Nas

Dame Dash Reveals The Origins Of Jay-Z And DMX’s Legendary Feud

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Dame Dash has been making quite a few appearances on podcasts and interviews recently. The primary reason is that he’s been giving out plenty of insight, or at least supposed insight, on important moments in rap history. Many of them revolve around Jay-Z, which has led some fans to joke that talking about Hov is the only reason anyone is listening to Dame anymore. But in another recent interview, he shed some light on the role he played in leading Jay-Z to his iconic battle with DMX.

In the interview, he discusses people in his life clowning on him for hanging around Jay-Z because of the way the rapper dressed. He goes on to explain how the bad vibes between different groups grew and eventually spilled over. He ends the story with an incident at a pool hall involving the Rough Riders that he cites as the very beginning of DMX and Jay-Z’s issues. But in the responses to the interview, plenty of fans throw some doubt on his story. Check out the full section of the interview below.

Read More: Dame Dash Believes R. Kelly Is Where He Belongs For Grooming Aaliyah

Dame Dash’s Newest Jay-Z Story

In the comments, fans don’t exactly agree with Dame’s recollection of things. “This crazy thing about this is. If you watch Backstage DVD Dane says when he first net Jay he thought he was a Harlem n*ggaz cause the c way he dress. Now all of a sudden n*ggaz was reading you cause he dressed funny. At this point Dame doing more damage to his legacy than good,” one particularly insightful comment reads.

Other comments agree. “Dame gotta let it go, man,” and “Mans is on a World tour using Hov name lol,” two more comments read. They aren’t exaggerating either. Dame has been commenting on Jay-Z all year touching on his beef with Nas and even claiming he had a role in Jay becoming a rapper. What do you think of Dame Dash’s newest story about the origins of Jay-Z and DMX’s battle? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Dame Dash At Risk Of Losing Roc-A-Fella Shares

[Via]

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Top 23 of 2023: Hip-Hop Celebrates 50th Anniversary

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Essence Fest Hip-Hop Pioneers

Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary took center stage in 2023, marking a year of celebratory events honoring the birth of the influential genre. From LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Festival to the iconic ESSENCE Festival, the prominence of the 50th year of Hip-Hop was evident, alongside it being featured at culture’s biggest award shows such as the 65th Annual Grammy Awards and the MTV VMAs. 

3. Happy 50th Anniversary, Hip-Hop!

ESSENCE Festival Honors Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary

The ESSENCE Festival, held in July 2023, served as a platform to pay homage to several hip-hop icons and celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary. The festival featured an unforgettable performance by Lauryn Hill, who headlined the event alongside other pioneering figures of the genre. 

Hennessy & Sprite Partnerships Reflect the Milestone Year

Rapper Nas embraced the spirit of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary through various brand collaborations. One notable partnership was with renowned liquor brand Hennessy, presenting a special edition release celebrating the milestone. 

Additionally, Nas joined forces with Sprite for a collaboration that involved fellow artists Rakim, Latto, and GloRilla, further emphasizing the significance of the genre’s 50-year legacy.

5. Queen Bey’s ‘Renaissance Era

In the vibrant landscape of 2023, where the essence of Black culture thrived, Beyoncé claimed the top position with her monumental “Renaissance” era. As we delve into the top 23 highlights of the year, Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary stands out as a pivotal moment that shaped the cultural landscape and showcased the genre’s enduring impact.

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Jay-Z Dropped His Playlist Of His Favorite 2023 Songs, Including Tunes From Beyoncé (Obviously), Drake, And More

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jay z beyonce
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For those who still use Tidal, Jay-Z dropped a new playlist of his favorite songs of 2023 on the app (revealed via a live session) — and some of the picks might be surprising. Of course, the rapper included his wife, Beyoncé, and her new “My House” track that appeared in her Renaissance Tour film.

He also gave a nod to some other close musicians. Drake was included on Jay-Z’s list, with his song “8am In Charlotte,” the second single from the Canadian rapper’s For All The Dogs album, according to HotNewHipHop.

