With Troy Ave and Bobby Shumurda being the talk of the new breed of rappers coming from New York, Troy shared his thoughts on what it means for the city.
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Saturday, September 13, 2014
NY Knicks Owner Writes Song About Trayvon Martin
Rappers have taken part in spreading social issues through their music, and fellow musician and owner of the New York Knicks Jim Dolan wants to do the same.
50 Cent Defends Mike Tyson After His Incident With Reporter (@MikeTyson)
Looks like Mike Tyson has someone in his corner following his blow up on live TV this week.
Tahiry Confirms Being Assaulted by Man at NYFW, Speaks on Abuse (@therealtahiry)
While rumors swirled that "Love & Hip-Hop: NY" star Tahiry Jose was attacked during fashion week, thus far there's been no confirmation from Jose herself, until now.
Childish Gambino: "White America Views Us As Worthless" (@donaldglover)
Childish Gambino recently visited Power 105.
Football Fans Go Wild Online With Adrian Peterson Memes
To say the NFL has had a rough week would be an understatement.
The Babochka x Saucony Collection
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Russia? Well, if its snow and the Kremlin you may want to check out what Russian brand Babochka has designed with Saucony in honor of Fashion’s Night Out.
The Saucony Jazz is given a Blue suede on the mesh upper and trim. A printed panel that reveals pop culture icons including Daft Punk, Batman, Steve Jobs and Karl Lagerfeld to name a few. The Saucony Shadow 6000 is also included in the drop and it choses a decidedly different theme with a simple Navy suede upper and multicolor spots on the Saucony logo.
These are available right now at the nevsky 152 concept store in St. Petersburg. Hopefully, these blue suede kicks will find their way stateside very soon. Word to Putin.
Check out the pics below.
[Via Hypebeast]
Hip Hop Legends Connect for 5% Nation Concert
The Builders Build Group and the Nation of Gods & Earths are bringing the golden era of rap back in a major way at Harlem's Apollo Theater next month.
Alicia Keys Goes All Out for Swizz's "Coming to America" B-Day (@aliciakeys @THEREALSWIZZZ)
Alicia Keys pulled out all the stops for Swizz Beatz's "Coming to America" themed birthday bash, complete with African dancers and a gold throne.
Wiz Khalifa Covers The Source's Annual Power 30 Issue
After nabbing his first No. 1 album with ‘Blacc Hollywood,’ Wiz Khalifa graces the second cover of the Source magazine‘s annual Power 30 issue.
The dread-locked Taylor Gang leader is pictured wearing a paisley shirt and jacket behind a floral-like background. The tagline reads: Is This The Top?
The first cover subject is fellow rapper Jeezy who also has a new album out called ‘Seen It All.’
In the magazine, the ‘We Dem Boyz’ rapper talks about fatherhood, his musical inspirations and more.
Read the excerpts below.
On juggling his rap career and fatherhood:
“The hardest part is being away from my son at any point in time. I want to spend all day with him, all night, I want to wake up with him, feed him, teach him everything, it’s just not humanly possible.”
On his musical inspirations:
“I remember like Bob Marley, he listened to a lot of Prince, he really listened to everything my dad’s music was like a wide range, all the hits all the classics. He still puts me onto stuff, I mean when I was doing Kush & Orange Juice the reason I did David Ruffin for the cover was because of my dad. I mean I knew The Temptations, everyone knows The Temptations but my dad had really showed me David Ruffin’s solo career, and the stuff he was doing, we sat down and we listened to those records and it was just like a spiritual thing, and I was able to like put that on to the world as well.”
What’s his favorite Source cover and favorite rapper:
“My favorite rapper of all time is Cam’ron. And one of my favorite Source covers is the one with Eminem, where I think he had a chainsaw or something in his hands, but I remember being able to see a tattoo on his arm, that was really, really detailed well. And that was maybe in ’99 or 2000.”
What a fan can experience at Wiz Khalifa show:
“I feel like it’s spiritual for anybody to come to my show or any event in general, I want my experience to be for people to come and just release and have a great time, more of a great time than they expected to have. The people that are around the music that you hear, the smell..that everything is real specific. I like to keep those things around and in order and make sure that they’re all right and everyone gets the experience that they’re supposed to have. Not just the music, but the lifestyle.”
The Source magazine’s Power 30 issue, with Wiz Khalifa and Jeezy on the covers, hits newsstands next week.
