Blogs

Video After The Jump

Nate Diaz talks to MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn about his fight against Jake Paul on Aug. 5, predicts Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler and more.

Follow Me

Lance Reddick, a prolific actor who played Charon in all four John Wick films and was a series regular on The Wire, Fringe & Bosch among dozens of other roles spanning a quarter-century, died today. He was 60.

His rep at Portrait PR confirmed the news, saying he died of natural causes but not providing other details.

The actor had been doing interviews for the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4 starring Keanu Reeves just this week.

Reddick began his screen career in the mid-1990s, guesting on such series as The Nanny and New York Undercover. Later in the decade, he appeared on the big screen in pics including Great Expectations and The Siege before recurring on HBO’s Emmy-winning 2000 miniseries The Corner, which was based on David Simon’s book.

That same year, he joined the cast of another gritty HBO drama, Oz, appearing in a dozen episodes. Around that time, Reddick also did an arc on Law & Order: SVU.

But perhaps his most famous role was would come next.

Reddick was cast as Cedric Daniels in HBO's The Wire.

During his Wire run, Reddick also did arcs on crime dramas Law & Order and CSI: Miami and guested on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He also recurred on Lost & appeared in episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia & Numbers before landing his another role for which he’d be well known.

Lots more guest TV spots followed for Reddick after Fringe wrapped, including The Blacklist & Wilfred. Then John Wick came calling.

Reddick co-starred in the 2014 film that launched the action franchise as Charon, the concierge at New York’s Continental Hotel who often works with Keanu’s titular character. He appeared in all of the Wick films, including Chapter 4, which opens wide on March 24.

He is survived by his wife Stephanie Reddick & children Yvonne Nicole Reddick & Christopher Reddick.

#lancereddick #lancereddickdeadat60 #riplancereddick #restinpeacelancereddick #actor #johnwick #thewire #bosch #residentevil #hbo #laurencefishburne #halleberry #keanureeves #willemdafoe #ianmcshane #rubyrose #common #johnleguizamo #michaelkwilliams #woodharris #idriselba #stephaniereddick #christopherreddick #yvonnereddick #musician

Source: Deadline

Follow Me

For the first time since Brittney Griner’s arrest almost three months ago, Russia appears to have publicly signaled its asking price for her safe return, if multiple reports by Russian state media are to be believed.

Russia is looking to exchange the WNBA star in a prisoner swap for notorious convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout, several state-owned Russian news outlets reported Friday, citing unnamed government sources.

Bout, whose exploits earned him the nickname the “Merchant of Death,” flooded fierce conflicts in Africa and the Middle East with weapons, U.S. authorities say. He was arrested during a sting operation in Thailand in 2008, extradited to the U.S. and sentenced to 25 years for conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, delivery of anti-aircraft missiles and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

After Bout’s arrest, the U.S. alleged that his Russian allies tried to block his extradition from Thailand to America by bribing key witnesses to give false testimony. Since his 2012 conviction, Bout has been at the top of Russia’s prisoner exchange wish list and has been linked repeatedly in the Russian state media with potential swaps involving jailed Americans that haven’t come to fruition.

“This is Russia saying, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great idea?’” William Pomeranz, a professor of Russian law and the acting director of the Kennan Institute, told Yahoo Sports. “This isn’t the U.S. saying they’re interested. We’ve had other opportunities to get rid of Viktor Bout in the past and we haven’t done it.”

Griner has been behind bars since Feb. 17 when she flew into a Moscow airport and Russian customs officials allegedly found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. She is under investigation for the large-scale transportation of drugs and faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison if convicted.

Griner appeared at a hearing in a courtroom outside Moscow on Friday and had her pre-trial detention extended by a month. Photos taken at the hearing show Griner leaving the courtroom handcuffed, the hood of an orange sweatshirt pulled over her head and her signature dreadlocks peeking out.

#brittneygriner #brittneygrinerwnba #brittneygrinerrussianjail #brittneygrinerdetainedinrussia #prisonerawap #usarussiaprisonerswap #viktorbout #merchantofdeath #viktorboutusajail #cannabisoil #armstrafficker #armsdealer #basketball #basketballplayer #wnba #russia #russianjail #vladimirputin #joebiden #prisoner #usa #america #phoenixmercury #bayloruniversity #nba

Source: Yahoo Sports

Follow Me

Russia is intensifying its Ukraine invasion and is all set to encircle the country’s capital Kyiv.

However, Ukraine has said that it will not retreat and would continue to defend until Russia ends the attack. Russia has strengthened its bombings and missile strikes. Meanwhile, the world nations are worried if Russia will use 'Father Of All Bombs' (FOAB), the deadliest Russian-built non-nuclear bomb, in the war.

The British media had reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning to use the 'Father Of All Bombs' in the war against Ukraine. Reports suggest that the Russian president has ordered his soldiers to use it. FOAB is also known as the ‘Monster Bomb’. It is a thermo baric super-powerful non-nuclear bomb that has a blast equivalent to more than 44 tons of TNT. It can cause damage in a radius of 300 meters. When dropped from a jet, it can produce similar effects as that of a small tactical nuclear weapon. As per international media reports, Russia had developed FOAB in 2007 and claims to have used it against Syria.

It is four times more powerful than the United States' Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB). The US had used MOAB against the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2017.

#russia #ukraine #russiaukrainewar #ukrainerussiawar #foab #fatherofallbombs #nonnuclear #worldsmostpowerfulbomb #tnt #bomb #explosives #monsterbomb #thermobaricbomb #masscasualties #war #ww3 #worldwar3 #vladimirputin #volodymyrzelenskyy #joebiden #cyberwarfare #motherofallbombs #usa #america #taiwan #china #nato #unitedkingdom #poland #germany

Source: Keralak.Amudi

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with actor, poet, rapper, producer, and podcaster:

OMARI HARDWICK

Here's what we got into on this one:

• His Decatur, Georgia upbringing and growing up feeling out of place at times.
• The huge moment of performing his one man show, 'HerO: A Work in Progress'.
• Being into theater as well as athletics and almost being drafted into the NFL.
• The drama of of Team Tasha vs. Team Angela on the series 'Power.'
• Working out and staying fit being an integral part of Omari living out his dream.
• Homeless and living in his car before getting his break in the industry.
• His casting in the film 'Next Day Air' directed by Benny Boom being a game changer.
• How Dave Chappelle has always used his platform to show love.
• Omari and 50 Cent collaborating on the song '50+O=500'.
• Discussion about the similarities of 'Game Of Thrones' vs. 'Power'.
• Feeling forever indebted to 50 for changing his life as well as so many others.
• 50 Cent's online trolling of the 'Empire' cast.
• Illustrating Omari's alternate ending for the 'Power' series.
• The conflicting dynamic of Ghost's good/bad guy persona.
• Omari being intent on making sure the character of Ghost was believable.
• If the 'Rust' onset accidental shooting has changed the industry.
• Starring in rapper/director Boots Riley's 'Sorry To Bother You'.
• Omari's album '2540 Daze' and how the title relates to the death of Trayvon Martin.
• Why LL Cool J is such an underrated emcee when discussing the GOATS.
• Omari's raps reminding Talib of an "LL meets Killah Priest."
• Working with Zach Snyder on the movie 'Army Of The Dead'.

TIME STAMPS:

7:15 -- Omari explores what a huge moment performing his one man show, 'HerO: A Work in Progress' was. His family and fellow cast members all showing up to witness the unique blend of storytelling, poetry, rap, photographs, and video that he put together and presented at Brooklyn's Billie Holiday Theatre. They go on to discuss how the show was something of a testimony about growing up black and being close to his father among other things and Omari also notes some of the artists he got to know doing poetry before being known in the acting world.

10:42 -- Omari is asked about his Decatur, Georgia upbringing. He speaks on moments growing up feeling out of place but also at times feeling like a true authentic ATLien. They discuss the huge migration of black folks moving to Atlanta during the 80's for better opportunities and New Yorkers competing in the ATL and telling Atlanta kids they were wack even if they were originally from NY. They also get into how Reaganomics affected the community and Omari talks about how being heavily influenced by New York culture was inevitable in Atlanta.

15:02 -- Talib brings up hearing Omari at one point calling himself an "artsy fartsy athlete". Omari talks about the chain of events that led him to potentially being drafted by the Chargers following his minoring in Theater. He gets into his aspirations to do more poetry outside of his theater studies and wanting to inspire his fellow athletes to consider exploring the arts, live outside the box and embrace some weirdness. They also discuss the "greater sexy" of confidence in being who you want to be and hip hop's inclusiveness as well as it being an umbrella for all the free thinkers of the world.

