While some are taking to social media to share their preventative measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Soulja Boy is cashing in with his latest investment.
According to TMZ, Soulja Boy‘s investment in soap company, The Soap Shop, is paying off quite well as many people stock upon cleaning supplies and soaps to combat the spread of the COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus.
The gossip site reports that the brand went from steady sales of 100 bottles of cleaning products per month to well over 3,000-plus cleaning products in the last 2 months—resulting in a 3,000 percent increase, and record-setting production. Although Soulja currently co-owns a store in South Haven, Mississippi with Money Mike, the two have also experienced the huge sales jump with no changes to their business model.
The record sales increase for Soulja’s specific store also benefits the community, with sales benefiting a non-profit organization called Bubbles For Cash, which allows kids to sell cleaning products via fundraising.
During his stop at Power 105.1 with The Breakfast Club Soulja talked about the new venture mentioning that it was a great way for him to diversify his portfolio.
“Once you get into the music industry, you branch out, you know what I’m saying?” Soulja explained. “Do different stuff, like, try different things, try different business ventures.”
Check out Soulja Boy’s full interview with The Breakfast Club below.
According to published reports, German sportswear brand Adidas has warned business activity in China has fallen dramatically in recent weeks, citing a material negative impact from the coronavirus outbreak. Adidas announced that its sales in China were down 85% on the same period last year, with the fall starting after it closed its stores for the Lunar new year on January 25, resulting in many stores remaining closed.
“Our business activity in Greater China has been around 85 percent below the prior year level since Chinese New Year on January 25,” the Bavarian company said in a statement.
Adidas said it faced “a significant number of store closures” on its roster of 500 owned stores and 11,500 franchises in China, while many fewer people are shopping at those which remain open.
According to Forbes, Adidas rival Puma also warned that a shutdown of more than half of its stores in China could hit first quarter sales and profits, despite announcing it beat its 2019 earnings.
The impact of the outbreak is not limited to China – Britain’s biggest carmaker, Jaguar Land Rover, has resorted to flying over car parts from its Chinese suppliers in suitcases.
“Despite coronavirus’ spread to some other countries in the region, we have not yet observed any major business impact outside of Greater China,” Adidas said.
Looking ahead, the sportswear giant said it could not predict how big the impact of the virus would be on its annual results, but executives plan to provide an update when the company releases its 2019 earnings data on March 11.
Scarface is the latest guest on The Connect Podcast. Hosted by fellow Houston, Texas native and longtime ‘Face collaborator Slim Thug, as well as O.G. Chi, Rico, and DJ Young Samm, the H-Town cast interviewed Brad Jordan at length. The interview was filmed as the legendary MC-turned-politician advanced one step closer to a seat on Houston City Council, as reported Saturday (November 9). As a guest on the show, Scarface detailed his pre-Rap-A-Lot Records music career as well as an unreleased song that JAY-Z created for ‘Face to rap on. He also opened up about Def Jam Records signing him in the early 2000s to a $2-plus-million-dollar contract. Serving as the President of Def Jam South, Brad also recalls signing Ludacris, while unsuccessfully trying to convince the label brass to ink T.I., David Banner, Rick Ross, and Paul Wall & Chamillionaire, among others. Scarface Is One Giant Step Closer To Winning A Seat On The Houston City Council Insisting that he is done with releasing Rap albums, Scarface opened up about what he’d like to do with his life now. At 1:08:00, the Geto Boys member says that he hopes his music legacy will serve as a lucrative revenue stream. “I’ve got to keep my hands on my royalties. I’ve got a f*ckin’ 30-year catalog, Slim.” Thugga suggests that the discography should expand by way of more songs. “I ain’t droppin’ no new sh*t, man.” The former Swishahouse artist says he has a beat ready. “I can’t rap. [Laughs] I can’t rap no more, Slim.” “What drove you to this [political career]? What do we really need in these communities?” asks Chi. “I think more than anything, we need opportunity in these communities,” Face replies. “Like, you don’t need to bring a company from Ohio into your neighborhood to rebuild that muh’f*cka. In order to rebuild your neighborhood, you should be hiring muh’f*ckas from inside your neighborhood to be working the [jobs]. That’s how you grow a community; you grow that muthaf*cka from the inside out. You don’t grow it from the outside in. You can’t [just] bring [outsourced jobs] to make the muh’f*cka look good—and ain’t nobody in there can afford to stay there no more. Like, we gotta put us down again. Like, we ain’t puttin’ us down.” E-40 & Scarface Are Making An Album. Their 1st Ever Collabo Is A PreviewScarface then points to former Atlanta, Georgia mayor Maynard Jackson, who arranged many civic upgrades, including an airport renovation, with emphasis on creating jobs and avoiding resident displacement. “He built that f*ckin’ airport, and probably [created] more muh’f*ckin’ millionaires than the NFL,” Scarface touts. “[Mayor Maynard Jackson] put ni**as down! He put Black people down, bro. That’s important. Like I said, I ain’t got problems with nobody. If you’re Hispanic, get you some money. If you’re a woman, get you some money. If