News Exclusives

Today In Hip Hop History: Audio Two Dropped Their Debut LP ‘What More Can I Say?’ 36 Years Ago

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On this date in the summer of ’88, Brooklyn rap duo Audio Two released their debut album What More Can I Say?, which dropped on their own Brooklyn-based First Priority imprint a d distributed through Atlantic Records.

Produced primarily by Milk Dee and DJ Gizmo with some assistance from Stetsasonic’s Daddy-O, What More Can I Say? is an 11-track album with several underground bangers, however, the lead single and standout track, “Top Billin’”, is undoubtedly one of the biggest hits in Hip Hop music. The Billy Squire-sampled track has been used by several artists including Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love” and 50 Cent’s “I Get Money”.

Other under the radar hits include “I Don’t Care”, “Many Styles”/”The Questions” and the storytelling saga “Hickeys Around My Neck”.

Salute to Milk, Giz, the King of Chill, Daddy-O and everyone at 824 St. Johns Place who helped in making this piece of Hip Hop history!

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Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Posthumously Received Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame One Year Ago

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Last year, the late Tupac Amaru Shakur received the biggest honor in entertainment; a star on Hollywood’s coveted Walk of Fame. Better late than never, since Shakur was gunned down 27 years ago in Las Vegas at the apex of his career, but his work still impacts pop culture to this day.

Hosted by L.A. radio personality Big Boy, celebrities and notables spoke at length about Shakur’s list of accolades and achievements such as Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur director Allen Hughes, Pac’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, chairman of the board of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Matt Fritch, writer and former Black Panther Party member Jamal Joseph.

“When we talk about that global influence, we think of Tupac Amaru Shakur,” Joseph said. “And yes, that impactful time of the world knowing who Tupac was, was a five- or six-year period. But for everybody who knew Tupac, everybody who was here, we knew he was a star from the time he was a little boy.”

Shakur’s star marks the 2,758th to grace Hollywood Boulevard. While the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce unanimously selected Tupac for star in 2013, it took a decade for it to happen.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Posthumously Received Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame One Year Ago first appeared on The Source.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old!

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On this date three decades ago, Death Row Records producer and Dr. Dre’s brother Warren G dropped his debut album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’.

Executive produced by the late Chris Lighty, The Def Jam/Violator signee took his solo act on the road and brought it cross country to NYC to distinguish himself from the rest of his legendary peers from Death Row Records. The strategy worked, with the album being certified platinum by the RIAA two years following its release.

The album’s title track is by far the most memorable track from the album, however, another track entitled “So Many Ways” made it into the 1995 Martin Lawrence/Will Smith silver screen smash Bad Boys.

Salute to Warren G, the late Nate Dogg, the late Chris Lighty, Dr. Dre, the Violator squad and Def Jam for this timeless piece of Hip Hop History!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: EPMD Dropped Their Debut Single ‘Strictly Business’ 34 Years Ago

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“Strictly Business” is the debut single by the legendary duo EPMD. The song served as the lead single for their debut album of the same name. The record was the pair’s first charting single and saw minor success on the R&B charts.

Although it was received with mixed reviews when it was first released, “Strictly Business” has aged gracefully and is now considered a Hip-Hop classic.

The song peaked at the No. 25 position on the U.S. R&B Singles chart. On the other hand, it peaked on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales and U.S. Dance Music/Club Play Singles charts in the No. 17 and No. 19 position, respectively.

The song’s main sample is Eric Clapton’s cover of Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff”. Other samples include “Jungle Boogie” by Kool & the Gang and “Long Red” by Mountain.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: EPMD Dropped Their Debut Single ‘Strictly Business’ 34 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: EPMD Dropped Their Debut Single ‘Strictly Business’ 34 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

AZ, Lord Jamar, King Sun And More To Perform At Inaugural “Supreme Mathematics Awards” Ceremony In Brooklyn Today

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Today, Seven Lights Productions in conjunction with the 5% Nation will be holding the Inaugural “Supreme Mathematics Awards” ceremony, which will be held in Brooklyn’s Paragon Ballroom. Hosted by C&C Music Factory’s Freedom Williams, the show features appearances from notable Hip Hop artists such as AZ, Lord Jamar, King Sun and other well known rappers from the 5% culture such as Estee Nack, Raz Fresco, Kasim Allah, Tragedy Khadafi, Lakim Shabazz and countess others.

The award show is the first of its kind, heading off the Nation’s Annual Show And Prove Weekend, which is a celebration of the accomplishment’s of the 5% since the assassination of the Nation’s founder during the same weekend in 1969. This is also a celebration of the Nation’s 60th anniversary, reminiscent of the Nation’s 50th Anniversary celebration, which was held at the World Famous Apollo Theater and featured Erykah Badu, Big Daddy Kane, The World Famous Supreme Team and many others.

The event will also be live streamed from Polygon at 7pm courtesy of Seven Lights Productions and will be presenting awards to notable members of Allah’s 5% Nation as well as the community in areas of music, health, sports, medicine, technology, community affairs and of course, education.

Tickets for the event can be purchased HERE

The post AZ, Lord Jamar, King Sun And More To Perform At Inaugural “Supreme Mathematics Awards” Ceremony In Brooklyn Today first appeared on The Source.

The post AZ, Lord Jamar, King Sun And More To Perform At Inaugural “Supreme Mathematics Awards” Ceremony In Brooklyn Today appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Lil Durk’s Brother OTF Dthang Shot And Killed Three Years Ago

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Just days after the release of Lil Durk and Lil Baby’s Voice Of The Heroes project, Dontay Banks Jr., the older brother of Lil Durk, was shot and killed outside of a nightclub in Chicago on this date in 2021.

