Kid Cudi already made his musical mark on 2024 with INSANO and its NITRO MEGA expansion, and now it’s time for other endeavors. Moreover, he recently shared plans with fans for his two upcoming films. “I got the music outta me,” the Cleveland creative shared on Twitter on Saturday (March 2). “I got a lot of other stuff im workin on that im really excited about. HELL NAW, the film im doing at Sony and writing w the Lucas Bros is comin together beautifully. S**t is madddd funny and ridiculous. Cant wait for yall to see this madness. And lookin to shoot my directorial debut, TEDDY, sometime after tour.”
Not only that, but the 40-year-old has previously announced that he’ll focus on film for the next few years and eschew new music. “My next album is already about 80% done, and itll be out in 2026,” Kid Cudi expressed on Twitter. “As always, were takin it someplace new. Just wanted to let yall know, expect an album from me every other year. next year is all about filmin. Got a bunch of stuff I need to get done. Film and tv. So I take a year off of music to do it all.”
I got the music outta me. I got a lot of other stuff im workin on that im really excited about. HELL NAW, the film im doing at Sony and writing w the Lucas Bros is comin together beautifully. Shit is madddd funny and ridiculous. Cant wait for yall to see this madness. And…
In addition, Kid Cudi also made a big creative leap, but not in music or movies. Instead, he shared a new floral head tattoo that he got all around his skull. Back to the movies, though, Hell Naw is a zombie horror comedy co-written by the brothers behind Judas & The Black Messiah. “Sam, The Lucas Brothers and myself have really crafted a tale we feel everyone who’s a fan of horror and comedy will enjoy,” he told Deadline. “You will laugh, oh yes you will, but the horror aspect of this movie will really be something to see. You will be shook. I promise. Y’all know I don’t play around.”
Meanwhile, Teddy will be a more personal movie based on the “ELECTROWAVEBABY” creative’s 2009 hit “Pursuit of Happiness.” Jay-Z and Jeymes Samuel, also of Judas & The Black Messiah, are executive producing the comedy. “I added a lot of my own personal struggles and experiences in it, so this film is very close to my heart,” he stated online in 2022. “I know that, deep down, this movie will help people the same ways music has… It’s trippy, it’s fun, it’s sad, it’s life.” For more news and the latest updates on Kid Cudi, stay up to date on HNHH.
Colman Domingo has been revealed to be portraying Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. So far, Domingo has been on a phenomenal run, and he seems to have only begun. In 2022, he secured an Emmy win for his sublime portrayal of the character Ali in HBO’s Euphoria. Similarly, his performance in the critically acclaimed musical drama, The Color Purple (2023) has earned him praise. Also from 2023, his breathtaking portrayal of Bayard Rustin in Rustin has now earned him his first-ever Oscar nomination. This makes him the first openly gay Black man to receive a nomination for portraying a gay character.
Now, he has been entrusted with bringing an important character to life in a potentially groundbreaking film. Evidently, the actor’s immense talent is finally being recognized and appreciated. After years of work, he is finally being brought to the fore in Hollywood. However, it will be a while before audiences get to see Colman Domingo portray Joe Jackson in Michael. That hasn’t stopped the Oscar predictions from come in. In the meantime, here’s what we know about the upcoming blockbuster film.
While the movie is only now getting wild media buzz, it has actually been in development for a while. News of a potential biopic was first shared in November 2019, but it didn’t spread very far. Back then, it was announced that Oscar-nominated producer Graham King had secured the rights to produce an unnamed biopic about Michael Jackson. Additionally, it was revealed that Tony Award-winning writer John Logan would handle the screenplay.
Subsequently, in February 2022, the film’s distribution rights were officially acquired by Lionsgate. Principal photography was originally set to begin in mid-2023. However, it was unfortunately delayed for a while due to the then-ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Following the end of the strike, a new date was set to begin principal photography. Subsequently, filming officially began on January 22, 2024.
Cast And Crew
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 14: Colman Domingo attends the AOL Build Speaker Series at AOL Studios In New York on March 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
The casting director for the film is Kimberly Hardin, and casting officially began in June 2022. So far, only three members of the cast have been announced. As aforementioned, Colman Domingo will be playing Joe Jackson, the famed patriarch of the Jackson family. In addition, Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, is set to portray the King of Pop. This will be the 27-year-old’s acting debut, and many are eager to see how well he does. The third and final member of the cast who has been announced is Juliano Krue Valdi. He will be portraying a young Michael Jackson.
