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The devil works hard, but Brian Jordan Alvarez works harder. For the past month, the creator, writer, director, and star of “English Teacher” has been dining out on the “I Love Your Daughter” meme to promote the FX comedy. The TikTok trend started in September after a user posted a clip from a Season 2 episode of “Gilmore Girls.” In it, Kirk (Sean Gunn), who has made a black-and-white short film, tells his girlfriend’s father, “I love your daughter.” When the father asks what he has to offer, Kirk says, “Nothing. Only this,” and proceeds to awkwardly dance. The sequence in the episode is set to Melle Mel‘s “White Lines (Don’t Do It),” but the TikTok edit swaps it out for Olly Alexander‘s “Breathe.”

Alvarez, who first tasted success online with his 2016 YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” and his viral TikTok and Instagram videos,...

Quincy Jones, who died earlier this week, received a tribute from Saturday Night Live.

The venerable NBC show paid tribute to the musical legend, who died at the age of 91, with a card at the end of the show.

Jones had previously hosted SNL in February 1990. He was coming off the back of promoting his Back on the Block album and turned up with a lot of musical guests including Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel and Quincy D III.

The 10 musical performers Jones brought with him is believed to have been the record for the show, one that stands to this day.

He also paid tribute to Nelson Mandela, who was set to be released from prison hours after the show, during his monologue.

Fun fact: Dana Carvey, who did an impression of Elon Musk on tonight’s show, was in the cast when Jones hosted.

Jones was a musician,...

Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer and composer, died November 3 at age 91, his family announced Monday morning. Tributes immediately began pouring in, as celebrities from all over the entertainment industry paid tribute to the 28-time Grammy winner for his contributions to culture, which included producing Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” and “Bad,” producing and conducting the “We Are the World” charity single, and composing the score for and producing the film “The Color Purple,” among countless other achievements in music, film, and television.

“The world mourns the loss & celebrates the life of Quincy Jones – a legendary talent whose contributions to music spanned generations and genres. What an Mj/Q decade-long partnership produced is unmatched and includes the biggest selling album of all time,” the official X account of Michael Jackson’s estate posted. “Rest in Peace, Q.”

“My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world,...

Advocacy organization Hip-Hop Stands with Survivors has filed an FCC complaint against New York radio station Hot 97 and Funkmaster Flex over comments the DJ made about Afrika Bambaataa, who has been accused of multiple allegations of child molestation.

On August 17, Bambaataa, the seminal hip-hop figure and Zulu Nation founder whose real name is Lance Taylor, played a DJ set on Funkmaster Flex’s show. It was a rare public appearance for Taylor, who’s facing an open civil case for child sex trafficking. He hasn’t done many public performances...

The upcoming episode of “Hip Hop Treasures,” titled “Flavor Flav/ CeeLo Green/ The Furious Five,” promises to be an exciting journey through hip hop history. Airing on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at 11:00 Pm on Vice, this episode features some iconic figures and their unforgettable contributions to the music scene.

In this episode, Yo-Yo pays a visit to the legendary Flavor Flav. Known for his vibrant personality and distinctive style, Flavor Flav will showcase his impressive clock collection. This collection is not just about timepieces; it reflects his unique flair and the impact he has had on hip hop culture. Fans can expect to see some rare pieces and hear stories that highlight his journey in the industry.

Meanwhile, Cipha Sounds is on a mission to secure a famous costume from CeeLo Green. This costume is a piece of art that represents CeeLo’s creative spirit and his influence in the music world.

For filmmaker Bill Teck, the hardest part of making a documentary about the life and career of Little Steven Van Zandt was just fitting it all in. “It’s just a complicated life,” says Teck, who directed the new documentary Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple, streaming now on Max. “Silvio Dante helped end apartheid!” In addition to his work in the E Street Band with Bruce Springsteen, Van Zandt was the writer and producer behind Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ great 1970s albums; a solo artist backed by his band,...

