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Sunday, January 18, 2015
A$AP Yams Didn't Died of a Drug Overdose Says A$AP Ant [VIDEO]
The hip-hop community is still in shock over the untimely death of A$AP Yams who died over the weekend at the age of 26. While the cause of his death is still unknown, A$AP Mob member A$AP Ant talked with DJ Vlad to shoot down rumors that’s been circulating on the Internet.
In the interview, the A$AP member denied that Yams had died of a drug overdose. “It ain’t no overdose. That’s not what it is,” he said. “People keep talking saying he overdosed on Xanax and s— like that. No, that’s not what happened at all. I don’t want to talk on it and I’ll let people find out by themselves but it wasn’t that at all.”
Ant was also upset over people reposting photos on Instagram of a distraught A$AP Rocky at the hospital where Yams died. The rapper felt that some people were exploiting the photo in order to get likes on their page.
“People gotta stop acting like bitch-ass motherf—ing tabloids bloggers and s— like that,” he stated. “Let the bloggers and the people who actually do that as their job, let them do that stuff.”
“Everybody on Instagram posting pictures of Rocky at the hospital where he passed away at, y’all looking like females and the tabloids,” he continued. “That’s not any of your business to post that. For y’all to post [photos] like that, I guess to make things look cute…or whatever you do to get cool brownie points, don’t do that. That’s private for somebody. I wouldn’t want to see a picture of me on the Internet going to the hospital to see my grandfather while he’s dying. I wouldn’t want to see that.”
Until we get an official word from Yams’ family, rumors will continue as fans are wondering how an enterprising young man who had so much going for him could passed away so suddenly.
Either way it’s a terrible loss for the A$AP Mob collective who saw Yams as their Yoda or “spirit guide.”
Rest in peace to A$AP Yams and our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.
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Fox Renews 'Empire' for Second Season After Two Episodes (@therealtaraji)
Fox is placing all of its chips on breakout hit, Empire.
Jeremih Soars to the Clouds on 'Planes' Featuring J. Cole
Def Jam Hey ladies, if you want to travel the world in style, and be wined and dined 30,000 feet above the air, Jeremih may have a ticket for you.
On his new song ‘Planes,’ which features J. Cole, the Chicago crooner sings about balling above the clouds, but he also uses the term “plane” to talk about his sexual prowess.
“I got you in the air, your body in the air, how it feel up here? / You can scream as loud as you want, and loud as you can, ain’t nobody gonna hear / Would you like it better if I hit the West Coast? / Tell me, if you ’bout that life right now I hope it ain’t talk,” he sings, using an inventive rap style delivery.
Hollywood Cole goes in on the track as well and spits some X-rated lyrics, which might shock some of his fans.
“D— so big it’s like a foot is in your mouth / And you ain’t babysitting, but my kids all on your couch / And oh, you nasty, oh, oh, you nasty / Both graduated so f— keeping it classy,” he raps, before launching into the rest of the verse, which is more reminiscent of his highly lyrical stuff.
As for Jeremih, the ‘Don’t Tell Em’ singer still dealing with delays for his next project, ‘Late Nights: The Album.’ There are rumors circulating that tensions between him and his record label, Def Jam, is the cause of the hold up.
Either way, he released a dope song that will hopefully do well for him, and hopefully, will convince his label to finally release his project.
Listen To Jeremih’s Song ‘Planes’ Feat. J. Cole
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Five Best Songs From Jagged Edge's 'J.E. Heartbreak' Album
The late ’90s was a great time for R&B due to an innumerable amount of groups breaking through with stellar material, making music that served as a soundtrack for life’s ups and downs. One of these groups to create classic music is Jagged Edge.
Comprised of twins Brandon and Brian Casey, as well as members Kyle Norman and Richard Wingo, the group got their big shot after Xscape member Kandi introduced them to Jermaine Dupri, who signed them him to his So So Def Records roster.
Dropping their debut LP, ‘A Jagged Era, in 1997, the album was a mild success, going gold and spawned the hit, ‘I Gotta Be,’ which peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. After a two-year hiatus, Jagged Edge returned with their sophomore effort, ‘J.E. Heartbreak,’ in 2000. The project, which was executive produced by Jermaine Dupri and featured songwriting from Bryan Michael Cox, proved to be worth the wait. ‘J.E. Heartbreak’ took the quartet to the next level and turned them into one of the hottest R&B groups of all time.
