Mar 22

Kings Of Rock: Run-DMC’s "Raising Hell" Added To National Recording Registry

Washington, D.C. – Each year, the Librarian of Congress selects 25 recordings deemed to be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” On Wednesday (March 21), Run-DMC’s breakthrough album Raising Hell was inducted into the Libray Of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

“The thing that I remember most about Raising Hell is that it was so much great energy that it was made very easily,” Run-DMC’s Reverend Run said in a statement on Library of Congress website. “To think that something that just came out of my mouth and out of my creativity is being put on this level of honor just blows my mind.”

Raising Hell was a landmark album for Run-DMC and Hip Hop as a whole. The LP was the first rap album to ever be certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It also featured the Aerosmith-assisted crossover hit “Walk This Way,” which became the first Hip Hop song to crack the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100.

The induction of Raising Hell comes a year after N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton was added to the National Recording Registry. Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” Grandmaster Flash The Furious Five’s “The Message,” Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Public Enemy’s Fear Of A Black Planet are among the other Hip Hop recordings to be selected by the Library Of Congress.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.46288/title.kings-of-rock-run-dmcs-raising-hell-added-to-national-recording-registry

Mar 22

Cardi B Explains Why She Left Twitter

Cardi B took a break from Twitter for about a month, returning this past Sunday (March 18). After breaking her silence with a message echoing her iHeart Radio Awards announcement about her debut album, Cardi addressed her absence on Tuesday (March 20).

The “Bodak Yellow” star cited negativity as the reason for her withdrawal from the app.

“Reason why i took a break from twitter is cause people are so negative and disgusting here,” she wrote. “I had to log off,to much negativity is not good for the soul. It be people that don’t fuck with me to be the first ones under my tweets LIKE WHO SEND YOU?”

In a related Tweet, she warned haters that she will rise above any obstacles.

Cardi is currently in Los Angeles, where she is recording her debut album. The future Mrs. Offset is rumored to be pregnant, though that reportedly won’t stop her from taking the stage at Coachella 2018.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.46289/title.cardi-b-explains-twitter-hiatus

Mar 22

Queen Latifah Mourns Her Mother’s Death

After living with a heart condition for over 10 years, Queen Latifah’s mother — Rita Owens — has passed away. The “U.N.I.T.Y.” legend confirmed the news in a statement to People Magazine on Wednesday (March 21).

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the news my mother, Rita Owens passed away today,” her statement read. “Anyone that has ever met her knows what a bright light she was on this earth. She was gentle, but strong, sweet, but sassy, worldly but pragmatic, a woman of great faith and certainly the love of my life.”

She continued, “She had struggled with a heart condition for many years and her battle is now over. I am heart broken but know she is at peace. Thank you for your kindness, support and respect for our privacy at this time.”

On Monday (March 20), the illustrious actress/MC eluded to a decline in her mother’s health with an Instagram video thanking her fans for support.

“Words can’t to the express on the gratitude that I feel for the love and well wishes from friends family and all of you out there who just got love for the Queen!” she wrote. “But just know in the words of my brother Tupac, You are appreciated! Also please continue to send prayers up to my moms speedy recovery! GOD CAN!!!”

Words can’t to the express on the gratitude that I feel for the love and well wishes from friends family and all of you out there who just got love for the Queen! But just know in the words of my brother Tupac, You are appreciated! Also please continue to send prayers up to my moms speedy recovery! GOD CAN!!! ❤️?

A post shared by Queen Latifah (@queenlatifah) on Mar 19, 2018 at 2:09pm PDT

Owens, who was diagnosed with heart failure in 2004, was able to live with the condition for the past 14 years by taking the proper medication and adhering to a strict low sodium and low fat diet. She also had a defibrillator implanted in her chest to avert a heart attack.

Tributes have started to roll in on social media, including one from Missy Elliott who said Owens treated her “like family.”

Check out the posts below.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.46290/title.queen-latifah-mourns-her-mothers-death

Mar 21

SZA Says She’s Done With Music (Again) After Her Next Album

SZA expects her next album to be the best music she’s made in her life, which is why she’s suggesting her musical follow-up to 2017’s Ctrl will be her last.

“I’m still miserable,” she told Flaunt in a recent interview. “My world got so much smaller so fast. I have so much to write about. I feel like I’m in a cage. I’m making the best album of my life for this next album and I know that … because it’s going to be my last album.”

Don’t panic yet though — SZA has often toyed with the idea of early retirement. Frustrated over album delays in 2016, she tweeted “I actually quit” and gave the go-ahead for TDE’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson to release her album whenever he felt like it.

 

SZASZA

By the end of 2016, SZA had given an interview to Complex saying Ctrl would be her last album. She hoped to get into something more visual, like film, noting that she deals with major anxiety.

Once Ctrl finally dropped in June 2017, it went on to debut at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, was nominated for multiple Grammys and has been certified platinum. HipHopDX also named Ctrl as 2017’s Best RB Album and gave “Love Galore” featuring Travis Scott the award for Best RB Song Of 2017.

“God didn’t give me the Grammys, because he knows I would have quit, like ‘I have nothing else to do,’” she said to Flaunt.

She ain’t got no suga

A post shared by SZA (@sza) on Feb 6, 2018 at 8:23pm PST

SZA’s comment about her next album being her last was reportedly delivered “with a grin,” suggesting she may have been joking and that she isn’t actually going anywhere.

In any case, she still hasn’t even started putting together the next album yet.

“I’ve been talking shit to myself on different topics every day for the last week, which is typically how I start — coming up with little catchphrases in the car on the way home, and I’ll be like, ‘Cute.’ Then I’ll be like, ‘I think I’m ready to write and start recording,’” she explained.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.46283/title.sza-says-shes-done-with-music-again-after-her-next-album

Mar 21

Fetty Wap Becomes Father For 7th Time

Just two months after Fetty Wap’s ex Alexis Skyy gave birth to his daughter Alaiya, the “Trap Queen” rapper has welcomed a baby boy into the world. It’s not clear when Fetty’s seventh child was born, but the mother, Lezhae Zeona, posted a video in her Instagram story holding the newborn on Sunday (March 18).

#lezhaezeona and #fettywap welcome a baby boy into the world. Congrats ?? ???? Via: @theofficialcheekywiki_

A post shared by @ officialteabook on Mar 17, 2018 at 9:25pm PDT

Fetty has yet to publicly acknowledge the child, and his relationship status with Zeona is unknown. The two share a daughter, 2-year-old Zaviera Maxwell, and Zeona has been vocal about the lack of effort on his part to be in her life.

“I’m putting in overtime to make sure she doesn’t ever meet a nigga like her father,” Zeona wrote on Twitter in 2016. “Let’s be real, I raise Za ALONE you’re never here you come see her for 20 mins-2 hrs max a few times a month.”

Fetty now has seven children in total. His daughter Alaiya, who was born in January, arrived three months premature and currently remains hospitalized.

Article source: http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.46284/title.fetty-wap-becomes-father-for-7th-time