While we await other cast announcements, some members of the crew have also been revealed. The movie will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, and co-produced by Graham King, John Branca, and John McClain. Dion Beebe is billed to handle its cinematography, and Barbara Ling will be the production designer. Marci Rodgers is set to handle the costume design.
As principal photography only just begun, it will take a while before the movie is ready for the big screen. However, it is already being heavily publicized. Moreover, it’s set to be a big production, with a budget over $100 million. Until then, fans are left to imagine how Colman Domingo will expertly take on Joe Jackson. Michael is scheduled to be released on April 18, 2025.
Slaughter Gang’s head honcho just announced an upcoming movie on his life titled American Dream: The 21 Savage Story on Sunday (January 7). Given its reveal — a vague post from his and Donald Glover’s (also known as Childish Gambino’s) Instagram accounts — many fans didn’t know how to interpret this. Fortunately, we know a little bit more about this production at press time, so we compiled a breakdown of what you need to know about the film. American Dream: The 21 Savage Story aims to cover his arduous, complicated, but triumphant path of the American Dream which he hinted at during a Rolling Stone interview: from childhood poverty and street dangers to becoming one of the biggest rappers in the world.
First, some background. Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was born in the UK, but moved to Atlanta at a young age. As such, he was raised in the U.S., facing hardened conditions rife with trouble before eventually climbing up the rap echelon. However, even as 21 climbed the ranks, he found himself in the middle of a high-profile case in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him in 2019 for an alleged expired visa.
The “Brand New Draco” MC and his legal team fought for his right to stay, expressed anger at the unjust and punitive system, and brought national attention to this issue. Last year, they finally made him a permanent U.S. citizen and allowed him to leave the States, returning to his native country for a show. With that in mind, let’s dive into American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. If this is all just fake for an album rollout… well played, Savage.
All the information in this section appears in the film’s trailer‘s description on YouTube, and it’s unclear whether these credits are just for the sneak peek or for the full-length product. Nevertheless, the upcoming movie stars the aforementioned Childish Gambino as 21 Savage, and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin as his younger self. Savage’s connection to Donald Glover is well-documented through collaborative cuts like “monster,” “This Is America,” and “12.38.” In addition, the movie’s trailer (released on Monday, January 8) showcased a host of other actors, including Jabari Banks as (presumably) Metro Boomin. Other “special appearances” from actors include Gail Bean (presumably as his mother), Druski, Chad Lindberg, Victoria Pedretti, Young Mazino, and Natasha Lyonne.
Furthermore, four directors helmed this, including Gambino’s younger brother Stephen Glover, who previously wrote for his older sibling’s series Atlanta. Jamal Olori, Fam Udeorji, and Luis Perez also have directing credits. Stephen Glover and Olori wrote American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, whereas Udeorji and Tara Razavi are listed as producers and executive producers. Happy Place and Gilga are behind the film’s production, as well as Lionsgate, according to the trailer. The veracity of these interpretations is still up in the air.
New Music From 21 Savage
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 22: 21 Savage attends as Latto hosts Hoes Down, Pimps Up birthday affair at The Bank on December 22, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty Images)
In addition to this film, 21 Savage will also release a soundtrack of music the movie inspired. It’s available to pre-save on streaming platforms right now via American Dream‘s website. Given reports that he’s already working on a new album, this is very exciting news. Fans hope that this isn’t what the 31-year-old meant when he teased new material and that this is just a supplemental project drop until his full-length solo follow-up to i am > i was.
Still, given what we heard in the film’s trailer, it looks like 21 Savage is undergoing another career level-up. The trailer actually doubles as a music video for an unreleased, soulful trap track that tackles his trials and tribulations, as well as showcases his talent and triumph. Not only that, but in the performance parts of the visual, the London-born artist raps to Glover and McLaughlin’s versions of himself. As such, die-hards expect this to be a pretty reflective and cathartic experience.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 8: Rapper 21 Savage attends Young Democrats Of Atlanta Presents A Blue Christmas Gala at Atlanta City Hall on December 8, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty Images)
American Dream: The 21 Savage Story will release on Independence Day this year (July 4, 2024), according to the trailer’s final frames. But we’re not yet 100% sure if it will only be a theatrical release. After all, it’s very possible that it could appear on a particular streaming service, as that’s the model of choice for a lot of visual projects out there these days. Perhaps the near future will confirm this for fans.
Meanwhile, 21 Savage’s accompanying soundtrack for this biopic will reportedly drop this week on Friday, January 12, according to Billboard. It’s quite far away from the film’s release, which might be a bizarre choice for some listeners and viewers. It certainly contributed to immediate interest in American Dream, and will likely fuel that train until we get it on-screen. What’s more is that this could also be a teaser of what he will offer on his next studio album.
