Young M.A Talks Success Of "OOOUUU," Radio, Rapping At Age Nine & More In New Video

                                            

Young M.A experienced a wealth of success following the release of her hit record "OOOUU." The song put Young M.A and her RedLyfe imprint on the map and the track garnered remixes from everyone including Jadakiss and The Game.

But as quick as the come-up was for the artist, there was a lot left untold to her story, and today the Brooklyn-born rapper seeks to fill in those blank spaces in her "Ride Along" segment with The Fader. In the short two minute clip, Young M.A details her humble beginnings as a nine-year-old MC and the feeling she got when her record first hit the radio airwaves.

Watch Trae Tha Truth Push A Bullet Out Of His Arm

                                           

Savage move.

Trae the Truth was shot outside a Houston strip club back in 2012 and has had a bullet lodged in his arm ever since. That is, he had a bullet lodged in his arm until yesterday, when he was able to push it out of his arm. He recorded a video of him dislodging the bullet and posted it to Instagram.

“The Bullet That’s Been Sittin In My Shoulder The Past Few Years Decided To Come Out…. Gotta Thank God I’m Still Here," he wrote in the caption.

Joey Bada$$ Declines Trump's Invitation To Perform At Inauguration

                                            

Though Donald Trump's people deemed Kanye West's music not "traditionally American" enough for Inauguration Day festivities, they reportedly asked a truckload of other artists -- including rappers -- to perform for him. Well, you can add Joey Bada$$ to the growing list of emcees who declined that special request. Cinematic Music Group founder Jonny Shipes confirmed it in a tweet Thursday night.

Shipes took the opportunity to plug the Brooklyn rapper's new single "Land Of The Free" that landed today -- Bada$$ is signed to his label. It's ironic that Trump's people would try to book Badmon since he made his feelings quite clear in the first single off his new album AABA, spitting, “Sorry ‘Murica but I will not be your soldier. Obama just wasn’t enough, I need some more closure. And Donald Trump is not equipped to take this country over.”

Live Stream The Inauguration Of President Donald Trump

                                         

It begins today. Obama has left the Oval Office, leaving a letter on the Resolute desk for President-elect Trump, who will lose the "elect" in a couple of hours and become the 45th President of the United States. Donald and Melania have greeted Barack and Michelle, and the crowd and the press are starting to gather in front of the Capitol Building for the inauguration ceremony. The musical performances are already underway, and the swearing-in of Trump and Mike Pence begins at 11:30 AM EST. The inaugural parade, which follows the new executive leaders from the Capitol to the White House, starts around 3 PM. 

Drakes artist iLoveMakonnen comes out of the closet.

                                      

iLoveMakonnen revealed on Twitter early Friday morning that he is gay. He came out of the closet via a string of messages.

 “As a fashion icon, I can't tell u about everybody else's closet, I can only tell u about mine, and it's time I've come out,” he wrote.

He continued, “And since y'all love breaking news, here's some old news to break, I'm gay. And now I've told u about my life, maybe u can go life yours.”

Bobby Shmurda’s pal gets 130-year sentence, curses out judge

                                              

Rapper Bobby Shmurda’s co-defendant in a Brooklyn gang conspiracy told a Manhattan judge to “suck my d–k” Wednesday just before he was ordered jailed for more than a century.

Foul-mouthed Santino Boderick, 23, unleashed a volley of curses at Justice Abraham Clott, who remained calm.

“F–k yourself,” Boderick said as he demanded to be removed from the courtroom before he was given a 117½- to 130-year sentence.

Clott permitted the defendant’s exit, then delivered the sentence in his absence.

Boderick was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon and 20 other felonies stemming from four gang-related shootings.

In September, Boderick refused a plea deal of 15 years in prison. His three co-defendants, including Shmurda, took a deal.

The case was handled by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor.

(New) Young Scooter Feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie & Don Q - Diamonds - Video

(New) Jeezy - Never Settle (Official Video)

2 Chainz, Gucci Mane and Quavo Get Together for “Good Drank” Video

Back in October, 2 Chainz released the Mike Dean-produced banger “Good Drank” featuring Gucci Mane and Quavo. Today (Jan. 19), Tityboi delivers the accompanying music video.

Throughout the four-minute clip, the Atlanta artists play the role of prohibition-era bootleggers. However, 2 Chainz, Guwop and Quavo are not in the alcohol business; instead, they’re kingpins of purple drank. Keeping with the 1920s theme, everything in the video is shot in black-and-white, except for the vivid purple substance. You can watch the Tityboi, Wop and Quavo get the party going above via YouTube.

Gucci does his thing on the track’s final verse, spitting, “Your trunk in the front/Well check this out my top in the trunk/You play with my money/Then check this out your pop in the trunk/Three mill in a month/But I just did three years on a bunk/Oh, you in a slump/I’m headed to Oakland like Kevin Durant.”

