Philadelphia

Allen Iverson Speaks On “Unique” Bond With The City Of Philadelphia

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Allen Iverson is a Philadelphia legend. After two seasons at the University of Georgetown, including a run to the Elite Eight in 1996, Iverson declared for the NBA Draft. He went first overall to the Sixers, who were coming off an 18-64 season. With their new superstar, the Sixers improved year-on-year until they returned to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade in the 1998/99 season. Two seasons later and they were in the NBA Finals, with Iverson winning MVP. It was the closest the Sixers got to an NBA title with Iverson on the roster.

However, a lack of consistent success frustrated Iverson, and in December 2006, he was sent to the Nuggets in a blockbuster midseason trade. However, Iverson only lasted 23 months in Denver, being dealt to the Pistons in 2008. After a brief stint in Memphis in 2009, Iverson rejoined the Sixers. However, he was forced to step away from the team in 2010 due to his daughter’s health. After playing ten games in Turkey in late 2010, Iverson officially retired. However, despite their rocky relationship while he was there, it’s clear that Iverson still loves the city that drafted him.

Read More: 1972 Wilt Chamberlain jersey expected to sell for $4 million or more at auction

Allen Iverson Speaks On Special Bond With Philly

“I became a man in Philadelphia. I was 21 years old when I got there…As far as an athlete and a fanbase, there’s no other relationship like mine with the people in Philadelphia,” Iverson told former Sixers co-owner Michael Rubin while attending the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Furthermore, Iverson said he enjoys the sports memorabilia collection scene. According to Iverson, he views the memorabilia scene as fans at their most excited and most grateful to meet players.

However, Iverson’s relationship could have been very different if not for backup Sixers center Matt Grieger. In the summer of 2000, the Sixers were part of a massive trade. Some sources report it as six teams and 24 players. Meanwhile, other sources report it as four teams and 12 players. Regardless of how big the trade was, Iverson was on the edge of being dealt to the Pistons before Grieger refused to waive his $1.2 million trade kicker. Who knows how that would have affected the NBA and more importantly, Iverson’s relationship with Philadelphia.

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Drake Pays Tribute To Gillie Da Kid’s Son, Gillie Reacts

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Drake is someone who has always been quick to speak out on topics within hip-hop culture. Although he may not be doing interviews with the big hip-hop podcasts, he still speaks on the culture in his own time. In fact, sometimes he will do this during his concerts. It’s always nice to see, especially when he paying tribute to someone, or simply giving them their flowers. On Monday night in Philadelphia, Drizzy decided to comment on the passing of YNG Cheese.

YNG Cheese was the son of popular media personality and artist Gillie Da Kid. Overall, this was an incredibly sad story that had the hip-hop world rallying behind the Philly native. In the video clip below, shared by Gillie, you can hear Drake’s positive words. “Before we get started, one of our friends, our brothers in this shit, lost his son the other day,” Drake said. “So I wanna dedicate this show tonight to Cheese. Y’all make some noise for Gillie and his son Cheese. Express some positivity!”

Read More: Drake, Chloe Bailey & More Mourn Loss Of “Euphoria” Star Angus Cloud

Drake Offers Condolences

Subsequently, Gillie took to his Instagram page where he thanked Drake for his kindness. Moreover, he claimed that Drizzy’s words ultimately brought him to tears. “@champagnepapi Me n And Family appreciate u From the bottom of Our hearts,” Gillie wrote. “I watch u put a smile on my kids face at this ruff time [heart emoji] love u 4 that [100 emoji] but ur nut a$$ ain’t have to have me cryin like that in front of all them people u could of warned Me [crying and laughing emojis] #LLCheese.”

Overall, this was a great tribute to Drake, especially during such a difficult time for Gillie and his family. Our thoughts are currently with Gillie, and we wish him nothing but the best during this time. Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the music world.