you’re white, get you some money. Fine! But don’t leave us out! Dude, me, I want to take Black people out of the minority business pool. Because it’s a sh*t-show in the minority business pool—everybody’s in there! Everybody‘s in there.” Rico asks, “Do you think we’re holding ourselves back?” “Hell no!” Scarface replies. “You’ve got somebody over the top pullin’ the f*ckin’ strings, man. That’s what I hate most about us: we always point the finger at each other for our have-nots, for what we don’t have. It’s not our fault; we’re programmed like this. We don’t know no better, bro. Them muh’f*ckas handcuffed us, shackled us, and floated us at the bottom of a f*cking ship for months to get over here to work us for free, to r*pe our grandmothers, to kill our grandfathers, to sell off our cousins and nieces and brothers and sisters and sh*t. And ain’t nobody addressing this, bro! Ain’t nobody puttin’ no money up to try to cure and fix what they f*cked up.” Scarface Is De@d. Brad Jordan Wants To Be President. Jordan says that bloodlines and families are separated by oceans, doing permanent damage. “We don’t know who we are. Like, we have no f*ckin’ clue!” Moments later, he declares, “Man, my enemy don’t look like me, bro…I don’t look at y’all ni**as as my enemy. My enemy is standing in my backyard, pullin’ a gun on me, shooting me through my f*ckin’ window! That’s my f*ckin’ enemy.” Asked to elaborate, Scarface speaks on changes he wants to see in policing. “If we don’t understand each other, then there’s no way that we can be compassionate about each other. I’m saying that to say this: if you have never been a brother of the struggle, then why are you trying to police my community? Why is this white boy, who has no compassion for us, whatsoever, in our neighborhood, policing us?” Brad Jordan also refutes the notion that most white officers are scared of the Black population. “Nah, they shoot you in your back while you’re running. That’s how scared they are of you. They don’t give a f*ck about you, bro. You got homeboys [on the police force]? They should be responsible for policing [their own communities]. We should be responsible for policing ourselves.” He elaborates that “community” refers to ethnicity more than location. Slim Thug suggests that the notion would be perceived as racist. Face responds, “Bullsh*t. You know what’s racist? When you’re riding up 288 in your f*ckin’ Cadillac with your roof open and your elbows out [the window], and the police get behind you and pull you [over], that’s f*ckin’ racist! You know what’s racist? When you read f*ckin’ text messages from a police officer, and he calling us ‘ni**ers.’ That’s racist. When the President of the United States can call Africa and [its] countries that have Black people in them ‘sh*t-hole countries,’ that’s f*cking racist. For a country that has committed so many heinous crimes against a group of people, and all they’re doing is apologizing and sh*t, but they’re not fixing the problem—that’s f*cking racist.” Killer Mike Speaks About The Importance Of Voting In Local Elections (Video)Scarface insists on reparations. “Pay the money.” He rhetorically answers the question of how. “Put a $5 million credit behind our names, bro, and let us get our house, and our business, and our corny 40 acres and a muthaf*ckin’ mule. Hell no, I don’t wanna go out and buy no Rolexes; I want to start me a business. Action.” Chi suggests that there needs to be an emphasis on creating a family structure. Scarface contends, “You know, when you look at Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Michael Jordan, Clyde [Drexler], [Hakeem] Olajuwon, Warren Buffett, Tilman [Fertitta], and these mothaf*ckas, you thought they at odds? You looking at Jay and Drake and me and Slim, are we at odds? My ni**a, we got money. Imagine if all of us had money. The only thing that’s gonna keep us at odds with each other is money—the lack of money.” He uses the table to illustrate a possible business cooperation. Later in the conversation, Scarface says that the credit should be monitored, and used on things like residences and necessities, not luxury items. The funds would be stored in a reparations account, separate from any recipient’s personal finances. Scarface Says He Is The GOAT MC & Explains Why (AFH TV Video)Slim Thug says, “That ain’t gonna happen, though.” Scarface interjects, “It will happen, though!” Thugga says, “From them people?” Face replies, “You gotta hold them muthaf*ckas accountable. All you’ve got to do is put the right people in place.” The show host expresses doubt. Brad Jordan doubles down. “Slim, put the right people in place, and have an agenda. All you gotta do is go and vote for it. If you had a mothaf*cka who was a governor—say I was a governor, and that was my plan, and all it took was 100,000 Black people to vote for that sh*t—they could put me in, and I could put that sh*t in effect immediately—why wouldn’t you do that? Are you that scared of yourself where you don’t want to have no money? Put the right people in play.” He finishes his thought, “You can’t tell me that Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump is smarter than us, bro. We took nothing and made it and turned it into everything. Imagine if we had something.” Moments later, he says that the key lacking factor is resources. “Money fixes our f*ckin’ problems.” The Black Lives Matter Movement Has New Demands for Justice & Calls for ReparationsNext month, voters will learn if Brad Jordan moves closer to his first position in public office. Interviews with Scarface are available at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.
Cardi B is all about securing her bags and making sure baby Kulture’s future is good. Billboard reports that the “Money” rapper has filed paperwork to trademark her catchphrase “okurrr.”