“Good Drank” appeared on 2 Chainz’s 2016 mixtape Hibachi for Lunch, one of several projects he put out in 2016 along with Felt Like Cappin,’ Daniel Son; Necklace Don and Collegrove with Lil Wayne. Tityboi is primed for a major 2017 as well, as he recently announced his new album Pretty Girls Like Trap Music is coming out April 7.

The 39-year-old Chainz has new music with both Drake and Justin Bieber on the way, so it’s safe to say he’ll have at least a couple smash singles on his hands.

Peewee Longway's Whippin' the 'Egg Beater' in New Video

                                     

Last year, Peewee Longway dropped three mixtapes, the last of which being Longway Sinatra, his excellent full-length collab with Atlanta producer Cassius Jay. Now he returns with a video for “Egg Beater,” a highlight from the tape. You can peep that above.

Peewee’s been a mainstay in Atlanta since early 2013, when he started popping with his Running Around the Lobby mixtape. We talked to Peewee recently, and he told us he’s working on two new mixtapes, Blue M&M 3 and State of the Art, and hopes to work with Lil Wayne in the future.

10 Rappers Who Have Killed People

                                                                            

1.Cassidy

2.Big Lurch

3.Gucci Mane

4.J-Dee of Da Lench Mob

5.Cool C

6.Earl Hayes

7.C-Murder

8.Mac Minister

9.G. Dep

10.X-Raided

Jennifer Lopez Confirms She Recorded a Song With Drake

                                         

The distinction between musical collaborator and romantic interest isn’t always needed for Drake, whose recent connection to Jennifer Lopez seemed to indicate both were taking place. The two musicians shared the same photo on Instagram in late December, word a few weeks later that they spent New Year’s Eve together, Drake as well buying a $100,000 necklace for the singer.

Speaking with Extra on Wednesday (Jan. 19), Lopez confirmed that the two have been recording together. “We are – well, we did! We did one song together!” she said, “I don’t know if we will do more – we will see!”

In December, shortly after any romantic link was first made public, Drake and J. Lo were spotted at a Winter Wonderland Prom, video capturing what may very well be their collab together. When Drake was photographed with Taylor Swift in November, similar rumors started swirling, though word afterward was that the two were only working on new music. Drake and Rihanna have a long history of collaborative hits and have been on-and-off in spurts, Drake saying at the 2016 VMAs that he’s loved the singer for years.

Just last night, Lopez took home some hardware of her own, winning the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Crime Drama TV Actress for her role in Shades of Blue. She may be in line for some musical accolades as well if Drizzy’s golden touch 

10 Sexy Photos of the Hottest Women Celebs In Hip Hop

1.Nikki Mudarris

2.Teairra Mari

3.Rosa Acosta

4.Lyrica Anderson

5.Shanda Denyce

6.Nia Riley

7.Princess Love

8.Masika Kalysha

9.Brandi Boyd

10.Moniece Slaughter

Cam’ron Plans to Release ‘Killa Season 2′ Album This Year and Invest in Toilet Paper

                                                                                   

What’s Happenin’

Cam’ron’s not just a rapper, he’s also a businessman.
Words: Roger Krastz
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Winter 2016 issue of of XXL Magazine, on stands now.

Cam’ron has always been known for his personal style. Sure, he spits witty rhymes and can go toe-to-toe with the best of them, but it’s his business sense that has him working overtime lately. Most recently, the veteran MC released his second collaboration sneaker with Reebok called the Reebok Ventilator Supreme Cam, seven months after dropping the first shoe, the Reebok Ventilator Supreme Purple Haze.

While focused on fashion, the Harlem rapper is also gearing up for the release of his new mixtape, The Program: The Road to Killa Season 2, and his seventh solo album, Killa Season 2: The Pink Edition. Here he talks about kicks, his personal style and of course, president-elect Donald Trump.

XXL: Your second collaboration sneaker with Reebok is inspired by your famed early 2000s pink fur coat and hat. Do you still have those items?

I actually still have it, man! I wear it from time to time, you know? When it’s fitting. I get a lot of offers for the jacket. A lot of people want to buy it from me but I keep it for memorabilia.

How involved were you in the creative process of this sneaker, compared to your first release?

To be honest, I don’t really have too much to do in the creative [process]. What they do is give me different options and I’m the one that says yes or no. Reebok has a team that handles the creative aspect of the shoes and they’ll send me different samples and I’ll be like, “No, no, no, no,” and then we’ll finally come up with something that I like. The Ventilator Supreme Cam was the sneaker that resulted from this partnership.

Along with the release of the sneakers, will you drop any matching apparel or accessories?

