Feb 04

Hip Hop Week In Review: Tekashi 6ix9ine Pleads Guilty To Federal Charges & Allegedly Snitches

HipHopDX – This week in Hip Hop, Tekashi 6ix9ine pleaded guilty and allegedly snitched on others in the RICO case against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. Also, a rep denied Kanye West is holding Yandhi hostage amid a lawsuit and Blueface learned he was signed to more than just Cash Money West while on The Breakfast Club.

Tekashi 6ix9ine Turns Into “Snitch9ine”

Story still developing. Follow @HipHopDX for Hip Hop More!

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A post shared by Hip Hop More (@hiphopdx) on Feb 1, 2019 at 9:44am PST

On January 23, Tekashi 6ix9ine reportedly pleaded guilty to nine counts of racketeering, conspiracy, firearms offenses and narcotics trafficking while allegedly part of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang.

According to TMZ, the controversial rapper struck a deal with the feds but is still facing 47 years in prison. The federal docs obtained by the outlet revealed Hernandez was involved in dealing heroin, fentanyl, ecstasy, amphetamines and marijuana.

6ix9ine admits he joined the Nine Trey gang in 2017. Transcripts from his hearing last week reveal the 22-year-old artist being very open about the Chief Keef shooting and how committed he was to the gang.

“I paid a person to shoot at a rival member of Nine Trey to scare him,” he says in the transcript. “The shooting took place in Manhattan. I did this to maintain or increase my own standing in Nine Trey.”

Twitter has re-named him “Snitch9ine” since the release of the transcript.

Read more about Tekashi 6ix9ine snitching here.

Kanye West’s Legal Woes

Kanye West filed a lawsuit against Roc-A-Fella Records and EMI Publishing on January 25 and a few days later, The Blast reported his forthcoming album Yandhi is being held up because of a suit against Def Jam.

However, a rep for Ye says this isn’t true.

“The Blast article has the unredacted complaint but it’s not a new lawsuit,” the rep told XXL. “It’s the unredacted version of the previous filing. Also, there’s another inaccurate portion about him holding up the ninth album. That’s not in the complaint and untrue.”

While Kanye tries to fix his label woes, another lawsuit has been settled. A fan who wasn’t too happy with the “deceptive marketing” behind The Life of Pablo rollout recently settled his suit against ‘Ye for an undisclosed amount.

Amid these legal disputes, Kanye also has a different type of issue brewing within his label. G.O.O.D. Music artist Desiigner recently blasted his boss and called ‘Ye “crazy.”

Read more about Kanye West’s lawsuit here.

Blueface Unaware Of Label Situation

Ppl r shocked that #blueface didn’t know too much about his current deal.

A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akadmiks) on Jan 30, 2019 at 1:55pm PST

During an appearance on the The Breakfast Club, Blueface seemed to not realize he’s signed to multiple labels.

When DJ Envy asked the Billboard Hot 100-charting artist about his deal with Cash Money West, he casually admitted to knowing nothing about the details beyond being signed to his manager Wack 100’s label.

“All I know is Cash Money West and Wack 100,” Blueface told the radio hosts. “You gotta ask Wack about the other people involved [about the rest].”

On Friday evening (February 1), just a few days after the interview, the “Thotiana” creator was arrested for felony gun possession and released after posting $35,000 bail.

Watch The Breakfast Club interview with Blueface here.

DX Reviews

– Boogie — Everything’s For Sale
– Future — The WIZRD
– A Boogie With Da Hoodie — Hoodie SZN
– Maino — Jermaine
– Dej Loaf — Go DeJ Go Vol. 1

#DXCLUSIVES: Fredo Bang, Slimkid3 The Underground Report

How Fredo Bang Used His Jail Stint To Get His Bars Up

Baton Rouge-bred rapper Fredo Bang spoke with HipHopDX about his journey from making music with his best friend Krazy Trey to having Kevin Gates being featured on his viral hit “Oouuhh.” After the passing of Krazy Trey, Fredo found himself in jail and that’s where he was able to concentrate on making more music.

