been built off being a Grammy winner, producing for Jay-Z, Heavy D, Madonna, 50 Cent, and more. He’s been the touring DJ for Diddy, Aaliyah, Salt-N-Pepa, and Timbaland. Kendrick Lamar once reached out to feature him on his Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN. All of this to say that Kid Capri’s career knows no bounds, a constant force within hip-hop’s 50 years who remains humble and thankful to still be here.
Let’s put a number on this now. How long have you been doing this?
Since I was eight years old. I’ve been known for 35 years.
I ask because on your album The Tape, you have this song called “Don’t Sweat Me” where you saw you’re the hardest working man in hip-hop. After all these years, you’re still living up to that.
Absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate that.
Why haven’t you slowed down? What keeps you motivated?
I genuinely love what I do. I know that me being a DJ in this business was always an uphill battle. They always look at DJs as the bottom of the totem pole, except when hip-hop first started. DJs were the front guy; records came in, and the rapper had to be the front guy. They pushed the DJs to the back. So that’s when I became my own one-man band and didn’t need anybody in front of me. I could do every myself and I just needed the world to see it. And fortunately enough by the grace of God, a TV show called Def Comedy Jam fell on my lap so I could show the world that and I just took it from there. That’s where all the DJs followed, they followed what I did, speaking on the mic the way I do and everything I do. And it just created a whole new thing. That’s just one of the things I did. But it all comes from me, staying focused on it and knowing exactly what I want, and also being a fan as well as the deliverer.
With The Love, you wrote, produced, and rapped on it. Why do you not want to be put in a box?
This is the reason why I don’t have “DJ” on my name. When you see “Kid Capri,” you see Kid Capri. You don’t see “DJ Kid Capri.” The reason why is it puts you in a box. It makes people think that’s all that you do. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re a person with many talents, why would you be put in a box? Look at 50 Cent, he’s not just a rapper. He’s a director, he’s a producer, he owns a clothing company. He’s got things going on. He’s not just one thing. When we get into this music business, we do what we do to bring everything else to what we do. If you are a person that wants to open a restaurant, do you not want to open a restaurant because you’re a DJ or bass player or a drummer or a singer? No! You shouldn’t be stuck in no box and nobody should tell you to stay in a box. The sky is not the limit it is just the first stop.
When we think of Kid Capri, we think of your contributions to mixtape culture. A lot of people credit you for making a profit off your mixtapes. When did you realize that you could make money off them?
Well, I was doing that when I was in the SNS Club with Starchild. We was doing some tapes, and people would come and buy them right there. When it became something different was when I decided to sit on the street corner and sell my tapes. First of all, the $20 me and Starchild was making, we would have to split. Now I’m by myself, that whole $20 is coming to me. People were walking up, ‘why would I buy a tape for $20?’ Listen to my tape in the beginning, you’re going to buy everything I have. Because that’s how I made it. I made it so people were there while I was making it. When you heard it in your car, you felt you was a part of it and it felt like you was at a party even though most of the tapes that was made was in my hallway. But you felt you was in a club somewhere. The things I would say and the music I would play that other people wasn’t knowing about. Just the way I did things, it became so infectious around the world that it just stuck.
My generation would say DJ Drama is the person we look up to as a pioneer in the mixtape game. What about the other pioneers in your class? What have they done to influence it?
I don’t know what everybody else is doing, you know what I’m saying? I just stick to what I’m doing. I will say this: DJ Drama has done tremendously great picking up the torch and moving in the direction he moved. Because when I stopped making the tapes, I didn’t stop because I fell off. I stopped because I was the Michael Jordan of making the tapes. I just stopped because they said I was making all this money for making these illegal street tapes. So I said, ‘You know what? I made a name already. Let me take my career and go a different way.’ I just left at the top of my game. The last tape was the Doo Wop diss. I was on fire and I just left. I started television, I started all the other things and took my career to a more serious direction. Ater that, Clue, Drama, and everybody else came in and took the torch and did what they did. But had I kept going, there would still be a Drama, Clue, and everybody but I still would’ve been one of them dudes at the top.