As of this writing, it has been over two days since Future and Metro Boomin dropped their first full-length collaboration, We Don’t Trust You, and it has almost been completely overshadowed by a Kendrick Lamar cameo. The track on which he appears, “Like That,” prominently features Rodney O and Joe Cooley’s 1987 single “Everlasting Bass,” and Metro uses it like Three 6 Mafia did throughout their discography, from “Where Da Bud At” to “Who the Crunkest.” Thanks in part to the Mafia, “Everlasting Bass” has become an avatar of Jheri-curled hardness,...

No stranger to corporate jingles, Pusha T has hopped on a new song titled “Paper Right” as part of a new ad campaign for the financial services organization Tiaa. While Push’s verse mostly stays on the theme of retirement planning, he sneaks in a coke rap about his drug dealing days, too.

On the posse cut with Wyclef Jean, CoSign alum Lola Brooke, Flau’jae, and Capella Grey, Push spits a cautionary tale from the past. “Stood tall on ’em corners/ Old ladies warned us, so they ain’t have to mourn us,” he raps. “Street lords said, ‘Join us’/ You could turn a brick to a Beamer, here some pointers/ Nowadays, I’m ignorin’ ’em.”

Push continues with lines about building a legacy for his son and leaving behind generational wealth, though he admits to keeping a “side hustle” to hit his apparently lofty goals. Stream the track and...

Phoenix are keeping their collaboration kick going with a remix of their Alpha Zulu cut “All Eyes on Me” that features unlikely guest Pusha T. Check out the track below.

In addition to Pusha’s verses, the “All Eyes on Me” remix features vocals from Benee and production from Chad Hugo. The band shared their emphatic (and very French) gratitude in a press release: “A huge thank you to le Roi Pusha-t — most played artist in our backstage; to Chad Hugo, who always showed up when we were playing in Virginia, it’s about time we worked together! And to Benee, who worked at light speed to make this happen and added some magic. Merci!!!”

As random of a team-up as it may seem, it is fun to hear Pusha spit over Phoenix’s disco-punk instrumental, before Benne closes out the song with a mellow final verse. The track comes...

Public Enemy and Ice-t will link up to headline a special, free concert in Washington D.C. celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. The two-day National Celebration of Hip Hop show will take place Oct. 6 and 7 at West Potomac Park on the National Mall.

The concert will feature an array of rap luminaries and legends, including the Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Kid ’N Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shanté, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, Cl Smooth, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, and Busy Bee. DJ Hurricane will also be on...

Public Enemy and Ice-t have been announced as the headliners for The National Celebration of Hip Hop, a free two-day concert being held this fall at the National Mall in Washington, DC. It all goes down at West Potomac Park on October 6th and 7th.

There will also be a Beastie Boys tribute set from DJ Hurricane with special guests, as well as performances from hip-hop luminaries including Kurtis Blow, The Sugarhill Gang, Kid ‘n Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shante, Cl Smooth, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, Mc Sha-Rock, Busy Bee, Joe Ski Love, Positive K, Boogie Black, Mick Benzo, Gumbo and Donald D.

Tickets are free by pre-registering at the festival’s website. VIP packages are also available for purchase, ranging from $399 to $999.

“We are honored to continue to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop against the backdrop of America’s...

Hip hop, despite initial resistance, has become a global phenomenon due to its authenticity and energy that was lacking in rock and roll. Rap has a diverse range of artists, from well-known names to local talents, making it a genre that appeals to every subset of the population. Movies played a significant role in bringing rap into the mainstream, with early showcases and later films solidifying the genre's presence in popular culture.

It’s hard to imagine now, but hip hop, as a musical discipline, was not always held in high regard, and could have flamed out like disco or punk, instead of slowly taking over the planet. Rap has always been about the gamble or hustle, equal parts self-promotion and acknowledging one’s roots, as much about ego as paying one’s dues. It’s as American as it gets, and despite all that, it managed to hook kids across the world,...

It happens to the best of us.

Lil’ Kim experienced an unexpected wardrobe malfunction while performing at the Hip Hop 50 Live Concert.

The rap diva’s chest became exposed, slipping outside her shirt, during her extravagant career-spanning performance on Friday night at NYC’s Yankee Stadium.