“The songs I made in jail were easier to make because while I was locked up, I was more in tune with my emotions,” he said. “Outside I can be more distracted.”

Read the full interview with Fredo Bang here.

Slimkid3 Explains How Brian Austin Greene Korn Aided The Pharcyde’s Rift

In an exclusive interview with HipHopDX’s Kyle Eustice, Slimkid3 explains what happened when The Pharcyde split and why any type of reconciliation has been futile.

“Honestly, the other two guys really just want to run with it,” he says of Bootie Brown and Imani. “They don’t want to mess with me. I can’t say that they gave it a good try. They kind of gave me an ultimatum twice and that’s the reason. I wouldn’t give anybody ultimatum about anything. So, that’s why the fuck I’m not there. I wouldn’t do that to you, so don’t fucking do that shit to me.”

Read the full interview with Slimkid3 here.

Underground Report: 5 Underappreciated Projects From 2018

DX’s Justin Ivey highlights five underappreciated projects from 2018. Among them include Megan Thee Stallion’s Tina Snow and Griselda Records artist Benny The Butcher’s Tana Talk 3.

Get into the full Underground Report here.

Article source: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50158/title.hip-hop-week-in-review-tekashi-6ix9ine-pleads-guilty-to-federal-charges-allegedly-snitches

Feb 04

Young Nudy Inadvertently Played Role In 21 Savage’s Arrest

Atlanta, GA – 21 Savage wasn’t the only rapper arrested on Sunday morning (February 3). According to CBS Atlanta, law enforcement officers were actually targeting Young Nudy (real name Quantavious Thomas) and two other men for “reasons unrelated to immigration arrest.”

VICE contributor Donovan Farley tweeted that he talked to an ICE spokesperson who confirmed Nudy’s arrest.

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“Just got off w/ ICE spox,” he wrote. “21 was in a car w Young Nudy and 2 others last night when APD [Atlanta Police Department] pulled them over arrested Nudy * others. 21 got dinged in the system turned over to ICE. Spox said ICE wasn’t aware of 21’s ’14 arrest or they’d popped him then.”

News of 21 Savage’s ICE arrest came Sunday afternoon. CNN reporter Nick Valencia tweeted the same ICE spokesperson said the I Am I Was artist’s “whole persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa.”

However, Farley tweeted the ICE spokesperson denied any slander regarding the 26-year-old rapper (real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph).

“ICE spokesman also unequivocally denied saying anything slanderous about 21 Savage being fake or what have you,” Farley wrote. “Said that’s 100% people twisting his words and seemed surprised when I quoted the quotes we’ve all been reading. Take that as you will.”

21 Savage’s attorney, Dina LaPolt, issued a statement explaining his legal team is trying to “clear up any misunderstandings.”

“We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding,” LaPolt said. “Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in this country, especially in Atlanta, Georgia, and is actively working in the community -leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy.”

21 Savage is currently “removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts.”

Stay tuned for updates.

Article source: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50161/title.young-nudy-inadvertently-played-role-in-21-savages-arrest

Feb 04

Interview: Lil Jon Has Become A Master Of Selling In

Los Angeles, CA – Approximately 43 days before Lil Jon’s likeness appeared in this year’s big Pepsi Super Bowl commercial, he was the rapper, producer, maestro et al. for Kool-Aid’s Christmas campaign.

Over this Super Bowl LIII Weekend, he partook in the EA Sports Bowl alongside several of his Atlanta Hip Hop luminaries. Despite his loyalty to his home base, it’s not uncommon to see him hyping other sports crowds such as the Vegas Golden Knights.

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Ladies and gents: Jonathan Smith has become a black belt master in the art of selling in, and he’s allowing his music to steer the course whereas his larger-than-life persona did all the yelling in the past.

“I’m back, I’m making beats again. It’s coming, like the Kool-Aid shit, I did that beat,” he proudly tells HipHopDX during an easy, breezy conversation on the set of his #PepsiMoreThanOK commercial, which also utilized the talents of Cardi B and Steve Carell.