20:40 -- Omari speaks on the intriguing dynamic of the characters in 'Power'. They discuss the drama of Team Tasha vs. Team Angela, who's the "ride or die" vs. the "ride or fly" and how both women being black brought a level playing field to the argument. Omari's Men's Health workouts is brought up and he explains why he feels that it would be blasphemous if he didn't take care of his body as well as how working out has long been an integral part of him living out his dream. They also get into Omari's casting in the 2004 crime drama 'Sucker Free City' and what Spike Lee told Omari that got him heavy into cardio.

29:24 -- Omari is asked about his days of being homeless and living in his car before finally making it in industry. They discuss his being inspired after reading an article about a young Lawrence Fishburn almost giving up on his dream of becoming an actor and Omari's working with director Benny Boom on the film 'Next Day Air' alongside Mike Epps and Mos Def. He also talks about his brother being murdered in Las Vegas not long before he made the film, and how the part he landed in the comedy was a true game changer for Omari in so many ways.

37:14 -- Talib talks about his finally having the downtime to binge on 'Power' and they go on to discuss Omari's convo with Cee-Lo about the series. They get into how Dave Chappelle gave Talib a huge lift early in her career and how he has always used his platform to show love. They also speak on Omari and 50 Cent's collab on '50+O=500', compare similarities of 'Game Of Thrones' vs. 'Power', 50 Cent encompassing the story of boy meets a dysfunctional world, bring up notable lyrics from 50's 'Many Men' and Omari expresses his feeling forever indebted to 50 for changing his life as well as so many others.

44:51 -- 50 Cent's online trolling is brought up with his recent history of taking it upon himself to pit the series 'Power' against 'Empire'. Omari speaks of his friendship with actress Loretta Devine, her calling him upset about things 50 had said and Omari tells how he approached 50 about the situation, giving some grace and mercy for the pain that 50 has endured in life. They also discuss how people rarely change after a certain age, 50 being known for giving people permission to be who they are and how today's world views pettiness as a virtue.

51:37 -- Talib speaks on how he thought the characters of Ghost and Angela relate to Romeo and Juliet and Omari illustrates an alternate ending for 'Power' he had made up years before the series finale that catered to the bromance between Ghost and Tommy. The conflicting dynamic of Ghost being a cold blooded drug dealer who remains the moral fabric of the series is discussed as well as Omari seeing the show differently through the audience's lense and his asking writer Courtney Kemp if his character is a sociopath.

1:00:18 -- Omari speaks on his most important job of portraying the character of Ghost in making sure he is believable. They discuss Omari's making of a list about the good and bad of Ghost as well as his own list for Omari, actors not being too far removed from the characters they play and how Omari navigates juggling multiple roles at any given time. They also get into hip hop being the prime example of life imitating art and how 'Power' has been able to draw viewers in with relatable characters and experiences.

1:07:13 -- Omari is asked how the crew of 'Power' handled safety onset. They discuss how the 'Rust' accidental shooting has changed how the film world approaches things, Alec Baldin looking the wiser with his push for higher safety standards, Omari having a long history of dealing with guns on set and how Brandon Lee's death should have had a bigger impact on the industry. They also explore Omari's starring in rapper/director Boots Riley's 'Sorry To Bother You'. They get into Talib not recognizing Omari on the first viewing and the genius of Boots Riley in how he approaches his revolutionary themes.

1:15:44 -- Omari's album '2540 Daze' is brought up. He illustrates how he came up with the title after having Treyvon Martin's family on his 'Poetic's Podcast'. They go on to debate why LL Cool J has been such a criminally underrated emcee when discussing the GOATS and Omari talks about getting his first gig through LL when he got casted as an extra on 'In The House'. Talib goes on to tell Omari why he reminds him of an LL meets Killah Priest, Omari goes on to recite some powerful bars of his own and they discuss the great Gil Scott-Heron finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

1:28:19 -- Talib brings up being a huge fan of director Zack Snyder and his films. They go on to discuss Omari working with Zach on the movie 'Army Of The Dead' and that experience being a huge moment of pride post 'Power'. Omari talks about how much he enjoyed having the chance to show people he was much more than just Ghost and he praises Zach Snyder as a genius as he shares a line from Snoop saying 'I want to be the least gifted in the room and I'm really gifted'. They also discuss the greatness of 'American Skin' and how underrated a film it is.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with comedian, actor and writer :

TOMMY DAVIDSON

Here's what we got into:

• Tommy first meeting Talib when he was 15 during the filming of Strictly Business.
• What it was about Strictly Business that made Tommy chose it for his first movie.
• The network of underground clubs in New York during the early 90's where legends were born.
• Diddy being assigned as Tommy's assistant during the time of shooting Strictly Business.
• Tommy getting Diddy out of jail when he was arrested after an altercation over parking.
• Love for rapper Heavy D and the unique personality that he brought to the culture.
• How his fatherly perspective has evolved over all the years of raising six kids.
• Processing the reality of his mother dropping him in the trash when he was a baby.
• Being raised by a white mother who was intent on connecting him with his black identity.
• Tommy not recognizing his brother was gay until he was 24 years old.
• How Tommy acquired his legendary talent of parodying famous singers.
• Meeting Martin Lawrence, Sinbad and Dave Chappelle at a club in D.C..
• His take on Dave Chappelle's bravery to tackle such a polarizing topic in 'The Closer'.
• Paul Mooney's connection to In Living Color's Homey D. Clown.
• Tommy's move to the epicenter of a new renaissance of black comics in LA.
• When he was chosen to do a set in between Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.
• Likening Keenen Ivory Wayans to Professor Xavier with his vision for greatness.
• Tommy's portrayal of Cream Corn in the film 'Black Dynamite'.
• The future of 'The Proud Family'.

TIME STAMPS:

3:02 -- Tommy and Talib reflect on their first meeting at a club during the shooting for the film Strictly Business when Kweli was just 15 years old. They go on to discuss several of the notable emcees of the time that were in attendance, his asking Tommy to do his Sugar Ray Leonard impersonation from In Living Color and the network of underground clubs in NY during the early 90's where so many future legends would perform before having been signed. Tommy also goes on to bless us with a brief beatbox session of several hip hop classics.

8:05 -- Talib explains to Tommy how his character in Strictly Business gave him someone he could really relate to during that time. They go on to discuss the club scene from the movie, the dancers of the era like Buddha Stretch, Henry Link and Peter Paul that had an appearance and the all-star cameos throughout the movie. Tommy also gets into how taking the role was a conscious decision for him while he had plenty of options for his first role in a movie, freshly off making his mark in the industry starring in In Living Color.

11:41 -- Tommy tells about how Diddy was assigned as his personal assistant during the time of shooting Strictly Business. He gets into Diddy telling him he should cut his hair as well as him bringing Tommy to all clubs where the best rappers of the time were hanging and performing at. Tommy also illustrates the story of his getting Diddy out of jail when he was arrested after an altercation over a parking space and they discuss the The "B.I.G. Mack" marketing campaign back in the day along with one of Talib's earliest jobs working for Diddy in the mid-90's.

17:11 -- Tommy speaks on his love for rapper Heavy D, the unique personality that he brought to the culture, his success crossing over into the mainstream and Hev's time as the A&R for Uptown Records. Tommy also talks about his six kids born of different generations and his latest addition to the family. He notes the valuable advice he received from his aunt about parenthood and how his fatherly perspective has evolved over all the years, dating back to those times when he was a starving artist and had to compromise time spent with them.

22:27 -- Tommy talks about his unique life story of being adopted by a white family after he was dropped into a trash can at 18 months by a mother who suffered from addiction. He gets into his growing up with anger issues, not having a full understanding of why and his being ridiculed by some of his peers for being raised by a white family. He also tells how he got some closure after meeting his birth mother and details a bitter-sweet moment when she attended one of his shows.

27:55 -- Tommy is asked about his growing up with his brother Michael who was gay and how that impacted his childhood. He gets into the love he had for his brother, Tommy finding it difficult to process why he was so different, not understanding why Michael wouldn't stick up for him and not realizing his brother was gay until he was much older. Tommy also talks about his mother's strict rules of no racial slurs or gay slander allowed in their home as well as how social media has so many living in their own proverbial bubbles outside of reality.

35:21 -- Tommy expands more on his being raised by a white mother who was deeply progressive and intent on making sure her son was in touch with his black identity. Her giving him a biography of Malcolm X and introducing him to many aspects of black culture. They go on to discuss how diverse Tommy's neighborhood was growing up, how the history of intolerance in America goes well beyond just race and the TV show 'Just US' is brought up as well as meeting actor Sterling K. Brown.

