JumpinJack AJ
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The pictures are flooding in on various artists' social media. It's all love and the Fresh Prince is home. The world has felt a little less broken in the last few hours.
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Jeff posted a series of pictures, too.
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In the age of social media, the small minded, tacky, gossip-y thrive. They love to see turmoil. That will never change. Tabloids have milked the slap for all they can. Jada's recent interviews are essentially PR clickbait to get people to buy her book. In the event of those recent interviews, it's only made more people support Will. With the new podcast and other projects, he'll navigate it just fine.In the age of social media, the small minded, tacky, gossip-y thrive. They love to see tormoil. That will never change. Tabloids have milked the slap for all they can. Jada's recent interviews are essentially PR clickbait to get people to buy her book. In the event of those recent interviews, it's only made more people support Will. With the new podcast and other projects, he'll navigate it just fine.
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by RUTH HAWKINSPublished on: Oct 28, 2023, 8:15 AM PDT
Will Smith has been in the news lately due to his unconventional relationship with his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. But things may have played out differently with Salt-N-Pepa‘s Sandra Denton.
In a new excerpt from Smith’s podcast Class of ’88 that features the star talking with Salt-N-Pepa, Denton — who toured with the Fresh Princeand his partner DJ Jazzy Jeff during the early days of their music career — shared that she went on a single date with Smith, and was intrigued by him, but denied his advances because she felt he was far too “nice.”
“Okay, you were very nice,” she began recalling the date began with a drive in L.A. “This was the date you won and beat us out. You was so happy. You was like let’s go celebrate,” she said, referencing Smith’s first-ever Grammy win in 1989 where he and Jeff beat out Salt-N-Pepa and LL COOL J, who were also nominated in the rap category.
“Then we were out and you saw a homeless person. You gave the homeless person $100. And it was so nice. Then, we went to the Hollywood sign,” she continued, as Smith recalled Pepa was on a break from her ex, Treach.
“I think you and Treach had been broke up for a minute. So, in my mind when I was like trying to spit my game but I ain’t really have nothing. Cuz my concern was I was gonna get killed,” said Smith. It was a sentiment Salt agreed “was a legit concern,” a response that made everyone assembled crack up laughing.
Check out the podcast excerpt here.
Soon after catching wind of the clip, Treach himself took to socials where he addressed the situation by poking fun at the Chris Rock-Smith slapping incident. “”KEEP MY NAME CONCERNING MY EX-BITCH OUT YO ****ING MOUTH”!! [laughing emoji],” he captioned a post in which he reshared a headline about the story.
Denton’s comments echo a 2009 interview with Global Grind where she elaborated on her regret.
“I thought Will was really cute, and we would hang out a lot on the road. He liked to take care of me and never let me spend a dime. He was that kind of guy, real generous,” said Pepa, explaining the tour together while competing in Hip Hop contests.
“I sometimes kick myself when I think about what could have been. He was so nice to me, but I really wasn’t feeling him. I guess I couldn’t appreciate a nice guy like Will Smith. He wasn’t thug enough. I was attracted to thugs and hoodlums. Will was too nice to me,” she added.
News of Smith and Denton’s missed connection comes amid the chaos unleashed on the rapper-actor’s marriage after his wife, Pinkett-Smith, made a series of shocking revelations about their relationship to promote her new memoir Worthy — including that they’ve been secretly separated for 7-years.
However, the pair are reportedly working on making their way back to each other.
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Yes, this is dope!
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MATT WINKELMEYER/GETTY IMAGES | RON GALELLA COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES | UNIQUE NICOLE/GETTY IMAGESWILL SMITH WAS A ‘HOTTER’ RAPPER THAN 2PAC IN THE ’90S, ARGUES WACK 100
by KARAN SINGHPublished on: Oct 18, 2023, 1:00 PM PDTWill Smith was a way better rapper than 2Pac, according to Wack 100, who made his point with a complete lack of restraint.
During an interview with DCTHETRUTH that premiered on Sunday (October 15), the manager and entrepreneur went off while addressing comparisons between Smith and the late legend. In doing so, he made sure to give the Fresh Prince his flowers.