As millions of spectators bear witness to the high profile Super Bowl Sunday ad while the notorious New England Patriots face off against the Los Angeles Rams, it’s key to note that the magic Lil Jon brings to the equation is all self-contained and self-controlled. Despite what Dave Chappelle popularized on his impactful sketch comedy show more than a decade ago, Lil Jon isn’t some unhinged, rambunctious, real-life version of the Muppets’ Animal.

True, he’s one of the more animated rappers to ever grace the scene but he’s also one of the most composed. He’s always down for a trek down rap’s memory lane or a sturdy Hip Hop debate on other weighty topics, including his decision to continue out his participation with Super Bowl festivities in spite of the protests spiderwebbed by Mr. Colin Kaepernick.

True, he’s one of the more animated rappers to ever grace the scene but he’s also one of the most composed; always down for a sturdy Hip Hop debate or trek down rap’s memory lane and other weighty topics. Including his decision to continue out his participation with Super Bowl festivities in spite of the protests spiderwebbed by Mr. Colin Kaepernick.

“All of us [who] are born and raised in Atlanta, it’s our city and we want to showcase our city,” he explains. “Who knows when the Super Bowl is going to be back in Atlanta? This is where we’re born, where we were raised and yeah, it’s where the biggest Hip-Hop stars are from, and RB stars and so on and so forth.

“This is where we got our start in the music industry. This is where we got our first radio spins and first club spins, and this is the city that we love. This is the culture that we promote. Everywhere we go, we’re ‘Atlanta’, so without question, we are going to push our culture of our city out there no matter what. We can still be conscious of all the other stuff that’s going on, but for us, it’s about this is our city, we have to showcase our city. Show people why we love the city so much, they get a taste of that.”


Photo: Pepsi

Hip Hop is all about promotion — as long as audiences will entertain whatever it is you’re pushing. And even Lil Jon won’t deny being a commonplace entity teeters the lines of overexposure, burnout or overall corniness. However, he seems to have it down to a science.

“You just got to make sure they don’t use you inappropriately and coon you out,” Lil Jon admits. “You have to stand up for yourself and say … and if something doesn’t feel right to you, or if it immediately strikes you wrong, you got to be like, ‘No, I can’t do that,’ or ‘I’m not doing that,’ or ‘No thank you for the invitation, your brand doesn’t represent what I’m down with.’ That’s what it’s all about.”

He adds a warning: “You have to really think about it and understand what you’re doing and read what they want you to do before you just sign the paperwork [before] you’re stuck and you’re just, ‘I got to do it.’”

Even with Lil Jon’s ubiquity, the fact remains that he hasn’t actually put out an album in nearly a decade (2010’s Crunk Rock featuring the hit single “Shots” being the last born). While he doesn’t appear to have a full album rollout plan on hand, expect to hear more original music from the King of Crunk in 2019.

“I’m going to drop a bunch of new stuff,” he reveals. “I started this year just slowly re-introducing myself, but the time is coming back around where all of these younger artists are doing songs where they have hype shows, but the music is not hype music.”

Given that the culture’s current production landscape isn’t out of Lil Jon’s wheelhouse, expect him to make good on his promise. Even if it means bringing back that old feeling.

“When we were doing, you know, me, Three 6 Mafia, 8Ball MJG, No Limit, we had … the beats were fucking hyped,” Jon recalls. “The vocals was hyped, but now the shit is laid back.

“People are turning up to laid-back shit. The concert be lit, but the music ain’t really turnt-up shit, so it’s time, people are really starting to want that high energy shit again, so I’m bringing it back, I’m coming back.

“For me, everything is about timing, like I was saying, ‘Turn down for what?’ Everything happened in the right time for that. You can have a great record but release it at the wrong time and nobody will hear it. So timing is everything, so the timing is right now again for me to come back out with some new stuff.”