Travis Scott and Playboi Carti’s “Fe!n” collaboration was also one of Jay’s favorites. He also included JID and Lil Yachty, who teamed up on the “Half Doin Dope” track.

In recent years, Jay-Z’s year-end playlist of his favorite songs has become a fun tradition. Through scrolling around on Tidal, it seems he has made the annual lists since 2018.

Continue scrolling to see a few other songs Jay-Z loved this year.

1. “Jennifer’s Body” by Ken Carson
2. “Kostas” by Westside Gunn
3. “FE!N” by Travis Scott & Playboi Carti
4. “Japanese Soul Bar” by Nas
5. “Not A Drill” by Veeze
6. “89 Earthquake” by Larry June & The Alchemist
7. “Spirit 2.0” by Sampha
8. “My House” by Beyoncé
9. “8am In Charlotte” by Drake
10. “Half Doin Dope” by JID & Lil Yachty

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Fifth LP ‘Stillmatic’ 22 Years Ago

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On this day in 2001, the self-crowned “King of New York” released his fifth studio LP, Stillmatic. During Nas’s musical absence the power in New York had shifted and Jay-Z had stepped up and eclipsed Nas as the best MC in New York. The title itself shows that Nas had a chip on his shoulder and used this album to show the world who was STILL the best rapper alive out of the five boroughs.

Nas and Jay-Z were in the midst of one of the biggest feuds in rap. With this being the theme of the time, the lyrics of this album carried a malicious flavor. This new side to Nas’ sound is most prominent on the track Ether that is one of the most straightforward diss tracks in rap. The disrespect that was put on on this record makes the Drake/Meek Mill conflict look like a childhood dispute. Throughout the album Nas continues to showcase his no-holds-barred style of lyricism, dropping names of those he feels have disrespected him left and right and setting records straight about his spot in Hip Hop. With every bar, you can feel Nas attacking the game and making sure his place is felt by everyone listening. This album is also a lot less openly righteous than his previous work. Nas is a righteous individual so there will always be undertones of positivity in his work, but on this album, the focus was on the cold and darker side to Hip Hop and New York City in general.

Released on Columbia Records, the album debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold 342,600 albums in its first week. Within a month, the album claimed the #5 spot and was certified platinum on January 16, 2002. By July 2008, the album had sold 2,026,000 copies. This “comeback” album received majority positive reviews from critics. Nas was praised by critics from Rolling Stone, AllMusic and The Source, who gave this album the coveted 5 Mics.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Fifth LP ‘Stillmatic’ 22 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Fifth LP ‘Stillmatic’ 22 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Sixth Studio Album ‘God’s Son’ 21 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Nas released his sixth studio album, God’s Son, in 2002. This may be Nas’ most emotional album coming at a rough time in his personal life. With the passing of his mother and his bout with fellow New York rapper Jay-Z at its height, Nas catered his lyricism to be more introspective in relation to his own trials and tribulations. Nas crowned himself “God’s Son” in tribute to his mother’s legacy and to point out a self-acclaimed likeness to Jesus Christ.

The production Nas collected for this project was astounding. Working with The Alchemist, Salaam Remi, Eminem, and even Alicia Keys helped to create a sound true to New York Hip-Hop with its own modern twist. Salaam Remi produced the bulk of the album and in a time when rap was something for the club and a Neptunes’ beat was a signature this soulfully classic sound was refreshing.  The beats alone were critically acclaimed being mentioned in Vibe and Stylus Magazine and by countless critics.

Lyrically, Nas went in the opposite direction of what was popular at the time. As always, there was a true and necessary message behind everything that was said on the album, not to mention his flow and delivery were impeccable. The content was also deeply connected to what was going on in his own life. His references on songs like “Warrior” and “Last Real N***** Alive” were in reverence of his recent past mother. He even dedicated the track “Dance” to his mom. There were also a lot of Christian undertones throughout the album. Whether it be through titles of a song or metaphorically in bars spat, Nas’s religious views were intertwined with the majority of this album. Some of the other lyricists featured on the album were Alicia Keys and Nas’s ex-wife Kelis.