Banks, who was also known as “DThang”, was shot outside of Club O, a strip club, in Harvey, Illinois. Very few details were released about Banks’ death, however, many fans took to social media to express their grief and condolences to Durk and the OTF family.

Authorities continue to investigate the series of shootings and no suspects are currently in custody. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harvey Police Department.

Lil Durk has not commented on his brother’s death, but friends including producer Murda Beatz and Chicago rapper Calboy mourned the loss on social media.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Lil Durk’s Brother OTF Dthang Shot And Killed Three Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Lil Durk’s Brother OTF Dthang Shot And Killed Three Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr’s Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ Turns 35 Years Old!

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On this date in 1989, Boston native Keith Elam and Houston native Christopher Martin, better known as Guru and DJ Premier, came together to continue the legacy of Gangstarr and released the group’s first full studio album entitled No More Mr. Nice Guy.

Released by overseas label Chrysalis Records, Gangstarr, and their debut release ironically heavily influenced the NYC Hip Hop sound, even though neither artists were native New Yorkers. Tracks such as “Positivity,” “Conscious Be Free,” and the album’s lead single, “Manifest,” exposed Guru’s unparalleled slow flow, while instrumentals like “DJ Premier In Deep Concentration” just set the pace for who Hip Hop would later recognize as one of the greatest producers in the game.

A supreme salute goes out to DJ Premier, Guru(RIP), the Elam family, the Gangstarr Foundation, and the entire East New York for creating a pivotal moment in Hip Hop history.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr’s Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ Turns 35 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: GangStarr’s Debut LP ‘No More Mr. Nice Guy’ Turns 35 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Young Dolph’s Alleged Killers Get New Trial Date

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news reports have confirmed that the two men who were arrested and charged for the murder of Young Dolph have recently received a new trial date.

Both the prosecution and defense have contributed to the delay of the murder trial of Justin Johnson and Cornelius Smith, which was originally scheduled for March, but pushed back until this month. Now, the new start date for the murder trial is set for September 23.

Shelby County Judge Jennifer J. Mitchell was not happy granting the motion of continuance, stating, “I was really anxious to get this case over and done with starting this week, but they both expressed to the court the desire to get experts in. So I allowed the continuance to occur.”

Dolph, whose real name is Adolph Thornton Jr., was shot and killed in front of a bakery in November 2021. Two other men have also been charged for their involvement in the killing. Jemarcus Johnson has pleaded guilty to three counts of being an accessory after the fact, but has not yet been sentenced. Hernandez Govan has also been accused of ordering the killing, which he has denied. He is also currently waiting on a trial date.

The post Young Dolph’s Alleged Killers Get New Trial Date first appeared on The Source.

The post Young Dolph’s Alleged Killers Get New Trial Date appeared first on The Source.

Jim Jones Drops A Preview Trailer For New “Too Turnt”

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Jim Jones Reveals The Bracelet He Gifted Drake Was Worth $50K

Jim Jones released a trailer for his latest single, “Too Turnt,” with Taylor Richard and Dilla Illa on his Instagram via Vamplife Records and EMPIRE. Jim Jones & Shula The Don directed the music video. The trailer shows Jim Jones, Taylor, and Dilla Illa living it up in the middle of a night in Miami.

See the “Too Turnt” preview HERE

The single’s release date is yet to be announced. 

Fresh off of giving an a$$ kicking in Florida’s Opa-Locka Airport to two strangers last month, Jones is still dedicated to various humanitarian efforts and has displayed his affinity for giving back to the inner city youth community through VAMP Cares.

The post Jim Jones Drops A Preview Trailer For New “Too Turnt” first appeared on The Source.

The post Jim Jones Drops A Preview Trailer For New “Too Turnt” appeared first on The Source.

De La Soul To Showcase Revealing ‘Chapter 3’ Documentary On YouTube June 7

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De La Soul, the legendary hip-hop group, is set to showcase their highly anticipated documentary, Chapter 3, beginning June 7 through June 14 on YouTube, as well as the band’s Facebook, Twitter and official website. Chapter 3 chronicles the iconic studio sessions leading up to the 2023 re-release and remaster of De La Soul’s catalog, one of the most storied music collections in hip-hop. These sessions marked the first time in almost three decades that Posdnuos, Dave, Maseo, and producer Prince Paul ventured into the same studio together in service of a De La Soul project. 

Fans can view the live stream presentation series, broadcasting daily in different time zones. The schedule is as follows:

June 7 – Los Angeles, CA, USA – 3 PM

June 8 – Sydney, Australia – 3 PM

June 9 – Chicago, IL, USA – 3 PM

June 10 – London, UK – 3 PM

June 11 – Paris, France – 3 PM

June 12 – Seoul, South Korea – 3 PM

June 13 – São Paulo, Brazil – 3 PM

June 14 – New York, NY, USA – 3 PM

On June 14, the documentary live stream will redirect to the official music video premiere of  “The Magic Number” at 3:30 PM EST. 

“The Magic Number” music video is a riff on two dueling concepts that have long been part of the De La Soul brand: The Soul and artificial intelligence (AI). With their Artofficial Intelligence (AOI) albums, De La Soul proved to be ahead of their time, discussing the concept of AI and its impact on art.  This video was created using generative art based AI to make  uniquely timely. However, without the heart infused by the De La Soul members themselves, it’s missing the vital “Soul” element, revealing an important commentary on AI’s place in art.

This project began while Dave was still alive and transformed into something deeply poignant following his passing in February 2023. Pos and Maseo’s efforts to support the De La brand during this pivotal moment are a testament to their dedication and resilience. “The Magic Number” stands as a companion piece to the documentary, showcasing De La’s last time as a trio, which is sadly the last time all three members were together. 

The post De La Soul To Showcase Revealing ‘Chapter 3’ Documentary On YouTube June 7 first appeared on The Source.

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