Skip to content Skip to footer
Bruh July 8, 2017
35Views 0Comments

11 Netflix documentaries you need to peep when you’re smacked

Are you trying to Netflix and chill but can’t find anything good to watch?

Do you find yourself shuffling through flicks you’ve already seen? Are you boring your friends with lame ass selections? Are you dumb smacked?

Well bore no more. We’ve got the documentaries that’ll put you on the edge of your seat. You no longer have to reach in the dark hoping to grasp something poppin’.

The only thing you’ll need to grab is some roll up and piff.

Here’s your one stop shop for some of the best documentaries on Netflix.

Saving Banksy

Take a step into the world of graffiti. Saving Banksy follows Brian Greif as he struggles to save one of Banksy’s most popular pieces – The Socialist Rat. Watch him as he struggles to safely extract the street art from the side of a building, haggle with bidders who offer hundreds of thousands of dollars for him to sell out, and find a place for the artwork to call home.

Directed by Colin Day, Saving Banksy sheds light on the people who respect Banksy’s vandal-like style, those who want to take monetary advantage of his anonymity, and those looking to eradicate his art off of the streets completely.

Saving Banksy features some of the world’s top street artists and takes us to Miami’s Art Basel where Banksy’s pieces are taken out of context and put on display without his permission.

Fuck you Stephan Keszler.

T-Rex

Clarissa Shields is a 17-year-old boxer from Flint, MI who has had it hard her entire life. She now has the opportunity to get to the Olympics and get the gold and change her and family’s life completely.

Watch as Shields trains her ass off to become the first woman in history to win a gold medal in Olympic boxing (2012 was the first Olympics with women’s boxing).

Directed by Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari, T-Rex is an American sports nonpareil.

Bodyguards: The Secret Lives from the Watchtower

Directed by Jaren Hayman, this doc takes you into the secret lives of celebrity bodyguards working in private security profiles.

Get an inside look of those who have protected rapper 50 Cent, mega pop star Justin Beiber, Bostonian gangster/snitch Whitey Bulger, and South African apartheid activist turned prime minister Nelson Mandela.

This shit is straight fire. Peep top secret military tactics, the cost of being someone’s human shield, and the sacrifices made by those who serve and protect the famous and powerful.

CT Fletcher: My Magnificent Obsession

CT Fletcher is basically black Lazarus. Watch as Vlad Yudin captures the magnificent story of a bodybuilder who looked death right in the eyes and said, fuck you.

This flick will definitely give you the motivation to keep going no matter what the cost.

Fletcher is a man who was told he would never lift again after having hypertension issues from a fast food diet and a mechanical heart placed into his chest.

He is now over 50 and brolic AF.

CounterPunch

Counter Punch is a Netflix original documentary directed by golden glove boxer Jay Bulger. Bulger takes you into the lives of three boxers at different stages in their careers.

Watch as Peter Quillin, Cam F. Awesome, and Lil B-Hop contest to make it to the top of their division.

The doc gives insight to the declining popularity of boxing and discusses the waging between money and glory.  CounterPunch features wisdom from legendary boxers Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Bernard Hopkins.

What would you choose the money or the honor?

Hip-Hop Evolution

Hip-Hop Evolution is a four-part Canadian music documentary series.

Directed by Darby Wheeler, Sam Dunn, and Scot McFadyen, Hip-Hop Evolution delves into a rich history of the urban music genre.

The series gives rap fans insight on what is it was like coming up during the birth of hip-hop. Hear epic tales from legends like Russell Simmons, DJ Kool Herc, and Grandmaster Flash.

Get Me Roger Stone

Step into the life of a real fuck boy.

Get Me Roger Stone, written and directed by Dylan Bank, Daniel DiMauro, and Morgan Pehme, gives us a look into the dark and demented mind of a man described as someone “who has no soul.”

Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru

Watch as Tony Robbins touches the soul of patrons from every corner of the globe at his six-day seminar “Date With Destiny.”

Cameramen go behind the scenes as Robbins prepares to preach to over 2,500 people in Boca Raton, Florida and get some insight on Robbins mission – looking for what’s real finding it, and taking that bait all the way to the soul.

Not going to front, I got teary eyed when watching a couple of scenes.

SneakerHeadz

Are you a sole collector?

“A sneakerhead to me, is when your wife comes home with groceries and she can’t find room on the floor in the kitchen to put the groceries down because it’s full of shoes and boxes, that’s when you know you have a problem, and that problem is being a sneaker head.”

