Tonight (Sept. 28), TMZ has reported that West Coast rapper Coolio has died at the age of 59.
The “Gangsta’s Paradise” artist’s manager Jarez reportedly told the Hollywood gossip site that Coolio was visiting a friend at a home in Los Angeles when he passed. The rapper allegedly went into his friend’s bathroom, but never came out. Paramedics were called around 4 p.m., but Coolio was pronounced dead at the scene. Jarez reportedly said the veteran rhymer died of cardiac arrest, although an official cause of death has yet to be determined.
XXL has reached out to Jarez for further confirmation.
Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr, had major mainstream success in the 1990s, primarily with his 1995 hit single “Gangsta’s Paradise.” The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the same year it was released. “Gangsta’s Paradise” earned further widespread acclaim after being the main song featured in the 1995 film Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer. The track won Coolio a Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Performance. It has since been certified double-platinum in the U.S., and also sold millions of additional units worldwide.
The song was the title track to Coolio’s 1995 breakthrough album, Gangsta’s Paradise, which also features two other successful singles: “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “Too Hot,” the latter of which features J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang on the hook. Gangsta’s Paradise is also certified double-platinum, with over two million units sold in the U.S. alone.
The MC released a total of eight studio albums, beginning with It Takes a Thief in 1994, and ending with what would be his final LP, From the Bottom 2 the Top, in 2009.
Outside of music, Coolio appeared as an actor in various films, including the 1997 adaptation of Batman & Robin. He also made cameos in TV shows Sabrina The Teenage Witch, The Nanny, Malcolm & Eddie and more.
Read More: Coolio, ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Rapper, Dead at 59 – Report – XXL | https://www.xxlmag.com/coolio-gangstas-paradise-rapper-dead/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Top 10 Remix Chart (based on sales)
July 2022
Excludes free remixes.
10. Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright) remix
9. The Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love remix
8. Junior Senior – Move Your Feet remix
7. Stevie Wonder – Living For The City remix
6. Latto vs Mariah Carey, Old Dirty Bastard – Big Energy Fantasy mashup
5. Stevie Wonder – I Wish remix
4. Barry White – Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe remix
3. Guns N Roses – Paradise City remix
2. Irene Cara – What A Feeling remix
Stormzy has returned with a new single after a nearly three-year-long hiatus proving that some things are worth the wait.
The South London legend floats for seven minutes on “Mel Made Me Do It.” Over a minimalistic instrumental, he flexed his ability to seamlessly switch flows throughout the track while displaying his mastery of wordplay.
“I’ve been the GOAT for so long, I guess it’s not exciting when I win,” Stormzy boasts in the opening line. “To make a classic, yeah, it takes ages.” Stormzy is given an assist with a guest verse from Stylo G and a poignant spoken word piece by Wretch 32 (narrated by actress Michaela Coel).
“Today, we speak about foundation,” the monologue begins. “Many great Black influential giants have touched people, from soul to soul, throughout many generations.” She continues: “Our DNA empowers us. We can make a song and dance out of everything. Our genes are enriched – it seems there is not a seam out of place in our fabric…”
The single comes accompanied by a ground-breaking 11-minute music video directed by KLVDR. The visuals are a stunning display of Black British excellence, with extra emphasis on the Black. Check out the video below and stream the single and the end of the page.
Stormzy – Mel Made Me Do It
Among the 35 plus cameos, Stormzy showcased icons from his childhood alongside heroes from a younger generation. The sheer number of sporting greats and music legends added weight to the braggadocious lyrics reminding his peers: you cannot do this.
The guest appearances include the likes of Dave, Headie One, Little Simz, Jazzie B, Jose Mourinho, Malorie Blackman, and Usain Bolt.
Hollywood, CA – The Red Bull BC One National Finals took place at Eden Sunset in Hollywood on Saturday night (September 18) where two winners walked away with the title.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, B-Boy Ali and B-Girl Sunny will now advance to the World Finals on November 12 in New York City. But, they understand there’s a big difference between the Olympics, which added breaking to its program for the 2024 Paris games, and BC One.
As Indianapolis B-Girl and Olympics hopeful Pep C explained: “The Olympics is really serious, and I get to just wild out here. There are so many rules of what we can’t do with the Olympics. I’m doing this for the fun. Red Bull is interesting. You just have to represent yourself.
“Your approach has to be yours, but you can’t come out like you don’t know what you’re doing. It has to be within the essence of breaking itself. You can’t come in here and do, like, popping. And that’s pretty legit.”
Speaking to HipHopDX in August, Red Bull BC One All-Stars Logistx and Victor Montalvo talked bout how important it is to acknowledge all the elements of Hip Hop culture.
“Breaking in particular is one element that had a huge moment in pop culture history, but it’s important to note it hasn’t gone anywhere,” Montalvo, the 2015 Red Bull BC One World Finals champion, told DX. “It’s actually grown massively with communities all over the world, and it’s finally getting the full-time exposure and respect it deserves.
