Eddie Murphy‘s third act has been a delightful experience. Deadline reports that the 2007 Academy Award nominee is currently in talks to play music legend George Clinton. The Nutty Professor star was not on my list of possible actors to star as the Parliament-Funkadelic frontman. However, this project appears to be a genuine passion project for the legendary comedian.
Eddie Murphy Must Discuss Rights Before Portraying George Clinton
In addition to Murphy producing, the team will begin searching for a writer after they have negotiated for rights with the “Flash Light” singer. There are no studios attached to the project. However, due to the actor’s three-picture deal with Amazon, it would not be a surprise to see them competing for the film.
You are missing out if your parents have not played Parliament-Funkadelic non-stop since you were born. George Clinton is among the most iconic musicians of all time. His music is what forms the basis of hip-hop, dance, and modern R&B. Moreover, he is one of the most exciting figures in show business. It seems Murphy is the kind of actor who can take on a role like this and prove the skeptics wrong once again.
Career Comeback
Aside from his outstanding performance in the 2019 film Dolemite is My Name for his portrayal of Blaxploitation star Rudy Ray Moore, Murphy has seen a comeback in his career. Coming 2 America, the sequel to his comedy classic of the same name, did better than anyone expected. Furthermore, Murphy will appear alongside Jonah Hill in Kenya Barris’ film You People, which Barris and Hill co-wrote.
There is also news that Beverly Hills Cop 4 is set to film this summer. As a point of reference, Beverly Hills Cop premiered in 1984, and the third film appeared a decade later. Therefore, nearly 30 years have passed since we last saw Axel Foley. Eddie Murphy is in the phase of his career where he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. However, he is old enough to know better, and this is leading to some exciting work.
Thirty-three-year-old singer and songwriter Frank Ocean has made headlines this week with news of his return to the music industry. It has been five years since Frank’s last album. Multiple sources from music labels and social media platforms have confirmed that his third official album is nearly complete. As of now, it is rumored he is currently looking to sign with a label and promote the upcoming record.
Starting Success
Frank Ocean has built a large fan base over the years before, during, and after his last album. His debut album “Channel Orange” was a huge hit. It secured a Grammy in 2013 for Best Contemporary Album and along with two other Grammy nominations. One for album of the year and another for Record of the Year with the hit single “Thinkin Bout You.” Also, the album sold 275,000 units and posted number 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2012. Till this day, it is still on the chart. His last album “Blonde,” was also successful with singles such as “God Speed” and “White Ferrari.”
Crazy Over Frank Ocean
Ocean’s impact and status are no secret to the music industry as someone to “Stan” over. His fans have desperately waited years for his return. They have even shunned the multiple platinum record artist and business mogul “Drake” over him. In 2018 0f Tyler the Creator’s Odd Future Festival, Drake was booed off stage because there were rumors that surprise guess was supposed to appear on stage. Those rumors were undoubtedly about Frank Ocean. Nonetheless, once Drake appeared on stage as the guest, the festival’s fans were not pleased and booed him off before he could even sing a song. It’s safe to assume that if Frank Ocean is reported to be somewhere, he should be there or else.
Ocean’s Future Plans
Source: hiphopdx.com
Frank Ocean will still be looking for labels to sign with for his projects. He wants a good team for his creative construction and promotion. Frank wants to have a good chunk of control and creativity with his work while under a label. His last deal with the recording label “Dej Jam” did not go so well in his personal experience. Lastly, he will be headlining 2023’s Coachella.
One of the most shocking losses in the last few years was the devastating death of NBA star Kobe Bryant and his daughter. Both of them not surviving a plane crash. Now is a time to remember. Remembering Kobe Bryant at the summer Olympics.Both times leading to Team USA gaining gold for men’s basketball.
Kobe’s First Olympic Round In 2008
Beijing, China hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 2008. As a member of Team USA for the first time, Kobe Bryant made his debut. Bryant scored twenty points during the games which led to victory for the USA. After eight minutes of play in the gold medal game, the USA led by two points. Bryant, not to be denied his first Olympic gold medal, took over the game and contributed 13 points, three assists, and two crucial blocked shots to lead the USA to a 118-107 victory in one of the best international basketball games in history.
“What you saw today was a team. Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish and arrogant and being individuals,” Bryant said following the win.
Returning In 2012 For A Second Appearance
Bryant, competing in his second straight Olympics for the U.S., played big in the gold medal match against Spain. After the first quarter, the U.S. led 35-27, 59-58 at halftime, and 83-82 going into the fourth quarter. During the fourth quarter, the U.S. led by double digits before removing Bryant and the other starters to end the game.
In his 36th game in a red, white, and blue USA uniform, Bryant played his final game.