43:25 -- Tommy's legendary talent of parodying singers is explored as they talk about how vocalist Al Jarreau impacted him growing up, being one of his mother's favorites. Tommy goes on talk about recognizing Jamie Foxx's singing abilities before he was brought on to In Living Color, the long history of singers parodying other singers and how these were his go-to bits during those early performances a raunchy strip club in D.C. when he would dive into his best Lou Rawls, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder.

48:21 -- Tommy is asked about the night he first met Martin Lawrence, Sinbad and Dave Chappelle at a club in D.C. with Sinbad fresh off his win on Star Search. He talks about Martin's attire that night and how it was Tommy's first night performing at a real comedy club, most of his sets previously being at concerts. Tommy goes on to tell Talib how much he regrets sleeping on him as well as his catalogue over all these years and now finding himself to be a real fan of his work.

54:55 -- Tommy's first comedy special 'Takin' It to D.C.' is brought up. They discuss a few of the notable bits from that set and the concept of comedians not being bound to reality, which leads to talk about Dave Chappelle's 'The Closer'. Tommy gives his take on Dave's bravery to tackle such a polarizing topic, how dangerous a mob mentality can be and they discuss the notion of "people united will never be defeated". Jasmin also goes on to tell a joke about Caitlyn Jenner and Tommy gives us one involving a crazy naked black dude, Mother Teresa and a big ass knife.

1:04:50 -- The socially conscious aspects of Tommy's comedy are discussed as they go on to talk about how In Living Color's character Homey D. Clown was essentially Paul Mooney's personality in clown form and the personification of justified anger coming from the black experience. Tommy is also asked about his move to LA in the mid-80's with his then-manager Sinclair Jones during a time in Hollywood that he describes was the epicenter of a new renaissance of black comics that would later become icons of the industry.

1:11:07 -- Tommy is asked about what he was feeling the night when he was chosen to perform a set at LA's Comedy Store in between Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. He talks about all the trials and tribulations he went through over the last three years that finally led to that big moment and why he was so confident at that time, Tommy feeling he had fully earned that spot. He talks about how his manager pushed him to give his best every night on stage and Jasmin also relates some of her own experiences performing at the Comedy Store.

1:20:34 -- Tommy's time on In Living Color is brought up again. He talks about how lucky he and the rest of the cast were to have found themselves together at the time and likens Keenen Ivory Wayans to Professor Xavier who with his vision and knowledge of comedy structure was able to recruit some of the best comics on the LA scene which resulted in one of the best sketch comedy shows ever. Talib goes on to tell him about his favorite character being Tommy's portrayal of Cream Corn in the film 'Black Dynamite' and Jasmin asks Tommy about the future of 'The Proud Family'.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with with actress, comedian, writer and editor:

CHAUNTÉ WAYANS

Here's what we got into:

• Collaborating with Jasmin on episodes of truTV's 'Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks'.
• Perceived rules and judgements of how lesbians should look and act.
• Coming up as a "poor" Wayans and her mother's early struggles.
• Her recent reconnection with her father after several decades of not seeing him.
• Having no ambitions of a comedy career until she found the voice that it gave her.
• Dealing with the pressures of being a Wayans and confirming to industry norms.
• Talib not being a drinker until he became a performing emcee.
• Her grandmother Elvira Wayans always being the funniest of the family.
• Fond memories of witnessing the early evolution of her family's success.
• People's reactions to her working day jobs at Lids and Macy's.
• Her uncle Marlon getting on her case for refusing to go on the road with him.
• Valuable advice given to Talib's daughter Diani on her career path.
• Jasmin giving love to Chaunté for the opportunities she provided.
• 'Dance Flick' being a torch passing to the next generation of the Wayans family.
• Chaunté's dabbling in the rap game with her parody music video 'Get The Strap'.
• Discussing the elements of the rapper-comedian connection.
• Utilizing the pain and passion from losing two of her closest friends.
• How the struggles of being a gay, black woman made her strong.
• Chaunté's take on the controversy following Dave Chappelle's 'The Closer.'
• Facing the consequences of taking principled stands when refusing vaccinations.
• The impact of her appearance on the Netflix comedy special 'They Ready'.
• The naming of her 'House Arrest' podcast.
• Success coming way of learning how to change negative patterns.
• The awakening during a pivotal moment when she knew she had to stop drinking.
• What's next for Chaunté Wayans.

TIME STAMPS:

3:22 -- Chaunté and Jasmin try and trace back to where they originally met each other, discuss the first time they collaborated while recording episodes of truTV's 'Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks' and talk about Jasmin's acting debut when she got the chance to get "studded out", portraying Chaunté in one of the sketches. They also talk about Jasmin's "bargain shopping" way to having her own baby, all the questions that poured in afterwards and people's perceived rules and judgements of how lesbians should behave and live their lives.

10:10 -- Chaunté's is asked about her early upbringing in Manhattan's Fulton housing projects. They discuss her mother's early struggles of working two to three jobs with her family moving frequently and a few perks that came along when her uncles started gaining some comedic success. They also talk about Chaunté's recent reconnection with her father after several decades of not seeing him and how the time spent with him became a big part of her breakthrough to overcoming her struggles with alcoholism.

15:21 -- Chaunté gets into her having no real ambitions of making a career out of comedy growing up, but instead having interest in the tech industry. She explains how things changed when she was forced to move to California where should found comedy gave her a voice when she was just coming out as gay. They explore how her being pushed to conform to industry norms and the pressure to achieve success as someone from the Wayans family led to a downward spiral of alcohol abuse. Talib also talks about how he never really was a drinker until he joined the ranks of the rap game and the drinking culture that came along with it.

20:01 -- Chaunté speaks about her grandmother Elvira Wayans always being the funniest of the whole family and how she would never hold her tongue for anyone. Chaunté gets into how growing up as a Wayans was a blessing as well as a curse and her having especially fond memories of witnessing the early evolution of her uncles and aunts becoming comedy legends. Chaunté also goes on to talk about people's reactions to her being a Wayans family comic working day jobs at Lids and Macy's.

25:25 -- Jasmin brings up Chaunté's jokes about being a Postmates driver. They go on to discuss the opportunities that came with growing up under the Wayans family tree, her family dynamic and all those interactions giving her an endless amount of material and some arguments while living with her brother Marlon when he got on her case about refusing to go on the road with him. They also discuss the idea of family being expected to put others on and the Wayans fam being a prime example of true black American royalty.

29:27 -- Chaunté gives Talib's daughter Diani some valuable advice about using her unique opportunity to learn production from behind the scenes and they discuss Chaunté's path from doing production to becoming a comedian. Jasmin also thanks Chaunté for having her on the 'House Arrest Podcast' and bringing her the opportunity to perform in a New York club. Talib goes on to bring up his old school friend Damien Dante Wayans, how they used to party often during Talib's stay in LA and they talk about Damien's directing of the 2009 film 'Dance Flick' being a torch passing to the next generation of the Wayans family.

33:24 -- Chaunté's dabbling in the rap game with her parody music video 'Get The Strap' is brought up. They go on to talk about the elements of the rapper-comedian connection as well as some differences. They discuss rapper's and comedian's unshakable confidence, both having to perform through whatever tribulations they may have in life, comedians being forced to always bring new material to their fans while rappers are encouraged to play their hits as well as how both comedians and emcees always have their minds on the set-up and punchlines.

40:35 -- Jasmin brings up how she wasn't able to finish a performance after she found out a good friend of hers had passed away and goes on to ask Talib and Chaunté how they have found the strength to go on while dealing with internal issues. They discuss rappers benefitting from not usually having to shed personal stories on stage, Talib forgetting lyrics to his own songs on stage after not performing for a year due to covid and Chaunté using her pain and passion from losing two of her closest friends to successfully pitch a show to producers.

46:29 -- Chaunté is asked how her unique perspective of being triple marginalized as a gay, black woman impacted her comedy. Chaunté talks about each of those individual struggles making her strong and how she fully embraces those hardships. Dave Chappelle's Netflix special 'The Closer' is brought up and Chaunté is asked for her take on all the controversy. She proposes one idea to fix the whole thing, Jasmin raises one of her biggest problems with how the LGBTQ activist community operates and they discuss the importance of comedians speaking their truth to avoid losing their passion.

52:43 -- The debate about the covid vaccination mandates is brought up. They discuss how so many are now coming face to face with the reality that taking principled stands on things they believe in usually has real consequences. Chaunté's friend comedian Tiffany Haddish is discussed along with Chaunté's appearance on the Netflix comedy special 'They Ready' only briefly catapulting her career with poor timing due to it's release right before covid hit. Talib also brings up the good times hanging with her uncle Marlon and his being part of the 'Midnight Miracle' podcast ad.

