HIP-HOP
Serena Williams is taking a break from dating. The internet is buzzing with reports that the tennis champ has sworn of dating for the next decade. Williams is notorious for dating hip-hop artists, most famously Common and Drake. She wants to take a break to also focus on herself and her sport but we can not help but feel that avoiding heartbreak is a big reason why she wants to stay out of relationships for now.
Confessing to Celebuzz, “I have given up on dating. It just hasn’t worked out well for me. I’m a really emotional person. I give my all and everything. I do make mistakes — like every human does — but the last relationship just was too much of a heartbreak for me. I just can’t go through that anymore. It was hard.”
We hope you do not give up on love girl, just stay clear of the rappers, maybe that will help!
Meet John Hamilton – a 23 year-old DJ making his way through the ever-present dance music scene. He’s opened for the likes of Steve Aoki and TV Rock and most recently turned heads at The Belvedere Music Lounge at the W South Beach during Miami Music Week. Like most, I was there to check out the event and see the heavy hitter lineup that featured Sander Van Doorn, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano and Tiesto, among others. But it wasn’t Tiesto nor Sander that had everyone talking. Instead, it was Sacramento native John Hamilton that got everyone's attention. He has the stage presence that resembles some of the greats, a talented ear, an ambitious attitude, a humble personality and a great look - a lot of qualities that could potentially result in superstardom. I sat down with the NYU senior to find out how it all began and where it’s going.
Ever been to a house party and ‘vibed’ out the entire time to the music in the background? I’m not talking about the occasional one or two songs everyone’s heard fifty million times on the radio which causes a mass karaoke sing-a-long; but actively or even subconsciously enjoyed an entire play list at a party. I’m talking about a playlist that evolves with the wave like patters that occur during a really good house party. From the “kick the door down and let’s take shots!” to the “it’s time to get the sleeping stranger out of the bathtub before you start cleaning” end of the night moments.
Hip Hop artist, Ne-Yo, will host his annual Compound Foundation Giving Tour this December. The first event kicks off on December 7th in Las Vegas. The four city celebration will then move to Chicago on December 8th, followed by Boston on Friday, December 9th, and ending in Washington D.C. on Sunday, December 11th. The Compound Foundation was founded in 2007 Ne-Yo a.k.a Shaffer Smith and his business partner Reynell Hay to bring awareness and improve quality of life for children in foster homes and group homes. The Foundation’s mission strives to help young people develop healthy relationships, pursue education, and help them achieve their dreams.
The numbers are in for Wale's new album Ambition, and it's officially taken the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hip-Hop/R&B list with over 164,062 copies sold. He's also ranking in at #2 on the overall Top 200. Additionally, Ambition held the #1 spot at iTunes beating out Miranda Lambert, Florence + The Machine, and even Justin Bieber! The album features appearances from heavy hitters such as Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Ne-Yo, Jeremih, Miguel and Lloyd. Diplo and Lex Luger also lend their signature sound to tracks.
Heavy-set, fun-loving hip-hopper Heavy D passed away at 44 yesterday. According to various news outlets including BBC, the Mount Vernon rap legend collapsed in a hallway and was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he eventually died. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack.
Heavy D's departure left his hip-hop bretheren with heavy hearts, as many celebs took to Twitter to grieve over the loss. LaToya Jackson, who's musical family frequently collaborated with D, posted "My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of Heavy D... You will be in my prayers." Ice T reflected in his sorrow, stating "Everyone should stop for a second..Take a breath and realize how lucky you are to be alive." Perhaps most chilling is Heavy D's own twitter, who paid tribute to the recently deceased boxing legend Joe Frazier before tragically losing his own life.
Actor/Writer/Musician Donald Glover has been rapidly garnering fame under his Childish Gambino moniker, thanks to a steady stream of free releases that found the dorky spitter churning out anthems that are as heartfelt as they were self-depricatingly hilarious. He's finally taking his rap game to the big leagues, and you can hear his Glassnote Records debut Camp in its entirety over at NPR.
While Gambino's free mixtapes and EPs were potent enough to win the hearts of nerds and hip-hop heads alike, every lyric and beat of Camp exudes a newfound sense of polish and care. It's clear that Glover's rapping has evolved from a bedroom hobby to a full-fledged career, as he's becoming just as widely known for his biting lyrics as he is for his role as Troy in NBC's hit Community.
TiRon and Ayomari’s album A Sucker for Pumps, released Sept. 13, is a testament to the duo being suckers for the feminine identity. As they examine the past, present, and potential future in romantic relationships, TiRon and Ayomari explore a multitude of emotions that define relationships, from infatuation and love, to angst and disconnection. The album teeters between optimism and pessimism, and even the pessimistic moments still lend a glimmer of hope, or at least a fatalistic outlook to intemperance.
The album is structured by tracks like “Her Theme Song,” “M.F.G.,” and “You Got It,” all celebrating the female form and mystique. These really outline the preliminary fascination that initiates the “sucker process,” and are the hopeful element that makes the temptation tangible. The dark elements of the album exist on tracks such as “Jack Kerouac” and “Thing Go Right,” which explore demise of a love relationship. Both artists are quick to try and document both the male and female perspectives, and be somewhat self-deprecating in their own accountability in the downfall. “I’d Rather” highlights relatable trust issues, and one’s willingness to endure pain in a poor relationship rather than seek another lover.
In a time where American media inundates us with over-bronzed twenty-somethings whose lives revolve around dragging beds onto rooftops and drinking Chardonnay in the work bathroom, it’s become increasingly difficult to find serious music. Pop lyrics sing praise to ferocity, mediocrity, and debauchery. From Katy Perry’s “It’s [last night] a blacked out blur / but I’m pretty sure it ruled,” to Jay-Z and Kayne West’s acronymous title equating a cut of cured meat with street toughness, it’s pretty safe to say the American Dream has evolved. Blame it on the media, economy, school system, or even Facebook, but for many youths, particularly youths of color, the American Dream has become something along the lines of a luck-cum-instant stardom that, sadly, keeps stereotypes all too alive and prevents growth towards a positive cultural experience.
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