Louisville native Jack Harlow has been burning up airwaves, video shows and any other place where he could be seen or heard, but after popping up at the Kentucky Derby with a white suit and Drake as his wingman, anyone who caught a glimpse knows that it was nothing short of a movie waiting to happen.
In his latest video, Mr. Harlow pulls up to Churchill Downs with Drizzy and shoes so fresh, he had his bodyguards carry him across the grass so that they wouldn’t get dirt on them., thus, the concept of the track and visuals. Produced by Toronto’s Ace G and video directed by Kareem Johnson, Harlow spits his white boy rapper slang inside of the presidential suite n front of the Kentucky capacity crowd looking on.
This is the most recent visual offering from Harlow’s Come Home The Kids Miss You debut LP, which is available on all MSPs.
According to several confirmed reports, former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber was found dead in his Texas apartment yesterday(June 1). He was only 38 years old.
None of the reports of Barber’s death have revealed a cause of death, however, the Dallas Cowboys released a statement about their former player, stating, “We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III,” the statement reads. “Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down. He had a passion for the game and love for his coaches and teammates. Our hearts go out to Marion’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
The Bears also offered a statement, saying, “We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Bears RB Marion Barber III. Our hearts go out to his family & friends.”
Selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft, Barber played his entire career except for one season with the Dallas franchise, only to play a lone, last season with the Chicago Bears before he retired. The Minnesota native was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007 despite not starting a game for a 13-3 team that finished with the best record in the NFC. He led the Cowboys with 975 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns in his second season.
Jada Pinkett Smith returned to Facebook Watch with a new edition of Red Table Talk. The June 1 episode focuses on the realities of alopecia. Pinkett Smith suffers from alopecia and it became one of the main points of conversation after her husband, Will Smith, slapped Chris Rock after he made a joke about her hair on stage at the 2022 Oscars.
In the latest episode of the award-winning show, Jada Pinkett gazes directly into the camera and delivered a message about the Oscars moment.
“My deepest hope is that these two intelligent, capable men have an opportunity to heal, talk this out and reconcile. The state of the world today, we need ‘em both. And we all actually need one another more than ever. Until then, Will and I are continuing to do what we have done for the last 28 years, and that’s keep figuring out this thing called life together.”
After that message, Pinkett Smith would detail the condition, including the details like 147 million people suffering from alopecia.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Queens rapper Ja Rule released his debut LP Venni Vetti Vicci. As the first release ofrom Irv Gotti‘s Murder Inc. record label, this project carried a lot of weight on its shoulders as the breakthrough for not only Ja Rule’s career but the career and integrity of Murder Inc Records as a whole.
Fortunately enough, the album was a hit and launched Ja Rule and Murder Inc. up among the ranks of some of New York’s most respected and successful rappers. Ja Rule’s force, style, and energy blended perfectly with and help grow the popularity of the East Coast hardcore movement that was taking place in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The mix of high energy, club jam production and hardcore gangster lyricism is what made this album so appealing. Although it could be said that Ja Rule wasn’t the greatest with the pen, the party appeal of this project kept it flying off the shelves in record stores across the country. The album’s commercial reception was more than any one could ask for a debut album peaking at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart and #3 on the Billboard 200 chart all while going platinum in the year of its release.
On this day in Hip Hop history, Queens rapper Ja Rule released his debut LP Venni Vetti Vicci. As the first release ofrom Irv Gotti‘s Murder Inc. record label, this project carried a lot of weight on its shoulders as the breakthrough for not only Ja Rule’s career but the career and integrity of Murder Inc Records as a whole.
Fortunately enough, the album was a hit and launched Ja Rule and Murder Inc. up among the ranks of some of New York’s most respected and successful rappers. Ja Rule’s force, style, and energy blended perfectly with and help grow the popularity of the East Coast hardcore movement that was taking place in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The mix of high energy, club jam production and hardcore gangster lyricism is what made this album so appealing. Although it could be said that Ja Rule wasn’t the greatest with the pen, the party appeal of this project kept it flying off the shelves in record stores across the country. The album’s commercial reception was more than any one could ask for a debut album peaking at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart and #3 on the Billboard 200 chart all while going platinum in the year of its release.
A Kansas City police officer shot an unarmed pregnant Black woman Friday night. The woman is currently hospitalized.
CBS KCTV-5 reports Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating, which is protocol to have an external agency investigate KCPD officer-related shootings. MSHP stated the responding officers were answering a call about an alleged armed carjacking, which included a thorough description and a license plate number.
The Kansas City Police Officers approached the suspected vehicle and the male driver fled with officers in pursuit. The woman, later identified as 26-year-old Leonna Hale, also ran into the parking lot.
The MSHP stated a handgun was found in the parking lot and two KCPD officers fired shots. Hale was shot and was taken to the hospital. The male suspect was not wounded but taken to a local hospital for an unrelated medical issue.
“We never want to be in these type of situations,” Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department’s Interim Police Chief Joseph Mabin said. “Not the public, as a police department. Anytime it happens is a blight on our community. I want to ensure the public the scene is secure. There’s no on-going threat. We’re committed to be 100% transparent. This is a holiday weekend. It’s time for friends. Not a time for violence.”
A citizen, 29-year-old Shedanja, at the scene told the Kansas City Star the woman did not draw a woman or have anything in her hand. “She did not pull out a weapon on them,” a witness said. “She did not even have a stick in her hand.” Shédanja also stated Hale was just three steps away from the officers.