“Put some respect on Will Smith name, bro,” he began. “The only thing ‘Pac did better than Will was got killed better in real life. Other than that, he can’t **** with Will on nothing. Music-wise, Will was hotter than ‘Pac. Will was hotter than ‘Pac before ‘Pac was hot — this a fact.”
About the rapper-turned-actor also elevating DJ Jazzy Jeff during his ascension, he added: “And guess what? He did something ‘Pac didn’t do. Ya’ll ready for this one? He put his DJ on. What’s ‘Pac DJ name? What’s Will Smith DJ name?”
Check out the full interview below:
With Jada Pinkett Smith doing a press tour for her upcoming book, Worthy, Will Smith and 2Pac’s names have been coming up a lot given her proximity to both at different times in her life.
Most recently, the 52-year-old said that she believes both titans could’ve been close friends had the Death Row MC survived the fatal 1996 Las Vegas shooting. The Matrix actor sat down with Jay Shetty for an episode of his On Purpose podcast earlier this week, during which she predicted their bond had things turned out differently.
She also explained that the California legend lent his stamp of approval when she started dating Will, without saying a word.“If ‘Pac had survived Vegas, he and Will would’ve ended up being really good friends,” she said. “They would’ve had a lot to offer each other. Funny enough, Will was the only person when I started dating him, ‘Pac never said anything.
“If I dated anybody else, ‘Pac had something to say. He didn’t think anybody was good enough, which I understand. But when I started dating Will, he didn’t say anything. Which meant to me, in his own way, he approved. He didn’t say anything. Not a word, which made me believe he approved.”
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Yesterday I saw the article Okayplayer posted about this. I kind of figured the upcoming podcast was going to serve as a catalyst for something related to music. Admittedly, I'm not exactly a Joyner Lucas fan. I just hope this won't be an album that is filled with murky, soulless, modern beats and tired modern rap flows.
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When I saw this, my heart leapt. He'll finally be in his musical element, getting love from peers. Maybe he'll create a mini song for it. If we get new music, this podcast will likely be the catalyst for it.
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‘That’s The Least He Could Do’: Fans Praise Will Smith for ‘Helping’ Janet Hubert Through Ongoing Actors’ Strike, Years After Ending Their 27-Year Feud
The ongoing writers’ and actors’ strike has affected many, including acting veteran Janet Hubert, aka the Original Aunt Viv.
Despite the success of her role on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” she was recast due to rumors of a rift with Smith, who previously agreed that she was challenging to work with in the 1990s. The pair ultimately reconciled in 2020 during the sitcom’s reunion special, where Hubert revealed that she blamed Smith for the fallout from her career.
Janet Hubert says Will Smith has been “helping” her through the writers’ and actors’ strike, years after ending their feud on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reunion special. (Photo: @willsmith/Instagram)
But now it seems that the two are in a much better place. “You guys don’t go ballistic on Will anymore because we’re good,” she said during a session on Instagram Live. “We really are.”
Hubert said that as an act of good faith, Smith has been supporting her as fellow actors from SAG/AFTRA and screenwriters from the Writer’s Guild of America picket studios, protesting a litany of issues ranging from fair compensation to streaming rights to health care.
Due to the strike, she had been unable to speak about past or future projects, as during the strike talent can’t speak on projects that are under contract and at issue. She added that the “I Am Legend” star has been “helping” her in many ways during this time, especially with her animated series “JG and the BC Kids.”
“You’ll be happy to know that he’s helping me. He’s helping me get JG out there and giving me support,” she said.
Hubert said she is “striking,” but she will not be marching or picketing due to recovering from a foot reconstruction surgery. She added that she’s had to call and “check” on her health-care benefits as a senior SAG member.
“The union is not really allowing us to go out and tell anything about what’s happening and why we’re striking. So people always think we’re all rich,” said the 67-year-old. “We’re not all rich and SAG, the strike is affecting all of us and it’s very hard not to be able to work.”
She continued, “Our residuals that we make on shows that we’ve done years ago, like ‘Fresh Prince,’ are not counted as income. But the IRS counts everything we do as income and so we are taxed as such.”