Yeah. Definitely. I linked up with Stance socks; we did our third collaboration with them. They have a matching camo sock to go with the sneakers. We also hooked up with the rapper Berner who has the Cookies line.

Besides being a rapper, you are known for your different business ventures. What do you want to get into that you haven’t yet?

One thing I want to do is toilet paper. You know, I’ve spoken about it before but I’ve actually done some homework on it and that’s one thing I want to do. A lot of things that people do are things that you don’t have to have. Like, you don’t have to have a Cam’ron sneaker, or you don’t have to buy a mink jacket to look like Cam, or you don’t have to buy a car in New York to live, but who doesn’t use toilet paper, you know what I’m saying? Everybody uses toilet paper; men, women, children. Well, if they’re babies then they use diapers, and if you broke you use newspapers, but toilet paper is a guaranteed 95 percent necessity around the world. I want to do things that people have to have, not necessarily things people want to have.

What’s going on with your next album?

I just been busy and I haven’t had time to promote the album the way that I want, so I’m probably gonna push the album back to February or March.

What’s your opinion on our next president of the United States Donald Trump? And did you vote for him or Hillary?

Y’all voted him in. I ain’t got no opinion. I don’t even vote, so you know…

How do you think the country will do with Trump as president?

It’s kind of scary, you know? I think he didn’t really think he was gonna win. He seems like he’s shell-shocked to me since he won. He seems mad quiet. He’s not talking all that shit he been talking before the election. He been smooth. Either he just wanted to win and be cool, or I don’t even think he really thought he was gonna win.

Read More: Cam'ron Plans to Release 'Killa Season 2' This Year and Invest in Toilet Paper - XXL | http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2017/01/camron-killa-season-2-invest-toilet-paper/?trackback=tsmclip

Kim Kardashian Calls off Divorce — Kanye West "Convinced Her" to Stay!

                                         

Kimye lives! Just weeks after Kim Kardashian was ready to pull the plug on her two-year marriage to Kanye West, the rapper has convinced the reality star to call off the divorce.

Kanye, 39, was hospitalized in November after canceling his Saint Pablo tour— and while it was almost the last straw for the mother-of-two, the fashion designer promised Kim, 36, to continue going to therapy and committed to focusing on his health.

MORE: Kourtney Kardashian Pregnant? Reality Star Hints at Baby No. 4 With Snapchat Photo!

"Kanye swore he was going to continue with intense therapy,” a Kardashian insider told Us Weekly. “He really wants to get better and will do whatever it takes to get healthy.”

The source continued, "[Kim] didn’t realize how much of Kanye’s behavior stems from a mental illness. When he’s doing the things his therapists tell him to do, she is so much happier.”

In Touch reported in December that the "Selfish" beauty was reaching out to divorce attorneys, and was prepared to blindside Kanye with divorce papers.

MORE: Kim Kardashian Reveals She'll Never Go to Paris Again After Armed Robbery (EXCLUSIVE)

"She really thought Kanye was her soul mate and is absolutely devastated,” the source revealed. “But this isn’t what Kim signed up for when she married Kanye. She’s done.”

Kim was also concerned Kanye's behavior, including meeting with Donald Trump, was ruining her brand.

“Kanye’s actions are hurting Kim’s brand,” an insider told Life & Style exclusively. “She is finished. She feels like his meeting with Trump was a slap in the face. Kim has tried to protect Kanye from himself for years, but she can no longer do it.”

MORE: Ray J Claims Kim Kardashian Cheated on Him During Their Relationship — "She Was a Player"

It seems the famous family's, including daughter North, 3, and Saint, 13 months, break from the spotlight helped bring the couple back together.

Kim even responded to split rumors recently when she shared a photo of herself with her husband, and captioned the sweet image, "He always has my back."

After being down for a few days, Kim's app and website were updated with a new family photo and video. Since the reality star's armed robbery in October, fans rarely see the foursome together like this anymore.

Here's the BS Reason Kanye Wasn't Invited to Perform at Trump's Inauguration

                                        


Despite Kanye West's baffling meeting at Trump Tower in December, the chair of the former Apprentice host's Presidential Inaugural Committee has revealed he was never asked to perform at the inauguration festivities. Longtime Trump BFF Tom Barrack, speaking with CNN, suggested West and his work weren't "typically and traditionally American" enough to warrant an appearance.

We haven't asked him," Barrack told OutFront's Erin Burnett. "He considers himself a friend of the President-elect, but it's not the venue. The venue we have for entertainment is filled out, it's perfect, it's going to be typically and traditionally American, and Kanye is a great guy but we just haven't asked him to perform. We move on with our agenda."

