Iconic producer and beatmaker J Dilla has a legacy that’s honored and known by music lovers worldwide. The late musician died at the age of 32 from health issues. However, his younger brother, Illa J, has taken to social media to express his frustration with individuals in the music industry. These people, in his view, exploit his brother’s name for personal gain. In an Instagram post, Illa J didn’t mince his words. He condemned those he believes are using his brother’s memory for their own benefit. “It’s just gross how, not only do they use my brother … they use me to get to my brother. They do it in such a gross way,” Illa J emphasized.
He captioned the video: “To Whom it May Concern, y’all know who you are! weird a** fake a**, GEEK DOWN!!!” Illa J, himself an accomplished musician with nearly two decades in the industry, used his platform to call out this behavior. Although he did not specify the identities or instances he was addressing, he addressed the industry as a whole. “I’ve been in this industry for almost 20 years now. It just makes me disappointed in this industry, in all these people,” he continued. Illa J highlighted the hypocrisy that he believes is present throughout the music world.
Hip hop artist J Dilla of the group Slum Village photographed at the Key Club in 2000 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Gregory Bojorquez/Getty Images)
He emphasized the stark difference between genuine love for his brother and the pursuit of personal gain. Furthermore, expressed his disappointment with those who claim to be ardent admirers of J Dilla but are primarily motivated by financial interests. “And all these people that ya’ll think that they love my brother so much, they’re just out here to make their name look closer to my brother, but they really don’t care about him, y’know what I mean? It’s kind of annoying.”
In a final statement, Illa J didn’t hold back. “I’m sick of it, I’m sick of these fake-a** muthaf**kas tryin’ to act like they love my brother but they really don’t — they just care about their pockets. All you muthaf**kas are gross,” he concluded. Illa J’s words serve as a reminder that authentic respect for an artist’s legacy should always come from a place of genuine admiration and reverence, rather than exploiting a name for personal gain. J Dilla’s contributions to music continue to be celebrated, and it’s crucial to honor his memory with sincerity and authenticity.
Cardi B has spoken on the notion of artists “picking sides” by working with her. “If I like you, and I meet you, and we do a song together, I am not looking for you to pick a side. You can work with whoever you wanna work with because at the end of the day, this is a business and you gotta look out for yourself,” Cardi said in a recent interview.
The issue has become more and more prevalent in recent years as Cardi has become involved in beef with the likes of Nicki Minaj. This has led many people to believe that collaborators have to pick sides between the two in order to work with them. However, at least Cardi believes that she has no problem with people who work with those against her as long as she vibes with them also.
Elsewhere, Cardi has been forced to address bizarre claims made by Kanye West. West called Cardi an “Illuminati plant”. In response, Cardi reshared an interview Kanye did with Jason Lee last year in which he praised Cardi. “I was finishing that verse for your girl, you know what I mean? I’ve always believed in her since she was on the show,” Kanye said in the clip that Cardi responded to with a heart emoji.
Meanwhile, Cardi has also threatened to wreck havoc on the internet. “I been trying not to disappoint my fans because I’ve been trying to be Cardi B the professional. But Belcalis the Demon, it be really close to come out. And I don’t want that because I don’t want to disappoint my fans. I’ma just say this: people love Cinderella until Cinderella get a glass house. Leave me the fuck alone because I come with receipts. Years old receipts. I got receipts on all you bitches and n-ggas.”
To no one’s surprise, Russ has a bone to pick with the music industry and streaming- and that’s not a jab at him. Moreover, the SANTIAGO rapper has often been very outspoken about his thoughts on these institutions, and there’s certainly a lot to comment on and complain about. His latest target, focused on via Twitter, is the advent of fake streams to boost a song or album’s profile. Apparently, the 30-year-old is so sick of trying to beat them that he wants to join other artists in that crusade, at least jokingly. Not only that, but he thinks it would make a point and is just a tool to promote yourself at the end of the day, as heinous as it may sound.
“Real s**t I’m boutta start faking my streams like everyone else,” Russ tweeted on Thursday (September 14). “It’s marketing when you think about it. General person is a sheep.. if you see a song has let’s say 100m streams and you haven’t heard it, you think ‘damn I’m tripping I needa go peep.’ And then the fake streams get you real streams. Such a ridiculous game but f**k it, maybe I’ll film the whole process and drop a doc after.”