Big fat checks and big large bills will continue to flow when Cardi finalizes this move. In the online court docs obtained by the publication, the BX phenom’s company, Washpoppin, Inc., filed to trademark the word on March 11 for use on “paper goods, namely paper cups, and posters,” as well as clothing. The following day another filing was made to use the phrase on clothing which includes tights, t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, undergarments, hats, caps, jackets, footwear, bodysuits, blouses and dresses.
Before this recent filed, on Feb.25 Cardi filed a trademark on the same phrase but minus the r making sure to cover all bases. Cardi has always been known to use the phrase, but it recently gained even more popularity after her Pepsi Super Bowl spots which also saw actor Steve Carell hilariously trying to use it.
Cardi is all about those money moves as well as dropping hits, and we are not at all. The rapper is also in talks to hop on the big screen alongside Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, and Julia Styles in an upcoming film called Hustlers. Go get all of your coins Belcalis, you deserve every single one.
In the last two weeks, the three members of De La Soul have been at the center of a discussion surrounding ownership of catalog and the fairness of record label contracts. That discourse stems from the trio of Dave, Maseo, and Posdnuos notifying fans on social media that they are unhappy with former label, Tommy Boy Music. The home of De La Soul from the late 1980s into the early 2000s planned to release the trio’s first six albums digitally, for the first time. That celebratory news was marred with dissatisfaction from the group. The artists alleged that they were told that they would receive 10% of the royalties from streams and digital sales. Several social media posts, along with a revealing Sway In The Morning interview rallied peers and fans. JAY-Z, Nas, Questlove, Jarobi White, and Masta Ace are just some of the artists who called for action against the nearly 40-year-old label. Tidal responded by declining to host the six albums until a satisfying contract was in place. Subsequently, Tommy Boy responded by postponing its plans, in hopes to reach such an agreement. Joe Budden Breaks Down In Tears Discussing De La Soul’s Economic Plight (Video) As of March 9, no settlement has been reached. 1989’s 3 Feet High AndRising, 1991’s De La Soul Is Dead, 1993’s Buhloone-Mindstate, 1996’s Stakes Is High, 2000’s Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, and 2001’s AOI: Bionix all remain off of digital retailers and streaming platforms. However, all three members of De La Soul appeared on Drink Champs to discuss the matters with hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. Notably, N.O.R.E. has firsthand experience with Tommy Boy and its namesake founder, Tom Silverman. In a partnership with Penalty Records, Tommy Boy released Capone-N-Noreaga’s seminal debut, 1997’s The War Report as well as the host’s solo debut, 1998’s N.O.R.E. Both efforts are certified gold. However, N.O.R.E. alleges that he was always told that neither album recouped from its budget. Last month, De La Soul spoke about a “phantom $2 million debt” that their former label has cited. Like De La, N.O.R.E. said that he unsuccessfully tried to buy back his early releases in years past. Tommy Boy Has Agreed To Negotiate Better Terms With De La Soul For Their Music In an exclusive segment of De La’s Drink Champs episode, the group spoke about where they are right now. Together, two former Tommy Boy acts discuss the renewed focus of ownership in 2019. “We had a few record exec people reach out behind the scenes,” Posdnuos reveals, surrounding the status of De La Soul’s Tommy Boy catalog. “Big up to Steve Stoute; he reached out,” Maseo adds ahead of the 7:00 mark, referring to a veteran manager and UnitedMasters founder whose career is closely tied to Nas, JAY-Z, and Will Smith. De La Soul Speak In Detail About What Went Wrong With Their Record Company N.O.R.E. responds, “It’s kinda fly now to own your masters. Like back [when we signed our first contracts], we wasn’t really thinkin’ like that. I’m speaking for myself, not you guys—like I was thinking about an advance, gettin’ some jewelry [and other material goods]. Now, it’s fly to actually own your material because we want to leave something to [our] children. You ever seen a person that lives in the projects for 30 years? They don’t own [the apartment], but it’s their house! That’s what it feels like!” The group affirms the statement as N.O.R.E. says he has family members who can relate to that declaration. “A good thing for [the housing authority] to do is to say, ‘You know what? You should own that.’ Tom Silverman, if you’re listening—’cause I know you are—this is the best time for you to lead the pack! You lead the way and say, you know what, I’m gonna stop doin’ business in this way. You could take this, Tom, and you could flip this whole sh*t, and you could be the winner! You could say, you know what? I’ma give them 50% of their sh*t so everybody [can make money].” N.O.R.E. adds that other former acts from Tommy Boy’s legendary run such as Queen Latifah, Naughty By Nature could benefit and celebrate. Maseo responds claiming that he wants to give people the opportunity to “change because we have been given the opportunity to change.” “I think he has an opportunity to lead the way,” N.O.R.E. echoes at 27:00. “‘Cause there’s a lot of people who need these albums—beyond wanting, need these albums. That is a part of Hip-Hop [and this] is a piece missing in Hip-Hop. You can’t tell the story of Hip-Hop and then not have that there,” the host charges. “There’s dual value; The value is in the culture and the history, as well as your pocket. And if you’ve only got a concept of one [idea], that’s where the problem lies,” Dave responds. T.I. Joins Roc Nation, Announces Part Ownership In Tidal While N.O.R.E. suggests a 50% partnership, the