Of course, as many quickly noted when Barrack's explainer hit Twitter, there is arguably nothing more American than hip hop:

West, who told a Saint Pablo audience in November he "would have voted for Trump" just days before being hospitalized, confounded fans and pundits alike with his heavily publicized Trump Tower meeting last month. According to E! News, West met with Trump to discuss the possibility of becoming an "ambassador of sorts." West, however, has not publicly clarified the nature of the meeting other than sharing a series of semi-vague tweets and a photo of his signed copy of TIME magazine:


But, um, I think 6 Doors Up or some shit is performing? 

Barbershop Debates and Presidential Durags: An Interview With Obama's Barber

                                               

Does Barack Obama wear a durag?
[Laughs]. No, not at all. He isn’t really into vanity. He leaves his hair up to me. If he has any slight changes, it would probably just not to make it as short this time or to have it look like he got it cut two or three days ago.

Is it true that you get to fly to the white house on a private jet to cut Obama’s hair? How often are you going?
That sounds really good, the private jet part. I would love that. I’m his only barber so I have to travel a lot to make that happen. I’d say on average every two to three weeks, it all depends.

What’s your favorite moment with him?
It’s a really simple one: When he used to bring his girls in the shop every now and then when they were very young. Of course, they were so little they’d sit in the chair and their feet wouldn’t even hit the floor. They would watch him get his haircut. I think it was Malia who asked him one day, “Dad, why do you get your hair cut all the time? It looks the same.” And he said, “That’s the point.” [Laughs]

There’s a running joke on Twitter that Obama’s hairline has stayed “crisp and undefeated” for all of his time as President. Would you say it’s just genetics or do you have some magic tricks up your sleeve?
Once you find a good barber you keep your barber. There’s a good reason why I am his barber. There might be a flaw or two in his hair, but it’s all in the technique, it’s all in the lining and how you present that. I don’t believe in razor lines, I see they do a lot of that today. Razors are so harsh they give you a very sharp and defined line, but they take away a lot on the hairline, the top layer of the skin, everything, because you are trying to get that line so defined. Keep a natural line with electric liners.

But, of course, your genetics play a part. It’s in your genes if you get over the age of 45 and you still have your hair in tact.

Obama’s haircut changed at the DNC in 2008. I know it’s called “The Obama Cut” at your shop. How did that come to be and what makes it special?
He was wearing his hair a lot longer before and he mentioned to me that he was speaking at the DNC. He said, “Hey man, make it look good.” I thought since he had such a huge audience that we had to do something a little different and more defining. I decided to take it shorter and taper it on the sides a little bit and in the back. It was a totally different look but it worked for him. He left it up to me.

How did the shop start doing “The Obama Cut” on other customers?
“The Obama Cut” has been on the shop menu for the longest time, but it’s not [officially] called an “Obama Cut,” it’s just called a low fade with a taper. But there are so many people who come in and say, “Hey, I want to look like the President.” We had so many requests for that cut, so we just started calling it the “Obama Cut.”

There’s a photo from 2009 of a little boy touching Obama’s hair because he wants to see if it felt the same. What did that moment mean for you?
It brought me back to a moment when a reporter came into the barbershop and asked me a question that was way left field. She asked if I cut his hair in a certain way to make him appear white. I thought that was a crazy question especially because you can’t cut a person’s hair a particular way to make him appear white or black. But unlike that reporter, the little boy just wanted to be so much like the President. He was just doing his own personal check to be like, “I know you’re like me. I just want to be sure.” It made me more aware that the younger generation is watching and listening.

What are your plans after Obama leaves office?
I’m going to take a nice break after this. I’m pretty sure everybody will try to decompress and go from there. But I’m still his barber. That’s it.

Questlove Offers To Pay Chrisette Michele NOT To Perform At Trump Inauguration

                                           


WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the January 20 presidential inauguration, a handful of artists who originally agreed to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s big day have already jumped ship, including singer Jennifer Holliday (Flo Rida was never scheduled to begin with.) But former Motown singer and Rick Ross collaborator Chrisette Michele has reportedly signed up for the job to the dismay of countless of her alleged fans. Questlove is one of many who aren’t having it. In fact, The Roots’ funky drummer said he would actually pay Michele not to perform via Twitter.

Bryson Tiller Reveals Sophomore Album Title

                                         

Bryson Tiller is ready to follow-up his monstrously successful T R A P S O U L with an album called True to Self.

The 24-year-old rising star shared the news on Twitter and promised his fans he’s not resting until it’s completed.

Tiller took the R&B scene by storm with the release of T R A P S O U L in the fall of 2015. The project reached the #8 position on the Billboard 200 chart and produced the Grammy-nominated “Exchange” single. The song peaked at #26 on the Hot 100 list. And of course the megahit “Don’t” was also part of the album and charted as high as #13.

The crooner caught the attention of Drake, who offered to sign him to OVO Sound, a deal that the Kentucky artist decided to pass on. But Tiller and Drizzy remained in contact and reportedly have a collaboration on the way.