You’re known for allowing DJs to be viewed as artists. Can you elaborate on how you did that? You’ve talked about this before if you’re on stage killing it for two hours, you need to be paid the same way as an artist.
Why should the DJ get treated any different? Why isn’t the DJ on the front cover of a magazine? Now it is, but all these years I had to fight for it, I would have to say no to a lot of things that people was giving to me because they thought I needed it. No. I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that. I had to stay at a certain level to let people know how serious it is and how we got to be looked at. You’re not going to look at me as someone just playing records. I’ma bust whoever’s ass that got the big platinum record. I’ma make it hard for him on that stage in this arena. So you’re gonna give me the same type of respect. You’re gonna pay me the same kind of way. You might not pay me the same as the platinum dude, but you’re going to pay me respectfully the way I’m supposed to. I don’t want no more than what I’m worth. I want what I’m worth, no more no less. So if you can’t give me that, then you don’t respect what I’m doing. What’s any difference between me playing turntables and Stevie Wonder playing the piano?
Right.
What’s the difference? It’s a talent. It’s something I am doing. So you’re going to look at the DJs as less then because they’re playing records? It’s the way we play them. It’s what we do that make people feel the way they do. Why shouldn’t we be respected? Why on the flyer on some of these festivals, they are at the bottom of the flyer? Why? You won’t see me at no bottom of no flyer! I rather not take the show. I rather you keep your show before you not respect my position. Very known thing, I was supposed to do the TLC tour with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. But the promoters thought I was less than. They had TLC real big as they should be, they had Bone Thugs medium, and they had Kid Capri real small. So I said, ‘Ok, end the tour.’ And I deaded the whole tour because of a flyer. I had to take those types of stands in order for people to take it serious. If I gotta take from myself to say no for people to take it serious, then I’ll deprive myself just to make sure I make my statement.
You’ve been immortalized in many songs like Biggie’s “Juicy,” worked with Big L on “Put It On.” What do those shouts out mean to you?
Well, I’ll tell you this. I’ve been shouted on many, many songs. The one Biggie shouted me out on. The one Greg Nice shouted me out on. The one Parrish from EPMD shouted me out on, “Crossover.” All of those are hit records, but there’s a lot of records that I’ve been shouted out on that wasn’t hit records. To be shouted out on all those records and did all these records, produced for Heavy D’s “Nuttin’ But Love” and wrote half of it. I produced for Madonna. I did Jay-Z’s “It’s Like That.” All these different records I did, “Rowdy Rowdy” with 50 Cent. To get a call from Kendrick Lamar in 2017 to be on his album and narrate his album, that shows right there the growth of everything I’ve done. I ain’t have to say nothing else. When me and him were in the studio, I asked him ‘why didn’t you get Battlecat and Pooh? Two West Coast legends to be on the album?’ He’s like, ‘Nah, love those dudes. Those are my dudes but I know what you did for the music business. I know what you did for the DJ. I know what you did authentically and that’s what I want on my album.’ So this young dude knew the story. I didn’t have to tell him, he knew what it was. He put me on this album that put me in countries that I never been to before. He put my voice in countries I never been to before, so he brought me to a whole new generation of people that might not even heard of a Kid Capri or don’t know what Kid Capri is about, or haven’t had the Kid Capri experience. He brought me to those people. I wish we could’ve did a lot more like concerts and tours. He didn’t need me, of course. But if we would have been together, it would have been insane. Because I’m on the only hip-hop, Pulitzer Award-winning album, a milestone was made when we did that. So I’m grateful for that.
This is a loaded question: what made you fall in love with hip-hop?
The same reason everybody else do. You can’t help it. It is entertaining. I would not want to be born in the ’50s, ’40s, and the ’30s. I was born at the right time where I came right in the middle of the meat of everything. Everything dope. I’m in that. My dad’s a soul singer. My grandfather played trumpet for all the big guys. It’s always been there. So it was inevitable for me to do [music]. I grew up with it and I gave my whole life to it. When somebody is like really dedicated without even knowing they are dedicated, you can’t beat them. You can’t never outdo them. You can’t outwork them because they’re dedicated without even thought.
