News Exclusives

Pop Smoke’s Gravesite Vandalized, Casket Dragged Out

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Over the weekend, someone desecrated the gravesite of slain rapper Pop Smoke, smashing the crypt and even attempting to drag the casket out.

According to authorities, the damage was done between 2:30 PM Friday and 2PM on Saturday and with no surveillance footage, there is no way to confirm.

According to reports, an eyewitness discovered the destroyed gravesite at Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery on Saturday. There was reportedly $500 worth of damage done to the crypt and no suspects have been named or arrests that have been made.

Pop Smoke’s spot on the outer wall of a mausoleum within the grounds seemed to be singled out and horribly vandalized, with his marble plaque cracked, with his full name, Bashar Barakah Jackson, displayed on the marble.

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The eyewitness, who was also a groundskeeper, said that the door-looking thing seemed to be a concrete slab that would presumably sit over Smoke’s casket, separating his body from another person above him. The black rectangular object also seemed to be part of Pop Smoke’s wall enclosure. They also said when they returned to the gravesite hours later, Pop’s plaque had been replaced with a blank slab, and there was caution tape around the area.

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Today In Hip Hop History: Missy Elliott Released Her Debut LP ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ 27 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip Hop history, rap queen Missy Elliott released her debut LP, Supa Dupa Fly.

Arguably the most influential release by a female rapper in history, this project birthed one of rap’s most important icons, male or female. The Hip Hop/R&B experimental masterpiece not only delivered a fresh sound to a period in between dominant trends, it also set the tone for what would be considered a radio hit at the turn of the millennium.

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The sound and success of this project are due in equal part to Missy and fellow Virginian super-producer Timbaland. In the new age, digital R&B style production pioneered a sound that became the standard of any Top 40 crossover hit of the era. His technical ability as a beatmaker personally complimented Missy’s unorthodox, almost broken-up, flow and smooth, soulful vocals. Missy’s ability as an innovative songwriter allowed for the mind-boggling production to not be wasted. The subjects that were touched on came with a new perspective and the way she rode each beat added such emphasis, giving the project a strong theatrical quality.

Commercially, it performed quite well peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album claimed the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and made appearances on music charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands.  The album was certified platinum in the United States and silver in the United Kingdom, both in the year of its release. Critics across the board praised both Timbaland and Missy Elliot for their work on this album, calling it “a key prophecy of the dominant 21st-century Black pop” and “everything the Hip Hop doctor ordered; a woman who could flip between aggression and romance, sex and nonsense, materialism and imagination, without batting one outrageously spidery eyelash.”

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Missy Elliott Released Her Debut LP ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ 27 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Missy Elliott Released Her Debut LP ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ 27 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today in Hip Hop History: Too $hort Released His Fourth LP ‘Shorty The Pimp’ 32 Years Ago

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On this day in Hip-Hop history, Oakland rapper Too $hort released his fourth studio LP, Shorty The Pimp. 

Inspired by a 1973 blaxploitation film of the same name, the album’s sexually braggadocio lyrics and funk-inspired production held true to the style Too $hort had established for himself over his past six projects. And although Too $hort rarely strayed away from his proven formula, his progression as an artist is evident on this project.

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Commercially, this album had great national reception and was Too $hort’s most popular album to date selling 82,000 copies in its first week. The project debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked, and #11 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart.

Although Too $hort was never hailed as the greatest lyricist of his era, the production and instrumentation of his projects brought him such acclaim. On this project particularly, the instrumentation and composition from Shorty B alongside production from Ant Banks and Too $hort himself is strong enough to stand solo and still be considered a satisfying pseudo-funk album. Check out “In The Trunk” as an exemplary track from the album below.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Too $hort Released His Fourth LP ‘Shorty The Pimp’ 32 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

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Skilla Baby And DaBaby Drop “Project X” Video

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Skilla Baby continues to heat up the summer. He gears up to drop his new music video for “Project X (feat. DaBaby)” on Friday via Geffen Records. Directed by DaBaby the video finds Skilla at a college fraternity party living it up with DaBaby.

This follows his “Misfit” street music video with Polo G. Both tracks are off Skilla’s latest mixtape The Coldest. Skilla Baby has been on a hot streak with recent plugs in PEOPLE, Associated Press, Galore, Billboard, Stereogum, Rolling Out and more. Most recently Skilla Baby graced the 2024 XXL Freshman cover as the 10th spot winner aka The People’s Champ and walked the BET 2024 Awards red carpet. At only 25-years-old Skilla Baby has grown immensely the past few years as an artist with over 400 million streams to his name.

The post Skilla Baby And DaBaby Drop “Project X” Video first appeared on The Source.