Adrian Peterson Released on Bond Following Child Abuse Case
Adrian Peterson, the widely adored Minnesota Vikings running back has been released on bond following allegations of abusing his son.
Hot 97 Purchased Power 105′s Domain Name, Owns It Until 2017
Hot 97 and Power 105.1 are known to constantly be at odds as two competing New York hip-hop radio stations. The former pulled an almost undeniably shady move on its competitor. Smart, but still shady.
Hot 97 bought its antagonist’s domain name on Friday (Sept. 12). In other words, if you type in, “www.power105.com,” you will be redirected to Hot 97′s website. The “www.Power1051fm.com” website will direct you to the radio station, which is home to the Breakfast Club.
This slick move directly steals page views from Power 105.1. Interestingly, Hot 97 has owned the name since 2000, and renewed it in 2013 and will have it until 2017.
Those who want to appeal to fairness can point to Angie Martinez’s move to Power 105.1 over the summer. She was the Voice of New York at Hot 97 for 20 years.
Iggy Azalea's Ex-Boyfriend Says Sex Tape Is Legit [VIDEO]
After denying reports that she may have a sex tape in circulation, it appears that Iggy Azalea does, in fact, have a sex tape.
The Aussie rapper’s attorneys have come out and said that their client may be in the video. However, if it is her, then she was underage, which puts the kibosh on selling the tape.
Well, not quite.
Azalea’s ex-boyfriend, up-and-coming Houston rapper Hefe Wine, who shot the video, says that she was definitely over 18 and was fully aware that they were making a sex tape.
If you are confused by all of this, you are not alone.
Wine appeared on TMZ to explain his part in this scandal.
Apparently, while he was hanging out in a Miami studio, someone “swipe” the rapper’s hard drive, which contained the alleged video of him and Azalea doing the horizontal mambo. Wine didn’t file a police report and claims that he didn’t give the footage to Vivid Entertainment who are now trying to sell it.
Without the ‘Fancy’ rapper giving the co-sign on the tape, it will most likely never get released. Especially, since Azalea’s career is at its peak right now. The last thing she and her record label wants is a sex tape to derail her success.
But what do you think? Will this sex tape help or hurt Iggy Azalea’s career? Tell us in the comments below.
August Alsina, Nicki Minaj Get Cozy in 'No Love (Remix)' Video Teaser
A lot of men envied Drake because of the lap dance he received toward the end of Nicki Minaj‘s booty-filled ‘Anaconda’ video. Now, August Alsina is the next guy to hate on. August and Minaj’s video for ‘No Love (Remix)’ is premiering on Monday (Sept. 15) and he R&B crooner has offered up a preview of the clip via his Instagram page.
It looks like Minaj is Alsina’s boo in the visual. The two get a bit intimate in a few scene cuts, and the black-and white styling adds some artfulness in their embrace. Minaj has a thing for the bad boys (“I let him hit it cause he slang cocaine”), so this pairing certainly isn’t a mismatch.
The new video is slated to premiere on BET’s ’106 & Park,’ which many thought went into hiatus because of the wrath of the Beyhive. The premiere spot comes despite Alsina’s infamous outburst in a summer episode of the countdown show.
Exclusive! Dreamville's Bas Drops Hot Freestyle (@FiendBassy)
Dreamville spitter Bas recently sat down with VladTV and chopped it up about various topics, ending the convo with a quick freestyle.
Exclusive! Sage the Gemini: I Started Recording When I Was 12 (@sagethegemini)
Sage the Gemini sat down for an exclusive interview with VladTV, where he spoke about growing up in Fairfield, CA, where he started listening to different artists like Flatlinerz, Iamsu, and various other artists.
The Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ready to Die' Songs, Ranked Worst to Best
There’s really not much else you can say about the Notorious B.I.G. or his debut album, ‘Ready to Die,’ that hasn’t been detailed or written at this point. Being that his magnum opus of a debut came out 20 years ago on Sept. 13, 1994, and that he died not even three whole years after that, we’ve had the better part of two decades to dissect his music, life, legacy and all other things associated with Brooklyn New York’s favorite son.
So, with that being noted, The Boombox decided to go in a different direction to celebrate this specific hip-hop album anniversary. Instead of giving a simple overview of the album, we’ve gone a step further and ranked 15 songs on the tracklist (minus the intro and interlude).