Read More: Drake Reflects On Beef With Meek Mill At Philadelphia Concert: “He Got Us Up Out Of Philly Real Quick”

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Shaquille O’Neal Mashes Up Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” & Meek Mill’s “Dreams & Nightmares”

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Shaquille O’Neal blended Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” and Meek Mill’s “Dreams & Nightmares” during a recent performance in Philadelphia. The mash-up comes after a viral debate concerning whether Uzi’s song replaced Meek’s as the anthem for the city of Philadelphia.

DJ Diesel had been performing during the Phillies’ home matchup against the Nationals from Citizens Bank Park. Sharing a clip of the set on TikTok, Shaq wrote: “when in Philly..” while tagging both artists.

Read More: DJ Drama Says Lil Uzi Vert Replaced Meek Mill With Philly’s Anthem

Shaquille O’Neal Performs In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 01: NBA Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal performs a set as DJ Diesel following a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on July 01, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

DJ Drama was the first one to spark the debate on “Just Wanna Rock” versus “Dreams and Nightmares.” The Philadelphia Eagles had previously walked out to Uzi’s track during their NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. “I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced—with all due respect—‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia, as the new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year,” Drama told TMZ. “I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times [throughout] Super Bowl weekend.”

Despite the debate, Uzi admitted they side with Meek’s “Dreams and Nightmares” when asked which song is Philly’s anthem. “I don’t think so,” Uzi told Revolt TV. “That song like been around for a very long time, and that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.”

DJ Diesel Mashes Up Meek Mill & Lil Uzi Vert

@shaq

when in Philly.. @Meek Mill @Lil Uzi Vert

♬ original sound – ShaqDieselONeal

He continued: “[Meek’s] a big homie from Philly, and that’s like one of my big homies. So I just like, feed off the energy that he gives actually to be able to even produce or put out that type of music. So like, hopefully. Like shit, hopefully he would hope that for me too. Not yet, though – it’s too early to tell.”

Read More: Lil Uzi Vert Responds To DJ Drama Claiming “Just Wanna Rock” Replaced “Dreams & Nightmares” As Philadelphia Anthem

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Fans Go Wild As Usher Walks Around The Roots Picnic

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Usher will take the stage at the annual The Roots Picnic at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia at 9:15pm Eastern Time on June 4. It’s his third big festival appearance of the year, following on from Dreamville and Lovers & Friends. The Roots have hosted the music festival every year, except 2020 and 2021, since 2008. However, Usher appears to building up to something big. His diamond-certified album Confessions turns 20 next year and he has promised “some incredible activations” to celebrate it. Furthermore, Usher has voiced his interest in headlining the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show and will perform in Europe later this year.

Usher has performed at the festival once before, in 2016. However, he is returning as one of the major headliners. Usher made headlines earlier this year while headlining the Lovers & Friends Festival. The night before the festival, Usher got into a physical altercation with Chris Brown. While Usher performed, he did so wearing sunglasses after he allegedly beat down by Brown’s entourage. Neither artist has publicly commented on what went down during Brown’s birthday party.

Crowd Goes Wild Upon Seeing Usher

Walking through the festival grounds at around midnight local time, fans were going wild as Usher moved through the crowd. “You’re watching history in the making!” Usher can be heard saying. Despite his set being nearly 24 hours away, he was absolutely adored by the crowd around him. Saturday night was closed out by Ms. Lauryn Hill. Other artists featured on the first day of the festival included Symba, GloRilla, and DJ Akademiks.

The Sunday lineup is absolutely stacked. On the Park Stage, Usher is preceded by the likes of City Girls and Ari Lennox. Elsewhere, acts like Saucy Santana and DJ Drama can be found on the Presser Stage. Finally, the Podcast Stage is being headlined by Charlamagne Tha God. We’ll have any news that comes out of the festival. Who are you excited about at the festival? Let us know in the comments Follow all the latest music news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Lil Uzi Vert Makes Interesting Admission About “Just Wanna Rock”

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Lil Uzi Vert came out with a hit when they dropped “Just Wanna Rock” back in 2022. Overall, this was a song that took a lot of people by surprise. This is mostly due to the huge shift in sound. This was a Jersey club banger that saw Uzi delivering some of their most off-kilter vocals yet. Additionally, the production was unlike anything that Uzi had ever rapped over. In the end, fans were quite impressed by it, and for some, it has replaced “Dreams And Nightmares” as the Philadelphia anthem.