The “Sweet Magnolias” star explained that SAG members are allowed to talk about their independent projects but they must get “clearance” from the organization first.
“I will participate more fully when we are allowed to be seniors who are respected. ‘Cause right now, they want us all to go on Medicare or we’re just not even gonna give you health coverage.”
Janet Hubert Praises Will Smith for Supporting Her Through Ongoing Writers' and Actors' StrikeHubert went on to share that more than just the actors and writers of film and television sets have been affected, noting “all the makeup and hair people, the wardrobe people, the set people, the carpenters, the food service people.”
She later stressed that she was happy the aftermath of her and Smith’s fallout died down, after years of claiming she was black-balled by the industry. She even defended him slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars over a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
“All I ever wanted back was my reputation and my name and that’s priceless, guys. That’s priceless,” said Hubert.
Fans were excited about Smith and Hubert seemingly being in a much better place, though she attacked him and his movie roles in the media for years.
“Glad to know Will is helping aunt Viv!!!”
“It is good to see will Smith helping doing the strike.”
“That’s the least he could do. He wrongly fired her from the Fresh Prince, aided in her being blackballed and cancelled in Hollywood. She has never fully recovered from being crucified.”
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Heavy D’s Impact On Hip-Hop Cannot Be Overstated
There have been a number of valiant attempts to highlight some of the most significant Hip-Hop moments, milestones and people of the last half century. The 2023 Grammy Awards dedicated nearly 15 minutes to an epic tribute featuring performances by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Rakim, Public Enemy, Posdnuos, Scarface, Ice-T, Queen Latifah, Method Man, Big Boi, Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Too Short, The LOX, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert and more. The performance also featured a screen in the background that listed the names of countless other artists who were not able to grace the stage.
The 2023 BET Awards took a different approach. The telecast featured performances throughout the entire 4-hour spectacle, rather than setting aside one chunk of time for its Hip-Hop 50th anniversary tribute. The show paid showcased artists from multiple eras and regions, including Redman, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, Trina, Trick Daddy, Master P, Warren G, YG, Tyga, T.I., Fat Joe, Remy Ma and more. Busta Rhymes also was presented with the BET Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite the inclusiveness of these tributes, there were a number of notable omissions, and one name loomed large: Heavy D.Hip-Hop Legends From The Last 50 Years Gave The Most Iconic Tribute Ever
Last week, Pete Rock, the legendary producer and cousin to Heavy D, posted sharp words on Instagram regarding what he saw as a major omission. “I respect absolutely NONE of this talk about 50 years of Hip-Hop that does not include HEAVY D & The Boyz,” wrote Rock. “He KICKED DOWN the door and paved a way for A LOT OF MOTHERFU_____S!! I think his smoothness and humbleness makes people forget his impact and relevance in the music business.”
The Chocolate Boy wonder continued by exhorting others to speak out in support of his missive. “I NEED EVERY ONE WHO AGREES (ESPECIALLY EVERYBODY FOR MONEY EARNING MOUNT VERNON!!) TO REPOST AND SHARE SO WE CAN GET HEV A PROPER TELEVISED TRIBUTE for his achievements and contributions to the game. #HeavyD RIP DWIGHT MYERS.”
Following the post, some very notable names co-signed Pete’s powerful words. Queen Latifah wrote in the comments “Heav was my friend. [He] put us on his tour and showed us what rocking a crowd was About!!! Love to him his family and his whole crew!”
Snoop Dogg kept it short and to the point, simply writing “Facts. Big. Tyme.” Snoop’s comment was both support for Heavy D, as well as a sly reference to the artist born Dwight Myers’ second album, titled Big Tyme.
Actor Omari Hardwick of Power fame commented “I also agree with you my brother … that folk (especially in our culture) who make things look easy while equally possessing humility…usually get overlooked and undervalued. Heav was special and I know he’s smiling with pride & humility at this powerful post from you, Rock!”
Despite Hardwick’s words, the Overweight Lover’s impact cannot be overlooked or overstated. This week, longtime Ambrosia For Heads-affiliate Justin “The Company Man” Hunte and AFH have been involved in an ongoing dialogue. We decided to join forces and give Heav props that are long overdue.