Read More: Lil’ Kim Reveals Memoir Announced 2+ Years Ago Is Finally Done: ‘It’s Been A Long Journey’

Lil’ Kim — Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock

The Queen Bee, never one to shy away from a revealing look, seemed unphased by the entire ordeal, devoting herself to her performance while rolling on with the show. She wore a loose metallic handkerchief top, cropped Gucci jacket, sequined shorts and thigh-high red boots.

Lil’ Kim — Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock

Hip Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium was a mega-concert featuring top-tier rap royalty, including Run-D.M.C., Melle Mel, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Common and Lil’ Kim.

Melle Mel, a member of the groundbreaking hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday, June 26th, and charged with felony domestic violence, reports Rolling Stone.

The 62-year-old rapper (born Melvin Glover) was released after posting a $50,000 bond and is expected back in court on July 17th.

Jori Jordon, the woman accusing Glover of domestic violence, claimed in a Facebook video reviewed by Rolling Stone that he struck her in the eye after they had drinks at his hotel room in LA. “I’m just sitting there, chillin,'” she said. “Next thing you know, this man just goes ‘whack’ with four rings on his finger and hits me in my eye.” Jordon added that “there’s a hole” in her previously “injured” eye after he “popped” one of her stitches.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Glover claimed he has known Jordon...

Melle Mel, a member of the pioneering hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday, shortly after attending the 2023 BET Awards. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, he was charged with felony domestic violence. Born Melvin Glover, the artist was released after posting a $50,000 bond.

In a Facebook video reviewed by Rolling Stone, the woman accusing Glover of domestic violence, Jori Jordon, claimed that the rapper hit her in the left eye. She also stated that her eye was previously “injured...

A panel of hip-hop innovators — Dmc, Melle Mel, DJ Khaled, and the Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo — reflect on the genre’s roots in a new video posted by TeachRock, the nonprofit educational resource Stevie Van Zandt has launched to bring music history lessons to classrooms. Khaled discusses how seeing Run-Dmc perform “Peter Piper” live was a formative moment for him, while Dmc talks about reading the liner notes of a record he liked and wondering who Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel were.

“To this day, ‘The Message’ is still the most important record,...

Mass Appeal is teaming up with Live Nation and Yankee Stadium to celebrate hip-hop’s birthday. Billed as “on the day it began in the Bronx, where it all started,” the triumvirate will host Hip Hop 50 Live on Aug. 11. The star-studded lineup will feature sets from a slew of artists, including a headlining, guest-filled set from Run-d.M.C., whose performance is being billed as “Bottom of the 9th … the Walk-Off.”

“I am honored to hit the stage in the Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop and celebrate all of my heroes,...

If you weren’t able to catch director Elizabeth Banks’ horror comedy Cocaine Bear in theaters, Peacock has you covered. The viral film will stream exclusively on the platform beginning April 14th.

Inspired by the 1985 true story of a curious black bear who got into over 800 pounds of blow dumped over a Georgia national park, Cocaine Bear features a stacked cast led by Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, Alden Ehrenreich, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and a posthumous performance from Ray Liotta.

In our review, Senior Staff Writer Clint Worthington said the film keeps a “firm grasp on the likable characters they’ve set up” and described it as “an energetic throwback to devil-may-care creature comedies of yore like Tremors or Lake Placid.”

Naturally, the movie’s soundtrack features a song from Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss himself: Pusha T fully leaned into the Cocaine Bear story with “White Lines,” a reworking of Grandmaster...

Dozens of people gathered at City Hall in New York City on Monday as part of a demonstration calling for Rocky Bucano to step down as Executive Director, President and Chairman of the Universal Hip-Hop Museum (or Uhhm) because of his alleged ties with the Universal Zulu Nation. Journalist Leila Wills, who co-founded the advocacy organization Hip-Hop Stands With Survivors, organized the demonstration to advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse, including the alleged survivors of The Universal Zulu Nation founder Afrika Bambaataa. “[We want] Rocky Bucano to step down, because if...