“You realize how fleeting time is, and it brings me great joy to be standing here at this point of my career. It will be exciting to look back at all the memories, this being one of them.”
photo recovered from CNN.com/Biz Markie, 'Just A Friend' rapper, dead at 57
By Lisa Respers France and Andy Rose, CNN
Beloved rapper Marcel Theo Hall, famously known as American rapper Biz Markie, passed away July 16, 2021. He was fifty-seven years young.
Biz Markie was born April 8, 1964, in Harlem, New York. In his early life, Markie was a member of The Juice Crew. Founded in the 1980s, The Juice Crew was a large hip-hop collective that hosted an array of artists, including Markie. The group under radio DJ Mr. Magic’s Cold Chillin’ label helped introduce new school rap and engaged in “answer records” which addressed certain “beef” between rappers.
Getty Images/Ringer Illustrations/ photo recovered from TheRinger.com
Biz Markie’s representative left the public with a note confirming his death.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce, this evening, with his wife Tara by his side, Hip Hop pioneer Biz Markie peacefully passed away,” his representative said in a statement. “We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years.”
Biz Markie then delved into The Flip Squad, a hip-hop group created in 1995. The group, which was organized by disc jockey and rapper Funkmaster Flex, was home to many DJs including Biz Markie. The group was responsible for their 1998 album titled The Flip Squad All-Star DJs.
Biz Markie was struggling with his health before his passing and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2011.
Despite his health struggles, Biz Markie was serious about maintaining his health.
Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images | Johnny Nunez/Getty Images. From left, Biz Markie in Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 13, 2009, and in New York, May 19, 2014.
“I wanted to live,” … “Since I have to be a diabetic, If I didn’t make the changes, it was going to make the diabetes worse. I’m trying to get off [diabetes medications]. The way you gotta do it is lose the weight. I’m off half my meds, I just got to get off the rest.” Biz Markie even reportedly loss 140 pounds in his dedication to his health. (ABC News, 2014.)
Markie was well-loved by his fans and family alike; he was described as quirky, vibrant, a pioneer, and outgoing. He found his place in everyone’s hearts through his musical antics which landed him a spot in rap as well as mainstream music, and as a platinum artist selling over 2 million copies of his most popular song “Just a Friend.”
photo recovered from discogs.com
Biz Markie held multiple professions. He was a rapper, DJ, record producer, actor, comedian, and writer. Markie is also considered a singer, despite his bad singing voice on his track “Just a Friend.”
Biz stated in an interview with EW in 2019 on the 30th anniversary of his aforementioned most popular hit:
“A lot of people didn’t like the record at the beginning. They would say, “Biz is trying to sing? Aw, the record is wack.” But I wasn’t supposed to sing the [chorus]. I asked people to sing the part, and nobody showed up at the studio, so I did it myself,”
However, the record gained a lot of positive feedback and press from the masses, and as for his bad singing voice, it can be safe to admit his singing made the song one of the funniest, clever, and unique songs in the rap game. Biz Markie’s background information on Wikipedia even fittingly labels his genre as “comedy hip hop.”
Markie also appeared in plural television shows and films, those of which included classics like “Men in Black II”, and new-age Black television such as “Empire”, and “Black-Ish.”
photo recovered from BizMarkie.com
As the news was released, many hip hop artists and celebrities paid their respects to the rapper, known as iconic and a legacy by many.
Rapper and record producer LL Cool J shared his love and condolences on Instagram. He had this to say:
“Love you bro and I want to send love to all your fans, to your family, to your wife, management, and rest in power bro.”
Multi-faceted musician and disc jockey Quest Love shared his love for the artist he says built him as an artist.
“Biz built me man. In my early early stages it was Biz who taught me the REAL places to cop records,” the Roots drummer wrote. “He taught me ALOT. I’m using ALL the education he taught me. We will miss him. But he will be here forever.”
Highly accredited rapper, singer, and songwriter Missy Elliot also shared her appreciation for the late artist.
“I can remember so many times trying to beat box like you until my lips was sore & whenever we saw each other your energy was always so full Life/Love/& Good Vibes. Your impact in the culture is 4EVER & you will NEVER be forgotten.”
Never forgotten indeed. Biz Markie will be missed.
photo recovered from NYDailyNews.com/Music artist Biz Markie in the DJ booth during the EW & CNN “The Eighties” Trivia event at Breakroom 86 in The Line Hotel in Los Angeles in March 2016. (Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Entertainment W)
After he burst on the scene with one of the most ambitious hip-hop albums of the modern era in good kid, m.A.A.d city, his path to success was already on its way to legendary status. He followed up that project with an equally as experimental and genre-bending project in To Pimp A Butterfly. His impact on hip-hop culture is well-documented. Many believe him to be one of the greatest rappers in recent years and is a pioneer in west coast hip-hop forever.