You’re always wanting to create opportunities for other people. Not a lot of people in this industry want to do that, to bring the next generation up.
Well because some people get stuck in an old-school way of thinking. They don’t want it to go nowhere, they don’t want the shine off of them. They think if the younger man comes in, he’s going to take away from you. No. There’s only one Kid Capri. You can have a million people try to be Kid Capri, but there’s only one Kid Capri. There’s only one Jay-Z. There’s only one Busta Rhymes. There’s only one Nas. There’s only one Eminem. That’s it. So, that’s you, forever. Nobody can take that away.
Kid Capri is well-known for his outspoken nature. The New York-hailing DJ/rapper made an appearance recently on Audacy’s Hip-Hop Made with host Mike Street. During the interview, he discussed his favorite rappers and how people determine their top five MCs. Kid Capri also did not hold back when he expressed his thoughts on those who hold a disdain for Eminem. He suggested that they are envious because Eminem excels at “black stuff” better than they do.
During the conversation, Kid Capri shared his belief that people undermine Eminem’s skills because of his race. Furthermore, he asserts that Eminem is a superior rapper compared to those who throw shade at him. He argued that people often focus on an artist’s popularity rather than their genuine talent. “Everybody keep going at Eminem because he’s white. You’re mad because he’s doing black stuff better than you are,” Kid Capri said. “The boy is nice, you can’t take that from him.” You can listen to the entire interview below.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time Kid Capri defended Eminem. In a 2022 interview with HipHopDX, he did the same. He mentioned that Lil Pump’s diss towards Eminem inspired his latest album, The Love. Kid Capri expressed frustration with younger artists disrespecting older ones and emphasized the contributions made by veteran artists to the hip-hop industry. “That was just one of the things that did inspire,” he said in that interview. “I got tired of seeing the younger dudes thinking that the older people ain’t capable. Like we ain’t been here building this business from the ground up from day one.”
Eminem himself has acknowledged “stealing Black music” on his song “The King and I” from the Elvis soundtrack. On it, he draws a parallel between himself and Elvis Presley. In the lyrics, Eminem reflects on using black music as a tool to combat societal issues. He goes on to compare himself to Elvis. The lyrics highlight their similarities as white artists who achieved significant success and were acclaimed as “kings” in their respective eras. What do you think of Kid Capri’s defense of Eminem? Sound off in the comments below to let us know!
Popular Los Angeles DJ and TMZ Hip Hop correspondent DJ Hedjoin legendary DJ Kid Capri in DJs voicing opinions on the recent Wiz Khalifa altercation last Saturday (July 28) at Los Angeles nightclub Poppy with DJ Mike Danger and MC Tron, where the rapper calls them “horrible DJs” and suggests that the words can escalate into a “fight” if they deserve.
“Never seen Wiz act like that before,” tweets DJ Hed on Twitter about the incident, which he is friends all parties involved. “I hope it’s an isolated incident. I am not nor will I ever support any artist/label blatantly and aggressively disrespecting DJ’s in my city, where we are homies or not.”
A video of the incident went viral that shows Wiz Khalifa verbally assaulting DJ Mike Danger and MC Tron for not playing music from his newly released album, Multiverse, out now, via Taylor Gang/Asylum. In the video, an outraged Wiz calls the two DJs: “horrible,” “suck,” and “If you wanna fight, we can do.”
MC Tron attempted to de-escalate the situation by extending his hand to hug the rapper, and was immediately rejected by Wiz, who went on to say: “Don’t hug me, b*tch. Ya’ll ni**as suck, play my new sh*t.”
Bootleg Kev, Real 92.3 radio personality and former co-host of DJ Hed, added context to the situation, stating that Wiz Khalifa was infuriated due to a series of mess ups during his performance, atop of his new album not being played.
Kev also took to Twitter to clarify the video, tweeting, “Let’s clear up this Wiz shit. I was there with him, & the dj & host TERRIBLE. After fucking up his performance (4-5x) he finally snapped. I’m not condoning him slapping the hat off or none of that, and I know he regrets that. But so much led up to that point. Context is IMPORTANT,” he wrote. “After they abruptly cut the first record off & had some weird echo effect shit going on he stopped and was NICE. In this video he’s saying ‘let’s get on the same page, y’all got too many cooks in the kitchen.”
