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NICKI MINAJ CELEBRATES POLO G’S ‘HALL OF FAME’ BILLBOARD NO. 1: ‘CHICAGO STAND UP’

Nicki Minaj is giving Polo G his flowers.

After Chart Data reported the Chicago rapper’s sophomore album Hall of Fame  would debut at No. 1 on the upcoming Billboard 200 chart, Minaj got on Twitter to not only congratulate Polo G but also promote his “Party Lyfe” video featuring DaBaby.

“CONGRATULATIONS POLO‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ SOOOOOO FN HAPPY FOR YOU‼️‼️‼️‼️ first #1 album,” she wrote on Friday (June 18). “Chicago, stand TF UP‼️ Talented & humble. Stay on ya grind boo. Make sure y’all check out the video he just dropped w|Da Baby too. Dope.”

"CONGRATULATIONS POLO‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️🤣🎀♥️🙏🦄 SOOOOOO FN HAPPY FOR YOU‼️‼️‼️‼️ first #1 album. Chicago, stand TF UP‼️ Talented & humble. Stay on ya grind boo. Make sure y’all check out the video he just dropped w|Da Baby too. Dope. 🥳🤪 https://t.co/T3kGsabaCV

— #ForTheLoveOfNewYork w/Polo G out NOW ‼️🎀🦄♥️ (@NICKIMINAJ) June 18, 2021"

Minaj’s celebration for Polo comes as the Chicago rapper tackles stiff competition from Migos for the No. 1 spot. Despite early projections giving  Polo G the upper hand, the Atlanta trio made a hard charge for No. 1, even alerting fans to a deluxe edition of their latest album. Instead, Culture III is currently projected to land at the No. 2 spot, falling short of the No. 1 perch the previous two Culture albums landed on.

The soon-to-be No. 1 album is another feather in the cap for Polo G’s 2021. He earned his first Billboard No. 1 single in April with “RAPSTAR” and recently sat with Basketball Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen to discuss the obstacles between his debut album and his sophomore effort and how they aligned to when Pippen’s Bulls overcame the Detroit Pistons en route to their first NBA title 30 years ago.

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SEVERAL DMX FAMILY MEMBERS PETITION TO CONTROL HIS ESTATE

With DMX not leaving a will at the time of his untimely death, much about his estate is still left to be decided. According to Page Six, various members of the Simmons family have already legally applied to oversee the late rapper's estate.

DMX’s fiancée Desiree Lindstrom recently applied to become an administrator and be declared his “common-law wife” through the legal system, but Judge Helen Blackwood shot her petition down.

Lindstrom is the mother of X's five-year-old named Exodus and if she was granted “common-law wife” status, she would have been granted full access to the estate and control all future earnings from music.

An official estate must be set up to distribute the profits DMX will posthumously earn from his music career. Three of the Yonkers legend’s sons from his marriage to Tashera Simmons have also petitioned to become administrators (Xavier, 28, Tacoma, 21 and Sean, 19 ). Daughters Sasha Simmons and Jada Oden from separate relationships have also filed on behalf of the courts.

"nothing will ever explain how i feel, how this all feels. my twin, i love you. there’s always been so many misconceptions about who the fuck you were but that didn’t matter because i knew who the fuck you were. eternally greatful to have had you.
i love you forever dad. pic.twitter.com/P1TUMePvJB

— da brat (@_sashaaxo) April 11, 2021"

“There is no will from DMX and that’s a big problem,” a Page Six source relayed. “This is a difficult situation because there are a number of people vying to be named administrators. His fiancée Desiree tried to muscle in by asking the court to be named his common-law wife, which means she would have taken precedence over his children. But the court refused.”

The next court hearing regarding DMX’s estate will come up July 15.

DMX — born Earl Simmons — passed away at the age of 50 on April 9 from a massive heart attack that was reportedly triggered due to a drug overdose a week earlier.

Swizz Beatz took on the executive producer role to see his close friend’s vision through and released DMX’s Exodus album on May 28 via Def Jam Records.