Commercially, this album was successful as well. It was certified platinum on January 14, 2003, and peaked at #18 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Hip Hop/ R&B chart. The singles from this album, “Made You Look”, “I Can”, and “Get Down,” were also hits. Two of the Three released claimed spots on the Billboard Hot 100. “Made You Look” peaked at #32 and “I Can” peaked at #12. “I Can” has become a timeless song in Hip Hop over the years being an anthem of lifelong success for children in the black community.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Sixth Studio Album ‘God’s Son’ 21 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Nas Released His Sixth Studio Album ‘God’s Son’ 21 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Are Nas & Tracy Morgan Related?

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The world of Hollywood looks big from the outside, but from what we can tell, celebrities are near-constantly realizing they’re relatives. This often happens when they collaborate on projects together, as we saw with FKA Twigs and Jorja Smith when they joined forces on her caprisongs mixtape in early 2022. As it turns out, they aren’t the only two stars who’ve found out about sharing a bloodline in recent years. During an appearance on the Connect The Dots podcast, comedian Tracy Morgan shared that he’s got family ties with one of our favourite New York spitters – Nas.

“I turn the last page, and guess who’s sitting there? Nas. Me and Nas is third cousins on my mom’s side,” he said of his experience filming an upcoming episode of Finding Your Roots. “Me and Esco was always tight before that. I did a show years ago on Comedy Central called One Mic that was for Nas’ mom that just passed away, so me and Esco always been tight,” he further explained. Apparently, the revelation made Morgan emotional, and he and Nas shed some tears together when the former had the opportunity to share the news.

Read More: Tracy Morgan Net Worth 2023: What Is The Comedian Worth?

Nas and Tracy Morgan Are Even Closer Than We Thought

“I called him up and I say, ‘Yo Esco. Guess what? I just did Finding Your Roots,’” Morgan told the podcast hosts. “‘Me and you related.’ He started crying, I started crying. And I said to him, ‘If you ever need me, I’m there, cuz.’ He said, ‘Cuz, if you ever need me I’m there.’”

As Uproxx notes, it was only a few years ago when Denzel Curry and Smino came to a similar realization, happily sharing news of their familial bond with fans online. Elsewhere in hip-hop news, Nas put his legendary album run to the side to celebrate Rakim at the Grandmaster Hip-Hop Awards. During his speech, the Magic artist gave his fellow longtime MC his well-deserved flowers, which you can read more about at the link below.

Read More: Nas Gives Rakim His Flowers At Grandmaster Hip-Hop Awards

[Via]

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Nas And Tracy Morgan Recently Discovered That Not Only Are They Friends, They’re Actually Related

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tracy morgan and nas
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PBS has been a valuable source for learning for generations, and now, thanks to the network’s genealogy series Finding Your Roots, two entertainers learned they are much more connected than they ever knew. Comedian Tracy Morgan recently appeared on the podcast Connect The Dots, where he talked about discovering his relation to another New York-based entertainer after years of friendship on an upcoming episode of Finding Your Roots.

As he recounts flipping through a family tree, he says, “I turn the last page, and guess who’s sitting there? Nas. Me and Nas is third cousins on my mom’s side. Me and Esco was always tight before that. I did a show years ago on Comedy Central called One Mic that was for Nas’ mom that just passed away, so me and Esco always been tight.”

Upon learning that they were actually related, he says they shared some tears. “I called him up and I say, ‘Yo Esco. Guess what? I just did Finding Your Roots,’” he recalled. “‘Me and you related.’ He started crying, I started crying. And I said to him, ‘If you ever need me, I’m there, cuz.’ He said, ‘Cuz, if you ever need me I’m there.’”

They aren’t the only rap relatives. In 2021, rappers Denzel Curry and Smino also learned they were cousins.

You can watch the full episode of Connect The Dots above and Morgan’s episode of Finding Your Roots when it airs in February.