From the songs that don’t necessarily deserve the classic title (as there are no truly horrible songs on ‘Ready to Die’) to the cream of the crop, we give the full rundown. This isn’t a list of preferences, but one that showcases which tracks are truly the best on the album as it stands today. Let the debates begin.
The Easy Mo Bee-produced 'Friend of Mine' sees the black Frank White tossing women to the side left and right, passing them to the crew with no regard for feelings. While Big's flow on this is airtight and he drops a few witty bars, overall the song is a bit clunky in comparison to the rest of the album and could've been left on the cutting room floor if we were forced to let one track go.
The album's title track is better than average for most rappers, but for Biggie, it comes off as pedestrian and a bit mailed in. Besides the hilarious "My life is played out like a jheri curl" line, there's little to remember about this song other than the fact that it was on 'Ready to Die.'
Biggie shows a little love to his Caribbean heritage with the island-tinged 'Respect.' Jean "Poke" Oliver, one-half of the production duo Trackmasters, provides the beat and Big delivers three efficient verses. Initially thought of to be a slight blemish on an otherwise classic album, it has grown on listeners little by little since the project first dropped in 1994, and doesn't get the skip-button treatment as much as it did in previous years.
"So, you wanna be hardcore / With your hat to the back, talking bout the gat's in your raps / But I don't feel that hardcore appeal that you're screaming / Maybe I'm dreaming," Biggie raps. That hard-hitting couplet serves as the opening to the Easy Mo Bee-produced number 'Machine Gun Funk.' The record, originally Biggie's choice as the first single off 'Ready to Die' until Sean "Puffy" Combs intervened, showcases the Bed Stuy heavy's lyrical dexterity amid samples of Black Heat's 'Something Extra' and Lords of the Underground's 'Chief Rocka.'
Biggie crafts an ode to his main squeeze on 'Me & My Bitch.' Detailing their turbulent, but loving relationship, the plot takes a twist as he reveals that his wifey was murdered at the hands of his enemies. Co-produced by Bluez Brothers and Chucky Thompson, this indelible number showcases both Biggie's penchant for dry humor and vivid storytelling.
At the tail-end of the recording process for 'Ready to Die,' The Notorious B.I.G. enlisted DJ Premier to concoct a beat for the album at the last minute. Flipping a sample of The Honey Drippers' 'Impeach the President' and an infectious R. Kelly soundbite handpicked by Big himself, the Brooklyn Godfather puts forth his lyrical damage effortlessly.
The remix may get a majority of the props, but let it be no secret, the original album version of 'One More Chance' is more than worthy of your adulation as well. Riding an infectious sample of Debarge's 'All This Love,' Biggie details his prowess in the bedroom with humor and skill, riding the beat like an audio wave. And when you add in the hilarious voicemail at the beginning of the track, you have no choice but to consider this song golden.
Although we don't have it ranked among the top tier songs from the album, this track is undoubtedly one of the most important, as it excellently sets the tone and lays the foundation for what's next to come. Serving as 'Ready to Die's lead-off track, Biggie gives you a then-present image of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn -- a place filled with crack sales, murder and the disconnect between the older generation and the new kids on the block. Lines like "Little motherf---ers with heat wanna leave a n---- six feet deep / And we coming to the wake / To make sure the crying and commotion ain't a motherf---ing fake / Back in the days our parents used to take care of us / Look at 'em now, they even f---in' scared of us / Calling the city for help because they can't maintain / Damn, s--- done changed," and honest admissions like "S---, my mama got cancer in her breast / Don't ask me why I'm motherf---ing stressed / Things done changed," give you the honest truth about life in murderous New York during the crack era and a slight glimpse into his own personal adversities.
Casual fans of the Notorious B.I.G. may be more familiar with another humbling tale that will appear on this list, but the 'Ready to Die' album cut 'Everyday Struggle' delves beneath the surface and into the psyche of Christopher Wallace. Rapping "I know how it feels to wake up f---ed up / Pockets broke as hell, another rock to sell / People look at you like you's the loser / Selling drugs to all the users, mad buddah abuser / But they don't know about your stress-filled day / Babies on the way, mad bills to pay / So you sip Tanqueray, so you can reminisce / And wish you wasn't living so devilish," the track sees the usually confident lyricist reminiscing on his days as a hand-to-hand crack dealer and the daily struggles that came with life in the trade. The Bluez Brothers beautifully rugged backdrop married with Big's verses are a match made in audio heaven, making this selection a favorite among the most diehard of fans of the late rapper.