Another recent industry question that the Atlanta MC brought up recently concerns first week sales. These have to do specifically with Burna Boy’s latest album, I Told Them…, and how close-minded people are when considering these numbers. “Burna Boy is doin 21k (in America) and sellin out arenas in America as well. How come artists who sell more than that (in America) aren’t doing arenas (in America) ?” Russ inquired on Instagram. “Take a wild guess [crying-laughing emoji].”
Meanwhile, he also recently alleged that Billboard disqualified album sales of his own. “Billboard & Luminate took away ANOTHER 4,000 of my REAL sales over the weekend,” he wrote on Twitter. “Making that 10,000 sales total they took away from me. [They allow] major labels to fake their streams and sales and do monopolistic merch bundles. Only major labels are allowed to do merch bundles because the only approved vendor is a major label vendor. These numbers and charts are made up. The impact however is not. Shoutout to the fans.” We’ll see what else the artist targets when it comes to the music industry. Considering that, log back into HNHH for the latest news and updates on Russ.
Establishing himself as a giant in the music industry, Scooter Braun is an executive and talent manager. During his meteoric rise to the top, Scooter has managed the careers of top artists like Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, and more.
Just as he’s known for his business acumen and eye for talent, he’s also known for controversy, including his dispute with Taylor Swift over her masters. Over the past few years, many of his artists have dropped him, putting his career in a precarious place. Many are wondering if the empire he spent years build is at risk of toppling.
Early Life Of Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun and Kanye West (Photo by Ben Rose/WireImage)
Scooter Braun was born Scott Samuel Braun on June 18, 1981 in New York City. While attending Emory University in Atlanta, Scooter threw lavish parties that attracted high-profile guests. Eventually, he caught the eye of Jermaine Dupri, founder of So So Def, who asked Scooter to join the marketing team of the label. Scooter agreed and dropped out of college. By 19, Scooter Braun officially got his entrance into the industry. Shortly after, he would become head of marketing at the label.
US businessman Scooter Braun (L) and Canadian singer Justin Bieber arrive for YouTube Originals’ “Justin Bieber: Seasons” premiere at the Regency Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles on January 27, 2020. (Photo by LISA O’CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O’CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
In 2007, Scooter discovered a young Justin Bieber’s cover videos on YouTube. Knowing that Justin would be a hit, Scooter helped sign him to Usher’s Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG) in a joint label venture with Island Def Jam in 2008. In quick succession, Scooter Braun became Justin’s road manager, where he helped steer Justin’s career into superstardom.
PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 03: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Scooter Braun (L) and Ariana Grande walk backstage during the “Dangerous Woman” Tour Opener at Talking Stick Resort Arena on February 3, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
During this same period, Scooter started SB Projects, a multi-faceted entertainment company involved in film and TV projects. But, not wanting to be a one-hit wonder, Scooter picked up the pace scouting new talent. He told The New Yorker, “I decided, I’m not just gonna break one new act, I’m going to break two more.”
Scooter then signed Carly Rae Jepsen to his SchoolBoy Records and began managing the British boy band, The Wanted. By 2012, all three of his acts reached the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other artists saw what Scooter was doing and wanted in. In 2013, Scooter signed Ariana Grande to his label, and by 2016, Scooter was her main manager.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: Yael Cohen Braun (L) and Scooter Braun attend FCancer’s 1st Annual Barbara Berlanti Heroes Gala at Warner Bros. Studios on October 13, 2018 in Burbank, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
Although he was busy expanding his empire, Scooter still found time for love. He started dating Canadian health activist Yael Cohen in 2013. The two tied the knot the following year and went on to have two sons and a daughter.
As his family grew, Scooter continued to hustle. His SB Projects brokered world-class deals, including Justin Bieber’s Calvin Klein endorsement. Scooter was also responsible for Kanye West’s blockbuster partnership with Adidas. Through all of this, he added Quavo, J Balvin, and Demi Lovato to the roster of artists he represented. Everything seemed to be looking up for Scooter Braun.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 21: Scooter Braun speaks onstage during the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 2019 State of The Entertainment Industry Conference held at Lowes Hollywood Hotel on November 21, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/Getty Images)
In 2019, Scooter’s company, Ithaca Holdings, purchased Taylor Swift’s former label, Big Machine Label Group. As a result, Scooter Braun owned the masters of Taylor Swift’s first six albums. Despite Taylor wanting her rights back and calling him a “bully,” Scooter wouldn’t budge. As a result, the public mostly sided with Taylor and believed Scooter was dodging Taylor and being shady.
