Hip hop and rap – The News Desk

Mister Cee, a famed hip-hop DJ and key figure behind Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album, dies at 57

11Apr

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Mister Cee, a famed hip-hop DJ and key figure behind Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album, dies at 57

LOS ANGELES -- Mister Cee, one of hip-hop’s pioneering DJs and a New York City radio personality who played an instrumental role in the Notorious B.I.G.‘s debut album, has died. He was 57. The famed disk jockey’s death was confirmed Wednesday by Skip Dillard, the brand manager at 94.7 The Block NYC, where Cee had a show. The cause of death has not been announced.“We’ve lost one of the most important figures in the industry,” 94.7 The Block said in a social media post.Mister Cee was a key player in the rap community. He was formerly Big Daddy Kane’s DJ and an executive producer on The Notorious B.I.G.’s groundbreaking 1994 debut, “Ready to Die.”The New York native was also a radio personality on his hometown’s Hot 97. But he briefly quit his gig in 2013 after arrests in connection with sol...

Hit-Boy enters Grammys with producer nod while helping father navigate music industry after prison

29Dec

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Hit-Boy enters Grammys with producer nod while helping father navigate music industry after prison

LOS ANGELES -- When Hit-Boy walks the Grammy red carpet, he expects to proudly strut into the Feb. 4 awards ceremony with his father beside him for the first time. For three decades, Hit-Boy’s dad was in-and-out of prison, with his recent stint lasting nine years until his release several months ago. With his father’s newfound freedom, the super producer — who has worked with music heavyweights from Jay-Z, Nas and Kanye West — is focused on strengthening their father-son bond while navigating the music industry together.Hit-Boy has the Grammys and a producer of the year, non-classical nomination in his sights. He's had three songs involving Brent Faiyaz, Blxst and The Alchemist. He also produced three Nas albums, including “King’s Disease III,” which is up for best rap album; one with Mus...

AP’s top albums of 2023: Music from Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, the Rolling Stones and more

4Dec

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AP’s top albums of 2023: Music from Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, the Rolling Stones and more

LOS ANGELES -- Ten of the top albums of the year, as chosen by Associated Press Music Writer Maria Sherman.It was a blockbuster year across genres, but only a few could make AP's list. (SZA's “SOS” released in December 2022, Ice Spice's “Like...?” isn't a full-length release, and the 11 Grammy nominations for “Barbie the Album” is recognition enough.) Instead of embracing the antiquated practice of ranking very different albums against one another, we're celebrating the best next to the best. Enjoy.The year belongs to regional Mexican artists, who brought their banda, norteño, mariachi, sierreño and more to geographies well beyond Mexico and the southwest U.S. As Carín León told The Associated Press earlier this year, it is no longer “regional,” but “global” music. Leading the charge is P...

Morgan Wallen tops Apple Music’s 2023 song chart while Taylor Swift, SZA also lead streaming lists

29Nov

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Morgan Wallen tops Apple Music’s 2023 song chart while Taylor Swift, SZA also lead streaming lists

LOS ANGELES -- Country singer Morgan Wallen ’s “Last Night” topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2023 as the giant music streamer released year-end lists Tuesday and provided listeners with data on their own most listened-to tunes.Wallen’s hit emerged as the country song with the most days — 52 — at No. 1 on the Global Daily Top 100 chart. Nigerian rapper Rema’s “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez was No. 12 on the global songs chart, the highest entry, ever, for an African song. (“Calm Down” was No. 1 on the streamer’s Shazam chart.)Joining “Last Night” at the very top of the global songs list were “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus in second, “Kill Bill” by SZA in third, “Rich Flex” by Drake and 21 Savage in fourth, and another SZA track in fifth slot: “Snooze,” which was followed by Taylor ...