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‘BOXING IN CALABASAS’: BLUEFACE JOINS THE CELEBRITY BOXING CULTURE AFTER DDG WIN

Blueface has seen the wave of celebrity boxing get to its peak in Hip Hop and is back in the gym getting  his hands right.

In a recent video shared to social media on Saturday (June 19), the lanky host of the Blue Girls Club can be seen working with a trainer, getting in a few combinations. In additional clips, Blueface is swinging at a moving heavy bag, working on conditioning as well as proving he’s got a bit of power in his hands.

https://bit.ly/3gEEdws

The celebrity boxing wave has been on the high rise in recent months, especially for rappers. Even though Soulja Boy claims he “started” the wave back in 2017 despite his proposed fight against Chris Brown being canceled, it’s opened up a new lane for Snoop Dogg and artists such as DDG have gotten in the ring and succeeded. It even prompted Lil Baby to consider becoming a promoter to set up future fights between rappers. Additionally, Boosie Badazz has ridden the wave to up the ante against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg in his latest attempt to retrieve his Instagram account.

The boxing clip isn’t Blueface’s first time showing off what he's got. In 2020, he and YK Osiris taped a sparring session after YK’s heavily criticized fight against Lil Tjay. In a since deleted video, Blueface gave YK his props for jumping in the ring with him.

“I give it up to @ykosiris,” Blueface wrote. “ain’t no bitch. most these rap nyggas won’t even pull up to play da game wit me.”

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LIL YACHTY REMEMBERS XXXTENTACION THROUGH THEIR TEXT MESSAGES ABOUT HIS MUSIC

As fans mourned the third anniversary of the untimely fatal demise of XXXTENTACION June 19, Lil Yachty went a different route with his remembrance.

The Lil Boat legend dug up a 2017 iMessage text thread where he was so impressed with the lyrics for X and 21 Savage’s “Valentine,” which dropped on their collaborative mixtape that was released the same year, he swarmed the late “SAD!” rapper with questions before even verifying with Genius.

“Lol you like valentine?” XXXTENTACION happily responded to Lil Yachty’s message on July 10, 2017. “And yeah I wrote it.”

Lil Yachty exclaimed, “Fucking love it” to which XXXTENTACION replied, “Thank you fam.”

https://youtu.be/AYEwbwOLobM

The iMessage screenshot was captioned with a humble declaration as Lil Yachty wrote, “On my mama we ain’t do nothing but trade love. Pure positivity. You are a god my good sir @xxxtentacion” and the rest of its content spoke to that sentiment.

After checking on one another’s well-being, they shared memes and traded discography favorites. X revealed that Lil Yachty’s 2017 rager “X Men” was his top choice and Lil Yachty admitted that he finishes his shows with “Look At Me!” – a platinum-selling hit that recently celebrated its five-year reign of being considered SoundCloud royalty.

The text message exchange predated the release of XXXTENTACION’s debut studio album, 17, which all but immortalized him amongst his fanbase well before he was murdered a year later. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart, staying in the Top 10 for weeks.

17 has since been certified double platinum.

Lil Yachty is a proud Hip Hop aficionado – of his own generation. In a recent interview with HipHopDX, the 23-year-old rapper/CEO admitted he didn’t do much due diligence after being attacked in the early cusp of his career for not knowing (or caring about) the music of late rap deities: 2Pac and Biggie.

“I definitely went back and listened for about … 30 seconds,” he revealed to DX. “I’m good. If you’re good at what you’re doing then … art is art. Do you need to study Picasso to learn how to paint? No. If you care then yes, but if not, who cares?”

Check out Lil Yachty’s complete text message exchange with XXXTENTACION below.

https://bit.ly/3zDA5nR

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MEGAN THEE STALLION TELLS FAN SHE’S RECLAIMING THE WORDS ‘THOT’ & ‘HOE’

With Megan Thee Stallion’s month-long absence from the music scene, fans are bursting at the seams waiting to hear the new tune she’s been working on. Megan announced her return with the arrival of “Thot Shit” on Friday (June 11) and fans can’t get enough of the suggestive title of the song.