Sneakerheadz, will make your head spin as it goes into the closets of sneaker collectors all across the globe.

Viewers get an inside look into the heads of DC sneaker designer and pro skater Rob Dyrdek, rapper Wale, MLB pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, designer of the Pigeon Dunk Jeff Staple, and much more.

Sneakerheadz takes kick fanatics to the corners of the earth. Peep the illest stores in Tokyo, Boston, Los Angeles, and London. Also, see what it was like for collectors before the internet.

 

The Hurt Business

From Vlad Yudin, the producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, The Hurt Business is another fighting doc that hits hard. Get a behind the scenes look to see the history of the brutal sport.

Watch as The Hurt Business covers the rich history of the sport from its beginning stages in the Colosseum to making its debut at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

This flick features legendary MMA fighters like Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, and Georges St-Pierre. It also features up-and-coming fighters who are struggling to make it to the top balancing a life in and outside of the ring.

Retired fighters also shed light on their perspective of the sport and the damaging effects it has had on their mental health.

 

13th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V66F3WU2CKk

Become awoken.

13th, directed by Ava DuVernay, takes an in-depth look at the 13th Amendment to the Constitution,

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.”

Are prisoners the new slaves?

Watch as scholars, activist, and politicians deconstruct the prison system and dig up the truth behind what the prison industry really is.

2 chainz July 5, 2017
34Views 0Comments

2 Chainz turns Atlanta Trap House into a church and HIV clinic

Pretty Girls Love Trap Music is more than just another album, it’s a movement. 2 Chainz’s latest work has become an overnight sensation, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart after the first week of sales.

2 Chainz’s project has already moved a total of 106,000 units with more than half of those being traditional album sales. Album streams have reached upwards of 60 million.

2 Chainz has the #1 rap album in the country

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV0LozhDFxK/?taken-by=hairweavekiller

Besides releasing one of the most poppin’ albums of the summer, 2 Chainz has also managed to bring the Pretty Girls Love Trap Music album art to life. The Necklace Don rented a house in ATL and turned it into a replica of the all pink house depicted on the album cover.

Chainz’s pink trap house has become a social landmark.

Hundreds of people have pulled up to take pictures and videos in front and inside ATL’s new tourist attraction.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWK9axvgmxg/?taken-by=thetraphouseatl&hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWKc1lXgNen/?taken-by=thetraphouseatl&hl=en

The Pink House even made the news

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr6DXljP8SQ

But it is more than just a spot to post up at and take pictures. Last Sunday, Chainz turned it into a “Trap Church.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWD6Zu2jL8A/?taken-by=hairweavekiller

Then on Independence Day the all pink trap house went from church to HIV clinic

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWIO2_7DiZh/?taken-by=hairweavekiller

The pink landmark also serves as a place for people to express themselves through their art and music

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWJFIK7DLJ-/?taken-by=hairweavekiller

Is 2 Chainz on to something? Some don’t see it that way.

The word “TRAP” has a very negative connotation for many Atlanta residents. TRAPPING is directly associated with drug dealers as they use these run down houses (“traps”) to flip their drugs.

Greenforest Community Baptist Church Youth Pastor, Al Hollie Jr. spoke out against the new landmark. The pastor is concerned with the damaging effects trap houses have on communities and families.

In an interview with Fox 5, Hollie Jr. let us know about how damaging these drug dens can be,

“The last place you’d want relatives at is inside a trap house. The last place you’d want your children at is inside a trap house… because the damage it does is generational.”

Even though Hollie fucks with Chainz’s movement, he warns against the lasting effects trap houses have on the community,

“Much love to 2 Chainz, his movement and the culture, but if you’re taking photos in front of a trap house you haven’t seen the damage it can do to a community.”

Hollie added,

“The damage I’m talking about is broken homes, taking family members from each other, kids being taken away, fathers going to prison, and children being born addicted to drugs.”

While some see 2 Chainz as making light of something that can be so damaging, he’s also changing what the word itself means, giving something back to his community through the trap church and HIV testing center.

It’s a fine line.

Let us know what you think about Chainz’s movement.

hip hop July 4, 2017
33Views 0Comments

Sonny Digital calls for more love for producers, drops new solo track

Sonny Digital is not fuckin’ with you if you don’t give him the recognition he deserves.

