Smack/URL Becomes First Sporting Franchise To Trend With Two Hashtags In One Night

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On Saturday, July 9, the Ultimate Rap League (URL) made history with N.O.M.E. 12 at Houston’s Bayou Music Center, becoming the first extreme sporting organization to trend on Twitter at #1 during the same night with two separate hashtags.

Pivotal to topping the United States trending charts was the highly anticipated card curated by Troy “Smack” White, co-owner of the premier battle rap league in the world. His goal was to focus on matchups that would combine various tiers of artistry, present to fans a long-awaited grudge match, and culminate the $100,000 Ultimate Madness 5 tournament series with finalists JC and Swamp.

The two hashtags were: #NOME12 and #NOMEXII

#NOMEXII was trending before the event started. Before long, after-show host Smack announced #NOME12 as the URL hashtag, it started to trend in the number one spot within a half-hour into the show. #NOMEXII consistently ranked, landing at the top position an hour later.

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Happy Birthday To The “Queen Bee” Lil Kim!

Lil Kim Unveils Pretty Little Thing Collection

Born on this date in 1974, Bedford-Stuyvesant native Lil’ Kim has certainly paved the way for female rappers to gain traction in a highly male-dominated world of hip-hop. Making her name, sound, and style notorious (no pun intended) in her appearance on Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s debut album, Conspiracy.

Backed by hardcore lyrics filled with provocative and liberating content, Kim’s attitude and determination broke down gender barriers (which female rappers currently still face) that excelled her respect in the game.

Kim’s resume includes many Hip Hop greats, timeless tracks, fashion moments, and jaw-dropping lyrics. As the musical heiress of the Notorious B.I.G. legacy, Kim has continued to rep the memory of “the greatest rapper of all time”, even naming her sophomore 2000 release Notorious K.I.M.

Morphing from a femcee from Bed Stuy into the iconic figure she is today is a trail that has only been traced by the likes of Cardi B, Megan The Stallion and today’s entire female rap roster. They all have to salute the Queen B.

The Source Magazine sends a supreme born day shout to the Queen on her Birthday!!

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[WATCH] LL Cool J Revisits Special Ed’s “Come On, Let’s Move It” On SiriusXM’s Rock The Bells Radio

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During this week’s episode of ‘Salute the Sample’ on Rock the Bells Radio, LL COOL J, Greg Nice and DJ Z-Trip revisit the 1976 hit disco track, “Miss Broadway” by French trio, Belle Epoque, which was later sampled by Special Ed in his 1990 song “Come On, Let’s Move It.”

The full session will air on LL COOL J’s Rock the Bells Radio on SiriusXM (ch. 43) on July 8 at 12 PM EST.

‘Salute the Sample’ airs every Monday at 12 PM EST on Rock the Bells Radio (ch. 43). 

This That Sundress Shake | Salute The Sample | Rock The Bells

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Whodini Dropped Their Self Titled Debut Album 39 Years Ago

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On this date in 1983, pioneering rap trio Whodini, who then was sans DJ Grandmaster D, released their self-titled debut album Whodini on the Jive Records imprint.

Produced primarily by Grammy-nominated British producer and composer Thomas Dolby, Whodini’s first album never really saw any commercial success, however, the album’s “Magic Wand” track did climb to #11 on the Dance Club Songs and number 45 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs while the Willesden Dodges-produced track “The Haunted House of Rock” peaked at number 27 on the Dance Club Songs and number 55 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs.

The eight-track album’s duration is less than 45 minutes, something that was virtually a no-no in all genres of music during the early 80s, however, as one of Hip Hop’s first-ever full-length albums, the duration for each song is extensively longer than the average Hip Hop song today.

Salute to Jalil, Ecstacy(RIP) and Grandmaster D for their timeless contribution to Hip Hop history!

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Museum Of Graffiti To Presents “Gray Matter 3.0: The Chromatic Works Of Doze Green”

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The Museum of Graffiti is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of a solo exhibition by graffiti and contemporary artist Doze Green. The show opens on July 28, 2022 and will be on view through Aug 28, 2022.

Gray Matter 3.0 consists of monochromatic works created with mixed media on canvas and paper that are an exploration of the human consciousness rooted in the artist’s study of the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Green explores the four Jungian archetypes: the Persona, the Animus, the Shadow, and the Self. Green’s paintings convey a sense of discordant emotions, chaotic flux, fear, loss, and the inner conflicts experienced in our psyche. In each painting, Green is a presenting an interpretation on the collective state of the human experience and his own efforts to pierce the veil of the unconscious mind. Green states, “the series explores finding the truest version of the self. What have we compromised with our current state of being?”