After reuniting at Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival last year, Clipse are set to make an even bigger splash with a headlining set at Chicago’s Hyde Park Summerfest. The festival goes down on June 17th and 18th at Midway Plaisance Park and will feature 2 Chainz as the other headliner.

According to a press statement, Clipse will “perform some of their biggest hits, including ‘Grindin’ and ‘When the Last Time,’ alongside other collaborations and fan favorites.”

Unless something changes, this will mark the duo of Pusha T and real-life brother No Malice’s first full set since announcing their reunion for the postponed 2020 edition of Something in the Water. Last fall, Clipse also played brief sets at the BET Awards and ComplexCon.

Hyde Park Summerfest 2023 will also celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with a Chicago rap tribute featuring Twista, Shawnna, Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, and Vic Mensa, as...

Pusha T has contributed a new song to the soundtrack for Cocaine Bear, Elizabeth Banks’ new horror-comedy flick based on the true story of — you guessed it — a bear who gets into a lost shipment of over 800 pounds of blow. Leaning further into the meme, the self-described Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss reworked Grandmaster Melle Mel’s 1983 anti-drug PSA “White Lines.”

SethInTheKitchen and Pearl Lion’s production on the new track adds more thump to the original, while Push interpolates the chorus of “Higher, baby/ Get higher, baby!/ Get higher, baby!/ And don’t ever come down.” He also incorporates the plot of the film into lyrics like, “You heard the pilot lost the load, call that dumb and dumber/ It’s no storm without thunder, the bear crawls up and under/ Cocaine overload, the only fuel to his hunger.”

Just ahead of the arrival of Cocaine Bear in theaters on February 24th,...

If you’re the makers of a new motion picture called Cocaine Bear, there’s really only one person you can call to whip up a song for a final PR push: Pusha T, obviously. And you better believe the King of Coke Rap not only obliged but did so by remixing Melle Mel’s 1983 anti-drug classic, “White Lines (Don’t Do It).”

“White Lines (Cocaine Bear Remix)” has a bit of that classic Pusha T coke rap flavor, but it also finds him tapping into that equally classic Will Smith...

The Grammys finally gave hip-hop the platform it deserves at this year's ceremony on Feb. 5, rolling out the biggest star-studded tribute of all time in honor of its 50th anniversary. The powerful segment was narrated by Black Thought and introduced by LL Cool J as old-school hip-hop artists united on stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for an explosive time capsule of rap history.

The performance featured appearances from legends like Missy Elliott, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-t, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, Run-dmc, Salt-N-Pepa, Spinderella, and Too hort, all of whom performed some of their greatest hits on stage.

New-school acts like Lil Baby, GloRilla, and Lil Uzi Vert also joined the explosive Grammys performance, which was produced by Questlove (who also served as music director). However,...

Will Smith was supposed to appear in the star-studded Grammys performance that celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip hop.

The actor, who was one of the biggest rappers in the ’90s a.k.a the Fresh Prince, was forced to step away from the gig last minute due to a scheduling conflict.

“I’ll give the spoiler alert away. Will Smith was apart of the festivities tonight, but they started shooting ‘Bad Boys 4’ this week,” Questlove, who coordinated the tribute, told Variety on Sunday night during a red carpet interview. “There were a lot of preliminary shots that he had to do, so we had to lose Will.”

Read More: Eddie Murphy Explains Why He Name-Dropped Will Smith At Golden Globes (Exclusive)

The award-winning musician and record producer added that attempting to get Smith for the 14-minute-long performance was “a shot in the dark” because he is “always shooting movies.

Sunday’s 65th Grammy Awards averaged 12.4 million total viewers across numerous platforms, including CBS and Paramount+, up about 30 percent from the prior year’s special and the most since 2020. That tally include out-of-home viewing.

Thank the (super-)star-studded guest list, including winners Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Beyoncé, for the bump.

The 2022 Grammys drew an initial 8.9 million viewers, per Nielsen, which placed the show just ahead of the record low reached in 2021. That year-ago show would adjust up to 9.6 million total viewers when including those who watched from outside of their own homes. The Covid-impacted March 14, 2021 Grammy Awards settled for just 8.8 million initial viewers, and would adjust up to 9.4 million.