He doesn’t want to just put it on for himself either. The Atlanta-based producer is looking to put it on for music mixing masters worldwide.

Late last month, Sonny took to social media and called for producers to band together everywhere and form unions.

In an Instagram post, Digital asked that rappers to respect the people behind the boards and that the industry should give them more recognition.

Peep what he had to say:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVzgbj1BMzQ/?taken-by=sonnydigital

Sonny wasn’t alone, producers everywhere showed support. Flying Lotus even showed some love via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/flyinglotus/status/879636431899049984

Producers not getting any love for their work is a shame. Even though making a hit takes both the rapper and the producer working together, a rapper putting out a song with no beat would be whack as fuck.

Can you imagine Future with no Metro or Drake with no 40? Fuckin’ trash.

So what does a disgruntled producer do when his collaborators aren’t giving him the respect he deserves? He makes the fire ass beat and spits his own bars and creates his own track. Fuck a feature!

Digital got the gas. Homie dropped a fully independent single, “Look At Me Now,” on Merica’s birthday.

We’ve been waiting all month for this track to drop.

“Look At Me Now” is available everywhere. Happy Fourth! Check out the track below.

4:44 July 3, 2017
32Views 0Comments

Is this Hov’s best album? Putting Jay-Z’s ‘4:44’ under the microscope

4:44 did not disappoint.

The samples and the inspiration behind the album proved to show how much talented and forward-thinking Jay-Z and No I.D., producer of 4:44, truly are.

The duo, who have worked together before on tracks like “D.O.A.” and “Holy Grail,” sampled from the likes of legendary musicians like Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone.

Just to show the musical range, Tidal listed the songs that inspired No I.D. and Jay-Z, which includes Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” and of course Playboi Carti’s “Magnolia.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKJtB5ao15E

Jay-Z’s 13th studio album featured his wife Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Damian Marley, and his mother, Gloria Carter. It’s definitely Hov’s sharpest album as he was able to touch on how he feels about race, culture, money, and gave us a look into his life, all in 10 tracks.

As you know, Jay leads a very private life, but 4:44  is one of the most transparent albums he’s ever released.

Hov gives a peek into his foxhole, touching on his infidelities, his lesbian mother, his break up with Ye, and his proximity to billionaire status.

The album opens up with “Kill Jay Z.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7jFengL1y/?taken-by=erickaybar&hl=en

According to Jay-Z in exclusive commentary he gave to iHeartRadio, “Kill Jay Z” is not to be taken seriously,

“The first song is called ‘Kill JAY Z’ and obviously, it’s not to be taken literal. It’s really about the ego. It’s about killing off the ego, so we can have this conversation in a place of vulnerability and honesty.”

The song represents the beginning of a new persona. One of the telltale signs- Jay-Z put the hyphen back in his name – “Kill Jay Z” appears without the hyphen. He decided to take the hyphen out back in 2013 and decided to put it back when he dropped the Marshala Ali ad.

“Kill Jay Z,” is  definitely the death of an ego:

“Kill Jay Z, they’ll never love you
You’ll never be enough, let’s just keep it real, Jay Z
Fuck Jay Z, I mean, you shot your own brother
How can we know if we can trust Jay Z?
And you know better, nigga, I know you do
But you gotta do better, boy, you owe it to Blue
You had no father, you had the armor
But you got a daughter, gotta get softer
Die Jay Z, this ain’t back in the days”

Besides voicing the death of an ego, Jay-Z also takes a shot at Kanye. I guess Jay-Z finally got in touch with ‘Ye after he ranted on stage back in November. ‘Ye made sure everyone was aware that he was hurt by Bey and that he and Jigga were not seeing eye to eye, financially.

“But you got hurt because you did cool by ‘Ye
You gave him 20 million without blinkin’
He gave you 20 minutes on stage, fuck was he thinkin’?
‘Fuck wrong with everybody?’ is what you sayin’
But if everybody’s crazy, you’re the one that’s insane”

Hovv also compared how he almost lost Beyonce over some dumb shit like Eric Bonet lost Halle Berry. Jay had time to throw in a quick jab to Future’s situation with his kid too. Savage.

“You almost went Eric BenĂ©t
Let the baddest girl in the world get away
I don’t even know what else to say
Nigga, never go Eric Benét!
I don’t even know what you woulda done
In the Future, other niggas playin’ football with your son”

Of course, Benét took that shit to heart.