group says, in no uncertain terms, that they seek ownership. The host asks the Native Tongues co-founders, “what is your [desired] end result?” At 11:30, Plug 3 says, “At this point, ownership. Owning my catalog, that would make a world of difference. That’d make it easy to show up for work and do what we need to do.” N.O.R.E. embraces the DJ/producer as the live studio audience applauds. The Queens, New York MC-turned-host proclaims, “It’s time to make that right. I feel y’all so much.” Maseo adds that since 2002, De La Soul has exclusively done partnerships. That includes releases with Sanctuary Urban, Nike, a crowd-sourced album, and an upcoming DJ Premier and Pete Rock-produced release in conjunction with Nas’ Mass Appeal Records imprint. Maseo adds that following a Super Bowl Halftime performance, he understands that Missy Elliott sold more than a million downloads of catalog hit “Work It.” Thus, he feels that following President Obama’s 2016 personal request to perform on The White House lawn, De La Soul could have made significant revenue from the now-30-year-old “Me, Myself & I.” However, the song was digitally unavailable. Despite hurdles such as this, 3 Feet High… has reached The Library Of Congress archives and achieved other esteemed feats. Xzibit Explains Why Pimp My Ride Was Profitable For Everyone But Him At 13:30, the interview broaches what De La Soul seeks in negotiation. “What can the fans do?” DJ EFN asks the Grammy Award-winning trio. “I would sincerely ask in support of the fans and the culture, yo, don’t press play. If [the catalog] actually comes up online, don’t press play until we give it a go—’til we actually say, ‘Yo, we’re happy. Thumbs up, guys. Let’s rock. We kissed; we made up.’ Until we say [that], do not press play. If anything, you can get The Grind Date [as well as] and the Anonymous Nobody…; you can get those two [albums].” DJ EFN suggests that fans are still hungry to hear the music. “At the end of the day, it’s your choice,” responds Mase’. “I want [fans] to have it; I really do. But sh*t ain’t right. Period. So let’s get it right. And if you want to support, don’t press play.” N.O.R.E. likens the fans’ struggle with the NFL boycott surrounding Colin Kaepernick’s protests. Maseo, whose son, Tre Mason, was in the NFL for several years, agrees. “Absolutely. Because you’re a fan of players out there, you know people out there that’s playin’, you’re connected to the game your whole life, it’s America’s thing. Just like Hip-Hop. It’s America’s thing, the world’s thing, an international thing. Yeah, and we ain’t really still playin’ it fair.” The Man Who Guided Nas’ Career Has $70 Million To Help Hip-Hop Artists Keep Their Masters At 26:30, N.O.R.E. reveals that through a third-party, Tom Silverman was invited to participate in the episode discussion. Silverman, who founded his label in the early 1980s, reportedly declined in effort to progress with negotiations. “That’s all we’re trying to do: We just want to find a happy place with all this, man” Dave notes, after acknowledging that reported decision. Pos’ adds that many people have had a constructive dialogue with the group during the last two weeks. He suggests people that know Tom Silverman and the label staff do the same in hopes of reaching an agreement or understanding. N.O.R.E. speaks about his former employer near the close of the clip. “It’s his chance to say, you know what? These are kids that I signed, these are kids that I was part of their career, and now they’re grown men. Let me do business with them as such.” The group harmonizes the last two words in the statement with the Drink Champs host. “This is your turn to do that, and you can lead the way.” DJ EFN adds that such a move would “revamp the way business is done.” N.O.R.E. interjects, “You can rectify the situation and say, [let us] be business partners from here on out. ‘Partners’ is the keyword.” The host asserts that in addition to De La Soul and Tommy Boy, Hip-Hop is now at the negotiation table. Kendrick Lamar Is Now A Part Owner Of His Record Company
The full De La SoulDrink Champs episode premieres on March 28 on Revolt and March 29 digitally.
Last March, DMX was sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud. The rapper born Earl Simmons was visibly emotional as he received the judge’s order, which came after the former superstar played the courtroom his song, “Slippin’.” He told the bench, “I never went to the level of tax evasion where I’d sit down and plot…like a criminal in a comic book.” Less than one year later, DMX is returning to the streets. The release is expected to take place tomorrow (January 25) at 9 am EST. Vulture confirmed with Simmons’ attorney, Murray Richman. The lawyer added, “I spoke to [DMX]; he’s very happy. He’s looking forward to being home. He’s never been hotter than now — people have been seeking him out all over.” Swizz Beatz Explains Why The JAY-Z, Nas & DMX Collabo Has Not Come Out (Video)Vulture investigated the release date with the Bureau Of Prisons press office. While the 48-year-old rapper’s release date is Sunday (January 27), the publication confirmed that advances are regularly made to accommodate weekday releases. The Yonkers, New York representative will be under three years of supervision upon his release. The incarceration followed a November 2017 guilty plea from X, who owed a reported $1.7 million in tax liabilities. The rapper who regularly performs despite not releasing an album since 2012’s Undisputed, was reportedly receiving appearance fees in cash to avoid tax debt. However, things intensified when X failed to meet court-ordered drug treatment, and tested positive for Oxycodone and cocaine. Kurupt Explains How He & DMX Made Peace 20 Years After Their Beef Over Foxy Brown (Video)DMX has been in and out of detention centers, jails, and prisons for more than 30 years. The current stay will have been the longest single sentence since the rapper rose to fame in the late 1990s.