The Covid Grammys, for lack of a better shorthand term, plummeted 53 percent from the January 26, 2020 special, which nabbed 18.8 million viewers. Trevor Noah hosted all three of the shows; for the first two, he was the face of Comedy Central’s...

The tune CBS is singing today is a happy one, given the early numbers for its Sunday-night telecast of the 65th Grammy Awards.

This year’s Trevor Noah-hosted Grammys drew 12.4 million total viewers, up 30 percent from last year to mark the ceremony’s largest audience since January 2020, its last pre-pandemic outing.

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Similarly,...

The Grammy Awards celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop Sunday night with a 14-minute performance, packed with luminaries from the genre’s past and present.

More than 20 of hip-hop’s biggest artists ascended onto the Grammys stage for an exciting cross-generational medley that became one of the highlights of this year’s awards ceremony. Fans across the world, and spectators in attendance (like Jay-Z), were enthralled as they watched hip-hop’s pioneers and rising stars both get the showcase they deserved on “music’s biggest night.” Nowhere else have we...

A slew of hip-hop stars took the stage at the Grammys on Sunday night for a high-energy performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Run-dmc, Lil Wayne, Big Boi, Grandmaster Flash, Method Man, Public Enemy, Salt-n-Pepa and Spinderella and Busta Rhymes were among those taking part in the all-star tribute, which was produced by Questlove, who also served as musical director. Music was provided by The Roots, with Black Thought narrating.

LL Cool J introduced the performance, which came during the third hour of the live broadcast on CBS. “Questlove has curated something spectacular, a flash-forward through a half-century of one of the greatest ongoing musical stories ever told,” LL Cool J said.

Starting with the birth of hip-hop in 1973, the 13-minute performance saw numerous hip-hop artists perform some of their most iconic songs. Black Thought kicked off the tribute, followed by Grandmaster Flash with Barshon,...

Hip-hop has had a contentious relationship with the Grammys, but tonight’s 50th anniversary performance was a much-deserved celebration of the genre. The loaded showcase achieved performance co-curator Questlove’s previously stated goal to span the breadth of hip-hop’s 50 years. The Recording Academy has been criticized in the past for controversial award selections in the rap categories, but this performance was a decision that few hip-hop heads could complain about.

Trailblazing artists from the genre’s past five decades performed, including Big Boi, Black Thought, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star,...

The 65th Grammy Awards turned back the clock (specifically the one hanging around Flavor Flav’s neck) on Sunday, amassing dozens of hip-hop icons to celebrate the genre’s 50th anniversary.

LL Cool J, a two-time Grammy winner and seven-time nominee, took the stage first to present the special performance.

More from TVLineRatings: Grammy Awards Audience Surges 30 to Hit a 3-Year HighBeyoncé Breaks Record for Most Grammy Wins Ever -- Watch Her History-Making SpeechSam Smith and Kim Petras Perform 'Unholy' at 2023 Grammys -- Watch

The tribute’s all-star lineup included: Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul,...

The hitmakers, legends, and future stars of music came together tonight to celebrate music’s biggest night at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Sunday, Feb. 5.

The gala began with musicians Taylor Swift, Adele, Harry Styles, Doja Cat, Cardi B, Kacey Musgraves, Pharrell Williams, Questlove, Lizzo, Shania Twain, Norah Jones, Elvis Costello, Brandi Carlile, Mick Fleetwood, Maren Morris, Sheryl Crowe, Bonnie Raitt, Pat Smear, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl and many more who walked the red carpet at the pre-ceremony event.

Related: Grammy Awards Winners List – Updating Live

Beyonce and Jay-Z were fashionably late due to Los Angeles traffic but she broke the Grammy record tonight and is now the most-awarded artist of all time. Viola Davis achieved Egot status after winning the Grammy for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling award for Finding Me during the Awards Premiere Ceremony.

A diverse roster of musicians,...