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The World’s Premiere Spanish Freestyle Rap Battle Debuts In NYC This Weekend

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Red Bull Batalla, the world’s largest Spanish-language freestyle rap competition, will be making a stop in New York City for a Regional Qualifier on July 13th, 2024. Fans 18+ are encouraged to RSVP online today to reserve their free ticket in advance, with attendance on a first come, first serve basis.

Taking place at Brooklyn’s OneThirtyOne, the event marks the final USA regional qualifying event taking place during the 2024 Batalla season. The city will welcome 16 aspiring MCs who will put their wit, creativity, and stage presence to the test over a series of bracket-style knockout rounds – all for a chance to compete at the USA National Final in Miami this October and potentially the 2024 International Final in Madrid, Spain this November.

The top 4 MCs advancing to Miami will be determined by a panel of esteemed judges including New York’s El Dilema, freestyle creator Snow Qlq, and special guest judge J Noa, the fast-rising global sensation from the Dominican Republic. Following the battles, J Noa and 3x Red Bull Batalla champion, Éxodo Lirical, will surprise guests with exciting musical performances. The event will be hosted by Racso White Lion with DJ Cesar on the beats.

Since 2005, Red Bull Batalla has provided a platform for the best hip-hop improvisers in the Spanish-speaking world to connect, develop, and compete although most recently, Red Bull Batalla delivered a historic season in 2023.

Following a global application phase in 2023 that saw over 8,000 hopefuls enter for a chance to be a part of the competition, three qualifier events were hosted on American soil including Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami – a testament to how much the Spanish freestyle scene has grown in the USA since its inaugural year in 2019. With the 2024 season slated to be better than ever, New York residents are in for a treat as they experience one of the world’s largest musical competitions this summer.

The post The World’s Premiere Spanish Freestyle Rap Battle Debuts In NYC This Weekend first appeared on The Source.

The post The World’s Premiere Spanish Freestyle Rap Battle Debuts In NYC This Weekend appeared first on The Source.

Cory Gunz Unveils ‘The Militia’ Mixtape With Fellow Militia Members Black Saun, Whispers and More

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Multi-platinum selling recording artist Cory Gunz releases The Militia mixtape featuring fellow Militia members Black Saun, Whispers, RMK, Mulaarie and more.

The Militia tape contains nine new songs with production from Black Saun and Qui3t with a feature from Ms. Hustle. Cory and The Militia members come through with bars showcasing their lyrical wordplay over a combination of gritty sounds and Jersey club beats with songs like “Bout Mine” and “Club & Go.” The Militia also pays homage to veteran rapper-turned-podcaster N.O.R.E.’s first album with the song “Head Tonight.”

The Militia tape comes on the heels of Cory’s “On The Radar” Freestyle where he unleashed rapid fire bars for four minutes straight! The freestyle was liked by fellow labelmate Drake and received rave reviews from industry peers such as A$AP Ferg, Dave East, Tony Yayo, Don Cannon and more. The visual for the freestyleshows the YMCMB artist alongside fellow Militia members Black Saun, Whispers and RMK as he delivers rapid fire bars over a mash-up beat of previously released tracks, “Scenario” and “Rick Owens x Nike Tech.” The freestyle has also been released on DSPs where it received playlisting on Apple Music’s Base:Line, BARS, and Underground Hip-Hop Essentials.

The Militia Tracklist

  1. Bout Mine (feat. D. Jones & Ms. Hustle)
  2. Wrist Rocky (feat. Whispers & Mulaarie)
  3. Club & Go (feat. Lavish Liife & Yemi Sauce)
  4. Ain’t Wit That (feat. RMK, Pax3 & Whispers)
  5. Count (feat. Whispers)
  6. That Part (feat. Dashii & RMK)
  7. Head Tonight (feat. Whispers, Dashii & RMK)
  8. How Me Well (feat. Mulaarie)
  9. Mobb Thru (feat. Black Saun)

The post Cory Gunz Unveils ‘The Militia’ Mixtape With Fellow Militia Members Black Saun, Whispers and More first appeared on The Source.

The post Cory Gunz Unveils ‘The Militia’ Mixtape With Fellow Militia Members Black Saun, Whispers and More appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: ‘Hustle & Flow’ Soundtrack Was Released 19 Years Ago

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On this date in 2005, T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records dropped the soundtrack to the pimp juice-infused flick Hustle & Flow. The featured song, “It’s Hard Out Here For A Pimp,” which was produced by Three 6 Mafia, would get the Memphis crew an unprecedented Oscar for Best Original Song at the 78th Academy Awards.

Legendary stand out singles from this classic soundtrack include Webbie’s “Bad Bitch”, featuring the Diamond Princess herself Trina, the Lil Jon-powered “I’m a King” (Remix) featuring T.I. and Lil Scrappy, and of course the movie tracks featuring Terrence Howard, who raps as “Djay” on songs like “Whoop That Trick” and the title track. The two above singles actually reached the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. Billboard Hot 100 R&B/hip-hop songs respectively.