59:18 -- Chaunté is asked about the naming of her 'House Arrest' podcast. They go on to discuss Chaunté's mentioning of how everything that is happening to her now is a result of her learning how to change her patterns, her taking a valuable lesson from studying the practice of dianetics, Talib changing patterns in his own life and the awakening during a pivotal moment in Chaunté's life where she knew she had to put a stop to her self-destructive ways. Finally Jasmin asks Chaunté what she has on the horizon.

Follow Me

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The leader of a crime gang notorious for siphoning gasoline from government fuel ducts has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for kidnapping.

José Antonio Yépez Ortiz had been one of Mexico’s most wanted suspects prior to his arrest on Aug. 2, 2020, following a shootout with police. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador praised the arrest at the time as “important, very important.”

The gang had long fought a bloody turf battle with the Jalisco cartel & authorities blamed him for much of the violence in the industrial & farming state of Guanajuato.

The state Attorney General’s Office said late Friday that the man known as “El Marro” — which means “The Sledgehammer” — was sentenced by a court in the region. Local news media said he still faces charges of attempted homicide, robbery of fuel & organized crime.

Yépez Ortíz’s Santa Rosa de Lima gang got its start robbing freight trains & stealing from fuel pipelines but branched out into extortion & other crimes — especially after López Obrador declared war on pipeline taps & temporarily shut off the flow of fuel early in his administration.

Yépez Ortiz was unusual among gang leaders in posting videos with emotional calls to his followers, including one a few months before his own arrest in which he appeared to cry after several of his supporters & relatives were arrested. In another video around the same time, he threatened to join forces with the Sinaloa cartel to combat Jalisco.

The turf battle with Jalisco turned Guanajuato, with its foreign auto plants & tourist towns like San Miguel de Allende, into the most violent state in Mexico.

#elmarro #elmarroconvictedofkidnapping #santarosadelima #elmarrosantarosadelima #joseantonioyepez #joseantonioyepezconvicted #thesledgehammer #thebrown #jaliscocartelnewgeneration #turfwar #fuel #gas #robbery #kidnapping #murder #homicide #organizedcrime #gang #gangactivity #mexicancartels #mexico #guanajuato #sinaloacartel #nemesioosegueracervantes #elmencho #attemptedmurder #AndresManuelLopezObrador #theft

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with rapper, writer and producer:

R.A. The Rugged Man

Here's what we got into:

• R.A.'s signature self-deprecation taking the edge off his shock humor.
• The birth of his daughter changing him and 'First Born''s themes of embracing fatherhood.
• The state of cancel culture and sex workers being judged by the self-righteous.
• Breaking down R.A.'s classic, 'Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story' about his father.
• His father buying him his first rap album and turning him onto old school soul.
• Growing up in the same neighborhood as his idol Biz Markie.
• Being black balled over accusations of R.A. inciting riots at shows.
• Linking up with the Notorious B.I.G. on 'C*nt Renaissance'.
• Why R.A. felt compelled to write the track 'Every Record Label Sux Dikk'.
• Ego Trip's quote of Biggie's saying, "And I thought I was the illest."
• Bringing in a stripper, vibrator and old mattress to a Rawkus Records photo shoot.
• R.A.'s recorded argument with boxer Floyd Mayweather.
• The black comedy horror film 'Bad Biology' that R.A. produced and co-wrote.
• Taking rapper A-F-R-O on tour after he won R.A.'s 'Definition Of A Rap Flow'.
• Getting choked up recording 'The Legends Never Die' about his father's passing.
• How words like 'whiteboy' and 'cracker' have never offended R.A..
• Being caught in the middle of a feud between Talib and rapper Remedy.
• R.A. vocally paying homage to the legends that built the house of rap.
• MF Doom being known to send someone else to shows in his place donning the mask.
• Taking strong influence from the legendary Kool G Rap.
• Breaking down the songs 'All My Heroes Are Dead' and 'Angelic Boy'.
• Debating if mass shooter's names should be made public or not.
• The Astroworld concert tragedy and Travis Scott being blamed for the deaths that occurred.
• R.A.'s song 'Gotta Be Dope' and A-F-R-O's crazy verse on the track.
• Sean Price being a top comedic rapper of all-time.
• The potential Verzuz battles of Nas, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot.
• The army of rap royalty features on his 2020 release 'All My Heroes Are Dead'.
• Breaking down the songs 'Who Do We Trust?' and the 'Montero (Lil Nas X Remix)'.
• People's claims of Nas X's imagery in his music and performances turn people gay.
• What fans of R.A. can expect next from him.

TIME STAMPS:

3:30 -- R.A. and Talib discuss their collaboration on 'Learn Truth' and go on to talk about the signature self-deprecation found throughout R.A.'s lyrics taking the edge off his shock humor, coming up in the 80's and 90's era of censorship, R.A.'s daughter being born on the anniversary of his father's death, how his daughter's birth changed his world, writing his song 'First Born' about the embracement of fatherhood and he explains why he has no plans to hide the wild and crazy chapters of his life from his children.

9:57 -- R.A. breaks down why the shock value jokes heard throughout his music should all be taken with a grain of salt and they go on to discuss the sad state of cancel culture as well as sex workers being able to make a living without judgement from the the self-rightous. They also get into R.A.'s classic song 'Uncommon Valor: A Vietnam Story' as they discuss it being written from the view of R.A.'s veteran father who suffered the after effects of Agent Orange, which also brought birth defects to several of R.A.'s siblings.

19:16 -- R.A. speaks on his father buying him his first rap album which turned out to be a Fat Boys record, turning R.A. onto old school soul music and giving his sister special treatment. They also discuss his growing up in the same neighborhood as his idol Biz Markie, the 90's Crustified Dibbs era of R.A.'s career bringing him PTSD and the industry essentially black balling him over accusations of inciting riots at shows. They also get into his linking up with the Notorious B.I.G. on 'C*nt Renaissance' and why he felt compelled to write the track 'Every Record Label Sux Dikk'.

32:31 -- R.A. is asked about Ego Trip's quote of Biggie's saying, "And I thought I was the illest." when referring to R.A.. They discuss R.A.'s praise from fellow emcees, his antics and bad behavior getting in the way of earlier success, how he linked up with Rawkus Records, bringing in a stripper, vibrator and an old mattress for a Rawkus photo shoot, R.A.'s recorded argument with Floyd Mayweather and the black comedy horror film 'Bad Biology' that R.A. produced and co-wrote with Frank Henenlotter who he states became like a second father during his mentorship throughout the making of the movie.

40:06 -- R.A. and Talib discuss the legacy of Biz Markie, R.A. linking up with rapper AFRO and taking him on tour after he won R.A.'s 'Definition Of A Rap Flow' contest of which Talib was amongst the panel of judges. R.A. also gets into the recording of his song 'The Legends Never Die' about his father passing away from cancer and R.A.'s engineer convincing him to keep the take of his getting choked up on the mic. They also go on to discuss how words like 'whiteboy' and 'cracker' have never offended R.A. and the history behind those words and others never equating to the n-word.

48:21 -- R.A. and Talib reflect on the Twitter feud between rapper Remedy and Talib that R.A. got caught in the middle of several years ago. They get into the backstory of why Remedy came at Talib online, R.A. being a mutual friend of the two and his making attempts to mediate as well as the other white rappers that injected themselves into the argument. They also discuss Vinnie Paz backing Talib online, R.A. experiencing jealousy from other white emcees, racists hating on rap until artists like Eminem came along and R.A. vocally paying homage to the legends that built the house of rap.

57:58 -- R.A. talks about Method Man giving him props during his Crustified Dibbs days, MF Doom being known to send someone else to shows in his place donning the mask, R.A.'s deep influence of Kool G Rap and G Rap thanking him for dropping the line "I don't want fans that don't know who G-Rap is." They also get into R.A.'s 2020 album 'All My Heroes Are Dead' and break down the song 'Angelic Boy' written from the perspective of a mass shooter as they debate if these killer's names should be made public or if doing so gives the killers the infamy they were looking for and inspires others.

1:07:18 -- R.A. gives his take on the Astroworld concert tragedy, Travis Scott being blamed for the deaths that occured and they talk about the gulf between who's to blame versus who's accountable for possible negligence and if incidents like this one can really make a difference in how they approach precautionary measures for future events. R.A.'s song 'Gotta Be Dope' and A-F-R-O's crazy verse on the track is discussed along with who would be on R.A.'s fast rapping all-star team line-up, Sean Price being a top comedic rapper of all-time and the potential Verzuz battles of Nas, Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot.