Judging by sheer commercial success alone, Heavy D is a heavyweight. The Mount Vernon MC/producer saw three of his albums go platinum and two go gold, at a time where that was exceedingly uncommon for Rap artists. The Heavster also became the guest MC of choice for some of the biggest artists in the world, including Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson (arguably the biggest of all-time).
The length of Heavy D’s run at his peak powers also was outsized. Most artists are lucky to have a five-year period in which their releases dominate the charts. This applies to some of the all-time greats, including Big Daddy Kane, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD, Redman, and even Tupac and Biggie, although tragedy cut their careers short. Heavy D had a 10-year run of hits, from 1987’s “Mr. Big Stuff” to 1997’s “Big Daddy,” the hits just kept coming.
Heavy D also embodied the definition of a true MC. His cadence was impeccable, no matter the style of production. He effortlessly flowed over everything from James Brown samples (“The Overweight Lover’s In The House“), to House Music (“Now That We Found Love“) to New Jack Swing (“We Got Our Own Thang”) and Reggae (“Mood For Love”). He also had incredible swagger when he was performing, demonstrating complicated choreography and incredible dexterity, especially for a man his size. When Heavy D was on stage, he ROCKED THE HOUSE.
Dwight Myers’ content also showcased his versatility. He could get the party started, for sure, but he touched on heavy topics too. He mourned the loss of his dancer, Troy “T-Roy” Dixon, on “Peaceful Journey.” Also, in a genre that was growing increasingly explicit in its language, Heavy D went against the grain and made a song where he challenged his guests not to curse.
Heavy D’s impact cannot be simply measured by his music. His reach extended far beyond the microphone. As the first artist signed to Uptown Records, he was the foundation and personification of the label with its self-proclaimed “ghetto fabulousness.”
Heavy D was the person who coaxed Uptown founder, Andre Harrell, to give an intern by the name of Sean “Puffy” Combs a shot. Heavy knew Puff from their shared hometown of Mount Vernon. That hire birthed the careers of Mary J. Blige and Jodeci at Uptown, and then all of Comb’s storied signings at his own Bad Boy Record label. In many ways, The Notorious B.I.G. was Puff Daddy’s Heavy D—a big man who could rap his ass off and do so while being “Coogi down to the socks.”
Heavy’s impact extended beyond Uptown (and Bad Boy), as well. While Teddy Riley was already on the rise, having produced Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick’s “The Show,” Kool Moe Dee’s “Go See The Doctor,” and more. Teddy’s trajectory took off even more after helming nearly all of Heavy’s Living Large album. And, of course, there’s Pete Rock. Pete regularly credits his cousin for giving him his start.
As The Company Man points out, Heavy’s ear was so well respected that he “was promoted to President of Uptown records where he signed smash boy band Soul For Real.” Hunte also points out that DJ Premier names Heavy D as the person who got him his first gold record, by way of Preemo’s work on Heavy’s Blue Funk album.
But, his reach does not stop there. Heavy D was one of the early Hip-Hop pioneers, along with Will Smith, Queen Latifah, and Ice-T and others, to kick in the Hollywood doors. In fact, from 2000 to 2012, he made far more films than he did albums.
Given his impact, reach, longevity, consistency, critical acclaim and outsized commercial success, Heavy D should be mentioned in EVERY Hip-Hop 50th anniversary tribute…Excluding nobody.
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I remember watching this when it aired. I may have even recorded it. I feel like they only performed this song on TV this one time. I think five other songs on Born To Reign were better songs, but "1,000 Kisses" was still a good single choice at the time. They just waited way to long to release. The music video and the little remix touch to the song were all good, but they should have released it in August, but waited until the fall. It got very few spins and I never heard it on the radio.
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SKILLZ DECLARES WILL SMITH ONE OF RAP’S GREATEST STORYTELLERS: ‘HE NEVER MISSED’
Skillz has chimed in on the newly reignited greatest storyteller in Hip Hop debate, picking someone whose name doesn’t often come up in the conversation.
On Tuesday (July 11), the Virginia MC took to Twitter to share an old photo of DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith from back when the Bad Boys actor went by the name The Fresh Prince.