Spawning a number of hit singles that dominated radio and music video countdowns, their sophomore record was definitely not jinxed — they sold over two million copies and the effort was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Fifteen years have come and gone and since today marks a decade-and-a-half since this LP touched down, we’ve selected the best five tracks from ‘J.E. Heartbreak.’ May the lover in you rejoice.
'J.E. Heartbreak' opens up with the uptempo cut, 'Did She Say.' Containing the same sample as the classic Beatnuts track 'Off the Books,' the song is centered around a conniving female trying to break up a relationship and falsely accuses the man of infidelity after being rejected. Featuring plush production and added flavor from Jermaine Dupri on the adlibs, 'Did She Say' kicks off the album on a good note. This is one track that will cause a slight head-bop or two-step.
The lights get dimmed and the kids get put to bed on the hot and heavy 'Healing.' Singing "and I'ma make this night so special, treat her good cause in the past I done learned my lesson, hope she got her body good already for the session, cause I'm feeling that she's ready and I hope she's ready," J.E's intentions are more than clear. Featuring lush guitars and and hollow drums, 'Healing' is perfect for a freaky, late-night rendevouz with that special someone.
Jagged Edge kept their winning streak on the r&b charts going with the slow jam, 'Promise.' Produced by Jermaine Dupri, the song sees J.E. reaffirming their love and loyalty to their mates, singing "nothing is promised to me and you, so why would we let this thing go? / baby, i promise, that I'll stay true, don't let nobody say it ain't so." Urging their ladies to ignore the naysayers and negative talk, the thugged-out quartet deliver another banger with 'Promise,' proving that they were no flash-in-the-pan act and would be around for a while.
Every so often, there is an r&b ballad that gets added to the essential wedding playlist. Jagged Edges 'Let's Get Married' is one of those songs. Released as the third single from J.E. Heartbreak,' the title says it all, with the group laying down what amounts to a marriage proposal on wax. Vulnerable lyrics like "See, first of all, I know these so-called players wouldn't tell you this, but I'ma just go and say what's on my heart / let's take this chance and make this love feel relevant, girl, you know I love you from the start" and mentions of elegant white dresses and potential babies was a big hit with the ladies and was so official even the fellas couldn't give it the side-eye. The rap&b remix may get more bodies moving at the reception, but there are few songs in the last two decades that go as well with a beautiful bride walking down the aisle than this classic.
Released as the second single from 'J.E. Heartbreak,' 'He Can't Love U' is one of Jagged Edges finer selections . Produced and written by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox, the song sees the So So Def vocalists singing of love lost and attempting to mend a relationship with a mate that has moved on. In a fight for the women of their dreams, J.E. let's the ladies know that no other man's affection can compare to theirs and ended up having a signature ballad in their catalog to show for their troubles.
Lil Wayne Announces 'Sorry 4 the Wait 2′ Release Date, Drops 'Fingers Hurting'
Ever since making his beef with Cash Money Records public, Lil Wayne has been focused on promoting his upcoming ‘Sorry 4 the Wait 2′ mixtape. Just a few days ago, the Young Money leader dropped a dope freestyle over Future’s ‘S—‘ instrumental. Recently, Tunechi released a new freestyle song called ‘Fingers Hurting’ where he spits over ILOVEMAKONNEN‘s song, ‘Maneuvering.’
“Bagging up the work for an hour, fingers hurting / Let my bitches help me, before they leave I check they purses / Sorry for the wait, the confusion, the disturbance / Got me moving weight, prostitution in these verses / Whippin’ in this kitchen, in the trap house with my shirt off / I’ma get these million and I put that on my first born,” he spits over the Metro Boomin-produced track.
Weezy also announced that ‘Sorry 4 the Wait 2′ will drop this Tuesday (Jan. 20), and he released a trailer which shows him performing ‘Fingers Hurting,’ while rolling weed and sitting next to a cute girl.
You can see the short trailer above, and rock to ‘Fingers Hurting’ below.
Listen To Lil Wayne’s ‘Fingers Hurting’
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Five Best Songs From Game's Debut Album 'The Documentary'
Aftermath Records The mid to late ’90s, the West Coast rap scene experienced a seemingly abrupt fall from grace. The death of Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre breaking ties with Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg defecting to No Limit Records all had a domino affect on the region.
Growing up in Compton, California and raised on the homegrown sounds of N.W.A., Death Row, Ice Cube, and everything in between, rapper Game soaked it all up like a musical sponge, idolizing his neighborhood’s hip-hop forefathers. After a near-death experience, the Compton rhymer decided to step away from the streets and try his hand at rapping. In a few short years, he quickly build a buzz and caught the ear of Dr. Dre who later signed him to his label Aftermath Records.