In just a few hours (January 18), Season 1 of Trigger Warning With Killer Mike will be available. One of the most consistent Hip-Hop artists of the last decade and a leading activist within the culture takes his charisma, his ability to ask hard questions, and his courage to television, by way of Netflix. The Atlanta, Georgia rapper-turned-businessman born Michael Render co-created the series, and admits that he spent the last 10 years refining it into something worthy of his standards.
“We tried, and it became better and better with each version,” he tells Ambrosia ForHeads‘ founder Reggie Williams while in New York City last night (January 16). “From our hypothesis of what [Trigger Warning] could be, from our first demo version that we did [years ago until] now, it became better each time. So again, when you sit down and say to me, ‘it’s the most dangerous show on television,’ I’m almost overwhelmed because that’s what I wanted to do. But 10 years ago, I couldn’t have promised you it would’ve been the same show. I wasn’t the same Michael. One of my best friends in the world wasn’t a white guy who’s the best producer/rapper in the world. I wasn’t forced to be in a culture that mixed me with everyone. I had to grow. And because I grew, I came with a product that was better.” A decade ago, Killer Mike and El-P had not yet crossed paths to make the acclaimed R.A.P. Music and subsequently form Run The Jewels. One of the most successful artists to ever come from under OutKast’s wing and the Dungeon Family was enjoying an impressive level of independent success.
Trigger Warning is the latest component in a 20-year-career that keeps reaching new highs. He describes the series to AFH TV as “If anarchists got to set the status-quo.” Mike, who was honored by the Georgia State Senate in 2017, continues, “[Trigger Warning is] about educating yourself individually, freeing yourself of the [selfish] mentality, and really individually taking in the world. It’s about understanding that the only potential we have is infinite. And because your potential is infinite, you don’t have to accept boxed-in [ideas]. You don’t have to accept ‘these are the two polar opposite arguments that we have and allowing for cluttered confusion in the middle.’ Noam Chomsky talks about it [as] you’re given two viewpoints and just this wide array of arguments in the middle. You don’t have to do it; you can come up with these same arguments that we have in the barbershop.” He points to a popular meme online. “‘If you can lead a gang, you can lead a business.’ We took it, and we applied it in the real world, and the results are what you’ll see.”
However, in doing things like sleeping on a bench, attempting to exclusively spend his money at Black businesses, and help launch a Crip-backed cola company, Mike says things went differently than expected. “The episodes didn’t turn out as I thought they would. I thought I was going in to tear [televangelist] Creflo [Dollar] down [and] destroy the mega-church, kill the image of ‘white Jesus.’ But Creflo isn’t as big of a problem as the real church; the real church is the Catholic Church.” Mike says he saw bigger forces at play. “The Catholic Church has essentially spread a Westernized version of Christianity the world over. So they’ve taken ‘white Jesus’ everywhere. They’ve taken ‘white Jesus’ and candy and Bibles and Western politics [across the globe]. So we have to start saying to our self, ‘Are we really in this to change the game for real? Or are we selective?’ So [Trigger Warning] forced me to have to deal with some of my bigotry and prejudices.”
Similarly, Mike discusses what he took from making an episode where he produced educational videos which use adult entertainment as a way of better engaging viewers, and which featured same sex intercourse. “I’m a guy; I like women. So I was not as progressive when it came to homosexuality years ago. I grew. I had two gay uncles who were great to me. I grew up understanding that gay people are here. So when given the opportunity to make pornography, it was important to us that we made all kinds of pornography. [Laughs] Something for everyone. That was me having to face my own prejudices. Now, I didn’t stick around for any of the porno scenes, but I made sure I hired a sex-positive therapist who was a Black woman to come and oversee and make sure it was all-the-way-around good for all people, no matter what [type of sex] they like.” Mike enjoys his comfort zone being challenged. “It forced me, though. That’s what good television does, and I want to make good TV.”
Mike wants his viewers to feel the same way. He hopes that Trigger Warning opens minds and boxes in a this-or-that world. “[People] are stuck with the narratives they’re being told. If CNN and Fox [News] formulate an opinion, and they give it to you on Monday, by Friday your friends are gonna be on either side of that opinion. They’re gonna say the same trigger words. If you say ‘Bernie Sanders,’ they say ‘socialist.’” After talking about the man he calls his “O.G.” who happens to be a Vermont US Senator, Mike continues, “I think people are given opinions…you’re never allowed to step out of a box, or there’s a tertiary thing—a third way of looking at [things]. You aren’t allowed to stand up and play chess and look [down] at the board. You have to play from your side. I think that’s how you lose.”
The episode where Mike leads Crip members to create and market a soda is especially powerful. “If you can cook crack, you can make a soda. I refuse to think that the things that we’ve learned in the streets are only limited to the streets,” he says. Killer Mike looks at his own education beyond his Morehouse College experience. “I learned how to do business selling cocaine; I didn’t go to business school. And I learned some very hard lessons, and that’s not to [glamorize] or glorify. That’s just to say I learned, very practically, you buy a $50 slab—if you try to cut it into 10 rocks, that’s gonna be too small. So the competition on the block next to you is gonna eat you up. So you better cut it to seven or eight [pieces]. [You will] make your profit quick. Turn around, buy you a $100 slab. Same thing.”