The 65th annual Grammy Awards are set for Sunday, February 5 from 8-11:30 p.m. Et/5-8:30 p.m. Pt at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. CBS will air the show live, and it will also stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. Trevor Noah returns to host for a third year.

The annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony preshow, which will include performances and the non-televised winners announcements for the 2023 Grammys, will kick off at 12:30 p.m. Pt from the Microsoft Theater and is being streamed on live.Grammy.com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube page.

The Grammys’ online hub live.Grammy.com will offer a multiscreen livestream throughout the day and night featuring performances, acceptance speeches, and the official red carpet special along with the Premiere Ceremony livestream.

This year’s nominees are led by Beyoncé, who has nine. Four wins Sunday gets her the all-time trophy record overall. Kendrick Lamar follows in noms this year with eight, while Adele and Brandi Carlile have seven apiece and Mary J. Blige, DJ Khaled, Future, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, Randy Merrill and Harry Styles have six apiece.

In the main CBS/Paramount+ ceremony, performances will include from Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Brandi Carlile, Luke Combs, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Kim Petras, Stevie Wonder, Grammy Legend Award recipient Smokey Robinson and Chris Stapleton, and DJ Khaled.

There also will be a 50th anniversary salute to hip-hip with performances by Big Boi, Busta Rhymes with Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Mele Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Ice-t, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Method Man, Nelly, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Rahiem, Rakim, Run-Dmc, Salt-n-Pepa and Spinderella, Scarface, Swizz Beatz, and Too hort. LL Cool J will introduce the segment and perform, and Questlove will serve as producer and musical director. Music will be provided by The Roots, and Black Thought will narrate.

The show will also include an In Memoriam segment in which Kacey Musgraves will perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in a tribute to Loretta Lynn; Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood and Bonnie Raitt will honor Christine McVie with “Songbird”; and Maverick City Music will join Quavo for “Without You” as a tribute to Migos’ Takeoff.

Presenters will include Madonna, first lady Jill Biden, Cardi B, James Corden, Billy Crystal, Viola Davis, Dwayne Johnson, Olivia Rodrigo and Shania Twain.

The Grammys added five new categories this year, bringing the total to be awarded Sunday to 91; most of those will be unveiled during the preshow. In addition, a new Special Merit Award will be given out for Best Song For Social Change.

The eligibility period for the 65th Grammys is October 1, 2021-September 30, 2022.

At the outset of PBS’ docuseries Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World, Chuck D asserts, “[In 2020], the Black Lives Matter protests wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for hip-hop.” It’s a lofty statement, as anti-establishment organizing and revolt have existed since Black people were brought to America. Hip-hop has augmented social movements since its 1973 founding; as Lupe Fiasco notes in the finale of the four-part series, ”Hip-hop is gonna supply you the theme song for the moment.”

Fight the Power does a strong job of chronicling...

Chuck D is humble about his contributions to Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World — the expansive, four-part PBS and BBC series where he joins other hip-hop icons from Melle Mel to Eminem, as well as executives, journalists, and academics, in unspooling rap’s history as a social movement. “My work is as an initiator and giving the platform,” says the Public Enemy Mc, who executive produced the project. “I know how to cut, edit, and design audio, but when it comes to film and TV…”

Still, his...

Naomi Ackie gives audiences a glimpse into the life of Whitney Houston in director Kasi Lemmons’ new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” and the new film is packed with a number of Houston’s hits.

Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.

Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...

Earlier this week, social media lit up as users excitedly uploaded the poster for the Elizabeth Banks-directed Cocaine Bear, imagining what a movie with that title might be like. They got some idea today when Universal dropped the bonkers first trailer for the film “inspired by the true story of a drug runner’s 1985 plane crash, missing cocaine, and the black bear that ate it.” The movie, billed as a character-driven thriller, seems to have a good bit of fun with the premise.

The story involves an oddball group of cops, criminals, tourists and teens converging in a Georgia forest where a 500-pound apex predator has ingested a staggering amount of cocaine and gone on a rampage for more blow…and blood.