At the time of the album's release, Method Man, considered the defacto frontman of Wu-Tang Clan and a formidable lyricist in his own right, was gearing up for the release of his own upcoming '94 debut, 'Tical.' But the rising star still took time out of his recording schedule to connect with Biggie on the Easy Mo Bee-produced 'The What.' The beat, slightly reminiscent of RZA's murky soundwaves, was perfect for a collab between the two, with the pair of rising virtuosos each bringing their A-Game to the audio dojo.
"When I die, f--- it, I wanna go to hell / 'Cause I'ma piece of s---, it ain't hard to f---in' tell / It don't make sense going to heaven with the goodie goodies / Dressed in white, I like black Timb's and black hoodies," Biggie rhymes on 'Suicidal Thoughts.' With those chilling opening bars, The Notorious B.I.G. proceeds to give listeners the audio version of what would be his last words if he ever decided to blow his own brains out. From saying his last goodbyes to friends to admitting to cheating on his baby mother with her own sister, Biggie lays it all out on the table with Puff's frantic adlibs and Easy Mo Bee's brooding track serving as the background. Although the song is the shortest non-interlude on the album, Big's flawless execution over 32 bars more than makes up for its brevity, making this one of the more noteworthy cuts from the album.
"Who the f--- is this, paging me at 5:46 in the morning, crack of dawn and / Now I'm yawning, wipe the cold out my eye / See who's this paging me and why," is easily one of the most recognizable openings in hip-hop history to even the novice fan. Produced by Easy Mo Bee, who utilized a sample of Isaac Hayes' 'Walk on By,' 'Warning' finds Biggie going through preemptive measures after being tipped off about a planned attempt on his wealth and well-being. Scoffing at his opposition with lines like, "There's gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing / If my burglar alarm starts ringing / What you think all the guns is for? / All-purpose war, got the rottweilers by the door / And I feed 'em gunpowder, so they can devour / The criminals tryna drop my decimals," Frank White shows that he's definitely not one to play with on this classic.
While hefty rappers had been able to find popularity and be considered sex symbols before Biggie Smalls, when he dropped his monster of a second single 'Big Poppa,' co-produced by Chucky Thompson and Puff Daddy, his suave demeanor and charming slick-talk had the ladies buying in more than ever before. Laying down his finesse with slick lines like, "Straight up, honey, really, I'm asking / Most of these n----s think they be macking, but they be acting / Who they attracting with that line, 'What's your name, what's your size?' / Soon as he buy that wine, I just creep up from behind / And ask you what your interests are, who you be with / Things to make you smile, what numbers to dial," the Notorious B.I.G. was officially cemented as a certified star and the undisputed King of New York.
'Big Poppa' was a tough contender for the No. 2 spot of best songs on 'Ready to Die,' but ultimately, 'Gimme the Loot' edges it out for the runner-up slot. Biggie takes on the role of two stick-up kids, thirsty for a come-up. Controversial lines like "I wouldn't give a f--- if you're pregnant, give me the baby rings and the 'No. 1 Mom' pendant," and Big's flagrant lack of lyrical remorse aside, this track stands as one of the grittiest and the best efforts in the legend's catalog.
While a majority of the songs featured on 'Ready to Die' are all classics in their own right (we've come to love and cherish them during these last 20 years), one track has managed to stand the test of time and rise above the rest: 'Juicy.' And out of all the reasons for that distinction, one is that the song is universal. Aside from the retort to those who called the police on him during his crack-dealing days on the song's intro, the adversities and rags to riches come-up that Big details on the track can be felt by people of all creeds and ages across the world. Poverty, no luck with the ladies, wanting the finer things in life, on paper it sounds like the makings of a wholesome Hollywood story. In reality, they're just the dreams of a kid from Brooklyn and many others laid on wax and one of the most endearing songs hip-hop has ever produced. And if you don't know, now you know.
NFL Cancels Rihanna Pregame Performance Due to Ray Rice Scandal (@rihanna @)
A NFL pregame show that was set to feature Rihanna was canceled by CBS and the NFL amid the domestic violence controversy surrounding the league and former Ravens running back Ray Rice.
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