“And while we talking about the greatest storytelling rappers of ALL TIME? This guy on the right was definitley one of the greatest,” he wrote. “No we didnt look to him for barz or punchlines but when HE HAD A TOPIC? HE NEVER MISSED. EVER.”
Re-sharing it on Instagram, the artist formerly known as Mad Skillz added: “It had to be said.”
Whereas Smith has been mostly inactive as a rapper since 2005, he kickstarted his career in the entertainment circuit as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The pair released five full-length albums and were the first act to win a Grammy Award in a rap category.
“Summertime,” “A Nightmare on My Street” and “Parents Just Don’t Understand” are just a few of the songs they put out that exhibited Smith’s brilliance as a lyricist with vivid storytelling skills.
However, it wasn’t till he composed the theme for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air TV show, which the Philly native also starred in, that his talents as a rapper reached larger audiences.
Though Smith shifted his focus toward acting soon after the NBC sitcom blew up, Skillz hasn’t forgotten his contemporary’s contributions to Hip Hop. The From Where??? spitter’s opinions about Smith’s greatness, however, didn’t just come out of nowhere, and were most likely prompted by a recent incident involving Ice Cube and Biggie.
During a recent interview with Drink Champs, Tony Yayo and DJ EFN engaged in a spirited debate over who’s the better rapper between Cube and The Notorious B.I.G. While the G-Unit rapper went with Biggie, the host decided to run with Ice Cube as his personal pick.
When the Miami DJ said that Ice Cube’s 1991 diss record, “No Vaseline,” was better than Biggie’s 1997 track, “N-ggas Bleed,” chaos ensued.
“This is why I hate this industry ****,” Yayo said. “So you telling me Ice Cube is a better storyteller than Biggie? You ****ing buggin! You lost your ****ing mind! Ice Cube is better than Biggie as a storyteller? You ****ing buggin, n-gga! You lost your ****ing mind!”
The two men continued to debate over which artist reigned supreme before the 45-year-old rapper admitted that Cube was “fire.” Still, Yayo kept doubling down on DJ EFN and calling him crazy before they both turned to others in the room to help support their respective choices.
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This gives me I Am Legend vibes for obvious reasons. Has anyone played this? This looks fun, though I haven't been a gamer since the 90's. That last promo video was especially fun. The CGI Will's eyebrows freak me out a little.
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The Fugees Reunite At 2023 Roots Picnic In What May Be Their Final Group Performance
Questlove considered the surprise reunion to be a "miracle."
BY MYA ABRAHAM
JUNE 5, 2023 11:10AMTaylor Hill/Getty Images for Live Nation Urban
Lauryn Hill closed out the first night of The 2023 Roots Picnic on Saturday (June 3) and brought out two surprise guests—her bandmates from The Fugees, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel. This marked the latter’s first public performance since he was found guilty of conspiracy, witness tampering, failing to register as an agent of China, and more in his federal trial.
The trio performed a six-song set, which included “How Many Mics,” “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly,” and “Fu-Gee-La.” The Fugees hadn’t been on stage together since their Global Citizen show in September 2021. They subsequently announced a reunion tour to celebrate their 25th anniversary, but it was postponed and ultimately canceled because of lingering pandemic concerns.
When first touching the stage, Wyclef stated, “I got an idea. Ready or not?” Hill replied, “That’s a good idea,” but before the song began, the former declared, “Hol’ on! Hol’ on! There’s a lot of superstars, but there’s only one motherf**kin’ Fugees. Hands in the sky right now!”
Questlove took to Instagram to recap the iconic moment. “In 1993 an unknown band called the Fugees (at the request of the record label i interned at @ruffhouserecords) opened up for us at #TheTrocodero in Philadelphia—-this was one of their first gigs since signing to a major label,” he bega
The Oscar-winning Roots drummer continued, “[…] Now 30 years later & look at us now. What a journey. @MsLaurynHill did us a solid by not only letting us celebrate with her the classic #MiseducationOfLaurynHill but she also made a moment by bringing together her bredren @WyclefJean & @PrasMichel ……in what could possibly be one of the last times we will see this institution together in this setting. I’m giving all the gratitude for making this miracle of a night happen.”