“You see more stages, competitions and platforms popping up globally as well as more brands stepping in to offer us sponsorships and support.
He continued: “Not only is that good for [breakers] as individuals but also the community at-large. I’m proud to continue breaking’s legacy while being able to experience this positive shift where we are being recognized for our contribution to Hip Hop.”
On Monday (Sept. 12, 2022), the Philadelphia rap-crooner, born Rakim Hasheem Allen, passed away after succumbing to gunshot wounds he suffered during a reported attempted robbery at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘N Waffles, according to the Los Angeles Times this afternoon.
Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Kelly Muniz did not initially identify PnB Rock as the victim. Based on the Times’ report, the shooting transpired at 1 p.m. at Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles located on Main Street and Manchester Avenue in Inglewood. The victim, now identified as PnB Rock by police sources per the Times, was transported to a hospital and was pronounced dead at 1:59 p.m.
Muniz stated that the suspect, who doesn’t appear to be in custody as yet, brandished a weapon inside the restaurant and demanded items from the rapper. TMZ reported that PnB was targeted for his jewelry and that the robber removed the jewelry from the rapper before fleeing the scene.
“He shot the victim and ran out the side door to a getaway car and then fled the parking lot,” Muniz said.
News first broke regarding PnB Rock being shot this afternoon, after a grisly video surfaced on social media that was purported to be from the scene of the crime. The rapper appeared lying in a puddle of blood. The incident reportedly occurred at a Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles location in Inglewood, Calif. while PnB and his girlfriend were there enjoying a meal. In the harrowing clip, witnesses try to assist the rapper by putting towels on his wounds. According to reports, shortly afterward, he was transported to a local hospital. He did not survive.
PnB Rock officially jumped into the rap game with his debut mixtape Real N*gga Bangaz in 2014, and stood out due his brand of trap R&B. A year later, he secured a deal with Atlantic Records following his breakout moment with the 2015 track “Fleek.” His 2016 song, “Selfish,” peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2017, he was part of that year’s XXL Freshman Class and put out the mixtape GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions and debut album, Catch These Vibes, which was followed by the 2019 LP, Trapstar Turnt Popstar.
Recently, he’d been bouncing back after going through some serious legal issues in 2019. Last December, he released the EP 2 Get You Thru the Rain. He put out his most recent single “Luv Me Again” earlier this month as an independent artist no longer signed to Atlantic.
The NYC rapper first shared a snippet of the track during Friday’s (Sept. 9) episode of Queen Radio. She revealed BIA and JT of the City Girls are on the remix and also teased the song has six verses.
“There were 5 verses on the #queenMix,” Nicki Minaj tweeted. “But someone else demanded to be a part of the celebration @ the last minute chi. CLAIM YOUR VERSE NOW. WITHOUT HEARING IT, GUESS WHICH VERSE WILL BE YOUR FAVE NOW!!!! You can choose up to 2 verses. Only comment once!!!”
Nicki Minaj Previewed ‘Queen Mix’ On Queen Radio
The Barbz heard the full version of Queen Mix just moments before it was released, getting an advanced look at all the features. Alongside JT and BIA, Nicki Minaj is joined by Katie Got Bandz, Akbar V, and Maliibu Mitch. Her alter ego Roman also makes an appearance at the end of the track, which clocks in at nearly four minutes long. Stream ‘Super Freaky Girl Queen Mix’ at the end of the page.
While some fans questioned why Nicki’s choice of features, a retweet from the rapper explained her selection.
Some of her collaborators took to social media to celebrate Nicki Minaj and the Queen Mix. Chicago drill rapper Katie got Bandz paid tribute to Nicki, declaring, “I LOVE YOU QUEEN 🤞🏼💜🌹👑” before instructing her followers to go run the numbers up.
Celebrate EnjoyTheBEATZ’s 7th Year Anniversary
All Remixes & Club Credits that you LOVE are on SALE for the entire month of September 2022.
We are Celebrating our 7th Year Anniversary of EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Remix Club being ONLINE.
**All Remixes are NOW on sale for US $0.40 cents through September 30, 2022**
In addition, all Club Credit Plans will be on sale until September 30, 2022.
Club Credit Plans: Bronze: 6 Club Credits for $3.99 (Reg. $4.99) – Credits Expire in 30 Days Silver: 15 Club Credits for $7.99 (Reg. $9.99) – Credits Expire in 30 Days Gold: 40 Club Credits for $14.99 (Reg $19.99) – Credits Expire in 60 Days (*Popular Pick*) Platinum: 120 Club Credits for $29.99 (Reg $39.99) – Credits Expire in 90 Days Diamond: 300 Club Credits for $59.99 (Reg $79.99) – Credits Expire in 180 Days
EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Top 10 Remix Chart (based on sales)
June 2022
Excludes free remixes.