Article source: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50159/title.interview-lil-jon-has-become-a-master-of-selling-in

Feb 04

Bow Wow Beaten With Lamp, Bitten & Spat On During Ex-Girlfriend Altercation

Atlanta, GA – Bow Wow’s attorney Joe S. Habachy has provided some insight into his client’s recent arrest. In a statement obtained by HipHopDX, Habachy describes the incident between the Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta star and his former girlfriend Leslie Holden.

Although the altercation allegedly left both parties with visible injuries, Habachy insists Bow Wow’s arrest wasn’t justified.

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“Shad ‘Bow Wow’ Moss was wrongfully arrested earlier this morning for the first time after being beaten by an out of control intoxicated female, Ms. Leslie Holden, in his Atlanta condominium,” Habachy wrote. “The only two independent witnesses both corroborated his version of events indicating that Ms. Holden was simply out of control and was without a doubt the primary aggressor.

“For no logical reason officers arrested both parties despite having clear-cut evidence that Bow Wow was the victim in the case. Ms. Holden beat him with a lamp, bit him on his side and spit on him while Bow Wow continually made efforts to avoid her.  Bow Wow suffered multiple injuries, some of which are visible in his mugshot.  Ms. Holden’s mugshot on the other hand speaks for itself, despite her allegation to police that she broke a fingernail.”


Habachy ended his statement by defending Bow Wow’s character.

“Bow Wow feels very strongly that a man should never lay a hand on a woman, even in self-defense, hence his failure to defend himself here,” he concluded. “We are confident that the charges against Bow Wow will be dismissed and look forward to assisting the Fulton County Solicitor General’s Office in prosecuting Ms. Holden. ”

Bow Wow was arrested on Saturday morning (February 2) after officers were dispatched to the scene. Because officers were unable to determine who the true aggressor was, they ultimately decided to arrest Bow Wow and Holden.

He was released later that day after posting a $8,000 bond.

Article source: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50160/title.bow-wow-beaten-with-lamp-bitten-spat-on-during-ex-girlfriend-altercation

Feb 04

#DXCLUSIVE: The Legion Drops "Three The Bronx Way" LP Featuring Sadat X & Dres

HipHopDX Premiere – Shortly after premiering their “1980 Something” video with HipHopDX, The Legion is back with the Three The Bronx Way LP, which serves as the official follow-up to 1994’s Theme + Echo = Krill. Boasting 11 tracks, the LP features guest spots from Sadat X, Black Sheep’s Dres, Beneficence and Droopy Dogg.

“[Their time apart] allowed us to have the freedom to create and become our own machine,” Diceman said in a press release. “We knew that day would come, and with that day being here, our Independence will allow us to be consistent.”

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Chucky added they’ve been “blessed to survive a few generations so we’re able to participate in this new independence.”

Three The Bronx Way comes after 2014’s The Lost Tapes, a compilation of some of their unreleased material.

Check out the LP stream, cover art and tracklist below, and cop the EP here.


  1. Intro
  2. Word f. Sadat X
  3. 1980 Something
  4. Joy
  5. Fresh
  6. Sour Break
  7. Drop The Beat
  8. Make It Hot f. Beneficence Dres
  9. Heard We Quit f. Droopy Dog
  10. Three The Bronx Way
  11. Outro

[This article has been updated. The original version was published on January 24, 2019 and can be found below.]

Molecules, DiceMan and Chucky Smash — collectively known as The Legion — are back with a fresh visual for “1980 Something.” The track comes from the Bronx trio’s forthcoming EP, Three The Bronx Way.

As explained in the press release, the Double Dog Films crew blended old footage from the ’80s with current shots of The Legion kicking it in the Bronx to capture the vibe of New York City and the country-at-large. From shots of former president Ronald Regan to the consequences of the crack epidemic, the video effortlessly encapsulates that era.

The Legion, who came up under Black Sheep’s Dres, recruited Sadat X, Dres, Droopy Dog and Benefience for the new project. The EP is expected to arrive on February 1.

Watch the “1980 Something” video below and cop the EP here.

Article source: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50029/title.dxclusive-the-legion-preps-three-the-bronx-way-ep-with-1980-something-video