While Mike regularly lists authors, thinkers, and Civil Rights figures in his answers, he says that most of the show’s concepts are rooted in experiences we all share. “It’s all barbershop stuff. It’s stuff we’ve heard [argued] in barbershops our whole life,” he says, owning the SWAG Barbershop, which has a satellite location at the Atlanta Hawks’ Philips Arena. “It’s the workingman’s voice. I view my show as that. Everything else is too contrived, too calculated, too full of bullsh*t. No one else is really hitting the ground.” Partly-inspired by the early days of broadcast journalists like Geraldo Rivera, Mike says he doesn’t mind upsetting people with his persistence. However, he pledges to do so with his personality. “I think we needed a nice obnoxious guy. I’m gonna push the line, but I’m gonna do it with a smile. But I want us to get uncomfortable.”
While speaking to AFH TV last night, Mike also offered a promising update on his first album in more than a year. “I absolutely think El-P is the best rapper/producer in the world, ’cause I see him write his own raps, and I know he makes his own beats,” he says of his partner. “[As] for Run The Jewels 4, you can expect some kick-your-ass, punch-you-in-your-face hardcore f*cking Hip-Hop.”
In just a few hours (January 18), Season 1 of Trigger Warning With Killer Mike will be available. One of the most consistent Hip-Hop artists of the last decade and a leading activist within the culture takes his charisma, his ability to ask hard questions, and his courage to television, by way of Netflix. The Atlanta, Georgia rapper-turned-businessman born Michael Render co-created the series, and admits that he spent the last 10 years refining it into something worthy of his standards.
“We tried, and it became better and better with each version,” he tells Ambrosia ForHeads‘ founder Reggie Williams while in New York City last night (January 16). “From our hypothesis of what [Trigger Warning] could be, from our first demo version that we did [years ago until] now, it became better each time. So again, when you sit down and say to me, ‘it’s the most dangerous show on television,’ I’m almost overwhelmed because that’s what I wanted to do. But 10 years ago, I couldn’t have promised you it would’ve been the same show. I wasn’t the same Michael. One of my best friends in the world wasn’t a white guy who’s the best producer/rapper in the world. I wasn’t forced to be in a culture that mixed me with everyone. I had to grow. And because I grew, I came with a product that was better.” A decade ago, Killer Mike and El-P had not yet crossed paths to make the acclaimed R.A.P. Music and subsequently form Run The Jewels. One of the most successful artists to ever come from under OutKast’s wing and the Dungeon Family was enjoying an impressive level of independent success.
Trigger Warning is the latest component in a 20-year-career that keeps reaching new highs. He describes the series to AFH TV as “If anarchists got to set the status-quo.” Mike, who was honored by the Georgia State Senate in 2017, continues, “[Trigger Warning is] about educating yourself individually, freeing yourself of the [selfish] mentality, and really individually taking in the world. It’s about understanding that the only potential we have is infinite. And because your potential is infinite, you don’t have to accept boxed-in [ideas]. You don’t have to accept ‘these are the two polar opposite arguments that we have and allowing for cluttered confusion in the middle.’ Noam Chomsky talks about it [as] you’re given two viewpoints and just this wide array of arguments in the middle. You don’t have to do it; you can come up with these same arguments that we have in the barbershop.” He points to a popular meme online. “‘If you can lead a gang, you can lead a business.’ We took it, and we applied it in the real world, and the results are what you’ll see.”
However, in doing things like sleeping on a bench, attempting to exclusively spend his money at Black businesses, and help launch a Crip-backed cola company, Mike says things went differently than expected. “The episodes didn’t turn out as I thought they would. I thought I was going in to tear [televangelist] Creflo [Dollar] down [and] destroy the mega-church, kill the image of ‘white Jesus.’ But Creflo isn’t as big of a problem as the real church; the real church is the Catholic Church.” Mike says he saw bigger forces at play. “The Catholic Church has essentially spread a Westernized version of Christianity the world over. So they’ve taken ‘white Jesus’ everywhere. They’ve taken ‘white Jesus’ and candy and Bibles and Western politics [across the globe]. So we have to start saying to our self, ‘Are we really in this to change the game for real? Or are we selective?’ So [Trigger Warning] forced me to have to deal with some of my bigotry and prejudices.”
Similarly, Mike discusses what he took from making an episode where he produced educational videos which use adult entertainment as a way of better engaging viewers, and which featured same sex intercourse. “I’m a guy; I like women. So I was not as progressive when it came to homosexuality years ago. I grew. I had two gay uncles who were great to me. I grew up understanding that gay people are here. So when given the opportunity to make pornography, it was important to us that we made all kinds of pornography. [Laughs] Something for everyone. That was me having to face my own prejudices. Now, I didn’t stick around for any of the porno scenes, but I made sure I hired a sex-positive therapist who was a Black woman to come and oversee and make sure it was all-the-way-around good for all people, no matter what [type of sex] they like.” Mike enjoys his comfort zone being challenged. “It forced me, though. That’s what good television does, and I want to make good TV.”
