hip hop

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Logic's Song About Suicide May Have Saved Hundreds of Lives

Reduction in suicides, increase in lifeline calls followed interest in hip-hop artist's '1-800-273-8255'

(Newser) - A hit 2017 song describing suicidal ideation, whose title is the number of the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, may have saved hundreds of lives, according to a new study. Hip-hop artist Logic penned "1-800-273-8255" in response to his own feelings of depression, as well as his conversations with...

Lawyers: Trump Phone Call Amounts to a Real Pardon

Jailed hip-hop manager was promised release by last Christmas

(Newser) - The fact that the previous president didn't approach the office in a traditional way is not news. The family of a jailed hip-hop manager is now banking that despite an unorthodox manner, clemency they say was granted by Donald Trump will be honored by a federal prison in West...

Cardi B, Candace Owens Just Got Into It (Again) on Twitter

Things got wild after Owens criticized the rapper on Fox

(Newser) - Cardi B and conservative commentator Candace Owens have clashed on Twitter before , but this time, they say they're going to sue each other. Owens specifically says she plans to sue the rapper for posting a Photoshopped tweet suggesting Owens' husband cheated on her with her own brother. Yes, really....

Diddy Speech Is Making Headlines
Diddy Speech Is
Making Headlines
Jan 26, 2020 1:15 PM CST

Diddy Speech Is Making Headlines

Sean Combs slams the Grammy Awards for failing to include black music

(Newser) - Sean "Diddy" Combs called out the Grammy Awards for dissing rap and R&B stars in its major categories in a blazing speech that earned him a standing ovation from Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and several other music industry players, the AP reports. At the end of his 50-minute speech Saturday...

Rapper Charged With Felony Human Trafficking

Sosamann is accused of forcing women to become sex workers

(Newser) - A rapper was arrested in LA earlier this month after women nabbed in a prostitution sting accused him of human trafficking, TMZ reports. According to authorities, he took two women to California with promises of big dreams and forced them to become prostitutes. Site XXL confirms that Sosamann, who has...

Rapper Missy Elliott Makes History
Rapper
Missy Elliott
Makes History
Jan 12, 2019 6:00 PM CST

Rapper Missy Elliott Makes History

The female rapper is inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

(Newser) - Missy Elliott is making history as the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, whose 2019 class also includes legendary British singer Cat Stevens and country-folk icon John Prine, the AP reports. The organization announced the new group of inductees Saturday. Other inductees include Tom T. Hall,...

He Was a Rap Pioneer. Then He Forgot Everything
He Was a Rap Pioneer.
Then He Forgot Everything
longform
Oct 12, 2017 10:19 AM CDT

He Was a Rap Pioneer. Then He Forgot Everything

But T La Rock has reconstructed his life after a traumatic head injury

(Newser) - Back in 1995, Tupac recorded a song called "Old School" in which he paid tribute to the rap artists who'd come before him. Among those he mentioned was T La Rock, whose single "It's Yours" in 1984—mixed in the dorm of Rick Rubin at NYU—...

A Look at the Rap World's Insane Gender Gap

Just 17 female rappers have made it into top 20 since 2000: Jezebel

(Newser) - Hip-hop is seen as a "man's world," and it's easy to see why: Since 2000, just 17 female rappers have made it into the top 20 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, Jezebel reports. That number goes down even further when you eliminate the female rappers...

Hip Hop Legend Charged With Murder
Hip-Hop Legend
Charged With Murder
Aug 3, 2017 7:27 AM CDT

Hip-Hop Legend Charged With Murder

Kidd Creole accused of stabbing homeless man in Manhattan

(Newser) - One of the founding members of the 1980s hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was arrested in New York City in connection with the fatal stabbing of a homeless man, police say. Nathaniel Glover, 57, also known as Kidd Creole, was arrested Wednesday night on murder charges, reports...

6-Second Loop From 1969 Is Most Sampled Track Ever

You've almost certainly heard the 'Amen Break'

(Newser) - If you think you haven't heard it, then you haven't been listening to a lot of music over the past 30 years—ranging from hip-hop and electronica to heavy metal and even the likes of David Bowie . The Amen Break is six seconds of fiery drumming laid down...