On Jan. 18, 2005, Game released his debut album, ‘The Documentary.’ The collection reached atop of the Billboard 200 chart, moving nearly 600,000 units in its first week of release. The LP went on to sell over five million copies worldwide and established Game as the undisputed prince of the West Coast.
Today marks the tenth anniversary of this widely-regarded masterpiece. So it was only right we give it a spin and select the five best songs from the album. Check it out below.
Rapper Game and 50 Cent's collaborative effort 'How We Do' was arguably the hottest song of 2005. Released as the second single from 'The Documentary,' the song was an inescapable radio smash, peaking in the top five of the Billboard music charts. The Game comes correct on the song, but Fif shines brightest on here with his addictive presence and charisma. Produced by Dr. Dre, 'How We Do' signaled Game's official arrival in the rap game.
Originally a mixtape cut, 'Westside Story' was revamped for Game's debut album and was picked to kick the album off. Co-produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, the track is powered by a sinister organ, haunting keys and thumping drum kicks. On the song, 50 Cent is stuck on hook duties, while Game pays homage to his gang-banging comrades worldwide, including "crip n----s, Blood n----s, Esés, Asians/Dominicans, Puerto Ricans white boys, Jamaicans...," among others. Laying down three proficient verses and taking shots at everyone from Jay Z to DJ Pooh, the Compton spitfire makes it clear that he was playing for keeps with this memorable, banging track.
'Put You On The Game' is the prototypical club banger. Produced by Timbaland, the song features booming bass, hard drums and a call-and-response hook that immediately catches your ear. Game completely murks the track with a myriad of bruising metaphors. "Chain smoking purple haze, this ain't another one of those, this the rebirth of Dre / The rebirth of L.A., the rebirth of hip-hop, another memorial for Makaveli and Big Pop," he raps. Game paints the club red and exudes a ton of bravado on this infectious song.
A fan-favorite on 'The Documentary,' 'Hate It Or Love It' is the best of Game and 50 Cent's various collaborations on the album. Fiddy kicks the song off with these four memorable bars: "Coming up, I was confused, my momma kissing / confused as curse coming up in this cold world / daddy ain't around, probably out committing felony's / my favorite rapper used to say 'check, check out my melody." Produced by Cool & Dre, the track is powered by a sample of The Trammps' 1972 tune 'Rubber Band,' and will take listeners back to a special moment in time.
Overall, 'The Documentary' is crammed with several standout tracks, but there's something special about 'Dreams' that sets it apart from the other songs. The Kanye West-produced single hits home with many rap heads for its underlying motivational message of pushing against adversity.
"I woke up out that coma, 2001, 'bout the time Dr. Dre dropped '2001' / three years later, the album is done, Aftermath presents 'N---- With a Attitude, Volume One'," raps Game. Elsewhere, the 35-year-old rhymer recalls the ambush robbery that nearly took his life, and salutes slain black leaders and entertainers that died way before their time.
"The dream of Huey Newton, that's what I'm living through, the dream of Eric Wright, that's what I'm giving you / Who walked through the White House without a business suit / Compton had Jheri Curl dripping on Ronald Reagan's shoes / Gave Mike Lynn my demo, came here to pay my dues / Started off with Whoo Kid, then I started blazing [DJ] Clue," he raps. Containing a sample of Jerry Butler's 'No Money Down' on top of congas and guitars, the track is slightly eerie, yet irresistible, making for a superb production that you can't get enough of and the type of song that dreams are made of. Pun intended.
VladTV's Vixen of the Week: Smack/URL's Princess Nunu Nellz (@Nunu_Nellz @SMACKWHITE)
This week's VladTV Vixen of the Week is a special hottie coming from the biggest Battle Rap platform in the world.
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The Best Five Tracks From Game's Debut Album 'The Documentary'
Aftermath Records The mid to late ’90s, the West Coast rap scene experienced a seemingly abrupt fall from grace. The death of Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre breaking ties with Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg defecting to No Limit Records all had a domino affect on the region.
Growing up in Compton, California and raised on the homegrown sounds of N.W.A., Death Row, Ice Cube, and everything in between, rapper Game soaked it all up like a musical sponge, idolizing his neighborhood’s hip-hop forefathers. After a near-death experience, the Compton rhymer decided to step away from the streets and try his hand at rapping. In a few short years, he quickly build a buzz and caught the ear of Dr. Dre who later signed him to his label Aftermath Records.