10. Jean Knight – Mr Big Stuff remix
9. Doja Cat – Get Into It (Yuh) remix
8. The Gap Band – Yearning For Your Love remix
7. Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down remix
6. Eddie Money – Two Tickets to Paradise remix
5. Matthew Wilder – Break My Stride remix
4. Shaggy – Angel remix
3. Kris Kross – Jump remix
2. Elton John – I’m Still Standing remix
Industry Blackout has released a statement to XXL in the wake of virtual AI rapper FN Meka being dropped from Capitol Records. The organization sent an open letter to the label earlier today, calling for the artist and label to terminate its partnership.
“We feel it it is a great victory that Capitol Records terminated their contract with FN Meka however, the fact this happened to begin with shows how much work is still ahead of us,” the statement starts. “We’re glad the people amplified our voices to be heard so quickly on a Black issue, and that our action led to results. This should set a precedent that shows how Black and Brown voices can unify behind issues and get things done.
“There was a great opportunity to do something innovative with hip hop and tech. Tech should be used to amplify the culture And there’s still a chance to do so—the right way. At the end of the day, we’ve been about the people since inception and continue to focus on our community. At every turn we will stand up when needed.”
ORIGINAL STORY (Aug. 23):
Grand opening. Grand closing. Just days after news broke that AI-powered virtual rapper FN Meka had signed a deal with Capitol Records, the label announced it has dropped the ’bot following backlash.
On Tuesday (Aug. 23), a rep for Capitol Records released a statement to XXL confirming its decision to part ways with the “rapper.”
“CMG has severed ties with the FN Meka project, effectively immediately,” the statement reads. “We offer our deepest apologies to the Black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough question about equity and the creative process behind it. We thank those who have reached out to us with constructive feedback in the past couple of days—your input was invaluable as we came to the decision to end our associate with the project.”
The opposition to FN Meka apparently received a strong push from @industryblkout, a “unified body of Black people in the industry committed to changing the community” on Twitter, who published a hard stance statement against Capitol Records and the Meka project on Tuesday calling it an “abomination and disrespectful to real people who face real consequences in real life.”
XXL has reached out to Industry Blackout for comment.
— Industry Blackout #IndustryBlackout (@industryblkout) August 23, 2022
The announcement arrives after backlash the label received from recently signing the virtual rapper to a recording contract. FN Meka is the creation of Anthony Martini and Brandon Le, cofounders of Factory New, a virtual record label who were the first to ink the virtual rhymer to a deal. FN Meka’s voice is based off a real human, but everything else about the rapper including his rhymes are based off artificial intelligence technology, according to its creators. In appearance, Meka looks like to a caricature of a racially ambiguous Soundcloud rapper, complete with colored dreads and face tats. Meka even has a new single with Gunna titled “Florida Water.”
However, the Meka “project” has received backlash. For one, Meka uses the N-word in lyrics. On the 2019 track “Moonwalkin’,” he spits the lines, “Moonwalkin’ with a shawty in the lobby/Feel like Hank Hill when I raise the Bobby (Bobby)/I don’t see no niggas like we playin’ hockey (Hockey).”
The announcement arrives after backlash the label received from recently signing the virtual rapper to a recording contract. FN Meka is the creation of Anthony Martini and Brandon Le, cofounders of Factory New, a virtual record label who were the first to ink the virtual rhymer to a deal. FN Meka’s voice is based off a real human, but everything else about the rapper including his rhymes are based off artificial intelligence technology, according to its creators. In appearance, Meka looks like to a caricature of a racially ambiguous Soundcloud rapper, complete with colored dreads and face tats. Meka even has a new single with Gunna titled “Florida Water.”
However, the Meka “project” has received backlash. For one, Meka uses the N-word in lyrics. On the 2019 track “Moonwalkin’,” he spits the lines, “Moonwalkin’ with a shawty in the lobby/Feel like Hank Hill when I raise the Bobby (Bobby)/I don’t see no niggas like we playin’ hockey (Hockey).”
Macklemore has tapped into his inner André 3000 for his new “Maniac” music video — watch it below.
The new track featuring Windser finds the Grammy-winning rapper donning a lime green suit while paying homage to some of Andre’s jittery dance moves seen in OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” music video.
The Jake Magraw-directed visual also sports a brief cameo from famed music journalist Nardwuar.
“The first time I heard Windser singing the hook on ‘Maniac’ I fell in love with it,” Macklemore said of the new single in a statement. “It’s infectious and relatable and I couldn’t get it out of my head.
“We’ve all been in relationships that maybe don’t feel healthy all the time, but we still love that person and are dependent and addicted to that love. It’s universal. Maniac is that love story.”
“Maniac” is produced by frequent collaborator Ryan Lewis and Budo, and arrives after Macklemore had previously dropped off “CHANT” earlier in 2022, which chronicled Macklemore’s latest struggle with substance abuse that led to a near-fatal overdose.
While it’s unclear if “Maniac” and “CHANT” are meant to signify a new album, it would potentially be the first Macklemore project to drop since 2017’s Gemini, which featured appearances from Skylar Grey, Lil Yachty, Offset, Xperience and others.