However, he didn’t begin as the legend we know him now to be. His first debut album “Section.80” is foreshadowing for how great he was going to be but also provides a different vibe than any of his other projects. On July 2 this year, Section. 80 turned 10 years old. To honor that anniversary, we are going to look back at how interesting and thought-provoking this debut album was.
THE REVIEW
Section.80 is a concept album. Most people praise Kendrick for his concepts that he chose on his later projects, but Section.80 has a great concept of its own. The album begins with a campfire on “F*ck Your Ethnicity”.
This song serves as a opening theme to the main ideas of the entire album. Kendrick takes on a deeply personal topic to him: the impact of the Ronald Reagan Era on a lost generation, 80s babies. He uses the story of two girls named Tammy & Keisha to speak about these issues.
The impacts he describes through the album include drug addiction , self-hatred, violence, poverty, prostitution, etc. Now, this is not necessarily a new topic . There has been numerous articles and books that explain in-depth the impact of government policy on these exact issues. However, the way he creatively presents it, the album becomes much more than just good songs.
Section.80s Babies
F*ck Your Ethnicty is about race and how it divides us. Race is a social construct. Kendrick’s sees race as not a thing to care about and just makes it harder for us to rise up and really go against the real problem: the system and government.
The album goes on to explain all the issues that comes from the same system that created race.
The next song is a perfect example of this. “Hol’ Up” is a traditional braggadocio track, which is the type of songs that elevate the things Kendrick finds as detrimental: drugs, excessive sex and money.
The song is followed by the woozy, atmospheric track “A.D.H.D”. The song is about drugs and how hard the Crack Epidemic hit Kendrick’s generation.
“You know when you part of Section.80 You feel like no one can relate ‘Cause you are, you are, a loner, loner Marijuana endorphins make you stronger, stronger”
The song is one of Kendrick’s best, taking you to a house party where he meets a girl where she explains to him that the drugs is a mask for the pain. 80s babies have A.D.H.D because of the trauma and drug addiction that comes with the communities we come from. It is such a hypnotic record with a sticky hook and displays Kendrick’s great storytelling ability. In addition, it can be inferred that this girl is Tammy, based on the next two songs.
“I hate my lips, my nose, my eyebrows…”
“No-Make Up” (Her Vice)” is a song of self-hatred where he uses Keisha as an example of a girl that doesn’t see herself as beautiful without make-up. It is revealed later in the track she is putting on make-up not just to make herself feel good, but to hide a black eye from a boyfriend. This is a continued theme throughout the album, covering up pain.
That story continues on the next song “Tammy’s Song (Her Evils)”. It introduces Tammy as a character in the album. Tammy is best friends with Keisha and both are in relationships. Unfortunately, these relationships do not end well after both find their boyfriends are cheating on them. Kendrick ends the song, eluding to the girls finding comfort in having sex with each other.
This is one on Kendrick’s most controversial songs as he seems to make an argument that being gay is wrong. However, he may just being saying that the girls were doing that to be spiteful and that is wrong. Either way, it is a great song that continues the story of pain and 80s babies.
The next 5 songs, “Chapter Six”, “Ronald Reagan Era”, “Poe Man Dreams” & “Chapter Ten” (“The Spiteful Chant” is not on streaming, but counts in the 5) shift focus away from the women’s stories and talk about Kendrick’s and his friend’s experiences. The songs all reflect the dangers and peer pressure that is found in the era and communities that Kendrick grew up in.
“1987, the children of Ronald Reagan
Rake the leaves off your front porch with a machine blowtorch
He blowin’ on stress, hoping to ease the stress
He coppin’ some blow, hoping that it can stretch”
“Ronald Reagan Era” is a hard-hitting, visceral track about the violence found in Compton and “Poe Man Dreams” is a soul-tinged reflection on poverty and prison. These tracks have some of Kendrick’s most honest and raw writing we had seen up to this point. However, nothing compares to the following track.
“Keisha’s Song (Her Pain)”may be one of Kendrick’s best lyrical performances and songs in general. We focus our attention back on Keisha, because we now find her as a prostitute. She clearly is not enthused about doing this but has to to to pay for food and to avoid consequences from her pimp.
She, sadly, has to degrade herself so she can not care about what she is doing. Unfortunately, the story ends tragically as she is raped and killed by one of her customers one day. It is revealed that she became a prostitute due to being sexually assaulted when she was younger by her mom’s boyfriend. Kendrick’s level of understanding and passion makes this a true highlight in his career.
“Lord knows she’s beautiful…”
The mind-blowing “Rigamortis” & the introspective“Kush & Corinthians” display Kendrick’s ability to be conscious, while also being extremely entertaining. “Kush & Corinthians” features a great BJ the Chicago Kid verse that pierces the soul and explains how easy peer pressure and temptation can be to give into.