The artist presents figures emerging out of the gray monochromatic layers of overlapping paint and semitransparent glazes. In Green’s lines there is a sense of urgency – white lines represent the soul all with a direct line to the divine. Black overtones represent protection from the clouded memories and words that spill onto the paintings in gray washes and transparent whites. On canvas, the figures are in transformation to become their higher self and thus emerging semi-revealed, overlapping, and partially concealed. For Green, this energy and motion of created forms exist in a visual meeting place of ideas. Influenced by Edo period paintings, Green mixes black gesso with Sumi ink and applies “creatively chaotic, and intuitive brushstrokes” in a calligraphy-inspired and graffiti aesthetic.

Doze began creating art on the street and on trains in NYC in the 1980s when Hip-Hop was in its heyday, and B-Boys (break dancers) ruled the streets. Doze polished his craft, led by intuitive flow, and advanced from letterforms to character forms. He was the first of his peers to create a style of drawing that has been adopted by graffiti artists around the world. Breaking away from his old “mugsy” characters Doze moved on to illustrate and paint biological entities of the metaphysical spirits. His work celebrates his Cubist influences and includes ascending and descending planes and repetitive, overlapping, and concentric lines in an otherwise undefined landscape.

Tickets: General Admission tickets are $16; Children 13 and under are free. Tickets are available online and include access to all museum exhibitions. To purchase tickets, visit our website from your desktop at home or your mobile device, museumofgraffiti.com 

Hours: The Museum of Graffiti is open from 11 AM – 6 PM on weekdays and 11AM– 7PM on weekends. Please check www.museumofgraffiti.com for special holidays, extended hours, and unexpected closings.

Location: The Museum of Graffiti, located at 276 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127.

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Trey Songz Rape Accuser Dismisses Suit, Plans to Refile the Complaint

Fans React To Trey Songz's Alleged Nudes Leaking

Trey Songz’s sexual assault accuser has dismissed her lawsuit against the singer, but Radar Online reports she is set to refile the complaint with an amendment.

The alleged victim filed the lawsuit in February, citing having intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, and sexual assault.

The woman stated to have an occasional sexual relationship with Songz but was anally raped in March 2016. The rape was said to be “so brutal” that immediate emergency medical care was needed. The woman was seeking $20 million in damages.

The Jane Doe claims the singer invited her to a house party and admittedly led her upstairs for consensual sex. Jane Doe claims Trey repeatedly asked her if he could “get that a**” as they headed to the bedroom, to which she says she repeatedly told him “no” and to stop asking.

In the suit, Doe claims that Songz’s attitude changed when they entered the room, claiming he threw her to the ground, ripped her clothes off, and forced himself into her anus without her consent. Doe contends that someone entered the room during the alleged incident but says they quickly left the room, and Songz continued raping her.

Doe claims that her only opportunity to escape was after Songz finished raping her, after which she gathered all her clothes except her underwear and ran outside to call an Uber. Her driver allegedly says she was in distress and took her to the hospital, where she claims a sexual assault exam was performed, and the police were summoned.

In April, Trey Songz was cleared of a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in Las Vegas. The R&B star was accused of sexual misconduct during a celebration of his 37th birthday at the Cosmopolitan hotel in November.

“The LVMPD has concluded the investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Tremaine Neverson and determined that no criminal charges will be filed. If any new evidence comes to light, the case will be reopened for further investigation,” a representative for the Las Vegas Metro PD told TMZ.

In response, Songz’s attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld released a statement: “We are pleased that Trey Songz’ has been cleared of wrongdoing and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigation has officially been closed.”

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Appeals Court Orders Federal Judge to Reconsider Supreme McGriff’s Motion For Sentence Reduction

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In a recent ruling in the the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, a federal appellate court has given reputed street legend Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff a glimmer of hope in forcing another judge to consider the Supreme Team leader for a sentence reduction.

U.S. District Judge Frederic Block was ordered to consider a motion filed by McGriff for a sentence reduction. The motion was filed under the First Step Act, an Obama-era law designed to reduce the disparity between those sentenced for crack cocaine offenses and those sentenced for powder cocaine offenses. The Second Circuit contended that Judge Block wasn’t clear in following the federal sentencing guidelines when he denied McGriff’s motion for a reduced sentence on a conviction for distributing 50 grams or more of crack cocaine, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and an unspecified amount of heroin. 

Block must reconsider the motion, however, his 2020 ruling almost promises that McGriff will remain behind bars even with a sentence reduction. Block admitted that he was eligible for a reduction, but admitted that he didn’t want to give McGriff a reduced sentence because of his “extensive criminal history and the heinous nature of the acts of violence attributable to him.”