Mike wants his viewers to feel the same way. He hopes that Trigger Warning opens minds and boxes in a this-or-that world. “[People] are stuck with the narratives they’re being told. If CNN and Fox [News] formulate an opinion, and they give it to you on Monday, by Friday your friends are gonna be on either side of that opinion. They’re gonna say the same trigger words. If you say ‘Bernie Sanders,’ they say ‘socialist.’” After talking about the man he calls his “O.G.” who happens to be a Vermont US Senator, Mike continues, “I think people are given opinions…you’re never allowed to step out of a box, or there’s a tertiary thing—a third way of looking at [things]. You aren’t allowed to stand up and play chess and look [down] at the board. You have to play from your side. I think that’s how you lose.”
The episode where Mike leads Crip members to create and market a soda is especially powerful. “If you can cook crack, you can make a soda. I refuse to think that the things that we’ve learned in the streets are only limited to the streets,” he says. Killer Mike looks at his own education beyond his Morehouse College experience. “I learned how to do business selling cocaine; I didn’t go to business school. And I learned some very hard lessons, and that’s not to [glamorize] or glorify. That’s just to say I learned, very practically, you buy a $50 slab—if you try to cut it into 10 rocks, that’s gonna be too small. So the competition on the block next to you is gonna eat you up. So you better cut it to seven or eight [pieces]. [You will] make your profit quick. Turn around, buy you a $100 slab. Same thing.”
While Mike regularly lists authors, thinkers, and Civil Rights figures in his answers, he says that most of the show’s concepts are rooted in experiences we all share. “It’s all barbershop stuff. It’s stuff we’ve heard [argued] in barbershops our whole life,” he says, owning the SWAG Barbershop, which has a satellite location at the Atlanta Hawks’ Philips Arena. “It’s the workingman’s voice. I view my show as that. Everything else is too contrived, too calculated, too full of bullsh*t. No one else is really hitting the ground.” Partly-inspired by the early days of broadcast journalists like Geraldo Rivera, Mike says he doesn’t mind upsetting people with his persistence. However, he pledges to do so with his personality. “I think we needed a nice obnoxious guy. I’m gonna push the line, but I’m gonna do it with a smile. But I want us to get uncomfortable.”
While speaking to AFH TV last night, Mike also offered a promising update on his first album in more than a year. “I absolutely think El-P is the best rapper/producer in the world, ’cause I see him write his own raps, and I know he makes his own beats,” he says of his partner. “[As] for Run The Jewels 4, you can expect some kick-your-ass, punch-you-in-your-face hardcore f*cking Hip-Hop.”
Twenty years ago, E-40 named his album, Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint Of A Self-Made Millionaire. While the moniker and subtitle may have been accurate at the time, the founder of Sick Wid It Records has seemingly lived up to that statement ever since.
As 40 Water’s career has been going strong for nearly 30 years, the Vallejo, California native has become a beacon for investing as a key figure within Rap landscape. Like Too Short, JT The Bigga Figga, and others early on, 40 showed artists far beyond the Bay the values in independent music hustling. The Click member later held several franchises of Fat Burger, which he mentioned in interviews and on wax. His expansive portfolio now includes a Wing Stop, being a spokesperson for Landy Cognac, and starting his own brand of energy drink called “40 Water.”
E-40 thrives in wine and spirits now, most notably in the form of his Earl Stevens wine label. However, one of Rap’s vino devotees for decades also makes sure that his product is quality. 40 heads should know the rapper’s been passionate about wine since his earliest days of rapping, name dropping Carlo Rossi with his crew, The Click, on the song “Let’s Get Drunk,” and then later dedicating an entireFederal track to the drink alongside B-Legit.
In a recent interview with Adelle Platon for Tidal’s Side Hustle, E-40 explains his interest in wine, and how he chose to pursue a business venture within the industry. “When I was a young mustache, you know, I’d sneak in my mama’s Carlo Rossi,” he says. “I started liking wine like that. That’s all I talk about – getting drunk off of wine in my lyrics. I always paid attention to how to do things; I was always an observer. I felt like, if there’s a Robert Mondavi, a Kendall-Jackson, a Rodney Strong, why couldn’t there be an Earl Stevens wine?” Instead of running from his name, which Rap fans knew, E-40 proudly stamped it right on his product labels.
“I treated this adult beverage business like I did my Rap career – I came in independent; I did everything myself. I started off selling wine online, and then demand became so big, it came to the point where I needed a distributor,” he recalls on site at his warehouse. “So the distributor that I met when I was with Landy Cognac – I stayed cool with them. They ordered like 10 cases. Next thing you know, one store posted it up on their social media and the word got out. Everybody – I’m talking about everybody, all the stores started asking for it.”
Earl Stevens’ wine became a huge hit with retailers across the nation, and as E-40 points out, “[there] wasn’t no rappers doin’ wine.” 40 was truly one of the firsts, if not, the first. Furthermore, he points out an important factor some contemporaries and potential entrepreneurs might be slacking out on: securing licenses. 40 ensured he had a license to distribute and sell his wine before embarking on developing other alcoholic beverages, such as his tequila E. Cuarenta, and his mixed cocktail drink, Sluricane, which also draws from vintage Vallejo lyrics.