After a funky Aaliyah tribute, the album ends with on a high note, starting with “Ab-Soul Outro”. The song is a jazzy, courtesy of Terrace Martin, reflection on the album and the themes. Ab-Soul and Kendrick both explain that these are their own thoughts and encourage listeners to form their own opinions on these issues discussed in the album.
“HiiPoWeR”(produced by J.Cole) is a final answer to the problems his generation face: free thought and self-love. Form your own opinions and be your truest self, without outside influences because most of those are detrimental.
Section.80 is a deep reflection on government, self, love and pain. A huge topic to be told by a 24-year old Kendrick Lamar that he does beautifully and tasteful. Section.80 is one of the greatest debut albums in the modern era and such a lyrical clinic and thought-provoking project to this day. Kendrick has become so much more than he was on this album, but this is the basis of everything he does. You can hear these ideas sprinkled through all his albums. Section.80 was the beginning of a legend.
Pop Smoke’s second posthumous album is now available for preorder!
Pop Smoke was a legend in the making
His unique voice and cadence made him a hip-hop phenom. He became the leader of the emerging New York drill scene and was already getting praise from New York and hip-hop legends. Smoke’s most famous songs “Dior” & “Welcome to the Party” were club staples and each earned platinum status.
Unfortunately, Pop Smoke was shot and killed in a home invasion in February of last year, ending his young but promising career. The loss of a face of the new generation of rap shocked the hip-hop world.
To honor his memory, 50 Cent ⎯ a mentor and inspiration for Pop Smoke ⎯ executively produced a posthumous album. That album titled Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, was released on July 3, 2020. Met with critical and commercial success, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. All 19 tracks from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The album spawned top-10 singles “For the Night” and “What You Know Bout Love“. In addition, the album won Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Rap Album at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 23: 2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS
Now, almost a year later, Pop Smoke’s team has announced a second posthumous record is coming.
A new Pop Smoke album will be released on July 16, as announced late last month.
However yesterday, the pre-order on Apple Music went live. The album seems to be a self-titled project and will feature 17 songs. Along with the pre-order being live, you can now listen to the outro of the project. The outro seems to be a motivation to younger artists and his fans.
You can listen to the outro and preorder the album here.
Written by Demetrius Sadler| Twitter: @thademigod7
Missy Elliott is a trendsetter in every sense of the word. Her music, fashion and outgoing personality has made her an icon, not just in the hip-hop community, but in the music industry in general. She is a legend and has made a huge impact on so many artists then and now with her unique style and sound.
Today, July 1, 2021 marks Missy Elliott’s 50th birthday.
Having sold over 30 million records throughout her career, Missy Elliott is the top-selling female rapper of all time.
Born and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia, Missy began her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the 1990s, later becoming a member of the Swing Mob alongside her childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland.
Following collaborations with artists like Aaliyah, Total and SWV, she launched her solo career in 1997 with Supa Dupa Fly. That album produced the top 20 single “Sock It 2 Me,” which ranked at number three on the Billboard 200, the highest-charting debut for a female rapper at the time.
Moreover, Elliott went on to win four Grammy Awards and sell over 30 million records in the United States in her illustrious career.
In 2005, Missy took a decade-long break as she battled Graves’ disease. In 2015, she returned to the industry with a comeback performance at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show.
Just a few months later, she released her comeback EP, Iconology.
In 2019, she became the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition, she received the MTV VMAs Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her impact on the music video landscape.
Missy is a legend and we can’t wait to see what the Queen will do next!
Mary J. Blige seems uninterested in competing in a Verzuz battle soon!
Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, has one of the most prolific catalogues of her time. She has hits ranging from the early 90s to the late 2000s. Blige has sold over 100 million records worldwide. She has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards and three Golden Globe Award nominations. Her impact is unmistakable and her status as a legend is solidified.
So why wouldn’t an icon like her want to celebrate her accomplishments?
Mary J.Blige has recently been on a press run for her new documentary on Amazon Prime, “My Life”. The documentary details her process of self-discovery and self-love throughout her career, specifically around the time of her legendary album “My Life”.
Recently, she was a guest on The Breakfast Club. Blige was asked if she would consider making an appearance on the popular music battle show Verzuz.
This comes after rumors of a Mary J.Blige vs Toni Braxton Verzuz in the works. Verzuz quickly dismissed the rumors.
“We love both ladies, but this is not a confirmed #VERZUZ event. Please stay tuned for upcoming announcements on our future shows.”
Blige was asked if she would do the show at all. Her fans would not pleased with her response.
“I don’t know what a Verzuz would do for me.I’m not sure what a Verzuz could do for Mary J. Blige right now, but um, right now, it’s not something that’s on the top of my list.”
The hosts tried to push her to say that it was more for her fans than anything for her brand but she seemed unbothered.
We would love to see Mary J. Blige burn up the Verzuz stage but we may never get it. In the meantime, she has given us an entire documentary of a deep dive into her life as an artist. You can watch it here.