1:16:32 -- R.A. bringing in an army of rap royalty features on his latest album is discussed. They also dig into his songs 'Who Do We Trust?', the 'Montero (Lil Nas X Remix)', people claming Lil Nas X's imagery in his music and performances turn people gay, Talib admitting to taking issue with Lil Nas X's trolling of Nas fans, they debate if the flaboyantly owning of Nas X's homosexuality is something new and R.A.'s verse on Montero is also brought up where he states, "What's worse, Lil Nas X Satanic sneaker, or leaving kids at the church with the Catholic preacher?". To close out the interview R.A. is asked what fans of R.A. can expect next.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with soul and R&B singer-songwriter:

GOAPELE

Here's what we got into:

• The South African origin of her name as well the correct pronunciation.
• Her parent's history of being activists against Apartheid.
• Collaborating with South African artists Cassper Nyovest and Hip Hop Pantsula.
• How the cultural gumbo of her upbringing in the Bay gave her a unique perspective.
• Meeting a freshly signed Kanye West at the Fillmore Concert Hall.
• Not realizing the power of her song 'Closer' at the time they recorded it.
• Her deep connection to the Hieroglyphic crew and their impact on hip hop.
• Talib's story of getting locked up with Tajai for smoking a blunt.
• Dissecting the songs 'Red, White & Blues', 'Romantic' and 'Things Don't Exist'.
• Dave Chappelle's spot-on impression of Nelson Mandella.
• The impact of Zion I Rapper Baba Zumbi on the Bay Area rap scene.
• Her experiences in the studio with E-40 and how cool a person he is.
• Having the huge privilege of being able to perform with Prince.
• Dissecting the songs 'Play', 'Tears On My Pillow' and her album 'Break Of Dawn'.
• Goapele's song 'Hush' about navigating the struggles of motherhood.
• Her 2014 album 'Strong As Glass' and Estele writing the title song.
• Working with Snoop Dogg on 'Hey Boy'.
• Goapele's song 'Perfect' about easing the pain of those in her community.
• Her reluctance to holding a snake in the music video for ' Dreamseeker'.
• The influence of Aaliyah on Goapele as an artist.
• Performing 'For Love' in Ava DuVernay's 2013 short film 'The Door'.
• Goapele's work as an ambassador for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
• Her sixth album that she's currently working on and it's pairing with scented candles.

TIME STAMPS:

2:40 -- Goapele speaks about the South African origin of her name as well the correct pronunciation. They go on to discuss Goapele and Talib's parents sharing Apartheid activist roots, her father needing to keep his activism under wraps during everyday life and eventually leaving his country illegally with a youth movement. They also discuss the brilliance of the play and film 'Sarafina!'.

8:18 -- Talib gives a shout out to Goapele's brother DJ Namane Mohlabane. They discuss the traveling man that Namane is, how Goapele met and started collabing with Cassper Nyovest, her work with South African rapper Hip Hop Pantsula on her 2010 song 'Victory', Pantsula's charisma in the studio and the small but tight-knit South African hip hop scene. Talib also gets into his own experience working with Pantsula and outlines why he reminds him of Kanye West.

13:20 -- Goapele talks about how the cultural gumbo of her upbringing in the Bay Area gave her a unique perspective as well as how the presence of so many immigrant families in the area brought her comfort. Goapele and Talib go on to discuss a gig they shared at the legendary Fillmore Concert Hall and Talib introducing Kanye West to her fresh off being signed to Roc-A-Fella. Goapele also gets into when and where she first witnessed the true power of music as well as when she realized show business was her calling.

20:16 -- Talib brings up Goapele's hit single 'Closer'. They discuss the song being the last one recorded for her album, her not realizing what it would mean for her career, the flow of her writing process and having reservations about the completeness of that first album. They also talk about Zion I producer AMP Live producing the instrumental, going to his home studio and knowing what they had when the vibe took over as well as how rare it was at the time for a song released independently to reach so many ears so quickly.

28:52 -- Goapele goes into her deep connection to the Hieroglyphic crew. They discuss the Heiro movement being a blueprint for the independent artist, the lineage of Bay Area independent artists that made their mark and how The Hieroglyphics impacted Talib as a Brooklyn emcee with the competitive energy that they brought to the table. Talib goes on to tell a story of him smoking a blunt with Tajai of Souls Of Mischief in New York, them being arrested for it and how they convinced the cops to let them out of jail.

34:21 -- Goapele speaks on the guitar work of 'Red, White & Blues', getting in the studio with DJ Fuze of Digital Underground and collabing with Soulive on 'Romantic'. They also discuss Dave Chappelle's spot-on impression of Nelson Mandella on Reflection Eternal's 'Train Of Thought', the Blue Note jazz vibe of 'Things Don't Exist', originally writing the song for a school assignment and all the people that had a hand in making that song come together.

39:16 -- Goapele gets into the impact of Zion I Rapper Baba Zumbi on the Bay Area rap scene, witnessing his captivating energy on stage and knowing he was an artist that she had to work with. She also talks about her experiences working with E-40, how cool of a person he is as well as how organic those recording sessions were. They go on to discuss E-40's wine franchise, his influence on Nipsey Hussle, how consistent 40 has been throughout his career and him telling Goapele that he likes to put out something every nine months like a baby.

44:55 -- Talib brings up his and Goapele both having the privilege of being able to perform with Prince. They talk about how much Prince influenced Goapele's music, Prince's favorite songs of Goapele's and meeting him being a true highlight of her life. Goapele's song 'Play' having James Brown influence is discussed along with 'Tears On My Pillow' letting her embrace her sensuality, 2011's 'Break Of Dawn' being her coming into adulthood album and how helpful it is to have an engineer that fully understands you as an artist.

50:39 -- Goapele's song 'Hush' is brought up and it's themes of navigating parenthood. Goapelle speaks of her realizing that motherhood would be a continued learning process, the deep struggles of finding how to balance being a mother with a demanding career, feeling pressure not to miss a single moment of the early years and evolving to the point of less self-imposed guilt trips about enjoying time by herself. They also discuss the level of pressure brought on by society that mothers face, but fathers rarely have to experience.

55:38 -- Goapele is asked what it was like working on the 2012 film 'Sparkle' which also featured Whitney Houston. Goapele talks about Whitney being her idol since early childhood and how her involvement in the film was a full circle moment. They go on to discuss Goapele's 2014 album 'Strong As Glass', Estelle writing the title song, it's mix of passion and vulnerability as well as themes of women being taken advantage of. They also get into her song 'Hey Boy' featuring Snoop Dogg and how much fun she had getting the chance to work with the West Coast legend.

1:00:00 -- Goapele's song 'Perfect' is discussed and it's lyrics about easing the pain of those that have lost loved ones to violence. They also talk about 'Dreamseeker', her reluctance to hold a snake in the music video and the influence of Aaliyah on Goapele as an artist. Goapele goes on to talk about performing 'For Love' in Ava DuVernay's 2013 short film 'The Door', the power of Ava's work, how she brings humanity to every project and how much her presence in the industry is needed.

1:06:32 -- Talib Goapele and Jasmin discuss the Red Rocks Amphitheater and Goapele's work as an ambassador for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation with one of her original goals being to connect people and promote positive change through her music. Goapele goes on to tell about her sixth album that she's currently working on featuring a pair of scented candles with a scan-code that will connect with select songs.

Follow Me

Nas announces King’s Disease 2 will be dropping next Friday 8-6-2021. Y’all copping?

Check out the cover art above.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with author, professor, activist, and historian of race and discriminatory policy in America:

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

Here's what was discussed with one of today's most influential voices in anti-racist activism:

• Black Liberation Theology and varying depictions of Jesus Christ.
• Martin Luther King's 'I Have A Dream' speech pushed as the standard live by.
• Anti-immigrant sentiments from ADOS and others embracing a nationalist agenda.
• How the lasting effects of slavery is dividing black Americans.
• Ibram challenging an African student speaking down on an African-American student.
• His favorite Queens rappers, anthems and things special about his hometown.
• Euro-American slave trade vs. the African slave trade.
• Right-wing influencer Dinesh D'Souza and reaction to his words.
• Claims of black/white test score gaps being based on genetic inferiority/superiority.
• How the '94 crime bill failed black Americans.
• Distinguishing the differences between "racism" and "racist".
• Discussion on if an oppressed group can be racist/sexist against a group in power.
• Racists as enablers vs. Anti-racists taking action.
• People attempting to turn the word racist into a slur.
• Ibram's take on why children should be taught anti-racism at as young an age as possible.
• What we can expect from Ibram's 'Be Anti-Racist' podcast.
• The burden of black people having to represent the whole race.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

J. Cole - p u n c h i n ' . t h e . c l o c k (Official Music Video)
Stream or Download "The Off-Season" now: https://jcole.lnk.to/OffSeason
Directed by Scott Lazer

Shop for Official The Off-Season Merchandise
https://thefalloffera.com/

Production: Tripp Kramer
Director of Photography: Ryan Marie Helfant
Color: Houmam Abdallah

Connect with J. Cole:
https://www.instagram.com/realcoleworld/
https://twitter.com/jcolenc
https://www.facebook.com/JColeMusic/

Connect with Dreamville:
http://dreamville.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dreamville
https://twitter.com/Dreamville
https://www.facebook.com/dreamville

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with the legendary producer, DJ and rapper:

Soul Brother #1, The Chocolate Boy Wonder...

