Rock The Bells Announces Lineup for First-Ever Timeless Hip Hop Cruise with Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Ghostface, and More For Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary

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Rock The Bells (RTB), the global platform dedicated to elevating Hip-Hop culture from its roots to the modern day, announced the lineup for “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” in partnership with Sixthman, the industry leader in unforgettable music and lifestyle festivals at sea. 

The lineup features Hip-Hop’s most notable icons, including Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Big Boi, DJ Jazzy Jeff, MC Lyte, Ghostface Killah, Trina & Trick Daddy, Just Blaze, Big Daddy Kane, Too $hort, Slick Rick, DJ Spinderella, Mannie Fresh, Pete Rock, DJ Quik, Rah Digga, EPMD, Bun B, Bahamadia, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Scratch, The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ EPPS, DJ Nina 9, Grandmaster Dee, Technician The DJ, and DJ Critical Hype. Hosted by Roxanne Shanté & Torae, attendees will also experience a pool deck party series presented by world-renowned party rocker Kid Capri. 

Commenting on the cruise, legendary Hip-Hop artist and host Roxanne stated: “How could I not Rock the Boat with the Goat? LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells keep the culture afloat. Please believe it.” Too $hort added, “Rock The Bells is Hip-Hop History, and they’re working to MAKE history!”

While the cruise is “sold out,” fans can still go to the website rockthebellscruise.com to sign up for the waiting list, where rooms are offered as they become available.

The post Rock The Bells Announces Lineup for First-Ever Timeless Hip Hop Cruise with Rick Ross, Lil Jon, Ghostface, and More For Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: The Hot Boys Dropped Their Sophomore Effort ‘Guerrilla Warfare’ 23 Years Ago

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23 years ago today, Turk, Juvenile, BG and Lil Wayne dropped their second collaborative LP together as the Hot Boys entitled Guerrilla Warfare on the Cash Money/ Universal label.

Produced exclusively by Cash Money Records’ production duo “Baby” Williams and Mannie Fresh aka The Big Tymers, this entire album was recorded in Miami, a thousand miles a large contrast from there NOLA roots and recording environment, this LP helped to solidify the term “bling” as a necessity in the culture at the turn of the millennium. The lead singles, “I Need A Hot Girl” and “We On Fire” propelled the album the pole position on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop albums, selling 142,000 in the first week and reaching platinum status before the end of 1999.

Salute to the Hot Boys and Cash Money Records for making this exclusive piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: The Hot Boys Dropped Their Sophomore Effort ‘Guerrilla Warfare’ 23 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

The Cool Kids and Mannie Fresh Are Collaborating for a Joint Album

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One of the fun things about Hip-Hop is the collaborations that can come, and no one expects them. The latest evidence of that is the forthcoming joint album from Mannie Fresh and The Cool Kids.

Andrew Barber, the creator of Fake Shore Drive, revealed the Chicago duo would team with the New Orleans Icon. “Breaking News: Mannie Fresh & The Cool Kids are doing an album together,” Barber wrote.

In 2021, The Cool Kids, composed of Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish, announced their return, highlighting a run of albums that they created in various areas.

The post The Cool Kids and Mannie Fresh Are Collaborating for a Joint Album appeared first on The Source.

Juvenile’s ‘Vax That Thang Up’ Turns His Biggest Hit Into A Pro-Vaccine PSA

Who would have thought that 20 years after Cash Money Records took over for the 99 and the 2000, Juvenile’s raunchy introductory hit would form the basis for a wholesome (bit still playfully racy) public health PSA? The New Orleans rapper resurrected his biggest song, “Back That Thang Up,” turning it into “Vax That Thang Up” to encourage horny young singles to get their shots before returning to the dating scene, recruiting longtime collaborators Mannie Fresh and Mia X to reprise and remix the track’s most iconic moments.

“Girl, you look good, why don’t you vax that thang up?” Juvie joshes on the new, cheeky chorus. “You a handsome young brother, why don’t you vax that thang up?” Mannie, meanwhile, cleverly flips his anchor verse: “I know you can’t stand it / No holding hands, chick,” he smirks, turning his opening couplet into something a bit more friendly for radio. And that iconic Lil Wayne bridge? Well, it seemed unlikely they’d be able to hook the original into participating, considering some of his prior reactions to current events, so Mia X graciously steps it up to turn “drop it like it’s hot” into “go get the shot.”

Naturally, fans on Twitter have thoughts, but respect for these legends of the game — who have mostly stayed out of trouble and kept their legacies untarnished — has the jokes trending about as wholesome as the song itself. You love to see it.

Watch the “Vax That Thang Up” video above.

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Dave Grohl Used To Listen To Juvenile’s ‘Back That Azz Up’ Backstage Before Every Foo Fighters Concert

Foo Fighters stopped by The Late Late Show to perform their Medicine At Midnight highlight “Waiting On A War” last night. While they were there, they also took a few minutes to chat with James Corden, and over the course of their conversation, one of Dave Grohl’s excellent old pre-show traditions was revealed.

Playing off the fact that Foo Fighters have referred to Medicine At Midnight as a “party album,” Corden asked some of the band members what music they’d play at a party. Taylor Hawkins jokingly answered, “Just yacht rock, always, all the time.” Rami Jaffee then chimed in with the Bee Gees’ Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, an album that Grohl recently highlighted as a must-listen for children. Chris Shiflett added, “I remember when I first joined the band, we had a big boombox backstage, and before every show, Dave would put on Juvenile, “Back That Azz Up.” As Grohl excitedly recited some of the lyrics and other band members laughed, Shiflett added, “That was our pre-show warm-up.”

Shiflett joined the band in 1999, so while the band was touring in support of that year’s album There Is Nothing Left To Lose, Grohl was probably back stage getting pumped up to the then-brand-new Juvenile song, which is also known as “Back That Thang Up” and features Mannie Fresh and Lil Wayne. “Back That Azz Up,” by the way, was actually Wayne’s first-ever single.

Watch the interview above and check out the band’s performance of “Waiting On A War” below.