Salute to the Grand Hustle imprint, Three 6 Mafia, Lil Boosie and Webbie, and all of the other Dirty South artists who made this soundtrack a piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: ‘Hustle & Flow’ Soundtrack Was Released 19 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

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Ice Spice Drops New Video “Did It First” With Central Cee

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GRAMMY®-nominated rapper and pop culture sensation Ice Spice teams up with chart-topping UK rapper Central Cee on the explosive new single “Did It First.” Demonstrating what Pitchfork hailed as a “diabolical knack for hooks,” she declares, “If he cheating, I’m doing him worse / No uno, I hit the reverse/ I ain’t trippin’, the grip in my purse / I don’t care, cuz he did it first.” On his verse, Central Cee does his best to conceal his infidelities but admits, “If I went court for all the times I got caught / I’d have about 16 felons.”

ce and Central Cee began teasing the single earlier this week, stirring up speculation and amassing over 42 million views on TikTok plus 10,500+ creates with the official sound. “Did It First” is from Ice Spice’s debut album, Y2K! — due out July 26 via 10K Projects/Capitol Records. The project also includes recent hits “Think U The Shit (Fart),” “Gimmie A Light” and “Phat Butt,” which People praised as “braggadocious.” She recently performed “Think U The Shit (Fart)” at the BET Awards ‘24.

After the first leg of her European festival performances – including Wireless Festival in London today July 12 – Ice Spice will bring the Y2K! WORLD TOUR to North America, beginning with a July 30 show at The Anthem in Washington, DC. The headline run will also include two shows at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City (August 6 & 7) and an evening at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles (August 19).

The post Ice Spice Drops New Video “Did It First” With Central Cee first appeared on The Source.

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[WATCH] Did Wayne Not Perform With The Hot Boys At Essence Festival Because Of Turk?

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There’s no secret that there has been a lot of heat within the Hot Boys’ camp, specifically between formerly incarcerated members B.G., who was released from federal prison late last year and the group’s stand out star, Lil Wayne.

The Hot Boys were slated to perform at this year’;s Essence Festival, which also marks the 25th anniversary of “Back Dat Azz Up”, one of the group’s top 3 songs of all time. What was most noticeable to fans was Wayne’s absence from Essence, which was rumored due to former Hot Boy Turk not attending the event. What was supposed to be a Hot Boys reunion couldn’t happen without the all four of the original members present.

When asked by interviewer B-High how he felt about not performing at Essence Festival, Turk responded, “When I saw the set…when I saw everything coming and I saw them boys coming out, it was like a bittersweet moment because I’m supposed to be there. I can’t get excited about a place I’m not invited, but it was bittersweet.”

The post [WATCH] Did Wayne Not Perform With The Hot Boys At Essence Festival Because Of Turk? first appeared on The Source.

The post [WATCH] Did Wayne Not Perform With The Hot Boys At Essence Festival Because Of Turk? appeared first on The Source.

[WATCH] Chuck D Reveals Favorite Public Enemy Record On SiriusXM’s Flavor Of The Week, Why He’s Upset With Flavor Flav’s Mother

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Chuck D and Flavor Flav Photo by Piero F Giunti

Chuck D recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Flavor of the Week hosted by Flavor Flav.

During the interview, Chuck D revealed his favorite Public Enemy records and teased what’s next for Public Enemy in 2025. He also shared the reason he is upset with Flavor Flav’s mother.

Check out Chuck’s favorite PE cuts HERE

When asked about his favorite PE joints, Chuck replied, “I like them all ’cause they just like, you know, like kids. You don’t rate your kids, so I mean, it’s like, to me personally, I like, “Welcome to Terrordome.” You know, Keith came in and put the spanking on that. I like “Harder Than You Think” ’cause it’s easy to do and it was done so quick and that’s Gary G-Whiz. Of course, “Rebel Without a Pause.” “Shut Em Down” is always a favorite. “Public Enemy No. 1″ is because it was our first, you know, and I wanted to make a record that made people look at it ugly and made them run away. I didn’t want to, you know, I’m always that difficult dude, so I don’t want you to say you like my shit. Matter of fact, I want you to say you hate my so I could beat your ass with it. How about that? That’s what I like.”

WHenever someone’s mother is mentioned, everyone is all ears, but Chcuk was very candid about why he was upset with his hypeman’s mom.

The post [WATCH] Chuck D Reveals Favorite Public Enemy Record On SiriusXM’s Flavor Of The Week, Why He’s Upset With Flavor Flav’s Mother first appeared on The Source.

The post [WATCH] Chuck D Reveals Favorite Public Enemy Record On SiriusXM’s Flavor Of The Week, Why He’s Upset With Flavor Flav’s Mother appeared first on The Source.