In the course of things, the bear gulps down bricks of blow which seem to confer upon it drug-fueled superpowers. The beast gallops up a tree after one victim.

In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50 director Toby Amies with music producer and 99 Records founder Ed Bahlman and Anne-Katrin Titze on a pause with Robert Fripp: “I want the whole film to feel as much as possible as if it’s happening in the moment.”

In the second instalment with Toby Amies, the director of the perceptive and imaginative In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson At 50 (dedicated to his mother Elisabeth and Bill Rieflin), music producer and 99 Records founder Ed Bahlman joined us on Zoom to share a memory of Robert Fripp from the April 28, 1973 King Crimson concert (with Redbone and The Flying Burrito Brothers), seeing the world premiere of his brilliant Frippertronics, the New York music scene (White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It), Liquid Liquid, Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel; Esg, Glenn Branca, Bush Tetras, Konk), and the challenges of remaining independent.

Click here to read the full article.

Coolio, the Grammy-winning Compton rapper who was behind the global hit “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has died. He was 59.

His manager, Jarez Posey, told The Hollywood Reporter that Coolio died Wednesday afternoon at a friend’s house in Los Angeles. “He went to use the bathroom and never came out,” he said. No cause of death was given.

Indelibly associated with West Coast hip-hop and gangsta rap, Coolio reached worldwide success in the mid 1990s with three of his albums — It Takes a Thief (1994), Gangsta’s Paradise (1995) and My Soul (1997) — crossing over into the mainstream, driven by a clutch of more chart-friendly singles, including “Fantastic Voyage,” “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “C U When U Get There.” The single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring R&b singer L.V., was boosted by its appearance in the 1995 Michelle Pfeiffer drama Dangerous Minds and went on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide.

Go-go music is the soundtrack of Washington, D.C. Despite a four-decade history and a few national hits like “Da Butt,” by Experience Unlimited (E.U.), and “Shake Your Thang,” by Salt-n-Pepa with E.U., the funk offshoot, often referred to as a cousin of hip-hop, is a proudly regional music — born in the nation’s capital and embraced and supported by fans in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. A trip to the city will reveal the music blasting from automobiles and businesses as new bands carry on the...

DJ Cassidy, the host with the most classic R&b and hip-hop stars in his contacts book, will return to BET Thanksgiving weekend with another in his series of “Pass the Mic” specials, this time devoted to the dance-based music of the late 1970s and ’80s.

“DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic: BET Soul Train Edition 2021” will immediately follow “The Soul Train Music Awards,” which airs on BET Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. Et. It’s the fourth in a series of after-party specials Cassidy has done for the network, the first having been after last year’s “Soul Train Awards,” with “Pass the Mics” subsequently following BET franchises like the Image and BET Awards. Steve Rifkind and Jesse Collins are the producers responsible for bringing Cassidy’s mic-passing series from the web to television.

Although the host is keeping some of his guests under his hat, the direction of the...

Don’t call it a comeback, since it wasn’t quite that.

Journey Perform ‘Don’t Stop Believin” at NYC ‘Homecoming’ Show

On Saturday evening, the long-awaited “We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert” in New York’s Central Park became an unintentional metaphor for the ongoing pandemic when the all-star show was shut down and later cancelled less than halfway through by a vicious rainstorm. Amid confusion over whether the concert would continue, more than 60,000 concertgoers were told to exit the park before they’d had a chance to see headliners like Paul Simon,...

LL Cool J invited several friends including Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Remy Ma and French Montana for a medley of hits during his We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert performance on Saturday. The rapper performed his 1990 classic “Mama Said Knock You Out” for the crowd, with Rev Run joined him onstage for an energetic rendition of Run-dmc’s 1986 hip-hop hit “It’s Tricky.”

LL Cool J ate and left no crumbs ! #WeLoveNYC #WeLoveNYCConcert #LLCoolJ pic.twitter.com/byiOYtEfoG

— Llcoolj Archive (@llcooljarchive) August 21, 2021

LL Cool J and friends got the crowd dancing #WeLoveNYCConcert pic.