Hamilton Makes Broadway History With 16 Tony Nods

No one's really surprised that Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical is leading the pack

(Newser) - The megahit musical Hamilton has grabbed a record-breaking 16 Tony Award nominations, the biggest haul in Broadway history and another notch in the show's march into theatrical history. Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip-hop-flavored biography about the first US treasury secretary broke the 15-nominations record Tuesday held by The Producers and...

Study: 51% of Dead Rappers Were Murdered

Fascinating study analyzed the deaths of 13K musicians

(Newser) - A note for aspiring musicians: The country music path is much safer than the rap game, at least when it comes to murder. That's the takeaway from a fascinating new study in the Conversation . Psychology and music professor Dianna Theadora Kenny analyzed the deaths of 13,000 musicians who...

De La Soul Giving Away All Its Music Today

You can download it through noon tomorrow

(Newser) - De La Soul has found a pretty cool way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its first hip-hop album, 3 Feet High and Rising: The group is making its entire catalog free for download for 25 hours, reports Rolling Stone . Fans can get to it through the group's website...

Dear Prosecutors, Rap Lyrics Aren't Actual Confessions

Let's keep them out of courtrooms: Erik Nielson and Charis Kubrin

(Newser) - When Vonte Skinner was convicted of attempted murder in 2008, the evidence against him included 13 pages of violent rap lyrics. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, but four years later, an appellate court ruled that the lyrics weren’t admissible evidence—and it overturned his conviction. New...

Kris Kross Rapper Kelly Dead in Likely OD

Chris 'Mac Daddy' Kelly's death probed as overdose

(Newser) - Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly, who soared to fame as a member of the 1990s teenage rap duo Kris Kross, has died at age 34 in an Atlanta hospital. He'd been found unresponsive at home yesterday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports; authorities are investigating a possible drug overdose. His mom...

Goodbye Snoop Dogg, Hello Snoop Lion

Snoop adopts new monicker for reggae album

(Newser) - Snoop Dogg is branching out into new musical styles and more intimidating animal pseudonyms. His Snoopness is about to release a reggae album, under the new monicker Snoop Lion, Rolling Stone reports. His first single, "La La La," is available now, and according to his website, "Snoop...

'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' Artist Gil Scott-Heron Dead at Age 62


 Musician Gil 
 Scott-Heron 
 Dead at 62 
'godfather of hip-hop'
May 28, 2011 6:55 AM CDT

Musician Gil Scott-Heron Dead at 62

'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' performer inspired hip-hop

(Newser) - Gil Scott-Heron, the spoken-word artist and musician often hailed as the godfather of hip-hop and made famous by "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," has died at age 62, reports NPR. Scott-Heron was held up as a major influence by many in the hip-hop community, including Kanye West,...

13 Years Later, Notorious BIG Investigation Back On

Task force investigating new leads, say sources

(Newser) - Thirteen years later, the murders of rappers Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur remain two of the music industry’s highest-profile unsolved mysteries—but that could soon change. Police “reinvigorated” the Notorious BIG murder case months ago, sources tell CNN , and they are actively looking into leads and new information...

Kanye: Lauer Used Me

 Kanye West: 
 Matt Lauer 
 Used Me 


BUSH ACCEPTS HIS APOLOGY
Nov 10, 2010 10:59 AM CST

Kanye West: Matt Lauer Used Me

Rapper rants on Twitter; feels 'alone,' 'used'

(Newser) - First Kanye West called George Bush a racist. Then Bush called the moment “disgusting.” Then Kanye accepted the blame. The latest in the Bush/Kanye mess, brought to you by Matt Lauer and Twitter:
  • Kanye West told Lauer he understood Bush’s feelings.
  • Then the rapper went on a
...

Debate Rages Over Obama Hip-Hop Parody

Epithet-hurling Baracka Flacka Flames gets down in the 'hood

(Newser) - An epithet-laced hip-hop parody of President Obama has triggered furious debate: Is the hit YouTube video an "antidote" for Obama's popularity troubles among youth or an "anti-valentine" from those voters whose support the president craves, asks the Christian Science Monitor. The slick "Head of the State" video...

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