On Jan. 18, 2005, Game released his debut album, ‘The Documentary.’ The collection reached atop of the Billboard 200 chart, moving nearly 600,000 units in its first week of release. The LP went on to sell over five million copies worldwide and established Game as the undisputed prince of the West Coast.
Today marks the tenth anniversary of this widely-regarded masterpiece. So it was only right we give it a spin and select the five best songs from the album. Check it out below.
Rapper Game and 50 Cent's collaborative effort 'How We Do' was arguably the hottest song of 2005. Released as the second single from 'The Documentary,' the song was an inescapable radio smash, peaking in the top five of the Billboard music charts. The Game comes correct on the song, but Fif shines brightest on here with his addictive presence and charisma. Produced by Dr. Dre, 'How We Do' signaled Game's official arrival in the rap game.
Originally a mixtape cut, 'Westside Story' was revamped for Game's debut album and was picked to kick the album off. Co-produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, the track is powered by a sinister organ, haunting keys and thumping drum kicks. On the song, 50 Cent is stuck on hook duties, while Game pays homage to his gang-banging comrades worldwide, including "crip n----s, Blood n----s, Esés, Asians/Dominicans, Puerto Ricans white boys, Jamaicans...," among others. Laying down three proficient verses and taking shots at everyone from Jay Z to DJ Pooh, the Compton spitfire makes it clear that he was playing for keeps with this memorable, banging track.
'Put You On The Game' is the prototypical club banger. Produced by Timbaland, the song features booming bass, hard drums and a call-and-response hook that immediately catches your ear. Game completely murks the track with a myriad of bruising metaphors. "Chain smoking purple haze, this ain't another one of those, this the rebirth of Dre / The rebirth of L.A., the rebirth of hip-hop, another memorial for Makaveli and Big Pop," he raps. Game paints the club red and exudes a ton of bravado on this infectious song.
A fan-favorite on 'The Documentary,' 'Hate It Or Love It' is the best of Game and 50 Cent's various collaborations on the album. Fiddy kicks the song off with these four memorable bars: "Coming up, I was confused, my momma kissing / confused as curse coming up in this cold world / daddy ain't around, probably out committing felony's / my favorite rapper used to say 'check, check out my melody." Produced by Cool & Dre, the track is powered by a sample of The Trammps' 1972 tune 'Rubber Band,' and will take listeners back to a special moment in time.
Overall, 'The Documentary' is crammed several standout tracks, but there's something special about 'Dreams' that sets it apart from the other songs. The Kanye West-produced single 'Dreams' hits home with many rap heads for its underlying motivational message of pushing against adversity.
"I woke up out that coma, 2001, 'bout the time Dr. Dre dropped '2001' / three years later, the album is done, Aftermath presents 'N---- With a Attitude, Volume One'," raps Game. Elsewhere, the 35-year-old rhymer recalls the ambush robbery that nearly took his life, and salutes slain black leaders and entertainers that died way before their time.
"The dream of Huey Newton, that's what I'm living through, the dream of Eric Wright, that's what I'm giving you / Who walked through the White House without a business suit / Compton had Jheri Curl dripping on Ronald Reagan's shoes / Gave Mike Lynn my demo, came here to pay my dues / Started off with Whoo Kid, then I started blazing [DJ] Clue," he raps. Containing a sample of Jerry Butler's 'No Money Down' on top of congas and guitars, the track is slightly eerie, yet irresistible, making for a superb production that you can't get enough of and the type of song that dreams are made of. Pun intended.
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Exclusive! A$AP Ant Denies A$AP Yams Died of a Drug Overdose (@ASAPYams)
A$AP Ant has spoken about the passing of Mob leader A$AP Yams with VladTV.
Whitney Houston Lifetime Biopic Receives Mixed Reactions on Twitter
Ever since Lifetime received a tidal wave of criticism for their Aaliyah biopic, all eyes were on the network’s second biopic on the late and beloved pop icon Whitney Houston. The TV movie, simply titled ‘Whitney,’ finally premiered on Saturday (Jan. 17).
Twitter reactions to the movie were mixed as some felt that it was better than the Aaliyah biopic debacle.
Actress Yaya DaCosta was praised for looking almost exactly like the late singer and mimicking her mannerisms to a tee. As for the singing, R&B artist Deborah Cox, whose vocals were dubbed during the performances, was also commended.