The second song off of the album, “The Story of OJ,” is straight up business. Jay-Z raps about where black people stand in the fucked up pyramid scheme of 2017 America. Hov uses OJ Simpson as an example to depict that no matter how much money you have, no matter what status you achieve, you are still black in this country.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWDyfbpHl2G/?tagged=imnotblack

Jay urges us to turn that success into something bigger.

Hov really looked to educate people on this one. Even in his commentary on the album he sent to iHeartRadio, he explained,

“‘The Story of OJ’ is really a song about we as a culture, having a plan, how we’re gonna push this forward. We all make money, and then we all lose money, as artists especially. But how, when you have some type of success, to transform that into something bigger.”

Peep this excerpt from the second verse:

“Financial freedom my only hope
Fuck livin’ rich and dyin’ broke
I bought some artwork for 1 million
2 years later, that shit worth 2 million
Few years later, that shit worth 8 million
I can’t wait to give this shit to my children
Y’all think it’s bougie, I’m like, it’s fine
But I’m tryin’ to give you a million dollars worth of game for $9.99”

How much is Tidal? Tidal is $9.99. Sheesh, that’s a worthy trade.

A big shoutout to Stevie Wonder for Hov’s third track off the album, “Smile.” Definitely a powerful song, more like a joyful anthem, and features Hov’s mother, Gloria Carter. At the end of the song Gloria opens up on her sexuality and being free.

Frank Ocean gracefully hops on “Caught Their Eyes” to make the fourth track off of 4:44 a breezy listen. Hov explains it as a track about self awareness,

“‘Caught The Eye’ is a song that’s dealing with just being aware of your surroundings. There’s a line in it, and it says, ‘Your body language is all remedial, how could you see the difference between you and I?’ Just being so sharp about your surroundings.”

Hov also discusses his last meeting with Prince before he died and what the “Purple Rain” artist wanted to do with his music. Fuck you Londell McMillian.

“I sat down with Prince, eye to eye
He told me his wishes before he died
Now, Londell McMillan, he must be color blind
They only see green from them purple eyes”

The song I’ve been waiting to discuss is the self-titled “4:44.” At the number five spot on the album the track serves as the perfect median. The Hannah Williams sample is an apology to Jay-Z’s wife Beyonce.

Hov discusses his infidelities, the regret he holds, and how appreciative he is of Blue and his newly arrived twins. Peep the third verse from the song.

“And if my children knew, I don’t even know what I would do
If they ain’t look at me the same
I would prob’ly die with all the shame
‘You did what with who?’
What good is a ménage à trois when you have a soulmate?
‘You risked that for Blue?’
If I wasn’t a superhero in your face
My heart breaks for the day I had to explain my mistakes
And the mask goes away, and Santa Claus is fake
And you go online and see
For Blue’s tooth, the tooth fairy didn’t pay”

He described it as one of the best songs he’s ever written,

“‘4:44’ is a song that I wrote, and it’s the crux of the album, just right in the middle of the album. And I woke up, literally, at 4:44 in the morning, 4:44 AM, to write this song. So it became the title of the album and everything. It’s the title track because it’s such a powerful song, and I just believe one of the best songs I’ve ever written.”

“Family Feud” is an epic follow up to “4:44” featuring vocals from Beyonce. Hov gets a little cocky on this one and discusses what his family is really worth… priceless. Hov also touches on his rap family and how fighting within the culture is not progressive.

Hov gives a shout out to “Becky with the good hair” too,

“Yeah, I’ll fuck up a good thing if you let me
Let me alone, Becky”

Remeber when Jay-Z went to Jamaica?

He was definitely mixin it up with Damian Marley to create “Bam.” The track has an island vibe and is supposed to be an ode to Damian’s dad’s “Jamming.”

“Moonlight” was inspired by the movie. It samples the Fugees hit track “Fu-Gee- La,” poking fun at the accidental Oscar awarding to La La Land. 

Oscars 2017 GIF by The Academy Awards - Find & Share on GIPHY

The hook says it all, “We stuck in La La Land/Even if we win, we gonna lose.” According to Hov, the song is “commentary on the culture and where we’re going.”

“Marcy Me” takes you straight through Marcy. It’s a song of hope and that you can do anything you put your mind to. You can get out of any situation you don’t want to be in.