McGriff was convicted of two counts of murder for hire and several federal drug offenses. Federal prosecutors claim that McGriff was the head of the Queens-based Supreme Team, a deadly drug organization responsible for dozens of murders before attempting to take their illegal businesses on a legal route, including through the Hip Hop industry. Jurors found that McGriff was responsible for the murders of Eric “E. Money Bags” Smith and Troy Singleton, having paid $50K to the killers.

McGriff’s attorney, who says that his motions are part of the 61-year-old’s ultimate goal, which is to not die in prison. While Supreme’s other life sentences remain that he is currently serving in Kentucky’s USP McCreary, his attorney contends, “any term of imprisonment that can be chipped away…permits McGriff to be in a marginally better position – which is not insignificant to McGriff – when McGriff files a motion for compassionate release – or some other form of collateral relief – in the future.”

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Pic of Bill Gates’ Daughter With Black Man Spark Debates About Interracial Dating

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A photo of the daughter of America’s second richest man getting a kiss on the cheek from her boyfriend has been circulating around the internet and fuels an age-old American conversation about interracial relationships because the man that is kissing her is Black.

Phoebe Gates, the youngest daughter of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, posted a very impactful statement a couple of weeks ago about her opposition against the historic ‘Roe v. Wade abortion case, with the caption alongside her full body photo in a bikini.

“I’m not shy about my body and/or telling you to keep your bans off of it,” Phoebe captioned. “Every person deserves access to sexual and reproductive health care. Right now, the Supreme Court is prepared to end the constitutional right to abortion. Join me and millions of other women in our fight for this basic human right. @PlannedParenthood #BansOffOurBodies.” 

That statement was just as integral as the unspoken one in which the 19-year-old Gates posted a picture of her receiving a kiss from who appears to be her boyfriend, who is Black. The above photo has online debates about dating outside of your race as well as outside of your social class, even though the wealth of lack thereof of the man in the pic is not publicly known.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Noreaga Released His Debut Album ‘N.O.R.E.’ 24 Years Ago

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Today marks 24 years since Queens native Noreaga of famed duo Capone-N-Noreaga (CNN) released his debut solo studio album titled N.O.R.E. on Penalty Records and Tommy Boy Entertainment.

The certified gold, No.1 charting, 19-track album featured a star-studded array of feature artists on the mic including Nas, Busta Rhymes, the legendary Kool G Rap, Big Pun, Styles P, Cam’ron, Nature and Jadakiss all on the classic posse cut track “Banned From T.V.”. Not to be outdone, the executively produced by Capone album featured production from Marley Marl, Trackmasters, The Neptunes, Swizz Beatz and DJ Clue amongst others.

Singles that made this album a Hip Hop classic include the sentimental “I Love My Life” featuring Carl Thomas, the action-filled “Body In The Trunk” with Queensbridge cohort Nas and the Neptune-produced hit “Superthug”.

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Man Killed Shielding His Son During Highland Park Parade, Mother of the Same 2-Year-Old Also Killed During Shooting

Man Killed Shielding His Son During Highland Park Parade

An attendee at the Highland Park parade died after shielding his 2-year-old son, Aiden, with his body. The father’s name was Kevin McCarthy and his father-in-law spoke to the Chicago Sun-Times in the aftermath of the tragic mass shooting.

“He had Aiden under his body when he was shot,” Aiden’s grandfather, Michael Levberg stated.

Aiden is now without both his father and mother, Irina, who were both killed in the attack. The Sun-Times notes Aiden was left “walking in the street” following the mass shooting.

Michael was able to get his grandson from the Highland Park police station.

A neighbor passed by, she showed me the picture, it was Aiden,” Michael Levberg said. “I picked him up at the police station.”

Michael revealed the couple had a plan for having a second child.

Highland Park, Illinois mass shooting suspect Robert Crimo reportedly dressed in women’s clothing to escape the area following firing into a parade on the Fourth of July.

According to Lake County Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli, Crimo shot over 70 rounds and dressed in disguise to hide his notable tattoos. He escaped through the crowd running from the chaos of the shooting.

Crimo used a “high-powered rifle” in the shooting that he legally purchased. After leaving the rifle on the roof, Crimo returned to his mother’s home and took her Honda, leading the police on a high-speed chase hours later. Crimo is suspected to have planned the attacks for weeks.

According to the Sun-Times, seven people were killed and over 25 were injured in the shooting. The suspected gunman was apprehended on U.S. 41 in Lake Forest, Illinois, following an 8-hour manhunt, which asked for citizens to shelter in place.

Robert E. “Bobby” Crimo III is 22 years old and was arrested without conflict after a brief chase occurred. Crimo was spotted by a North Chicago police officer leading to the chase. After the arrest, Crimo was taken to the Highland Park police station.

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