PETE ROCK

Here's what we dug into with one of the most iconic and influential producers in hip-hop history:

• Hip-hop being born in the Bronx and having its roots in the Caribbean.
• Being cousins with Heavy D and how he helped Pete get his big break.
• Marly Marl putting Pete on the air at age 13.
• How important Heavy D and his legacy are to the culture.
• His parent's record collection and how much it impacted his ambitions.
• Meeting James Brown at age 7 and Pete's favorite JB songs.
• The influence of Marley Marl, Howie Tee, Large Professor, and Prince Paul.
• Making the albums 'Mecca And The Soul Brother' and 'Main Ingredient'.
• The process behind the creation of 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)'
• Pete's brother Grap Luva and his contributions on 'Mecca And The Soul Brother'.
• Kanye West taking inspiration from Pete's production on 'I Got A Love'.
• What it was like working with Run DMC on 'Down With The King'.
• Being inspired by the militant sound of Public Enemy's production team The Bomb Squad.
• Getting on the roster for 'Illmatic' and the producers competing with each other.
• Pete producing the original mix for Biggie's 'Juicy' and BIG not liking the beat initially.
• Love for Marvel's the Hulk and comparing the Wu-Tang members to superheroes.
• Pete's long-time friendship with producer Madlib as well as DJ Premier.
• The loss of Phife Dawg and how much it deeply affected Pete.
• How it feels to be a go-to classic producer for the younger generation of NYC hardcore emcees.
• A breakdown of the differences between the SP-1200 and the MPC.
• Why Pete feels hip-hop instrumental albums are so important.
• If we'll be seeing another Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth album.
• Pete goes on to name off some of the projects he has in the works right now.

TIME STAMPS:

3:04 -- The interview begins with talk about hip hop's emergence from the South Bronx and it's roots being in Jamaica. They discuss Pete being brought up by Jamaican parents in the Bronx and moving to Mount Vernon at 7 years old. Being cousins with Heavy D, Pete details what it was like in the early days growing up with Hev and CL Smooth. He also digs into how he met Marley Marl at age 13 getting a spot on the air DJing which helped Pete build a name for himself and led him to getting regular gigs doing live shows.

8:17 -- Pete is asked if he can identify elements of hip hop that are rooted in Jamaican influence. They talk about the godfather of the culture Kool Herc himself being a Jamaican immigrant, Heavy D's reggae being underappreciated, Pete singing the hook for one of Hev's classics at 15 years old, parties at Pete's parents crib and they further discuss how deeply important Heavy D and his legacy is, Pete thanking Hev everyday for giving him the opportunity to shine.

12:22 -- Pete speaks on how having parents with a deep record collection and strong knowledge of music set the stage for his destiny of becoming one of the most iconic hip hop producers in hip hop history. He tells how his dad showed him how to take care of the records, taught him about the artists, Pete tells the story of meeting James Brown at 7 years old and names off his top five JB tracks of all-time.

17:27 -- Talib brings up Pete's name being featured on a flyer in the movie Juice, proving Pete's status as one of the most sought after DJ's at the time. They dig back into how important Marley Marl was, reflect on Pete blessing Black Star with the 'Respiration Flying High Remix', discuss how much DJ/Producer Howie Tee inspired Pete, as well as picking up tricks of the trade from Large Professor and Prince Paul's production style having a huge influence as well.

25:07 -- Pete discusses how important the album 'Mecca And The Soul Brother' was and Talib asks Pete "what the f*ck was going on in your brain when you decided to make that album." Pete replies with "things like time didn't matter when you're making magic." He details what he said to CL the last day of completing the record and they discuss the song 'Straighten It Out' pointing to bootleggers, along with issues of sample clearance and how much that's changed the game.

32:59 -- Pete details his process as a producer when he first heard Tom Scott's 'Today' that he would end up sampling for Pete and C.L.'s monumental classic 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)'. They also discuss Pete's childhood friend "Trouble" T Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz who the song was dedicated to, Pete's asked about C.L.'s unique contribution to hip hop, how Pete and C.L. initially started working together and how at that time all the right things were falling into place.

39:28 -- Pete is asked about his brother Grap Luva and his contributions freestyling on the album 'Mecca And The Soul Brother' and they also go on to discuss Pete and C.L.'s second album 'Main Ingredient'. They talk about the group's move to more love themed tracks on that record, Pete's take on C.L.'s bar "I'm lettin off on anybody tryin' to steal my DJ", his feeling going into making that album as well as Biggie sitting in with Pete when he produced 'In The Flesh'.

44:38 -- Talib brings up an interview where Kanye West notes how much inspiration he took from Pete's production on 'I Got A Love', Pete talks about his experience working with Kanye on 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' and why Pete had so much love for the Greene St. Recording studio. They also dig into Pete and C.L. making 'Down With The King' with Run DMC, what it was like working with the legendary duo and the process of laying down the production for that track.

51:04 -- Pete speaks on another one of his huge production influences being Public Enemy's Bomb Squad. He talks about being at Green St. Studio for the making of Ice Cube's 'Amerikkka's Most Wanted, Pete drawing from the Bomb Squad's militant sound for his remix of PE's 'Shut Em Down' as well as how that song opened people's eyes and ears to who Pete Rock was. They then go on to discuss how Pete was brought on to the roster of Nas' 'Illmatic' and all the iconic producers on that album secretly competing with each other.

56:22 -- Pete is asked about his producing the original mix for Biggie's classic 'Juicy' as well as how Puff and Trackmasters took credit for it but gave him the consolation of producing the remix and Pete reveals how Biggie originally wasn't a fan of the beat. Talib and Pete also reflect on touring together with the group Slaughterhouse and they discuss Pete's love of Marvel's the Hulk character as well as how much Talib and Pete enjoyed working with the group Camp Lo who Talib said challenged him.

1:04:30 -- Talib thanks Pete for asking him to contribute three verses on 'Soul Survivor II'. Pete is also asked to break down his comparison of Wu Tang Clan to Marvel superheroes, for him the Clan being the Avengers of hip hop. They also go on to talk about Pete's long time friendship with producer Madlib, Pete's excitement of Talib and Diamond D's 'Gotham' and how Pete feels about the future of his team the Knicks and them being in the playoffs this year.

1:10:59 -- Pete speaks on his and DJ Premier's history of working closely together on so many iconic projects over the years. They also talk about Pete's love of the Native Tongues family as well as his close friendship with Phife Dawg and how much the loss of Phife deeply affected Pete. Jasmin also goes on to ask Pete how it feels to be go-to classic producer for the younger generation of NYC hardcore emcees like Skyzoo, Benny The Butcher, Smoke DZA, Max B and Jim Jones and others.

1:14:58 -- Pete is asked about his move from using the SP-1200 to the MPC for making beats and if he can break down the most significant differences between the two machines. They also discuss Pete working on a Petestrumentals 4, a new artist he's bringing out named Ameer, why Pete feels these instrumental albums are so important, things going full circle with J Dilla inspiring Pete and working with the live band The Soul Brothers on Petestruemntals 3. Pete's also asked if we'll be seeing another Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth album anytime soon as well as what else he might have coming down the line.

Follow Me

Clarence Williams III, who played the cool undercover cop Linc Hayes on the counterculture series “The Mod Squad” & Prince’s father in “Purple Rain,” has died. He was 81.

Williams died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a battle with colon cancer.

A native of New York, Williams career spanned over five decades in theater, television & film. He was born into a creative family in 1939 & raised by his musical grandparents. His grandfather was a jazz composer & pianist, his father a musician & his mother, Eva Taylor, a singer & actress. He got his acting start on Broadway after a stint as a paratrooper & received a Tony nomination for his role in William Hanley’s “Slow Dance on the Killing Ground” in 1964.

His breakout role would come with “The Mod Squad,” which he led with Peggy Lipton & Michael Cole. Bill Cosby had seen Williams perform & told Aaron Spelling he should consider him for the role of Linc. 