The historic reunion may also be the group’s last, contingent upon Michel’s sentencing. He’s facing up to 20 years in prison. A date for his sentencing has yet to be scheduled.
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Run-DMC appear in a portrait taken on February 10, 1994 in New York City. (l to r: DMC (aka Darryl McDaniels); Jam Master Jay (aka Jason Mizell); Run (aka Joseph Simmons).
Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives.Third Person Charged In Connection to the 2002 Murder of Jam Master Jay
On Tuesday, 49-year-old Queens resident Jay Bryant was charged with murder in connection to the 2002 shooting of Jam Master Jay.
A third man has been arrested and alleged to have involvement in the 2002 murder of Run-D.M.C. member Jam Master Jay. On Tuesday (May 30), The New York Timesreported that 49-year-old Queens resident Jay Bryant was charged with the murder of JMJ, legal name Jason Mizell, while also engaged in drug trafficking in addition to other drug-related charges. Bryant also faces a firearms charge and is being held in custody on a separate drug-related indictment.
The arrest comes two decades after Mizell was shot and killed at his Queens recording studio on October 20, 2002. In a detention memo, prosecutors claimed that Bryant was seen entering the DJ’s studio on the day of the shooting and a piece of clothing left at the scene contained his DNA.
Two other men, Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were previously charged in August 2020 over the killing. Along with Bryant, the trio are alleged to have entered the studio and fled after the shooting, with Jordan accused of firing two shots at Mizell at close range, one fatally striking him in the head. Following the 2020 indictment of Jordan and Washington, the prosecutor's office shared that the murder occurred due to a drug deal gone bad, dependent on Mizell’s “previous acquisition of 10 kilograms of cocaine.”
Jordan, 39, and Washington, 59, both pleaded not guilty, but are currently awaiting trial which is scheduled to begin in January 2024. Last year, a judge dismissed a motion to have their charges dismissed.
Bryant’s legal representation has also indicated that the 49-year-old will plead not guilty.
“Mr. Bryant will be pleading not guilty,” Bryant’s attorney, Cesar de Castro, said in an email. "Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing. Proving it at trial is another matter.”
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I say something is off. Dr. Dre is dope, but he's also overrated. It just doesn't make sense to do 30-40 songs together, then scrap 1-3 albums worth of work. There's more to this story. I'm much more excited about him working with Q-Tip.
LL Cool J Reveals Dr. Dre Was The Original Producer For Upcoming Album Before Q-Tip
A dream involving the late Phife Dawg encouraged him to work with Tip.
BY ARMON SADLER
MAY 30, 2023 3:06PM
Dr. Dre, LL Cool J, and Q-Tip. Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images; Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
LL Cool J is preparing for his upcoming album and recently revealed a major shift in his creative process. The 55-year-old said that Dr. Dre was the original producer, before a dream led him to call on Q-Tip.
The Queens, N.Y. rapper appeared on the May 22 episode of Way Up With Angela Yee and shared details on his extensive work with the Compton artist. “So, the real story is that I did about 30 to 40 songs with Dr. Dre, and in doing those songs, I felt like the music was amazing,” LL said. “What Dre was bringing to the table was super dope — but I felt like the writing, what I was bringing to these songs didn’t feel strong enough to me.”
He went on to discuss a dream where he was visited by the late Phife Dawg, which inspired him to collaborate with The Abstract. “I ended up having a dream, and in this dream, Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest came to me,” the NCIS actor said. “When he came in my dream, he was like, ‘Yo, that album you gonna do with Dre is gonna be dope.’ And I’m looking at him and he’s smirking a little bit. He had a funny look on his face.”
Evidently, connecting with one member of A Tribe Called Quest led to another one being on his mind. “And then when I woke up, I just felt like Q-Tip was on my spirit,” LL Cool J said, continuing his story. “So I just called him. He picked up and I told him that I wanted to do an album. We went and did the record and the rest is history.”