A who’s who of classic rap and funk stars will be headlining an upcoming concert series in New York City dubbed It’s Time for Hip-Hop in NYC.

Krs-One, Slick Rick, and Remy Ma will co-headline the Bronx installment on August 16th. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah will head up the Staten Island event on the 17th. Big Daddy Kane and Desiigner lead the Brooklyn lineup on the 19th. And the festivities will end with a concert topped by George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars and Too Short in Queens on the 20th.

Edward G. Fletcher, better known as the pioneering hip hop producer and rapper Duke Bootee, died Jan. 13 from heart failure. He was 69.

His death was confirmed Thursday by his wife, who told the New York Times that he died at their home in Georgia.

Born in 1951 and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Fletcher is widely celebrated as one of the seminal creative forces in the development of hip hop, having served as the primary songwriter on “The Message.” That 1982 track, a hit for Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, was one of the earliest examples of social commentary in rap and opened the door for a wave of socially conscious and overtly political artists who would eventually come to dominate the genre a decade later.

Following college, Fletcher embarked on a music career and by the end of the 1970s was working as an engineer for Sugar Hill records,...

All year, Steven Van Zandt has been holding virtual fundraisers to benefit TeachRock, the organization he founded to save music education — providing online music history courses, among other resources, to kids whose classrooms have been robbed of arts programs. And he just announced his biggest event yet.

On December 21st, Van Zandt and TeachRock will present Stand With Teachers, an hour-long event featuring performances by Eddie Vedder and Margo Price. Others slated to appear include Steven’s wife Maureen Van Zandt plus their Sopranos colleagues Steve Buscemi and Vincent Pastore,...

Common and Rufus Wainwright are set to release new Audible Original productions, respectively titled Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics and Life and Road Trip Elegies: Montreal to New York. Exact release dates have yet to be announced, but both projects will arrive this year.

Both projects are described as “audio-only musical narratives” and will boast a unique mix of storytelling and music. Common’s Bluebird Memories will find him exploring the various writers and musicians who have inspired him, while Road Trip Elegies finds Wainwright recreating a journey between...

SugarHill Gang appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform their 1979 hit “Rapper’s Delight.” Joined by Melle Mel and Scorpio of the Furious Five, the group took over the Brooklyn Academy of Music, giving an energized rendition of the track from all sides of the venue.

The performance included all the living members of the band (Big Bank Hank died in 2014), who offered up a five-minute version of the song.

“Rapper’s Delight” was part of the group’s 1980 self-titled debut album, which was produced by Sylvia Robinson. The group’s last original album,...

Jimmy Spicer, a hip-hop pioneer with a flare for storytelling and the endurance to rap over one side of a 12-inch record, died last Friday of lung and brain cancer in a Brooklyn hospital at the age of 61. His 14-minute debut single, “The Adventures of Super Rhyme (Rap),” came out in 1980 and featured Spicer’s rhymes about Superman, Dracula, Aladdin, and anything else that came to mind. It would prove to be an influential early hip-hop landmark. His next singles, “The Bubble Bunch” and “Money (Dollar Bill Y’all),” established...

Kidd Creole, a former member of groundbreaking hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, has been charged with murder, the New York Police Department told TheWrap on Thursday. According to the department, police responded to a 911 call shortly before midnight Tuesday regarding a male possibly stabbed at East 44th St. and 3rd Ave. Upon arrival, police observed a 55-year-old man with multiple stab wounds to the torso. The victim was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Also Read: 'Dukes of Hazzard' Star Tom Wopat Arrested on Indecent Assault, Cocaine Charges Kidd Creole, whose real name is Nathaniel Glover,...

He was part of the pioneering hip hop collective Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, the first rappers to be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Now Kidd Creole is in jail for allegedly stabbing a homeless ex-con during a late night scuffle on the streets of Manhattan. His tumultuous life had taken him from thrilling crowds at Madison Square Garden to making ends meet by working odd jobs as a security guard and handyman, but few could have predicted his descent into murder.

Kidd Creole was born Nathaniel Glover Jr. on Feb. 19, 1960, and grew up in the south Bronx.