Platon also asked 40 how he enters business meetings for potential investments, to which he explains that code-switching is not the way. “The best thing to always do for that: don’t be phony,” he offers. “I’m not gonna switch my voice up because I’m on a professional platform or something, I’ma be me.” In the conversation, E-40 also reveals that he and Chamillionaire are in a syndicate together for start-up companies. “[Chamillionaire] is a seasoned vet in it. He’s hit a few times. We were [involved] with The Ring deal, but we got in like three months before Ring sold to Amazon; they sold for $1 billion. But you know, we made some cool paper off of it real quick. [It was] three months. But if we was there from the beginning, it would’ve been beautiful.” Nas was an early investor, which helped land him on a recent Forbes list, for the first time in his career. One 2018 report estimated that Nas could have made as much as $40 million from the acquisition.
#BonusBeat: Learn about Young Jeezy’s steakhouse business in Side Hustle:
Twenty years ago, E-40 named his album, Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint Of A Self-Made Millionaire. While the moniker and subtitle may have been accurate at the time, the founder of Sick Wid It Records has seemingly lived up to that statement ever since.
As 40 Water’s career has been going strong for nearly 30 years, the Vallejo, California native has become a beacon for investing as a key figure within Rap landscape. Like Too Short, JT The Bigga Figga, and others early on, 40 showed artists far beyond the Bay the values in independent music hustling. The Click member later held several franchises of Fat Burger, which he mentioned in interviews and on wax. His expansive portfolio now includes a Wing Stop, being a spokesperson for Landy Cognac, and starting his own brand of energy drink called “40 Water.”
E-40 thrives in wine and spirits now, most notably in the form of his Earl Stevens wine label. However, one of Rap’s vino devotees for decades also makes sure that his product is quality. 40 heads should know the rapper’s been passionate about wine since his earliest days of rapping, name dropping Carlo Rossi with his crew, The Click, on the song “Let’s Get Drunk,” and then later dedicating an entireFederal track to the drink alongside B-Legit.
In a recent interview with Adelle Platon for Tidal’s Side Hustle, E-40 explains his interest in wine, and how he chose to pursue a business venture within the industry. “When I was a young mustache, you know, I’d sneak in my mama’s Carlo Rossi,” he says. “I started liking wine like that. That’s all I talk about – getting drunk off of wine in my lyrics. I always paid attention to how to do things; I was always an observer. I felt like, if there’s a Robert Mondavi, a Kendall-Jackson, a Rodney Strong, why couldn’t there be an Earl Stevens wine?” Instead of running from his name, which Rap fans knew, E-40 proudly stamped it right on his product labels.
“I treated this adult beverage business like I did my Rap career – I came in independent; I did everything myself. I started off selling wine online, and then demand became so big, it came to the point where I needed a distributor,” he recalls on site at his warehouse. “So the distributor that I met when I was with Landy Cognac – I stayed cool with them. They ordered like 10 cases. Next thing you know, one store posted it up on their social media and the word got out. Everybody – I’m talking about everybody, all the stores started asking for it.”
Earl Stevens’ wine became a huge hit with retailers across the nation, and as E-40 points out, “[there] wasn’t no rappers doin’ wine.” 40 was truly one of the firsts, if not, the first. Furthermore, he points out an important factor some contemporaries and potential entrepreneurs might be slacking out on: securing licenses. 40 ensured he had a license to distribute and sell his wine before embarking on developing other alcoholic beverages, such as his tequila E. Cuarenta, and his mixed cocktail drink, Sluricane, which also draws from vintage Vallejo lyrics.
Platon also asked 40 how he enters business meetings for potential investments, to which he explains that code-switching is not the way. “The best thing to always do for that: don’t be phony,” he offers. “I’m not gonna switch my voice up because I’m on a professional platform or something, I’ma be me.” In the conversation, E-40 also reveals that he and Chamillionaire are in a syndicate together for start-up companies. “[Chamillionaire] is a seasoned vet in it. He’s hit a few times. We were [involved] with The Ring deal, but we got in like three months before Ring sold to Amazon; they sold for $1 billion. But you know, we made some cool paper off of it real quick. [It was] three months. But if we was there from the beginning, it would’ve been beautiful.” Nas was an early investor, which helped land him on a recent Forbes list, for the first time in his career. One 2018 report estimated that Nas could have made as much as $40 million from the acquisition.
After already making it to the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, despite being leaked just a few days prior of its official release, Cardi B’s new single “Money” now has a music video that’s a visual treat from beginning to end. And yes, our girl Belcalis is baring all!
The video, directed by Jora Frantzis, for the latest single that will appear on the upcoming deluxe edition of her chart-topping debut album Invasion of Privacy proves that Cardi is truly a queen in every sense of the word, from the opulent gold-laced wardrobe design to the overall tribute to her unashamed days as a New York City-based stripper. As of now, “Money” is sitting comfortably at No. 29 on the charts, but we’re sure it’ll rise now that we have this eye-grabbing music video to gaze at and stream to the top of the charts. We even think Kulture makes her directorial debut in a few scenes as well!
Watch the music video for Cardi B’s “Money” music video above, and expect the Invasion of Privacy deluxe edition to drop on January 25.