Peep this verse that gives you a picture of Hov’s struggle coming up:

“Marcy me
Streets is my artery, the vein of my existence
I’m the Gotham City heartbeat
I started in lobbies, now parley with Saudis
I’m a Sufi to goofies, I could probably speak Farsi
That’s poetry, reek of coca leaf in my past
Came through the bushes smellin’ like roses
I need a trophy just for that”

The-Dream throws a vocal assist to close this beautiful song.

Hov closes 4:44 with “Legacy.” The track starts off with his daughter Blue Ivy asking. “Daddy, what’s a will?” Jay-Z hints at all the things he’ll be giving his children to keep his legacy alive. This includes Roc Nation, Tidal, and Armand de Brignac.

Blue has no idea how breaded she really is.

https://giphy.com/gifs/north-west-gif-WXlUMkb84ZOh2

jay z
10K80 June 30, 2017
33Views 0Comments

From Marcy to Millions: How Hov became the ultimate businessman

Jay-Z went from being a hustler on the streets of Brooklyn to an international icon. How does a rapper out of the Marcy Projects become a mogul? Genius marketing.

Over the years, Hov has managed to market himself and his brand by collaborating with the right companies and people.

Jay-Z’s work with Sprint for his album 4:44 was incredible. The package? Six months of streaming service Tidal for free, exclusive access to Jay-Z’s album, and all the content surrounding it.

For the marketing campaign Jay-Z placed ads all over NYC, including several subway stations like the Jay St. stop in Brooklyn as well as Times Square. Signs were also spotted in Los Angeles.

The Brooklyn rapper didn’t stop there. He proceeded to premier an ad during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The ad cast Mahershala Ali and left Jay-Z fans with hints of a possible short film featuring Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o as well as Donald Glover.

To make the hype even crazier, Tidal tweeted last night that you have to sign up for the streaming service before midnight in order to experience 4:44.

If you didn’t sign up for Tidal before midnight, you are basically fucked. The only way you could experience the exclusive content is by switching to Sprint.

Genius marketing. Especially since Sprint acquired a 33 percent stake of Tidal, bumping the music streaming service’s worth to $600 million. The partnership also makes Tidal available to Sprint’s 45 million retail customers.

Looking back, this isn’t the first time International Hov has used his business savvy to promote an album.

Remember Magna Carta Holy Grail? Jay-Z paired up with Samsung to release his 12th solo album on July 4th back in 2013.

https://youtu.be/ZNlciK_2qCA

You know what’s boss af?

Pairing up with Samsung and not only striking a $20 million deal, but having them pay for the marketing and front $5 million to purchase 1 million copies of your album.

Let’s take another look at a small step Jay-Z took and turned it into a big business. His promotion of Armand de Brignac, the iconic gold bottle with an ace of spade on it.

No one had ever really heard of the champagne before Jay-Z premiered it in his video for his hit song “Show Me What You Got.”

Back then everyone was poppin’ Cristal, but Jay-Z was responsible for everybody changing their expensive beverage of choice.

So why Champagne Armand de Brignac? Three minutes into the video above you see a waiter bring Hov a bottle of Cristal Champagne but he dubs it and tells him to fetch the gold bottle with the ace of spade.

Why all the beef? Hov boycotted Cristal because of offensive comments from the managing director of Cristal, Frederic Rouzaud. Rozaud spoke to the Economist in regards to the association between Cristal and the bling lifestyle and if it could actually hurt the brand,

“That’s a good question, but what can we do? We can’t forbid people from buying it. I’m sure Dom PĂ©rignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business.”

Hov pulled the champagne from his small chain of popular sports lounges — where bottles of Cristal sold for $450 and $600. In response to Rouzaud’s comments, he said,

“It has come to my attention that the managing director of Cristal, Frederic Rouzaud views the ‘hip-hop’ culture as ‘unwelcome attention,”’ Jay-Z said. “I view his comments as racist and will no longer support any of his products through any of my various brands including the 40/40 Club nor in my personal life.”

Guess what Hov’s next move was? Copping his own champagne. Jay-Z was paid millions of dollars and equity in Sovereign Brands to promote the champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, that no-one had heard of.

In Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office, Zack O’Malley Greenburg broke down Jigga’s profit:

“The production cost per bottle of Armand de Brignac is about $13; the wholesale price is $225. The maximum output is 60,000 bottles per year. If Jay Z splits the $212-per-bottle profit evenly with Cattier and Sovereign, a back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests his annual take would be a little over $4 million.”

Sheesh!