On Thursday (June 10), a fan on Twitter asked Megan Thee Stallion what inspired her to make a record like “Thot Shit” and the Houston native said it’s a moment for her to take ownership of words that have been long deemed harmful and derogatory towards women.

“I’m really just talking shit and taking ownership of the words ‘thot’ and ‘hoe’ bc they’re not the drag the men think it is when trying to come at women for doing them,” Megan wrote on Twitter.

.@theestallion what inspired you to make thot sh!t? pic.twitter.com/LRf9BXwgyr

— juno ♡ MEGAN IS BACK (@theejuno) June 10, 2021

According to a statement, “Thot Shit” is a song “that celebrates women unapologetically enjoying themselves, doing whatever they want, whenever they want, regardless of what the critics have to say.” 

 By the sound of it, “Thot Shit” looks to be another anthem, much like Megan Thee Stallion’s previous records. All this news shows Megan could be picking up right where she left off before taking her break from her monstrous run in 2020. 
 On April 22, Megan announced her break with an animated clip showing her sleeping inside a liquid chamber with a digitally typed message for her Hotties explaining her upcoming absence and how her team will be managing her social media accounts.
 “Megan Thee Stallion is recharging,” it reads. “Due to the demands of the Hot Girl lifestyle Meg has now entered a period of regeneration to prepare for what’s next. ….In her absence; mgmt will manage all social posting on behalf of Thee Hot Girl Coach. [[Thee Hotties]] lead a brave //RESISTANCE in anticipation for the return of their Fearless Captain!”

Read below what DJ Khaled has got to say Megan’s come back

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HIT-BOY & DOM KENNEDY AGREE ON TOP 3 RAPPERS FROM L.A.

 
 Naming the Top 3 rappers from any city is alot of work, most especially Los Angeles with so many legendary artists and a ton of ground to cover. In a recent Dom Kennedy and Hit-Boy interview with HipHopDX, when asked, who they consider the best three L.A. spitters of all time. After settling on including greater Los Angeles, they came to a unanimous decision. 
 “That’s tough, but you know who they are honestly,” Dom Kennedy said. “My favorite artist of all time out of any of this shit is DJ Quik, but if we just going pure rappers, it’s Snoop [Dogg], Nipsey [Hussle] and Ice Cube. Them would be people that it would be impossible to say we move forward without … It’s a lot of great ones, you know I coulda added Dot on there, Kendrick [Lamar], a lot of people. It’s at least three, four or five, me even being one of them. But I would say that those people, that’s who we needed to get the job done.”
 Hit-Boy added, “I’m running with that same list to be honest, not even no funny- that shit for real.”

They also talked about the standout verses on the Hit-Boy-produced “1 Train,” A$AP Rocky’s posse cut featuring Kendrick Lamar, Joey Badass, Yelawolf, Danny Brown, Action Bronson and Big K.R.I.T., along with Kanye West, JAY-Z and Big Sean’s “Clique.”

During the debate, Hit-Boy made known Ye, Hov and Sean originally recorded their lyrics to Dom Kennedy’s 2011 song “CDC,” which features Casey Veggies and cARTer.
 “You wanna know some funny shit, bro?” Hit-Boy said. “‘Clique’ started from a beat I gave Dom. They recorded the original ‘Clique’ to the ‘CDC’ beat and then I flipped it, so that was crazy bro. It’s like full circle for real.”
  
 The rapper – producer duo were also tasked with picking each other’s best verses and beats, with Hit-Boy immediately naming “Platinum Chanel” off From the Westside with Love II. 
Dom Kennedy struggled to pick just one beat, but referenced Nipsey Hussle’s Grammy-winning “Racks in the Middle” as being the same caliber as an N.W.A legend. 
 “I thought that ‘Racks in the Middle’ beat was like Dr. Dre level,” Dom Kennedy said. “I remember telling him that. We was listening to the instrumental in the car and I was like, ‘Man, this shit great.’ Just the movement and how heavy it is.”