How Many Kids Does Nas Have?

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Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones is best known by his stage name Nas. However, to two young New York City natives, the rapper is best known simply as “Dad.” In the 50-year-old’s long and storied career behind the mic, he fathered two children and married a notable R&B singer. Nas has also discussed his journey of fatherhood at length through several songs. Specifically, the rapper has expressed regret for not being present enough during his daughter’s early days.

Read More: Hit-Boy’s “King’s Disease” Trilogy Albums, Ranked

Destiny Jones Is Nas’ First Child

Destiny Jones was born to Nas and his ex fiancé Carmen Bryant on June 15, 1994. Her birth came just months after the release of Nas’ debut studio album Illmatic, which remains one of the most revered and influential bodies of work in all of hip-hop to this day. Due to the rapper’s newfound success, Nas saw himself traveling the world, performing on stages, and fine-tuning the future of the rap landscape during his daughter’s formative years. Nas has expressed regret at missing out on some of his daughter’s early milestones and not being present in her life due to his busy schedule, though he always provided for Destiny and Carmen Bryant financially.

These days, Nas’ daughter has made a name for herself as an Internet personality, and CEO of her makeup brand, Matic Cosmetics. The 29-year-old influencer can frequently be found posting on social media, sometimes alongside her superstar father.

Read More: Nas’ Daughter Launches Lip Gloss Line Called “Lipmatic”

Nas Had A Son With R&B Legend Kelis

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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 26: Singer Kelis and son Knight Jones attend YO GABBA GABBA! @ KIA PRESENTS YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY produced by S2BN Entertainment in association with The Magic Store and W!LDBRAIN Entertainment at Nokia L.A. LIVE on November 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/WireImage)

After a two-year relationship, Nas married Kelis in Atlanta, Georgia in 2005. Kelis is best known as the singer/songwriter behind the 2003 smash hit “Milkshake” which has been a cultural staple since its release. On July 21, 2009 Kelis gave birth to Nas’ second child and only son, Knight Jones. Unlike his older sister, Knight doesn’t seem to have much of a social media presence at this time, likely due to his age. Of course, the public may begin to see more of the former power-couples’ kid in the coming years as he enters adulthood.

On the night his son was born, Nas spread the word, by making an announcement during a live show in Queens, New York. Per sources close to the couple, Kelis disagreed with the decision to make their son’s birth public information. This disagreement served as just one of many public disputes between the couple.

The Pair Split Up In 2010

Nas and Kelis finalized their divorce in May of 2010, resulting in a years-long public feud between the performing artists. In the decade since their marriage ended, Nas and Kelis have hurled insults and accusations of abuse at one another. The pair have also engaged in prolonged fights regarding child support and alimony payments. These fights have caused fans to take to social media to choose sides.

Though the pair have gone their separate ways, the two seem to finally be co-parenting respectfully in 2023 and beyond. Kelis has gone on to have two more children with her second husband, who died of stomach cancer In 2022. Meanwhile, Nas has reportedly engaged in brief love affairs with notable figures such as Mary J. Blige and Nicki Minaj.

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Hit-Boy Believes He Will Win Producer of the Year at 2024 GRAMMYs

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Hit-Boy

Hit-Boy is one of five Producer of the Year nominees at the 2024 Grammys. But if you ask him, it’s already in the bag. TMZ caught up with Hit-Boy, who revealed he wants to win this time.

“You just gotta look at the discog I went crazy on albums, really giving people a sound so we’ll see,” Hit-Boy said.

You can hear it below.

One of the testaments to Hit-Boy’s year is his work with Nas. Nas and Hit-Boy have concluded their two rap trilogies, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be collaborations in the future. Speaking in a clip shared on Instagram, Nas stated he now knows he could return to create more together.

“For me, there’s an emotional moment because to complete something beyond what you thought you were even working on, we didn’t know we’d do six albums,” said Nas. “So to be at this point, it’s satisfying, it’s gratifying, it’s a feeling of accomplishment on another level for myself as an MC, and I’m lucky enough to work with some of the greatest producers in the world.”