Moving on to the next venture that Jay-Z absolutely crushed, his work with search engine Bing and his autobiography Decoded was revolutionary once again.

Bing and Jay-Z collaborated and created probably one of the best marketing campaigns the web has ever seen. Media was calling the campaign “Rap’s Rosetta Stone.”

For the collab, Bing and Hov dropped a page of the book every day in a new location over the course of a month leading up to the autobiography’s release. Each location was inspired by a different story on each page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7TfsvDBa0/?tagged=decoded&hl=en

Pages were placed in 13 major cities in the US. This allowed fans to experience Hov’s story in real time, putting the entire biography in context.

A bronze plaque was installed in the Marcy Projects, an entire Cadillac was wrapped in a page and paid homage to the birthplace of hip-hop, and a page was even transcribed onto the floor at the Delano Pool in Miami.

Facebook

The campaign helped Bing acquire an 11.7 percent increase in visits, enter the global top 10 most visited sites, and earn 1.1 billion media impressions.

Jay-Z’s Facebook followers grew by 1.1 million and Decoded was a NYT bestseller for 19 weeks. This was all in the course of one month.

https://youtu.be/XNic4wf8AYg

Let’s not forget about Jay-Z’s entertainment company Roc Nation. Founded in 2008, the full-service entertainment company houses a record label, talent agency, a touring and concert production company, music, film, and television production company, and a music publishing house.

The client list includes some of the world’s most recognizable names: from Rihanna, Shakira, J. Cole, and Big Sean to Yoenis Cespedes, Kevin Durant, Dez Bryant, and Robinson Cano.

To jump start Roc Nation’s music distribution, Hov signed a 4-year distribution deal with Sony Music back in 2009. Following their success in 2010, Roc Nation partnered with London-based entertainment company Three Six Zero Group.

In February 2013, Roc Nation made major moves, signing a worldwide music publishing administration deal with Warner/Chappell Music.

Even after the Sony deal expired, Hov managed to get a multi-year partnership with Universal Music.

Music is not Roc Nation’s only money maker. The sports division brought in a whopping $19.2 million as of September 2016, representing less than 20 clients. That is a major move.

Peep Dez Bryant throwing up the Roc.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKhW2V9hwJd/?taken-by=dezbryant&hl=en

Jay-Z has got the Midas touch. Just this year, Roc Nation announced the formation of Arrive, a new division of the company that will focus on investing and nurturing promising startups. Hov will own the past, present, and future.

What can’t this man do!

derek balarezo June 29, 2017
31Views 0Comments

YL drops new visuals for ‘Heat Wave’ off latest project Open 24

Off of his latest project, Open 24, YL blesses us with his visuals for “Heat Wave.”

Watch as YL takes you on a journey to a new lyrical dimension all on a crisp and hypnotic piano loop.

Although the song is called “Heat Wave” it seems as if YL wanted to keep it cool, calm, and collected for this video. Directed by Derek Balarezo, the video depicts YL creating music in the Open 24 producer Roper Williams‘ basement.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVz4BEIjnwV/

The video definitely oozes an old soul vibe. You can see an antique cinematic touch as the film flickers. The video switching from scenes of old trophies, dusty ceramic dolls, and used sports equipment makes you feel like you are right there in the basement with YL as he creates.

Watch as the NYC lyricist shuffles through records from the likes of  Weldon Irvine, plays to the tune of “Heat Wave” on an old organ, and fiddles around with his MPC.

While putting the finishing touches on a beat he was creating, YL, closes the video with the lyrics “NY reppin’, YL keep em’ guessing.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5DeqWjFzL/

The scene then transitions to a dangling firefighter medallion, a miniature statue of St. Mary, and YL rocking an Aime Leon Dore sweatshirt while standing in front of a cluttered basement backdrop.

Definitely something worth watching, hopefully we can see more videos from the NYC native. They’ll be a much more to come as YL said that he’s working on a new project that will be dropping by the end of year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQvjOMjjV7B/

HUMBLE. music video
dna June 28, 2017
34Views 0Comments

Kendrick Lamar has the best visuals in rap and it’s not even close

Some are calling Kendrick Lamar the best lyricist to ever touch the rap industry. His quip bars will make a white boy’s head turn in Beverly Hills.

K.Dot really got the juice and he’s not even close to squeezing his box dry.

For all the bitch ass haters who don’t respect his music, the one thing you can throw some respect on is Kung Fu Kenny’s visuals.