“One, two, three, four, five. I remember it because it didn’t stop. They shot five times,” Shédanja said to The Star. “I remember seeing her hit the ground and I froze.” In a video that was released online, officers asked Hale to get on the ground, but she stated she was unable to because she was pregnant. In addition, the witness stated Hale alerted officers there was a gun in the car. As she backed away from officers who had their guns at her, the officers opened fire shooting the woman multiple times.
This past weekend, Chicago slang spitter Chance The Rapper was acknowledged by music icon Anita Baker, who thanked Chance during a show for helping her acquire her masters.
Baker showed her thanks to CTR during a recent performance where he was in attendance. “You should say hello to a friend of mine by way of the music industry and by way of helping me, helping me to get a hold and ownership of my master recordings,” Baker said, pointing at Chance, who stood up and thanked the audience for the round of applause.
I saw one of THE greatest performances of my LIFETIME last night! Thank you so much @IAMANITABAKER for being an inspiration and an icon to so many of US https://t.co/TFcWt3lZFj
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) May 29, 2022
“I saw one of THE greatest performances of my LIFETIME last night,” Chance wrote on Twitter. “Thank you so much @IAMANITABAKER for being an inspiration and an icon to so many of US.”
Had no idea you would be in our Midst. Such a nice Surprise. Brought Tears, to my eyes. Hope Ms. Essence enjoyed her Birthday ABXOhttps://t.co/EvTiTTaEgM
JAY-Z’s 2003 The Black Album boasted a myriad of guest appearances. Still, one of the most memorable yet uncredited appearances was “King Of Comedy” Cedric The Entertainer in between Hov’s verses on “Threat.”
While a guest on William “Fuzzy” West and Quincy Harris’ FAQ Podcast, the 58-year-old comedian explained how he talked his way into an appearance on the album after a chance meeting with Jay=Z in New York.
“It was random,” he said. “I was in there, watching him do his thing. The Black Album was his last album so I pitched him an idea. He was on his way out and I was like, ‘Yo man, I’ve been having this funny idea of doing the Beverly Hills Cop thing with you. He was like, ‘Oh, that’s funny. I like that. But I’m working on this song called ‘Threats’ that I need somebody just threatening people on.’ I was like, ‘Aiight!’ So then he left and it was me and [Young] Guru. I just went in there and freestyled that shit! Just was making it up, having a good time.”
Young Guru and the song’s producer, 9th Wonder, recall the recording session with Cederic The Entertainer, with Guru adding on social media, “@cedtheentertainer man we had a great time making that song,” he wrote. “First off I was super excited that @9thwonder had the possibility of making the album. @cedtheentertainer is really a ‘King of Comedy’ because he did at least 30 minutes of complete freestyle. That night was one for the books.”
Tory Lanez had a rough 2021, with the allegations of shooting Megan Thee Stallion making headlines and making him one of the most hated men n the rap game. Now, it appears his issues with famous women have taken a back seat to new dating rumors between him and another well known celebrity.
Over the weekend, Lanez was spotted seated ringside with Madonna at the Barclays Center for the Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero in Brooklyn, with the two playfully conversing and at times even blocking the media present from snapping pics.
Nothing has been confirmed, but the pics of the unlikely duo has undoubtedly sparked dating rumors Lanez and the “Material Girl”.
On this day in 1988, Boogie Down Productions dropped one of the best and most influential albums of all time. It was widely seen as one of, if not the first, politically conscious efforts in Hip Hop
KRS-One was initially popular for fueling the Juice Crew vs. BDP beef on wax and expanding intellectual Hip Hop music through 1987, with the release of Criminal Minded. However, when BDP’s DJ Scott La Rock was shot and killed in the South Bronx, it had a profound effect on the Brooklyn native, which resulted in a drastic rethinking of his on-record persona. By All Means Necessary was one of the first albums the group made after Scott La Rock’s death that would have a lasting effect on generations to come. The “Blastmaster” began to talk about a lot of the issues that were plaguing the black community like police brutality, government corruption, institutionalized racism, and later on giving birth to his “Stop the Violence” Campaign.
As “The Teacher,” on perhaps one of the most influential tracks from the LP, “Stop the Violence”, he spits,
“I look, but it doesn’t coincide with my books/Social Studies will not speak upon hard hitting crooks/It’s just the Presidents, and all the money they spent/All the things they invent, and how their house is so immaculate/They create missiles, my family’s eating gristle/Then they get upset when the press blows the whistle”
As a plea to end violence in Hip Hop, which still hasn’t been heeded to this day, KRS-One took on the role as the spearhead of Hip Hop’s Stop The Violence Movement, choosing the single, “Self Destruction”, as the lead single.
With classic tracks like, “Nervous”, nearly every track on the album had a distinct narrative, and even the album cover art and the theme were Malcolm X (By Any Means Neccessary) inspired. On the track, “Jimmy”, the rapper became the first rapper to speak on the AIDS/HIV epidemic that plagued Black and Brown communities in America. On the song, “Illegal Business”, Kris gave the masses a startling perception into the drug trade and how it corrupts the police and the government.
Salute to KRS and the entire Boogie Down Productions crew for giving us this epic piece of Hip Hop history!
“It’s not about a salary, it’s all about reality..”