Recently, Uzi got to speak to 032 Magazine where they touched on a plethora of topics. For instance, they explained why they changed their pronouns. Furthermore, they gave a rundown of their stint in rehab. In addition to all of this, they also spoke on “Just Wanna Rock” and how the whole track came together. As it turns out, the song is unfinished, although Uzi isn’t pressed about it. “Yeah, I make experimental music,” Lil Uzi Vert said. “That song is definitely unfinished. The end of the beat is messed up too.”

Read More: Lil Uzi Vert Explains Changing Their Pronouns

Lil Uzi Vert On “Just Wanna Rock”

From there, the artist went on to say that doing this song always made sense to them. At the end of the day, it is the culture they grew up around. Lil Uzi Vert even referenced their beginnings as a dancer. “People forgot I was a dancer before I was a rapper,” they explained. “I didn’t make any of this up, that’s how cool kids from Philly and Jersey dance – so I’m only a product of my environment. I’m just shining a light on that culture.”

With The Pink Tape on the horizon, fans are curious to hear what Uzi might decide to do next. Whatever it is, there is no doubt that fans are going to be excited to hear it. Let us know your thoughts on “Just Wanna Rock,” in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the music world.

Read More: Lil Uzi Vert Explains Why They Got The Pink Diamond Piercing

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Philly Bans Ski Masks On Public Transport

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SEPTA, the transit authority that oversees public transport in Philadelphia, has announced that it will be cracking down on riders wearing ski masks. The move comes after a number of violent incidents have occurred in the city, which police claim were perpetrated by individuals concealing their identity using ski masks and similar articles of clothing. As recently as May 24, a man was killed on a local bus after engaging in an argument with a man wearing a ski mask.

However, the move has been erroneously reported as a new ban on the article of clothing. Instead, a spokesperson for SEPTA stated that the ski masks and other non-religious articles of clothing that fully obscured a rider’s features had been on a prohibited items list for some time. While those rules had been lessened during the pandemic, the recent wake of violence has forced SEPTA’s hand. The policy enforcement comes along with a new head of the transit police, Charles Lawson. Additionally, Lawson wants more officers patrolling the transit system.

SEPTA Crackdown Coming

The ski mask, colloquially known as a “shiesty”, has become more and more common in recent years. It has become a rap scene staple, with many artists integrating it into their look. However, that isn’t much of a concern for Philly authorities. Riders caught wearing a ski mask will be removed from the transit system, but will not be charged or cited. Furthermore, this will only be enforced by transit police. Bus operators and station attendants will not be required to pursue enforcement of the policy.

However, Philadelphia is not the first to pursue this policy. Florida prohibits anyone above the age of 16 from wearing hoods or masks that conceal their identity in public. Meanwhile, West Virginia also prohibits masks and identity-concealing garb in certain public settings. There are of course exceptions – such as religious attire and COVID-19 masks. How do you feel about the new policy? Let us know in the comments. Get all the latest society news here at HotNewHipHop.

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James Mtume to be Honored with Street Renaming in Philadelphia

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James Mtume to be Honored with Street Renaming in Philadelphia

James Mtume, a Grammy winner well-known for singles like “Juicy Fruit” and producing for artists like Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, Stephanie Mills, and others, will be remembered in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a street bearing his name one year after his passing in January 2022. The event will be held on the 1500 block of Wharton Street in Philadelphia on Friday, May 12, 2023, from 11 am to 2 pm ET.

Councilperson Kenyatta Johnson represents Philadelphia’s Second District, where the street will be renamed in honor of the late James Mtume. He has been working in the city neighborhood since 2012.

“It’s beyond words just how great this is, the City of Brotherly Love showing a mighty love for my father, a Philly native,” says Faulu Mtume, the son of the music legend. “Wharton Street is where his journey into music, social activism and politics had begun. The roots for all three are there.”

