Author: info@rapgriot.com
Show & Prove: Raq babyWords: Paul MearaRaq baby is young in name but his life experience goes far beyond his moniker. The 20-year-old Chicago-born, Atlanta-based rapper has all the talking points that a rising hip-hop artist is expected to have these days: authenticity, music that hits, millions of streams and YouTube views, touring in major cities and collaborations with rap’s frontrunners old and new.But what’s helped Raq make an impact is that his personality lives through his music. Whether it’s more humorous, like his viral track “Got It Tucked” where he pulled out a dance from pro wrestler Jeff Hardy on TikTok, or songs like…
The woman who was featured in R. Kelly’s infamous 2001 sex tape when she was a teenager is now speaking out for the first time in a televised interview.On Tuesday (Feb. 3), CBS Mornings aired an exclusive interview with Reshona Landfair, who was just 14 years old when a sex tape featuring her and the disgraced R&B singer leaked online. Previously identified as Jane Doe in Kelly’s 2021 and 2022 federal trials, Landfair, now 41, is breaking her silence before the release of her memoir, Who’s Watching Shorty?In the video below, Landfair, who is the niece of R&B singer Sparkle…
A homicide occurred outside of T.I.’s Atlanta recording studio over the weekend.On Jan. 31, around 3:17 a.m., Atlanta Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired at Tip’s Super Sounds Studios in Northwest Atlanta. Upon arriving, they discovered a victim in the driver’s seat of a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.Following life-saving efforts from the police, the victim was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. Police are currently investigating the shooting.”Homicide investigators responded to the scene and are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the APD said in a press release.According…
A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the armed home invasion at 6ix9ine’s South Florida mansion last November.Sergio Andrade, 18, was arrested on Jan. 31, according to court records obtained by XXL on Tuesday (Feb. 3). He has been charged with three counts, including home invasion with a firearm, false imprisonment/kidnapping and grand larceny. Andrade’s arrest comes after Pedro Rodriguez was arrested by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the crime in December.Rogriguez’s arrest came four days after a SWAT team executed a search warrant at a West Palm Beach apartment that Rodriguez and Andrade share. During…
Fresh off the release of his powerful project, “The Survivor’s Condition,” Alfred Banks is hitting the road this Spring. This 8 city coast-to-coast tour, presented by Underdog Central, promises an intimate and energetic experience, kicking off in Los Angeles and weaving through iconic venues across the South and East Coast. From the creative hub of Austin’s Kickbutt Coffee to the legendary stages of Atlanta and New York. The tour embodies a true underdog independent spirit. Make sure to grab your tickets early, cities and dates below. RSVP and get tickets at: UnderdogCentral.com Tour Dates & Cities: 2/20 – LOS ANGELES, CA @ Groundfloor 3/13 –…
Detroit, Michigan lyricist & one of the finest in the underground currently Mickey Diamond is back with his 18th studio LP. Emerging at the beginning of this decade off the strength of his debut EP Bangkok Dangerous, the dude has since gone on to turn quite a few heads in the underground by building up the impressive discography for himself with his previous 17 albums alongside 7 EPs & a mixtape. Since 2022 however, Mickey has been consistent putting out some of the best material of his career thus far. This includes the Gucci Ghost series produced by Big Ghost Ltd., the Ral Duke-produced Oroku Saki EP, the Sadhugold-produced Death Threat$ album,…
Hip-hop has always had a love-hate relationship with the Grammys. In fact, the prestigious award show that’s catered to honoring the music industry’s most talented composers, songwriters and musicians turned a blind eye to rap for years. Some might say the Recording Academy has considered hip-hop the outcast of music in general, seldom recognizing the genre for what it truly represents: a cultural movement that goes against the status quo.The Grammy Awards didn’t debut its first hip-hop category, Best Rap Performance, until 1989, even though the genre was born in 1973—the ceremony itself began in 1959. The Best Rap Performance award was also famously…
For over two decades, the Recording Academy has honored the genre of hip-hop with its own music categories, including Best Rap Album, at their annual Grammy Awards ceremony.Beginning in 1996, the first recipient of the Best Rap Album trophy was Naughty By Nature for their fourth album, Poverty’s Paradise. In 1997, The Fugees won the trophy for their second album, The Score.Through the years, there have been artists who have won the Best Rap Album honor on multiple occasions. Eminem has the most wins in this category with six in total, including one for his classic 2000 album, The Marshall Mathers…
Although the Grammy Awards came out in 1959, the Recording Academy didn’t debut the Best Rap Performance award until 1989, a year in which it was awarded to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Next came the Best Rap Album category in 1996, which was awarded to Naughty By Nature’s Poverty’s Paradise, decades after the genre burst onto the scene. The Grammys finally unveiled the Best Rap Song category for the 46th Grammy Awards in 2004. The first honor went to Eminem for his diamond-selling track “Lose Yourself,” marking his ninth Grammy win altogether at the…
The art of the feature is sacred in hip-hop. Collaboration isn’t just a strategy, it’s part the evolving culture. Now, YouTube has dropped a feature that could redefine how those collabs lreach the masses online. YouTube now lets creators tag and add up to four partner channels on a single upload. We were recently on set shooting a Mic Session with the legendary Ras Kass, and while breaking down the rollout, he put us on game. He highlighted YouTube’s new “Collaborator” feature as the perfect tool to amplify the session. Big shout out to Ras for the insight—true to form, always ahead of…