However, Scooter Braun let it be known that he was trying to reach out to Taylor. He said he had attempted to contact her and her lawyers for six months, but she refused to talk. Taylor dug in and said Scooter was trying to force her to sign a non-disclosure that would forever silence her. She claimed Scooter was so unfair that he wouldn’t even quote her team a price to buy back her masters.
Tired of being dragged, in 2020, Scooter sold Taylor’s masters for $300 million to a private equity firm called, Shamrock. Scooter told Variety that he was upset over the whole feud with Taylor and continued to stress that he left the door open for communication. He added, “The thing that struck me the worst is the word ‘bully.’ I’m firmly against anyone ever being bullied. I always try to lead with appreciation and understanding.”
LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 07: Founder of SB Projects Scooter Braun speaks during a keynote at CES 2016 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 9 and features 3,600 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 150,000 attendees. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The South Korean company HYBE acquired Ithaca Holdings in 2021 in a deal valued at more than $1 billion. Two years later, as the CEO of HYBE America, Scooter led the charge in purchasing one of Atlanta’s top labels, Quality Control, in a $320 million deal.
A few months after HYBE’s acquisition of Ithaca Holdings, Scooter and his wife separated, with him filing for divorce in July 2021. As his home life was falling apart, Scooter Braun’s musical empire began to break.
Word began to spread around the industry that Scooter Braun was a bit grimy, especially to protect his cash cow, Justin Bieber. Rapper Lil Twist who was once good friends with Justin told Business Insider that Scooter would spread negative stories about him to protect Justin’s reputation. He claimed he was used as a scapegoat and even took a marijuana possession charge for Biebs. Other sources said Scooter would routinely do anything to cover for Justin’s bad behavior, specifically his drug use.
By 2023, Demi Lovato had left Scooter Braun and Ariana Grande was reportedly looking to make her exit. Idina Menzel who had worked with Scooter since 2019 also parted ways. Despite the mass exodus, Scooter joked on X, “Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself.”
While Scooter may have been all laughs, things got serious when rumors surfaced that Justin Bieber was leaving Scooter. News spread that Scooter and Justin hadn’t spoken in months. There was also word that Justin was so unhappy that he was looking for new management. However, those reports got squashed as quickly as they started. Hours later, Entertainment Tonight reported, “Justin and Scooter are still working together. Justin is not taking meetings to look for new management.”
With so much turmoil surrounding him, Variety is reporting that Scooter will step away from day-to-day artist management and focus more on his HYBE America CEO duties. One source said, “He’s imploding. It’s a different world since the pandemic. You just can’t be an asshole like that anymore.” Only time will tell how Scooter Braun comes out of all of this.
If there is a rapper that knows something about standing out from the rest of the pack, it is Lil Wayne. His versatility as an artist and technical skills as a rapper are what makes him a legend in the game. Wayne’s influence on the biggest names in the space like Drake and Kendrick Lamar builds upon his legacy even more so. Even with the stars’ imprint on rap, like Wayne, there is still some belief that AI (artificial intelligence) can mimic someone’s presence on the mic down to the finest details.
In a recent sit-down with Billboard to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Wayne was questioned about a host of topics in the industry. One of the topics that was brought to light was AI’s impact as of late. “Someone asked me about that recently,” Wayne began. “They were trying to tell me that AI could make a voice that sounds just like me. But it’s not me, because I’m amazing.” Wayne possesses undoubtedly one of the most standout voices. With his high-pitch raspiness and his signature lighter flick, his opinions on this are more than valid.
Another feather in the cap of Wayne is his ceaseless drive to create new music. With well over 18 releases on Spotify, and not to mention his extensive mixtape discography on Datpiff, he spoke on why his work ethic has continuously been a catalyst to his success. “I just work. I just keep going. I never stop. It’s just the work ethic, plain and simple,” Wayne said. In the interview, he hinted at the release of Tha Carter VI, but time will tell when that will drop.
All in all, Lil Wayne’s one-of-a-kind style and approach to music make him an unreplaceable figure in the hip-hop genre. What is your take on AI? Do you feel it can fully replace artists in the future? Or, is it just a fad trend that will die out? Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section. Continue to follow HNHH for all the latest news in the music industry.
During a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, Ice Cube discussed ties he sees between the prison industrial complex and the entertainment industry. He claims that the prison system benefits from the rap industry, using it to put more people behind bars. “The narrative is really kind of structured and really made into what the record company wants the record to be,” he says.
“Like follow the money,” he begins, “I don’t know their names, but if you go high enough you begin to see this is an industry.” “Let’s take rap music,” he continues, “[The] same people who own the labels own the prisons. It seems really kind of suspicious—if you want to say that word—that the records that come out are really geared to push people toward their prison industry.” Ice Cube later went on to call it “social engineering,” to ensure that “prisons stay full.”