But hundreds of fans didn’t like that fact that Bobby Brown’s story was also featured prominently in the movie. However, the film’s director, Angela Bassett, went on Twitter to explain that Whitney and Brown’s relationship impacted their lives greatly.
Overall, Lifetime’s ‘Whitney’ fared better than the Aaliyah biopic. Check out fans reactions on Twitter below.
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Robbie Montgomery and Tim Morton of "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's," a reality show centered around a St.
Chanel West Coast Delivers the Trippy 'Bass in the Trunk' Video
After being signed to YMCMB for quite some time, it looks like Chanel West Coast is finally prepping her debut album. Her new song and video, ‘Bass in the Trunk,’ is a good indication that she is ready for the spotlight.
In the visual, Chanel, who is the co-host of MTV’s comedy clip show ‘Ridiculousness,’ performs in front of a green screen, which creates an ultra colorful, surreal world for the 26-year-old rapper to do her thing in.
Clearly, the Los Angeles native possesses a bit of star quality and seems at ease in front of the camera. As for the song, Chanel spits braggadocios rhymes over a bass-heavy, speaker-rattling production.
“Can’t stop did the business, Young Money we the business / Yeah, that mean I’m fly in private, private / On a boat bitch pirate, pirate, no sex tape I keep it private / Too fly bitch I’m a pilot,” she spits in her distinct raspy voice.
The rest of the clip finds the Los Angeles native rhyming on a colorful runway, in front of a vintage red automobile, and walking around in a make-believe city.
It’ll be interesting to see where Chanel’s rap career goes from here, and what her album will ultimately sound like.
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A$AP Yams Has Died, Hip-Hop Community Reacts on Twitter
A photo posted by asapferg (@asapferg) on Jan 18, 2015 at 3:37am PST
The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of a beloved member of A$AP Mob. A$AP Yams, a notable figure in rap circles, has passed away. He was 26 years old. Details on the cause of death are unknown.
On Sunday (Jan. 18), fellow rhymer A$AP Ferg went on Instagram to pay tribute to his brother from another mother.
“You will be missed Bro. We done touched a lot of ground together, landed on a lot of different soil!!! You will always be loved & your spirit will live on!!! #asapmob #asapferg #asapworldwide #yams,” he wrote.
A$AP Rocky also posted a picture of Yams on his Instagram account. “R.I.P YAMS, I LOVE YOU BROTHER,” reads the caption.
A$AP Yams, whose real name is Steven Rodriguez, is one of the co-founders of A$AP Mob along with A$AP Bari and A$AP Illz, followed by Rocky and Ferg. As a teenager, Yams started in the music business as an intern for Diplomats Records and later started managing local producers.
In 2011, Yams created a Tumblr to post music and videos from the A$AP Mob crew. One of the clips, Rocky’s ‘Purple Swag,’ went viral on the Internet and garnered a huge buzz in the rap industry. It would later help secure music contracts for Rocky and Ferg and a distribution deal for A$AP Worldwide with RCA Records. Yams is credited for developing the group’s style and overall aesthetic.
In a 2012 VIBE interview, Yams describes himself as a consigliere to Rocky, Ferg and the rest of the Mob.
“My role is everything that comes out from Rocky or anything we make I put stamp of approval on it,” he said. “That’s from a musical standpoint to a business standpoint. I make sure everything is right.”
Although Yams’ death is unclear, according to Miss Info, Yams was known to use codeine and Xanax heavily.
Last summer, the young Harlem native briefly went into rehab to battle his drug addiction. “That lean s— corny now i apologize for even glorifying that bulls— its embarrassing it destroyed too many lives,” Yams wrote on Twitter in July. “Its disrespectful to the families who lost loved ones to that demon for us to be flaunting that addiction rip pimp c.”
Sadly or ironically, Yams last tweet was related to codeine.
Upon hearing the tragic news of A$AP Yams death, rappers went on Twitter to express their condolences (see below).
We want to send our heartfelt prayers and condolences to Yams’ family and the whole A$AP Mob crew. May he rest in peace.
R.I.P YAMS, I LOVE YOU BROTHER
A photo posted by PRETTY FLACKO (@asvpxrocky) on Jan 18, 2015 at 3:53am PST
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A$AP Yams, Founding Member of A$AP Mob, Dead at 26
Steven Rodriguez, better known to the Hip Hop world as A$AP Yams has died.
Cops Caught Brutally Kicking Suspect in the Head During Arrest
The family of Timothy Whittle is taking legal action against the Mid-Missouri drug task force after video has been released of the officers kicking Whittle during an arrest.
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