History has been on LL Cool J’s mind since early in 2023, as he took the stage at the GRAMMYs in February as part of the tribute performance for Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary. The “Luv U Better” artist was joined by Black Thought, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Queen Latifah, The LOX, Lil Baby, and several other major acts spanning generations.
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Will Smith Says Fresh Prince Went Downhill After Carlton Got A Gun
PUBLISHED NOV 11, 2021During a recent interview, Will Smith claims that The Fresh Prince of Bel Air "jumped the shark" after the episode with Carlton buying a gun.
Will Smith recently revealed his opinion that The Fresh Prince of Bel Air started going downhill after the storyline involving Carlton buying a gun. Fans of the beloved series have long wondered what drove Smith to cancel the series and move on to his burgeoning film career back in the '90s. Now, perhaps this explanation can help them understand what happened.
The Fresh Prince premiered on NBC on September 10, 1990, and ended its six year run on May 20, 1996. In that time, the series launched Smith's acting career. Before the series came around, Smith was mainly known for his music. The series also became a cult-favorite with audiences tuning in every week to see the antics of Will and Carlton and the rest of the family living their not-so-ordinary lives in their wealthy Bel Air neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Smith definitively stated, during a recent interview with EW, that The Fresh Prince of Bel Air started going downhill after the episode with Carlton and the gun. The episode in question, titled "Bullets Over Bel Air," has long been noted as one of the darker episodes of the comedic series, with Carlton buying a gun to protect himself after watching Will get shot at an ATM. And while many fans enjoy the dramatic storyline, Smith points out that he, and many others, feel this is when the The Fresh Prince “jumped the shark.” In his words:
"Anyone who has ever been on a sitcom can tell you the episode in which their show jumped the shark. Ours was season 5, episode 15, 'Bullets Over Bel-Air,' the one in which I got shot and Carlton started carrying a gun.”
Smith points to this episode as an example of when "The storylines were becoming increasingly hokey and it was difficult to maintain the 'Freshness.'" Not long after this, after much internal debate, he made the decision to end the series while he could still ensure the people involved, which he called “my family,” could exit with dignity. A notion that was hit home for Smith after a conversation with guest star John Amos (of Good Times fame). Amos warned Smith to get out before the executives forced his hand, which is what had happened to him.
The odd thing is, many point to the gun storyline as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s most powerful and compelling. However, for a comedic series to delve that deeply into tragedy, it does make sense for the creatives, like Smith, to see it as the show struggling to find direction in its later years. Ironically, the new reboot of the series recently picked up by Peacock, Bel-Air, is going to be a dramatic reimagining of the series and executive produced by Smith. It will be interesting to find out whether the new show will be able to reach the same dramatic lows, or occasional comedic highs, as the show that started it all.
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Here's footage of them doing a shoot-out scene. It seems strange to me that people are able to get close enough to record this. Maybe they are actually letting it happen to keep a steady hype for the movie.
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It's not exactly exciting news, but there's footage/pictures of them shooting a scene where it appears that Marcus is standing on a ledge, contemplating jumping.
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Fun interviews. Will and David Letterman have always had great chemistry.
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Speech of Arrested Develoment was recently on Questlove's podcast. If you love Arrested Development or Hip-Hop, you should enjoy the whole thing, but this board will specifally love the part between 43:00 and 45:55. Speech talks about his first group, A-Tack, and how, with the help of the his father's club, they got to open for acts like JJ+FP...or did they?
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May 3, 2023 10:55am PT
‘Bad Boys 4’: Tasha Smith to Replace Theresa Randle as Wife of Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett (EXCLUSIVE)
By McKinley Franklin
Getty Images for STARZ
Tasha Smith will join Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the latest installment of Sony Pictures’ “Bad Boys” franchise.
In “Bad Boys 4,” Smith will play Theresa, Marcus Burnett’s (Lawrence) loving and devoted wife, a role previously inhabited by Theresa Randle in the first three “Bad Boys” films. Plot details for “Bad Boys 4” have been kept under wraps.
Smith is best known for her roles as Carol in the drama series “Empire,” Ronnie Boyce in HBO’s Emmy-winning series “The Corner” and Angela in Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married?” She has also directed episodes of “Our Kind of People,” “Mayor of Kingstown” and “Bel-Air.”
