Rhymefest

Rhymefest Drops New Project ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’

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Rhymefest Drops New Project 'James & Nikki: A Conversation'

Grammy-winning hip-hop artist and humanitarian Rhymefest has unveiled his latest music project, “James & Nikki: A Conversation,” in honor of Black History Month. Developed in partnership with Golden State Entertainment (GSE), the project pays homage to the historic 1971 dialogue between literary giants James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni.

“James & Nikki: A Conversation” features six talented female hip-hop artists engaging in dialogue with Rhymefest, including Brittney Carter, Helixx C. Armageddon, Teefa, Freddie Old Soul, EP Da Hellcat, and C-Red. Drawing inspiration from Baldwin and Giovanni’s conversation, the project aims to spark meaningful discourse and celebrate the voices of Black women in hip-hop.

This release marks Rhymefest’s inaugural project since signing with GSE in 2022 under a multi-project deal. GSE, the music, entertainment, and content arm of the Golden State Warriors, is dedicated to producing original content that transcends traditional boundaries and shares compelling narratives rooted in sports and entertainment culture.

The post Rhymefest Drops New Project ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’ first appeared on The Source.

The post Rhymefest Drops New Project ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’ appeared first on The Source.

Rhymefest Drops “Creator” as a Prelude to ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’ Project

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Creator (feat. Brittney Carter & Rell Suma) 0 5 screenshot

Two-time Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Rhymefest has unveiled “Creator,” a preview of his upcoming project, James & Nikki: A Conversation, slated for release on Feb. 9 in honor of Black History Month. Rhymefest, associated with Golden State Entertainment (GSE), the entertainment vertical under the Golden State Warriors, joined the team in 2022 on a multi-project deal.

“James & Nikki: A Conversation, uses fertile soil of our past to seed current conversations for our future,” said Rhymefest.

“Creator” marks Rhymefest’s first release with GSE and sets the stage for James & Nikki: A Conversation. The project draws inspiration from the historic 1971 discussion between literary icons James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni. Featuring clips from the original conversation, the initiative will showcase six women hip-hop artists engaging in dialogues with Rhymefest.

As an accomplished songwriter, Rhymefest earned a Grammy for co-writing “Jesus Walks” in 2005 and received nominations for “New Slaves” in 2013. He co-wrote the Oscar-winning song “Glory” and has been recognized for multiple hit singles, including “Brand New” in 2006. Rhymefest, who made his film debut in The Public and featured prominently in the Kanye West documentary Jeen-Yuhs, recently completed a Pritzker fellowship at the University of Chicago: Institute of Politics.

“Golden State Entertainment is committed to fostering collaborations with a diverse and passionate roster of artists, championing their culturally significant work,” said Golden State Entertainment Chief Business Officer, David Kelly. “Rhymefest is a great example of that vision: he’s a distinguished lyricist, activist, and teacher who has creatively reimagined an important moment in Black history for a modern audience.”

Rhymefest will perform at Thrive City’s Black History Month celebration on Feb. 19 and be honored as the Impact Warrior during the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 23, recognizing his community contributions.

The post Rhymefest Drops “Creator” as a Prelude to ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’ Project first appeared on The Source.

The post Rhymefest Drops “Creator” as a Prelude to ‘James & Nikki: A Conversation’ Project appeared first on The Source.

The Golden State Warriors Are Launching Their Own Record Label

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Warriors Curry Green
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When K-pop rapper BamBam performed at halftime of a Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers game this past April at the Chase Center in San Francisco, fans probably had no idea that BamBam’s “Wheels Up” (featuring Oakland rapper Mayzin) was the first song released on the Warriors’ new record label. But the collaboration is a testament to the wide range of music that the label, Golden State Entertainment, led by producer No ID as its creative and strategic adviser, will be releasing.

No ID will be “overseeing music production and helping the company develop its long-term vision,” of the diverse roster and overall operation, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. “We are on the cusp of something truly special, and I look forward to discovering new ways to bridge the worlds of content, sports, entertainment and technology,” he told the Chronicle. Splashed on the front page of the Golden State Entertainment website is the statement, “Rooted in, while transcending, the world of sports & entertainment.”

Also on the label’s roster, are LA-via-Chicago rapper Juice and Chicago-based Kanye West collaborator Rhymefest. The venerable Georgia Anne Muldrow is also set to be both an artist and a producer for Golden State Entertainment. The label will focus on hip-hop and R&B primarily, but are taking a full-on “content production” approach that also includes documentaries and artist co-hosted events at the Warriors homebase at the Chase Center

The first album put out by Golden State Entertainment will to be a release from, Juice, featuring Chicago OG’s All Natural and produced by Muldrow. Juice told the San Francisco Chronicle that this is a unique scenario, indicating that, “The main advantage that stands out to me is being able to move at a faster pace than most traditionally established record labels. There is no red tape, bureaucracy or pressure to emulate our competitors. And there is established distribution behind the company that is constantly working with us to assist in furthering all of our creative vision.”