What Do We Expect?
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 30: 21 Savage performs his first ever London headline show at The O2 Arena on November 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Already, many fans are talking about American Dream: The 21 Savage Story with a lot of skepticism but also anticipation. This is very understandable: Drake’s Her Loss partner has a pretty spotless catalog when it comes to projects, and Donald Glover is almost a decade older than him. He’s earned Grammy nominations and became a commercially dominant giant. Moreover, he’s undoubtedly culturally impactful and artistically influential. As such, a lot is riding on this product to do him and his journey justice.
For our money, we’d love for these releases (whether it’s a film or just an LP rollout) to encapsulate the emotional heft and nuanced perspective of Mr. Right Now. Maturity, perseverance, and perception are big themes of the trailer and his career, ones that continue to evolve and prove themselves both on and off wax. Finally, this film’s most important mission is to show the world why the low-toned spitter is such an important representative of hip-hop right now, and what makes his story resonate beyond cultural, ethnic, and class lines. Beyond the violence and hedonism lies a crucial narrative of balance, accountability, and community that this movie should champion above the celebrity spectacle. For all these reasons and more, we can’t wait for whatever American Dream: The 21 Savage Story is. Let us know what you think about this rollout in the comments section below.
21 Savage has become one of the more elusive rappers recently. Sure, he has done plenty of features over the past few years. Additionally, he hit the road for a short time in the UK for a tour. However, in terms of his solo career, the London-born rapper has been stingy when it comes to dropping new music. It has been a little over five years since his last lone offering, i am > i was.
Furthermore, 21 has only dropped two solo singles in the past two years. His most recent was a collaboration with the Call of Duty video game franchise called “Call Me Revenge.” But, there is some excitement surrounding the trap rap hitmaker. Supposedly, he will be moving into the movie industry. Moments ago, 21 Savage announced on his social media accounts an image of himself, Childish Gambino, and Caleb McLaughlin. The latter is one of the main actors from the ever-popular “Stranger Things” Netflix series.
Not much is known about this project, but it appears to be a biopic of 21’s life. He captioned the post with “” The title of the film is American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. There is a chance we could learn about his time growing up in the UK and how he got over to the states. Another early but perhaps obvious predicition is that Caleb will play a young 21 and Gambino (aka Donald Glover) will potray a present day Savage.
What are your initial thoughts on this brand-new announcement from 21 Savage about his rumored biopic? Do you think he made the right choices by selecting Childish Gambino and Caleb McLaughlin? Are you excited about this new project If yes or no, what are your early predictions for it? How should this movie be released? We would like to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your hottest takes in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding 21 Savage and Childish Gambino. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the pop culture world.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is one of hip-hop’s biggest moguls- even when he’s not making hip-hop or music at all. Moreover, he just announced the upcoming debut of a new film titled Off The Grid, which he says is inspired by his recent R&B-centric album The Love Album, subtitled with the same name. In addition, the Bad Boy executive and artist also gave a small hint as to what we can expect from it based on another star that will be in it. That’s Eva Apio, an English model that gained notoriety for her Burberry and Louis Vuitton campaigns. While the film doesn’t have a release date yet, die-hards already look forward to what this new experience will bring.
“The Movie Off The Grid starring Sean Diddy Combs & Eva Apio,” he wrote on Instagram on Friday (October 27). “Coming to a theatre near you. Inspired by The Love Album.” Not only is this a new audiovisual realm for Puff Daddy, but it’s also shaping up to be a theatrical release, much like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift’s concert films from 2023. We don’t know if this will be a full narrative, a loose collection of music and visuals, or how long it will be. With people like Eva Apio involved, though, we should expect it to be very visually stimulating as far as cinematography and presentation goes.
What’s more is that it’s very possible that new music from Diddy is coming very soon, as well. However, we got hints from him and his son King Combs that it will be a more hip-hop focused direction that calls back to his commercial musical heyday. In addition, it also seems very possible that the New York icon will be hopping on other projects from other artists, as well. For example, Jay Electronicatagged him in a post about being in “album mode,” which is a pretty promising crossover to anticipate.
Meanwhile, are you looking forward to catching this new flick Off The Grid in theaters? Is this just a blatant cash-grab from someone with deeper pockets than most or will it be a special offering that adds more artistic range and context to The Love Album? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments section down below. On that note, stick around on HNHH for the latest news and more updates on Diddy.