The videos for his latest album DAMN. are straight up mesmerizing. I remember when the visuals for “HUMBLE.” dropped, I almost threw my Ye Olde English 40oz.

“HUMBLE,” directed by Dave Meyers and The Little Homies, opens with Kendrick standing in a holy beam of light while rocking a papal robe.

Ever seen someone rap looking like the Pope?

The scenes then switch between Kendrick spitting bars in papal garb and laying face up on a table full of money spewing cash out of a handheld money counter.

Plus he has masked bodacious babes right by his side counting his bread. TBH it doesn’t get more boss than that.

Kendrick then screams “My left stroke just went viral!” This all while he swings a golf club standing atop a rusted-out Chevy in the L.A. River.

The rest of the video flashes to scenes of Kendrick in a crowd of black bald heads, standing with his head ablaze, drinking wine with the homies in a Last Supper-like setting, and taking part in a Grey Poupon drug deal.

Here’s “HUMBLE.”

Moving forward, the next visual “DNA.,” for a lack of better words, is dope AF. Directed by Nabil and The Little Homies, “DNA.” starts off with actor Don Cheadle interrogating Kendrick Lamar.

Cheadle is preparing to administer a lie detector test and tells us what “DNA.” stands for: DEAD NIGGA ASSOCIATION.

Upon commencing the lie detector test, Cheadle becomes possessed after tapping into the truth, Kendrick Lamar’s test readings.

A possessed Don Cheadle is not the only thing you will see. After opening Cheadle’s mind, Kendrick Lamar exits the building wearing a Kung Fu Suit.

Kung Fu Kenny is then seen playing dice with the homies, in a coffin holding roses, karate chopping a brick of cocaine, and dodging paparazzi.

This is all while we see B-roll of baddies whipping around recklessly. For the cherry on top, the video ends with Schoolboy Q throwing up gang signs while smoking a fatty.

Kendrick Lamar’s  “DNA.”

His latest visual for “ELEMENT.” separates the “black artists from the whack artists.” The video, directed by Jonas Lindstroem and The Little homies, looks like something straight out of a Gordon Parks photo shoot.

This video definitely paid a little homage to the late photographer, musician, and filmmaker. Gordon Parks was known for developing films describing the experience of slaves, struggling Black Americans, and creating the blaxploitation genre.

Check out some screens shots from the video that undeniably show that Parks was an inspiration.

Besides the Gordon Parks references, the “ELEMENT.” video gives viewers an inside look at what makes Kendrick, Kendrick.

Watch a house fully ablaze, OGs hopping out of the back of pickup running up on some poor soul, and Kendrick Slapping the shit out of someone.

The scenes where Kendrick’s spitting bars under a black silhouette before swinging a pool stick at someone that looks like he said some stupid shit, puts a dude with dreads in the crazy headlock, and the guy in the hoodie falling off of a building are not for the weak-hearted.

They won’t take me out my “ELEMENT.”

Hopefully the Compton rapper has much more in store. I’m hype to see what else Kenny has up his sleeve.

Impressed by Kendrick’s Videos? Let us know what you think.

crash bandicoot June 27, 2017
30Views 0Comments

Quavo stunts on entire world with jewel-encrusted Crash Bandicoot chain

You think you shinin’, huh? Well, you’re not because Quavo is stuntin’ on all of us.

The “Bad and Boujee” rapper took to the 2017 BET Awards Show Red Carpet wearing some new bling and it was… quite something.

Quavo pulled up rocking a chain with a diamond encrusted Aku Aku pendant. For those who are unfamiliar, let me jog your memory.

Aku Aku is the wooden mask spirit guide from the classic video game Crash Bandicoot.

Peep…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV0WK1AgYmO/?taken-by=quavohuncho&hl=en

Can’t see it because of the glare? Let’s get a closer look

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV1ANczAaA2/?taken-by=quavohuncho&hl=en

Quavo’s icy witch doctor mask was crafted by famed jeweler Elliot Avianne, check out the New Ice Alert

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVyAtNBggLS/

Avianne has designed several of the chains in Quavo’s collection, including the diamond-studded miniature of the rapper holding the rat from Ratatouille…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSBsNP5Bmnd/

And the sensational Yoda Head

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQRjKE0h4Dq/

Think you’re the only person amazed by the bling?

Check out what people had to say on Reddit. regarding the inspiration behind the piece, one user said, “It makes sense now, it’s Aku Aku coming up with the adlibs in Migos songs.”