Ice Cube Claims The “Same People Who Own The Labels Own The Prisons”
When Maher claims that nobody is forcing artists to write the lyrics of their songs, Ice Cube argues. “It’s not about making somebody write the lyrics,” he says. “It’s about being near as guardrails to make sure certain songs make it through and certain songs don’t.” He then claims, “Certain flavors are exposed on the record. Some records are made by committee. Meaning record company guys sit around and tell the artists ‘This is hot, say that. Do this, we gonna have this guy write lyrics.’”
This isn’t the first time Ice Cube has been vocal about his controversial opinions. Earlier this year, he called AI music “bullsh*t,” claiming that it forces artists to be associated with things they never agreed to. “Samples are approved or denied by the song owners,” he wrote on Twitter. “Totally different than taking a dead artist and making a new song they never approved,” Ice Cube explained. He then went on to say, “That’s evil and demonic to me.“
The year 2023 is quickly becoming the year of Ice Spice. Her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 was back in January, and she hasn’t really left since. That song was “Gangsta Boo” and featured Lil Tjay. Now, she has two tracks gracing the list: “Karma” by Taylor Swift, in which Ice Spice features on this version, and “Barbie World,” a reinvention of the Aqua classic featuring Nicki Minaj. The songs are ranked eight and seven, respectively. “Barbie World” comes from the Barbie movie soundtrack. Barbie is set to release on July 21, with Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
The song with Nicki marks Ice Spice’s fourth foray into the Billboard Hot 100. (“Barbie World” is Minaj’s 23rd track to be included on the list, a record for all female rappers.) And while Morgan Whalen’s “Last Night” came out at number one for the 13th week, Ice Spice is the one artist with two tracks in the top ten. She did this once before, in late April of this year, when “Princess Diana” and “Boy’s A Liar, Pt. 2” (which features PinkPantheress) were fourth and tenth, respectively. Ice Spice has claimed her throne at the top of the rap game, and she brought one of the original queens with her, Nicki Minaj.
Spice is having a moment in the rap and music industries. She and Nicki Minaj dapped each other up via Twitter, celebrating the success of their collaboration. Nicki was also on “Princess Diana.” That makes it and “Barbie World” two separate songs where two solo artists came together to make absolute bangers. Essentially, you put Ice Spice on a track, and she makes it Billboard Hot 100 gold. Simple as that.
As for Spice in her life, she seems to be enjoying her huge launch into fame. She releases photo dumps of herself at various events, including the BET Awards and the Longitude Festival. Also, she turned down the opportunity to be the XXL Freshman cover artist. When you can say no to what most rappers dream of, you know you’re doing something right. She’ll continue to see more of her songs make splashy debuts on the Billboard Hot 100. For now, the two songs in the top ten will definitely do.
Coi Leray recently sat down for an enlightening conversation with Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1’s Rap Life Radio. On it, they discussed a whole host of topics, ranging from her brand new sophomore album to industry relationships. While the Boston native remarked that a lot of industry people know each other and stay at least amicable, she doesn’t believe that there are any true friendships in the industry. Rather, it’s still a competition at the end of the day, but she didn’t seem to suggest so in a disloyal or backstabbing manner. Instead, Coi emphasized that this should be a friendly competition, and that genuine connections can form.
“I mean, look, the other side of it is, you know, everybody ain’t got to be friends, but we can all be positive,” Ebro remarked. “One thousand percent,” Coi Leray agreed. “Nobody’s friends, we don’t know each other in real life, you feel me? If we meet in person and, you know, we have a genuine relationship from there organically, then whatever. But I don’t think no one’s friends. I think, at the end of the day, it is a competition here, not everybody can be number one. But at the same time, it should be friendly competition. If we all on the same track team, and it’s time to race, and we practicing, I’m dusting you even though you my right hand. But it’s time to race, we got practice. But respectfully, you know? That’s how I look at it.”
Coi Leray speaks on industry friends and competition in Hip-Hop.
“I don’t think no one’s friends. I think at the end of the day it is a competition here. Not everyone can be #1 but at the same time it should be friendly competition.” pic.twitter.com/6hrBJtxUW0
Interestingly enough, another topic of conversation that came up in the interview was Latto’s line about the “Bops” hitmaker’s body on “Put It On Da Floor.” As she remarked on the situation and her reaction, she alluded to similar themes. “It’s not a sensitive conversation,” Coi Leray reflected. “I feel like it wasn’t more about the body, it was more of mentioning my name. I’m about positivity. For real. And I wasn’t sure where it was coming from. And not only that, I feel like the problem with our community today is we be so quick to try to change things but we don’t do nothing to actually change anything.