The post Hit-Boy Believes He Will Win Producer of the Year at 2024 GRAMMYs first appeared on The Source.

The post Hit-Boy Believes He Will Win Producer of the Year at 2024 GRAMMYs appeared first on The Source.

Hip-Hop Inspired Giving Tuesday Ideas

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Hip Hop Inspired Giving Tuesday Ideas

With Black Friday behind us, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday share the week following Thanksgiving. Giving Tuesday, often described as a global day of giving or a global generosity movement, is held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The amount of charities to donate to may seem overwhelming, but we have made a list for hip-hop fans who want to donate to a good cause led by some of their favorite artists.

Nas, Save the Music foundation: For over 25 years, Nas’ organization has been delivering equitable access to music education for millions of students nationwide. Find out more and donate at https://www.savethemusic.org. 

Beyoncé, BeyGOOD foundation– BeyGOOD foundation: Founded by Queen Bey, BeyGOOD focuses on economic equity by supporting marginalized and under-resourced programs, committed to serving people through educational scholarships, the advocacy of internships, and access to resources for advancing entrepreneurship and small business sustainability across the country and abroad. In addition to donating, people can volunteer with various affiliated causes. Find out more at https://beygood.org/. 

Chance the Rapper, SocialWorks: Since 2016, Chance the Rapper’s Chicago-based organization has been empowering youth through the arts, education, and civic engagement. In addition to making a donation, supporters can also cop some SocialWorks swag on the site at https://www.socialworkschi.org/about-us/ 

50 Cent, G-Unity: In addition to being a successful rapper, 50 Cent is known to be a savvy businessman and his charity is helping empower youth with a year-long course that equips students in high-need communities with business acumen so they can start their own companies and achieve generational wealth. Find out more and donate at https://gunityfoundation.org

Akon, the Borgen project: Growing up in Senegal, Akon did not always have access to electricity, a problem facing many people still today. In 2014, Akon launched the “Akon Lighting Africa” project to help Africans access low-cost yet sustainable energy through solar power. In addition to donations, fans can also volunteer to be part of the organization’s efforts. More information can be found at  https://borgenproject.org/electricity-to-africa/#:~:text=In%202014%2C%20Akon%20launched%20the,to%20more%20communities%20in%20Africa.

Snoop Dogg, Snoop Youth Football League: It’s no secret that Snoop is a many of many talents- rapper, entrepreneur, gamer, and football expert. His Youth Football league, which now includes basketball and football, helps provide youth with a solid foundation through sports. Find out more and donate at https://snoopfootball.com.

Big Sean, Sean Anderson Foundation: Detroit native Big Sean’s nonprofit focuses on providing Detroit-area youth with programs designed to promote economic prosperity, education and training, physical and mental health initiatives, and more. More information can be found at https://seanandersonfoundation.org/about/

Alicia Keys, Keep a Child Alive: Alicia Keys’ charity provides HIV/AIDS service and support for  9 community organizations that serve people throughout Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and India. Find out how you can get involved or donate at https://www.keepachildalive.org

Kanye West, Donda’s House (Common has also donated): Kanye’s mother played an important role in his life and he’s honored her legacy through Donda’s house, which provides programming that combines creative arts such as music and fashion with business development, marketing skills, and event planning to young adults on the south side of Chicago. More information can be found at ) https://www.macfound.org/grantee/dondas-house-10104166/

Rihanna, Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF): the foundation was founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. CLF invests in climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean & United States and helps communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters. To find our more, visit  https://claralionelfoundation.org

J Cole, Dreamville Foundation: North Carolina native J Cole’s charitable organization provides programs, events, and charitable donations that empower and inspire youth in his native Fayetteville to achieve success in reaching their dreams. Supporters can donate at https://www.thedreamvillefoundation.org

The post Hip-Hop Inspired Giving Tuesday Ideas first appeared on The Source.

The post Hip-Hop Inspired Giving Tuesday Ideas appeared first on The Source.