He appeared on Broadway opposite Maggie Smith in Tom Stoppard’s “Night and Day” in 1979 before getting cast as the troubled father in “Purple Rain,” which came out in 1984.

Williams could command a variety of genres, including comedy. He played a drug lord opposite Dave Chappelle in “Half Baked” & stole scenes in Keenen Ivory Wayans’ blaxploitation parody film “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.” He also had a recurring role as the FBI agent in David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks.”

#clarencewilliamsiii #ripclarencewilliamsiii #clarencewilliamsiiideadat81 #actor #coloncancer #fuckcancer #davechappelle #keenonivorywayans #themodsquad #linc #imgonnagityousucka #twinpeaks #prince #purplerain #halfbaked #billcosby #sugarhill #wesleysnipes #denzelwashington #davidlynch #deepcover #laurencefishburne #americangangster #bumpyjohnson #restinpeaceclarencewilliamsiii #lincthemodsquad #broadway #broadwayactor

Source: AP

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with legendary DJ, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper:

The Bad Kid, The Beat Konducta, The Loop Digga, Quasimoto...

MADLIB

We were privileged enough to get a rare interview with one of the most elusive legends in hip-hop. Here's what we discussed:

• Using music to steer clear of gang-life in his hometown of Oxnard, CA.
• His family's deep roots in Jazz music.
• Brother rapper/producer Oh No and Madlib's first group Lootpack.
• Being influenced by the works of Melvin Van Peebles.
• Working under his alias of Quasimoto.
• His mystical musical connection with J Dilla and his love of MF Doom.
• Talib and Madlib working together on 'Liberation'.
• Getting to remix his favorite Blue Note Records' tracks for 'Shades Of Blue'.
• Making 'Auditorium' with Mos Def and 'The Healer' with Erykah Badu.
• Producing the entire 'Black Star II' album.
• Working with Freddie Gibbs on 'Piñata' and 'Bandana'.
• Madlib's friendship with Mac Miller.
• Why a producer's equipment isn't important and the power of an iPad.
• The eclectic vision of his project 'Sound Ancestors'.
• DJs having the easy path to becoming great producers.
• Madlib gives us his top 5 producers.

TIME STAMPS:

3:27 -- Madlib speaks of growing up in Oxnard, California and immersing himself in music throughout his younger years as a way to avoid the gang afflicted streets surrounding him. He also talks about his family's deep roots in Jazz music giving him the chance to dabble in a variety of instruments and tells what the first record he sampled was when he was only 7 years of age.

7:00 -- Madlib gets into his relationship with his brother rapper/producer Oh No, his start with the group Lootpack and his dad helping him get out his first 12" single independently. They also discuss Lootpack's stand-out track 'Whenimondamic' amongst the 300 other songs they made together as well as what Madlib remembers about first meeting Peanut Butter Wolf.

13:07 -- Madlib is asked about how the works of Melvin Van Peebles influenced him over the course of his career, especially when it comes to his Quasimoto projects. Madlib speaks on how he approached working under his alias Quasimoto, taking mushrooms throughout the production. He also talks about taking a couple years away from hip hop to focus more on Jazz and R&B and they discuss public enemy as well as police brutality.

20:46 -- Madlib reflects on hearing MF Doom for the first time and knowing that he had to find a way to collaborate with him. They also discuss the time Talib and Kanye West met up with Madlib and MF Doom at a studio, Madlib's persona of mystique while avoiding social media, his mystical musical connection with J Dilla and he's asked why he thinks MF Doom was so underappreciated.

27:41 -- Madlib and Talib discuss their partnering up on the 2007 album 'Liberation' and how that aided each other's careers. They also discuss Madlib's album 'Shades Of Blue' where he was given full access to the Blue Note Records catalog for remixing his favorite jazz tracks and Jasmin talks about how she always wanted to be in a jazz band.

32:01 -- Madlib is asked about the making of 'Auditorium' with Mos Def and Slick Rick as well as working on Erykah Badu's 2007 EP 'The Healer'. He also explains what he means when he calls himself a musical schizophrenic, they discuss drums being Madlib's favorite instrument as well as him producing the entire 'Black Star II' album, still yet to be released.

37:53 -- Madlib tells the story of how he and Freddie Gibbs came together to collaborate on their 2014 album 'Piñata' as well as 'Bandana' in 2019 and points to the different approaches with each effort. Madlib also talks about his intentions behind the Medicine Show series compilations as well as his friendship with Mac Miller and how much of a natural musician he was.

42:57 -- Talib brings up his theory on why Kanye bought so many of Madlib's beats without using them, Jasmin goes on to ask Madlib how he's been able to stay so true to his vision over the years and Madlib talks about the equipment not being the important thing, stating 'it's about not making excuses.' They also discuss how powerful an iPad can be in the right hands.

46:48 -- Madlib speaks on the making of his latest album 'Sound Ancestors' and talks about how the eclectic vision of that release came together. They also discuss what Madlib has been doing during the pandemic, he shares why he feels great DJs are able to progress so seamlessly to becoming great beat makers and he gives us his top 3 producers.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of "People's Party With Talib Kweli," Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down producer, DJ and rapper:

HI-TEK

Hi-Tek's productions defined the Rawkus Records sound. Here's what was discussed among two legends who literally came into the game together:

• The difficulties of artists breaking through in his hometown of Cincinnati.
• Receiving the demo tape of Talib after his group Mood came back from NY.
• How rappers Vicious Lee and Big Del inspired Hi-Tek to keep at his craft.
• Moving to New York and avoiding all the distractions the city had to offer.
• Cincinnati's unique mix of influences from all over the map.
• Getting put onto Rawkus and producing 6 songs for the Black Star album.
• Why producers are naturals when they choose to pick up a mic.
• Going on to produce Jonell's radio hit 'Round And Round'.
• Meeting singer Dion Jenkins and bringing him to Dr. Dre at Aftermath.
• The legacy of Snoop Dogg and working with him as well as Dr. Dre.
• Crazy stories of Talib and Hi-Tek in a jail's drunk tank and almost beating up a cab driver.
• Talk about the possibility of a 3rd Reflection Eternal album.
• A breakdown of his production for Anderson .Paak's 'Come Down'.
• 9th Wonder contacting Hi-Tek to get on his Soul Council collective.
• Hi-Tek's and J Dilla's friendship resembling that of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.

TIME STAMPS:

3:56 -- Hi-Tek speaks on his hometown of Cincinnati, gives his take on why it's been such a difficult city for artists to break through and he talks about his father Willie Cottrell. Hi-Tek and Talib also discuss their early collabs and how their creative mindsets combined so well and Hi-Tek tells about the demo tape of Talib he received from his group Mood after they visited New York.

9:46 -- Hi-Tek talks about his close friend, rapper Vicious Lee from the group Mood. He speaks on how Lee was the first to put Hi-Tek on and bring him into a studio, how instrumental he was in inspiring Hi-Tek to keep at his craft, them making money by selling studio time to other local artists as well as a blessing in disguise that led to Hi-Tek eventually linking up with Talib.

17:38 -- Talib gives a big shout out to Big Del, who was featured on 'Memories Live' from the album 'Train Of Thought'. Hi-Tek goes on to explain how him and Big Del always were on the same page about the end goal being to get off the streets, and him always being supportive of Tek while he was making his moves to do exactly that, as well as why it was so important that D get on 'Train of Thought'.

22:19 -- Hi-Tek is asked about his first impressions of New York when he first arrived there. He tells how Talib's being so laser focused on his mission helped keep Tek from getting caught up in all the distractions that NY had to offer. Tek and Talib also discuss the lessons learned from Mood's bad record deal with Blunt Recordings on the release of their album 'Doom'.

26:35 -- Talib asks Tek for his take on Cincinnati's shift from mostly being influenced by East Coast hip hop to the radio there almost exclusively playing Down South rap, all starting around the time Master P hit the airwaves. Tek details how everyone in his crew had their own individual mix of influences from all over the map, with himself being mainly East Coast driven.

30:08 -- Jasmin asks Tek about his production work on 6 tracks for the Black Star debut album, what he remembers most about those sessions and his take on the Talib Kweli and Mos Def dynamic. Hi-Tek reflects on the initial studio session where he first met Mos and realized that they really had something special and Talib also takes the time to thank Hi-Tek.

35:22 -- Hi-Tek is asked if he believes people sleep on his skills as an emcee and he talks about the things that come naturally to producers when they pick up a mic. Hi-Tek goes on to talk about his transition of leaving Rawkus Records and signing with Kevin Liles to produce Jonell's 'Round And Round' and takeaways from that opportunity of producing a mainstream R&B hit.