Smith is repped by Greene Talent & Fox Rothschild.
The “Bad Boys” series stars Will Smith and Lawrence as Miami-Dade detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett. The fourth film also features Paola Núnez, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig and “Euphoria’s” Eric Dane.
The original “Bad Boys” earned $141 million at the global box office, while the 2003 sequel “Bad Boys II” totaled $273 million. “Bad Boys for Life” outgrossed its predecessors with a combined $426.5 million.
Following the release of the 2020 threequel, it was quickly announced that Sony Pictures was developing “Bad Boys 4.” Will Smith and Lawrence teased the film in January with a reunion video posted to social media with the caption: “IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME!”
At this year’s CinemaCon, both Will Smith and Lawrence expressed their excitement for the film, revealing that they were roughly four weeks into filming the movie.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah return to direct “Bad Boys 4″ with a script written by Chris Bremner. Jerry Bruckheimer, Will Smith and Doug Belgrad are producers, while Lawrence, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Jon None, James Lassiter and Barry Waldman executive produce.
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I wouldn't consider this scintilating journalism, but...
Will Smith wears a bow tie as he is seen in character as Detective Mike Lowrey while he films Bad Boys 4 in Atlanta
By SAM JOSEPH SEMON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 17:41 EDT, 2 May 2023 | UPDATED: 20:52 EDT, 2 May 2023
Will Smith was spotted while working on the Atlanta set of the upcoming fourth movie in the Bad Boys franchise on Tuesday.
The 54-year-old performer appeared to be making the most of his time at the project's set as he flashed a smile and interacted with the film's crew.
The actor, who recently cheered on his children as they performed at the Coachella Festival, will reprise his longstanding role as Detective Mike Lowrey in the new installment in the action-comedy series.
Smith looked sharp while wearing a button-up shirt, a bow tie and dress pants as he worked on the set of the film.The performer made his debut as Lowrey in the first Bad Boys feature, which was released in 1995.
Hard at work: Will Smith was spotted while working on the Atlanta set of the upcoming fourth movie in the Bad Boys franchise on TuesdayWill Smith and Martin Lawrence announce 4th 'Bad Boys' movieAll three of the features saw Smith acting alongside Martin Lawrence, who portrays Detective Marcus Burnett.
A spinoff series based on the films, entitled L.A.'s Finest, premiered in 2019 and did not feature participation from either of its longtime stars.
The Hollywood Reporter previously confirmed that the fourth Bad Boys movie was officially being developed in 2020.
At the time, it was confirmed that both Smith and Lawrence were expected to reprised their longtime roles as Lowrey and Burnett.
Performers such as Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig and Paola Nunez are also set to appear in the feature.
Work on the film was said to have been paused after the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star became the subject of controversy regarding his slapping of Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony, when several of his other projects were stalled.
However, Sony Chairman Tom Rothman later spoke to Deadline and confirmed that the project was still being actively developed.
Dapper: Smith looked sharp while wearing a button-up shirt, a bow tie and dress pants as he worked on the set of the film
First of many: The performer made his debut as Lowrey in the first Bad Boys feature, which was released in 1995
Another one: The Hollywood Reporter previously confirmed that the fourth Bad Boys movie was officially being developed in 2020; Smith and Lawrence are seen in Bad Boys For Life
+6In the future: The upcoming fourth Bad Boys movie does not have a scheduled release date as of yet; Smith and Lawrence are seen in Bad Boys For LifeSmith officially confirmed that he would reprise his role alongside Lawrence this past February, when Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were also announced as the project's directors.The filmmaking duo previously directed the third feature in the franchise, which was met with a generally positive reception from audiences.
Physical production on the upcoming feature commenced last month, with filming taking place in both Miami and Atlanta.
The upcoming fourth Bad Boys movie does not have a scheduled release date as of yet.
TATYANA ALI ANNOUNCES HOLIDAY ALBUM
in Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
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"Never forget whose you are. This season is a time for us to remember. When the road gets rough, His plan is greater than anything we can make up. Find encouragement in the truth. He is always with us. Happy Holidays