Classes on celebrities are engaging a new generation of law students

11Nov

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Classes on celebrities are engaging a new generation of law students

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A South Dakota law professor typically teaches about dense topics like torts and natural resources. But next semester, he and his fearless students are shaking things up by turning their attention to Taylor Swift. Sean Kammer wanted his legal writing course to draw on music and art to help his students reconsider legal language and craft persuasive arguments. The self-described “Swiftie” thought a focus on the cultural icon was also a way to connect with his students.Never in his wildest dreams did Kammer expect the attention that the announcement generated — the class filled up quickly and jealous alumni even reached out.“The reaction from students has been exciting,” he said. “If we can have fun while we’re exploring some of these complex theoretical problems or issu...

AP PHOTOS: MTV Video Music Awards celebrate music’s global power with hip-hop, K-pop and Latin jams

15Sep

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AP PHOTOS: MTV Video Music Awards celebrate music’s global power with hip-hop, K-pop and Latin jams

ByThe Associated PressSeptember 14, 2023, 5:45 PMLil Nas X poses in the press room at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)The Associated PressNEWARK, N.J. -- Taylor Swift took home the top prize at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards for her “Anti-Hero” music video on a night full of surprises.But as much as Swift dominated, the VMAs centered on music’s global power.Colombian icon Shakira received the Video Vanguard Award and performed an incredible bilingual medley of her decades of hits. She also took home the award for best collaboration for “TQG,” her song with reggaetonera Karol G. The duo gave their acceptance speech entirely in Spanish.Here are some of the best AP images from the 2023 MTV Vi...

Rapper 50 Cent cancels Phoenix concert due to extreme heat that has plagued the region

30Aug

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Rapper 50 Cent cancels Phoenix concert due to extreme heat that has plagued the region

The extreme heat that has plagued metro Phoenix this summer has led to another concert cancellationFILE - 50 Cent, left, and Tony Yayo perform at the Wireless Music Festival in Finsbury Park, July 9, 2023, in London. Rapper 50 Cent said Monday, Aug. 28, that his scheduled show Tuesday night, Aug. 29, at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in west Phoenix, was postponed because of the sweltering weather. (Scott Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)The Associated PressPHOENIX -- Sweltering heat in Phoenix that has routinely broken records this summer led to yet another canceled concert, with rapper 50 Cent calling the triple-digit temperatures “dangerous.” Rapper 50 Cent said Monday that his scheduled show Tuesday night at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in west Pho...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 9-15

3Jul

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Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 9-15

Celebrity birthdays for the week of July 9-15:July 9: Actor Richard Roundtree is 81. Singer Dee Dee Kenniebrew of The Crystals is 78. Actor Chris Cooper is 72. TV personality-turned-musician John Tesh is 71. Country singer David Ball is 70. Business leader Kevin O’Leary (“Shark Tank”) is 69. Singer Debbie Sledge of Sister Sledge is 69. Actor Jimmy Smits is 68. Actor Tom Hanks is 67. Singer Marc Almond of Soft Cell is 66. Actor Kelly McGillis is 66. Singer Jim Kerr of Simple Minds is 64. Singer Courtney Love is 59. Bassist Frank Bello of Anthrax is 58. Actor David O’Hara (“The District”) is 58. Actor Pamela Adlon (“King of the Hill,” “Louie”) is 57. Actor Scott Grimes (“ER,” ″Party of Five”) is 52. Singer-guitarist Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse is 48. Musician Jack White is 48. Actor Fred Sa...

Friends and family gather for the funeral of Houston rapper Big Pokey

2Jul

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Friends and family gather for the funeral of Houston rapper Big Pokey

Family and friends gathered at the funeral over the weekend for Houston rapper Big Pokey, an original member of the pioneering group Screwed Up ClickHOUSTON -- Family and friends gathered at the funeral over the weekend for Houston rapper Big Pokey, an original member of the pioneering group Screwed Up Click.Pokey, who was born Milton Powell, died June 18 at the age of 48 after collapsing at a performance in Beaumont, located east of Houston. Those attending his service Saturday at Fountain of Praise church in Houston included Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and rappers Paul Wall, Trae Tha Truth and Slim Thug, the Houston Chronicle reported.Pokey was known for Texas and Gulf Coast hits such as “Ball N’ Parlay,” “Who Dat Talking Down,” and a verse on DJ Screw’s nea...