James Mtume, who was born and bred in Philadelphia, began his career in jazz, working with legends like Miles Davis and his father, saxophonist Jimmy Heath, in the early 1970s. Years later, Mtume collaborated with fellow songwriter/producer Reggie Lucas to record songs for Stephanie Mills (the Grammy-winning “Never Knew Love Like This Before”), Phyllis Hyman (“You Know How To Love Me”), Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (“The Closer I Get To You,” “Back Together Again”), and Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (“The Closer I Get To You”). Mtume achieved success in the 1980s with the group that bears his name, scoring the top R&B single “Juicy Fruit” in 1983. Later, he contributed to the soundtracks for films and television shows and co-hosted the New York City-based discussion radio program Open Line.

After a battle with cancer, James Mtume passed away on January 9th, 2022. He was 75.

The post James Mtume to be Honored with Street Renaming in Philadelphia appeared first on The Source.

GloRilla Throws Wig At Fans Who Tried To Snatch It Off

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GloRilla’s concert highlights continue, as she recently threw her wig at a crowd of fans who were trying to snatch it off. Moreover, the Memphis MC performed at one of her last tour stops in Philadelphia and took a moment to crowd surf. As she made her way through the rowdy patrons, many hands tried to grab her wig. In various social media clips, you can see the “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” hitmaker look back incredulously at fans. However, she took matters into her own hands when she took the wig off and threw it in the crowd.

In fact, she even referenced the occasion in a cheeky tweet published shortly after her show. “Dey tried to take my wig while I was crowd surfing so I snatched it off & threw it in da crowd,” she wrote. After posting some laughing emojis, she added, “Philly was lit.” Furthermore, this is part of a recent saga of Glo’s noteworthy performance moments, ranging from the outstanding to the unfortunate. For example, Cardi B recently came out at the 23-year-old’s concert at her home city of New York. Of course, they performed their recent hit “Tomorrow 2” together to an overjoyed audience.

GloRilla Takes Wig Off After Fans Try To Snatch It

Another instance of GloRilla’s live stardom occurred when Moneybagg Yo gifted her an iced-out Bread Gang Entertainment chain on stage. However, not all of her exploits resulted in triumphant moments. When patrons discovered that Glo was hosting and not performing at an Oakland nightclub, they threw water on her as she walked by. Afterwards, both her and label boss Yo Gotti responded to the incident, and also to promoters blaming them for not fulfilling their performance agreement.

“$30K to perform,” Gotti posted on Instagram with crying-laughing emojis. “[You] must [have] booked Lil Glo, NOT Big Glo #CMG.” On her end, Glo tweeted “Ain’t no ho spit on s**t!!!!!! Ask dat ho how ha face feel doe. No way you think I’m performing when you paid for a hosting, crazy tail self.” Since then, stories around her tour have been much more positive. Regardless, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest on GloRilla.

Lil Uzi Vert Walked Out With The Philadelphia Eagles To Kick Off Their Victorious NFC Championship Game

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lil uzi vert eagles 2023
Getty Image

A Philly hometown hero joined the Philadelphia Eagles as they walked out into the stadium yesterday (January 29): Kicking off the NFC Championship game in which the Eagles took on the San Francisco 49ers, Lil Uzi Vert walked out with the Eagles as their hit single “Just Wanna Rock” played throughout.

Perhaps Uzi proved to be a good luck charm for the Eagles, as they ended up beating the 49ers 31 to 7. Next month, the Eagles will take on the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LVII. That game will take place on Sunday, February 12, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will broadcast live on Fox at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Uzi has always held their hometown close to their heart. Last year, during an interview with Jazzy’s World, they said that without Philly, there would be no Uzi: “I was always around a very different crowd, very diverse. […] It just made me who I am today and I really took from it. If it wasn’t for Philly, I wouldn’t be Uzi.”

Check out the clips of Uzi’s NFC Championship walkout with the Eagles above.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.