Kev would then stick up for Mike Danger with the tweet: “Mike Danger is a good DJ and from what I hear a great guy, he had an off night. The HOST tho? Was so outta pocket it was flagrant. Reaching over his dj, turning down faders etc. overall shit show. THATS WHAT HAPPENED,” Kevi continued. “Context is Important. Yes wiz could have handled it differently but that’s a grown man, & it felt like he was being played or pranked it was so bad on the host/dj side. And the set list and files were sent ahead of the night starting too, so kill that fucking noise.”
Kid Capri, a hip hop legend who has DJ for several of the most iconic names in the culture, had other thoughts in mind after seeing the footage. He took to his Instagram on Monday (August 1) and shared his thoughts on the situation and what he would have done had it happened to him.
“When I met you, you was a cool dude, man,” says Capri. “That’s why I’m a little surprised why you would disrespect those DJs like that… stand up there and disrespect them like that, man, that was just crazy. Those kids is young dudes, probably, you know, scared and nervous that they playing for you, happy that they’re playing for you. I don’t know if you was lit or drunk, or whatever the case may be, but if that was me and you spoke to me like that, I’d have swung on you right away. Immediately,” the “Uptown” artist admitted. “And we would have dealt with it however we’d have to deal with afterwards. But I wouldn’t have went for that.”
Wiz has yet to comment on the situation nor respond to any DJs.
Wiz Khalifa’s new album Multiverse released last Friday (July 29), which features guest appearances by THEY. and Girl Talk. The album is his first solo studio album since 2018’s Rolling Papers 2.
Last weekend, Wiz Khalifah was performing at a show in Los Angeles, where DJ Mike Danger and MC Tron deejayed for the “Black And Yellow” rapper. Something occurred where Wiz can be seen and heard going off on Danger and Tron in front of the fans during his performance. The world famous DJ Kid Capri recently took to social media to express his distaste towards Wiz’s onstage tantrum and even said that if it was him, he would’ve put hands on him.
“When I met you, you was a cool dude, man. That’s why I’m a little surprised why you would disrespect those DJs like that,” said Kid Capri. “Those kids is young dudes, probably, you know, scared and nervous that they playing for you, happy that they’re playing for you.”
Capri went on to say, “I don’t know if you was lit or drunk, or whatever the case may be, but if that was me and you spoke to me like that, I’d have swung on you right away. Immediately. And we would have dealt with it however we’d have to deal with afterwards. But I wouldn’t have went for that.”
On this day in Hip Hop history, Slick Rick released his final studio LP, The Art of Story Telling.
Mostly produced by DJ Clark Kent and Kid Capri, this album featured guest verses from the likes of Redman, Rev Run, Outkast, Nas, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg.
Critically the album has been hailed as the only proper sequel to his breakthrough debut album, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick. Due to continuous run-ins with the law, the public was never really able to fully experience Slick Rick as an artist. For the same reason, the world will never know what his outstanding ability and outspoken persona could have done for Hip Hop culture. What is apparent is that when the master storyteller has the time, he can pen and deliver a masterpiece.
The Art of Storytelling was Slick Rick’s most commercially successful album, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop charts. The album even went gold during its first week of sales. True to the title, the album is full of narratives that could only be crafted by the pen that scribed the famous “Children’s Story.” And although he has not strayed away from his signature rhetoric, The Art of Storytelling shows improvement and Slick Rick’s ability to stay relevant as far as his own style blending with the popular sound of the time. As a whole, this album is deserving of all accolades and is a proper farewell to Slick Rick as an album rapper.
“The Lyricists Lounge” started at a small studio space in 1991 as a get-together for underground artists with the sickest flows. Thirty years later, The Apollo Theater in New York will showcase the pillars and pioneers of hip-hop. Originally emerging from the New York club scene as hip-hop dancers, founders of the Lyricist Lounge, Anthony […]