40:03 -- Hi-Tek speaks on when he met singer Dion Jenkins who is best known for frequently appearing on albums with Aftermath Entertainment. Hi-Tek speaks on how impressed he was with Dion's singing, but telling him that he would need to win a talent show that Hi-Tek had put on for Cincinnati at that time if he wanted to work together. He also notes the song that really sold Dre on Dion's talents and why he thinks his album never came to fruition.

45:35 -- Hi-Tek is asked about being an in-house producer at Aftermath Entertainment during the height of the 50 Cent/Game beef, producing for both at the time. Hi-Tek also talks about how much he respects Snoop Dogg for being one of the first rap stars to work with artists from different cities as well as underground producers like Hi-Tek. He reflects on the first time meeting Snoop when he layed down a verse for a song that was supposed to be featured on 'Hi-Teknology'.

52:09 -- Talib brings up his and Hi-Tek's reconciliation after years of not speaking to do 'Revolutions Per Minute.' He goes on to tell the story of them both getting arrested after a crazy night of celebrating and ending up in the drunk tank together at the county jail. Talib asks Hi-Tek what he learned about their friendship through that experience and similar episodes like the one where Hi-Tek almost beat up a cab driver for smoking crack in the car.

57:00 -- Hi-Tek gets asked about his feelings on a potential part 3 of the Reflection Eternal experience. Hi-Tek responds with "we're going to have to write some rules first" and they both share the things they appreciate most about the Hi-Tek/Talib Kweli creative dynamic. Jasmin goes on to ask Hi-Tek about his experience producing Anderson .Paak's 'Come Down' and how that ranks among his catalog of beats. He also explains why he changed his approach of how he offers his productions to artists.

1:09:12 -- Hi-Tek speaks on the time 9th Wonder called him up and asked him if he wanted to be a part of the Soul Council and outlines how supportive 9th has been since they met. Jasmin goes on to ask Hi-Tek if he could name his top 5 producers of all-time and they discuss Hi-Tek's close friendship with J Dilla, likening their relationship to that of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Talib also brings up how dope it was to see Hi-Tek and Madlib work together and lastly asks him what he has coming next.

Follow Me

Early Wednesday, dance historians and lovers of all things hip-hop were saddened by reports that Adolfo Quinones, more commonly known as Shabba-Doo, had died.

The dancer-actor-choreographer — a founding member of The Original Lockers, whose pioneer moves as part of the street-dancing dynamos inspired a generation and fueled a culture — was 65. As as early Wednesday, no cause of death or any other information had been announced.

Just a day before, Quinones, who was known for his acrobatic poplocking skills and roles in the 1984 films Breakin’ and sequel Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo seven months later, had posted on Instagram about falling ill. He was pictured lying in bed, but he was thrilled that his test for coronavirus had come back negative.

“Good news y’all! I’m feeling all better,” the Chicago-born and raised Quinones wrote. “I’m just a wee bit sluggish from my cold, but the good news is I’m Covid 19 negative! Woo hoo!!!”

At 8 a.m. PST, social media found itself rocked by news of Quinones’ death, delivered via fellow Lockers legend and longtime Quinones pal Toni Basil.

“It is with extreme sadness The Lockers family announces the unexpected passing of our beloved Adolfo Shabba-doo Quinones,” she announced.

Source: The Grio

Follow Me

(CNN) Jeremiah "Jerry" Harris, one of the students featured in Netflix's breakout docuseries "Cheer," has been arrested on a production of child pornography charge, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Fitzpatrick.

Harris is scheduled to appear in federal court in Chicago this afternoon, Fitzpatrick told CNN.

A representative for Harris did not immediately return CNN's request for comment via email.

Harris, 21, is accused of "enticing an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself," according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

The minor was 13 at the time, the complaint said.

Production of child pornography is punishable by a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office stated.

Harris was interviewed by law enforcement this week on these accusations, according to the criminal complaint.

Earlier this week, Harris was accused of child sexual exploitation and abuse in lawsuit filed by an attorney representing two alleged victims.

A spokesperson for Harris told CNN at the time, "We categorically dispute the claims made against Jerry Harris, which are alleged to have occurred when he was a teenager. We are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed."

"Cheer" recently won two Emmy Awards and is nominated for outstanding unstructured reality program, which will be announced during the last night of the virtual Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday.

Follow Me

Video After The Jump

In this episode of People's Party, Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with comedian, actor, writer, and producer Hannibal Buress. The often-laugh-out-loud episode has plenty of insightful moments too -- including talk about Hannibal's latest comedy special 'Miami Nights' now available on YouTube. The crew also goes on to discuss the Twitter drama that ensued after Hannibal joked about his landlord status, people not believing his real name is Hannibal, growing up in Chicago and the hometown comedians that influenced him, how he overcame his drinking problem, dealing with color-ism growing up, his work with Jean Grae and Quelle Chris, and how his mother being a teacher impacted him on his path to success.

Later in the episode, Hannibal, Kweli, and Jas chop it up about how Hannibal met Eric Andre while homeless and Eric shooting his pilot episode in a rented bodega. Hannibal gets into landing a spot doing a set on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,' leading to spots at more writer's tables -- including 'SNL' and '30 Rock.' They touch on his work on the show 'Broad City,' what made the Knitting Factory venue in Brooklyn so special, why Hannibal respected how People's Party handled JPEG Mafia's memorable appearance on the show, police and their lack of emotional intelligence, the 'Rise Of The Karens' phenomenon, and Hannibal's latest podcasts and projects titled: '50 States Of Bowling', 'Splitting Tens,' and 'Spades Night'.

TIME STAMPS:

2:10 -- Hannibal speaks to his satisfaction of his latest comedy special 'Miami Nights' finally coming together over the last few months. Talib recalls a moment at the barbershop where he thought he might be getting hit on, he asks Hannibal if he's still DJing as Burgerfeet, and Talib reveals the best DJ trick to mask poor beat-matching. Hannibal is asked if he still struggles with women due Hannibal Lecter defaming his name, Hannibal tells how he got so deep into drinking, moments that brought him to sobriety, and how he's maintained it.

13:33 -- Hannibal speaks on the revelation that he's a landlord and the Twitter drama that circulated around it with a specific group of Bernie Sanders' supporters. Hannibal digs into the nonsensical way these people want to group him in with the types of old money supers that caused the financial crisis. They also discuss Talib's twitter feed, and how Hannibal had to unfollow him.

25:29 -- Jasmin asks Hannibal about his growing up in Chicago, noting some similarities with Bernie Mack, and asks what were his major influences growing up in the windy city. He also talks about going to college with rapper/comedian Open Mic Eagle, they discuss Hannibal's work with Jean Grae and Quelle Chris, and Talib asks Hannibal how his mother being a teacher has impacted him on his path to success.

31:03 -- Hannibal is asked about his experience dealing with colorism as a youth, being called names due to his dark complexion. They also discuss Eric Andre calling Hannibal a sociopath in interviews, they go into how he met Eric Andre while homeless, and shooting the first episode of his show in a rented bodega used as the set.

37:57 -- Hannibal talks about early career success and his jobs on 'Saturday Night Live,' '30 Rock,' and 'Broad City.' They dig into his character Lincoln Rice on Broad City and how it's not much of a stretch for him to play that role. He talks about how he landed a gig writing for Late Night With Jimmy Falon, as well as how that led to even bigger opportunities.

42:28 -- Hannibal is asked what made the Brooklyn Knitting Factory Show comedy club showcases so special. He talks about being the first performer ever at that location, notes some of the great acts that came through there and reflects on Dion Cole's performance that blew the roof off. He mentions how people traveling from abroad would always remind him of how great and memorable those sets were.

46:14 -- Talib brings up Hannibal calling up Talib and explaining to him why he wanted to do Miami Nights and distribute it for free on YouTube. He talks about how/why covid drove that decision. Jasmin brings up Hannibal's re-recording of 'My Name Is Hannibal' to attain his own rights the masters, and asks him if he thinks this will become even more common as artists seek to reclaim rights from major labels.

52:35 -- Hannibal mentions how he appreciated how JPEG Mafia wasn't exploited after his appearance on People's Party, Jasmin goes on to ask Hannibal if Miami is a place he enjoys turning up, and if he would prefer having a bad show over getting arrested. They also discuss the problem with the amount of cops that lack emotional maturity to do their job properly, and the quotas that only contribute to the issue.

1:02:19 -- Hannibal talks about how he gained love for bowling after moving to LA leading to him creating a podcast '50 States Of Bowling', delayed since the shut-down. He also talks about his gambling themed podcast called 'Splitting Tens', as well as his show 'Spades Night', and speaks to how the game was made for a project like this. He also expands on the hilarious idea he had for an episode of the players wearing hazmat suits once covid hit.

Follow Me