“So if we’re going to say we’re going to stop talking about bodies, then don’t mention anything about my body,” she went on. “Just period. Don’t compare me to nothing, don’t think about nothing. We’re not smoking on anything, it’s disrespect. And where I come from I just don’t like that. I don’t know, it’s starting to get old. The rap beefs are for the guys. You know, I don’t even think they should do it. Us artists, we kind of control the narrative. So if we just spend more time pushing that narrative we won’t give these headlines and these blogs no reason to go ahead and push this negative narrative. That’s something we got to come together on.” For more on Coi Leray, stick around on HNHH.
Ari Lennox isn’t about that risque life. She has made that abundantly clear. A recent tweet of hers confirmed jumping out of planes and testing the limits of height are not on her bucket list. And while scuba diving and Mt. Everest might not see Ms. Lennox anytime soon, there’s another group that won’t be spending quality time with the R&B artist. At the very end of her Twitter list, she calls out “music industry people” and her being okay with not dating anyone from the music scene.
The artist has had numerous relationships that turned sour due to the simple truth that they were also in the music business. Ari Lennox is famous and has many top-tier hits, including “Pressure” and “Shea Butter Baby.” When you’re as well-known as Lennox is, people date you to get clout or to network in the industry as a struggling rapper. Lennox feels jaded from the whole experience. There have apparently been numerous ex-partners who either pretended not to know who she was or didn’t let on that they were trying to make it big in music until later. This leads to Ari Lennox’s trust issues and the following Tweet…
Lennox has incredible self-awareness and healthy distancing, letting her date without wondering if the person she’s with is only with her to get famous. She’s even had partners that demeaned her and didn’t even recognize her musical achievements. Safe to say, Ari Lennox is done with the belittling and the lying. Hopefully, she can find someone who wants to date her for her, not just what she does for a living. For now, that means not dating anyone in music, period.
What’s next for Ms. Lennox? She’s currently on tour after dropping both Age/Sex/Location, her second studio album, and her surprise EP Away Message last year. (According to her, this is her last tour.) She is signed to J Cole’s Dreamville Records. Lennox has singles like “Whipped Cream,” which is about a previous relationship that went bad. We pray that Ari makes new music about her aversion to music industry dating. She has plenty of material for another album. (As of this writing, Ari Lennox is not dating anyone. However, this could be her keeping her personal business out of the limelight. At this point, we wouldn’t put it past her.)
Charlamagne Tha God has expressed his disagreement with Bobby Shmurda’s criticism of rap music. He says that Shmurda should not undermine the genre because he owes his fame and recognition to it. Charlamagne discussed the topic on The Breakfast Club‘s segment, “The Rumor Report,.” He went on to kindly acknowledge Shmurda’s energy and personality. However, he pointed out that the public hasn’t been receptive to his new music since his release from prison.
Charlamagne also emphasized that the culture may not be so keen on the new attitude. While he realizes that Bobby Shmurda has avoided being a snitch and is now creating positive music, the culture doesn’t seem to appreciate or acknowledge that about him. Furthermore, he believes that rap is the reason why people know Shmurda. He highlighted that, because of this, Shmurda’s criticisms of the genre may not resonate well with the audience.
The Origin Of Bobby Shmurda’s Opinion On Rap
The conversation about Bobby Shmurda’s disdain for rap music began when he appeared on The Danza Project podcast. There, he advised children to stay away from hip-hop because he sees it as dangerous. Shmurda expressed concern that kids might take the lifestyles portrayed in rap lyrics as reality. However, he says the rappers themselves may not have even experienced those circumstances. He believes rap music should uplift people and encourage positive change. Now, however, he believes it promotes negativity. As a result of this, Bobby Shmurda shared that he no longer enjoys rap music. Apparently, he only listens to it when he’s at the club.
Shmurda went on to say that he prefers reggae now. He is so disconnected from the rap scene that he wouldn’t even notice if another rapper dissed him in a song. This isn’t the first time Bobby Shmurda has discussed his decision to distance himself from rap music and make a change. In March, he took to Instagram to share his journey towards self-improvement after being involved in criminal activities. He made it clear that he is determined to pursue a productive and successful future. He says he wants to make the best use of his time.