Crash Bandicoot and Migos fans ransacked Twitter too.

https://twitter.com/HinsonMike/status/879394570332778496

https://twitter.com/MitchSquaddd/status/879396347140599808

The Aku Aku pendant definitely has more meaning to it than we think.

When you find Aku Aku in the Crash Bandicoot, the enchanted wooden mask would protect players from a single hit or grant temporary invincibility if players had collected three.

Three Migos = invincibility? OR Aku Aku Chain ≠ One Hit Wonder?

Who knows? Maybe Quavo just copped it because he can. Let us know what you think about Quavo’s new ice.

2 Chainz
2 chainz June 27, 2017
31Views 0Comments

The greatest 2 Chainz quotes that proves he’s low key a philosopher

2 Chainz is TRUUUU AF.  He’s been in the game since 1997 and has been keeping it a buck from the jump.

Straight out of College Park, the Pretty Girls Love Trap Music rapper has always been real. When it came to stunting on Nancy Grace while debating the use of medical marijuana, he killed it.

Tity Boi not only stated what the positive effects of the drug could have on the human body, but he also pointed out the positive monetary effects it could have on the community.

And the homie took a bong rip in the name of Nancy Grace. Hannn.

He’s inspired by his own circumstance and beginnings as most philosophers are.

Check out his brand CEO Millionaires. The brand is dedicated to giving natural born hustlers a vision. No, CEO doesn’t stand for chief executive officer. CEO stands for CREATING. EVERY. OPPORTUNITY.

Music is his trap. 2 Chainz is “never not working.” He always needs a studio so he can record in real time. When he makes music it’s therapeutic to him. He has studios at his cribs in LA, Miami, and books time whenever he’s in NYC.

Homie even got a scholarship to college and he finished. Check out what he had to say to The Daily Beast regarding his education and it being an inspiration to his career now,

“Truth be told, I was a felon before I was old enough to drive, vote, do a bunch of that shit. But that don’t define who I am now, because I’m a success story. Me getting a scholarship and going to college, that had a lot to do with me being smart. In Georgia, they had a thing called the HOPE Scholarship where, back then, all you needed was a 3.2 grade point average. I could’ve stayed in Georgia, sold dope, and went to school, but I decided to sell dope and go to school somewhere else.”

Now, isn’t that the most TRU thing you’ve heard?

2 Chainz is the definition of a success story. He had to hustle hard for what he wanted and it didn’t just happen overnight. He didn’t have any special connections that put him on or a rich daddy to support his career.

He had his philosophy and that’s just being TRUUUUUU.

bet awards June 26, 2017
31Views 0Comments

The BET Awards was wild. Here’s the most ratchet shit you missed

The 2017 BET Awards Show was lit af. This year the awards show took place in Los Angeles at the Microsoft Theater.

There was a lot of beef surrounding the event including Meek Mill’s crew jumping Nicki Minaj’s ex-boyfriend, Safaree Samuels, at a pre-party at DJ Khaled’s penthouse, ASAP Rocky getting into a scuffle at 1 OAK, and Joe Budden almost getting duffed out by Migos during a Complex interview.

There’s more!

Apparently Chris Brown squared up with Migos, Remy Ma had a couple bars for her arch nemesis Nicki Minaj, and Ralph Tresvant of New Edition looked like that washed up uncle at the family function.

Never thought I would say this but good lookin’ TMZ.

Peep Safaree getting chased by Meek Mill’s goons, I guess he just pulled up at the wrong time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfv3C29Myp0

The homie ASAP Rocky was just celebrating Kendrick Lamar’s birthday when all of sudden… a fight broke out?

Really felt like DJ Akademiks was trolling Takeoff and Joe Budden walking off was just the cherry on top

Peep what Lil’ Yachty had to say about Joe Budden

https://youtu.be/Et2Ub9nO6cg

In more news, Chris Brown and Migos took part in the battle of the century… well maybe not, but ish looked heated!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVziskiFcnn/?hl=en

And Remy Ma ethered Nicki Minaj after accepting her BET Award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVzfcCnlQgN/?tagged=betawards&hl=en

Can’t forget how Ralph Tresvant looked cooked af

https://twitter.com/fxntney/status/879161405324365824

Damn. We’ll never forget the 2017 BET Awards Show, or at least the drama. This one was definitely something for the books.

Let us know what you think of all drama.