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Idol Sanji headcanons part 2

- He has multiple personas which you can see in his songs:

Mr Prince (yes that Mr Prince): His default persona. His pop star persona who is sweet but also dangerous and sexy in a cold calculated manner

King Nasty: his inner slut. This is the persona most people are familiar with

Brooklyn Rage: This is his inner gangster. Like if he is in this mode, bitch run

- He has the foulest mouth of the Strawhats. He is rapper no surprises

- He enjoys being a bratty sub which makes Zoro’s work even harder

- He has a lot of sex toys hidden in his room

- He has a lot of cars

- He shakes his ass a lot xD

- Zoro is more than his baby daddy and lover. He is his best friend

- He is worse than Nami in regards to the love of money. Yeah he loves the cash

- He was once a stripper during his younger years and did that to hustle for money

- He deep down does not value himself

- He often masturbates to videos and photos of Zoro

- He always does the more sluttier photoshoots

- He started smoking at the age 12 as a coping mechanism

- He loves clubbing

- According to Lelouch, Sanji had the highest grades of all the trainees under their label years ago and he was the most popular trainee at the time

- He is the member of Aogiri with the most collaborations for obvious reasons

- He suffered from an eating disorder that would later rebound during his idol years

- He used to hate his looks and body and wondered why anyone would want him. Still struggles with that today

- He and his dad both released albums on the same day. He ended up outselling the old man which greatly angered Judge

- He does not use the Vinsmoke name. Instead he uses his mother’s maiden name as his surname

-He sees Luffy and Chopper as his little brothers

-All those moans and orgasms he does in his songs? Those are not fake according to him. According to him, he masturbates in the studio to create those sounds

-He is an ATL dude due to spending most of his time growing up there even though he was born in New York but moved down to ATL with Zeff with his siblings

-His mother got shot by his dad when he was 3 years old. He rapped about this, literally destroying his dad and exposing the truth about the old man and destroying his reputation and ending Judge's career. A lot of people mock Judge, saying that his son is more gangster than he is. Judge has tried to hurt Sanji but his plans always backfire

- His mother was a pop star and was in a famous girl group before launching a successful musical career. So Sanji inherited all his talent from his parents but he got his mother’s looks, kindness and charisma

-He has been a victim of domestic and sexual abuse, first at the hands of his dad and later a lot of his exes

-Jojo's villain club are huge fans of his

-In fact every single villain you could think of love this guy to the point where many consider his songs "The Ultimate Villain Playbook." since he tends to play a villainous role in his songs since the character he seems to exude is a sexy evil Homme fatale

-As far as he is concerned, he is an all round entertainer. All that matters is that everyone has fun

-He was and still is the main moneymaker and breadwinner for the family for years because Ichiji unfortunately got shot but survived whilst selling newspapers on the streets

-The biggest scandal involving Sanji was an old sex tape of his from his stripper days resurfacing online. Pudding leaked it thanks to Judge but the plan backfired as that sextape made him even more popular than ever as it helped cement Sanji's sex symbol status

-He has the video with the highest amount of views on YouTube thanks to said sex tape scandal (Might as well add this to my fanfic)

- Don’t even dare try to sabotage him and his friends. He will destroy you

- There was one part in one of his songs that more or less defines him as a person:

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But I am no lazybones,

Motherfucker left me for dead,

Yet I still stand,

You asked me why I do this shit?

This life goes way beyond making hits,

Started off as a poor weakling,

These days I answer to the name King

- He has a tattoo on his back close to his ass and has one on his ankle

- Sanji’s character’s stance towards women and feeding others is a reflection of real life Sanji’s past. The guy has been a victim of abuse for years and also his character’s interactions with women in the show is as a result of the things women like Pudding had done to him in the past

- He loves leather especially leather catsuits and wears those a lot

- During his Aogiri days, Sanji was not Sanji without his famous round shaped glasses. So many young idols would later emulate the style for years to come. Also his signature leather catsuits have made apperances in a variety of videos ever since

-He looks just like his mother

[kaknewsdotcom]

Offset Releases Highly-Anticipated Music Video for "Swing My Way"

American rapper Offset has finally dropped the official music video for his latest single, “Swing My Way.” The highly-anticipated visual is now available for fans to enjoy. Shot on location in Brooklyn and Miami, the “Swing My Way” music video brings a vibrant and sultry energy to the screen. In the visual, Offset enlists the stunning supermodel Anok Yai as his love interest, as he attempts to…

[digihindnews]

Biggie Small Net Worth 2023: How Much Money Did The Notorious B.I.G. Have?

Born in the heart of Brooklyn, Christopher Wallace, better known as Biggie Smalls, rose to fame as one of the most iconic rappers of the 90s. With a voice that commanded attention and lyrics that told tales of the struggles and triumphs of life, Biggie's impact on the music industry was undeniable. Even after his untimely death, his legacy lives on, and his music continues to inspire a new generation of fans.

How Much Money Did The Notorious B.I.G. Have?

At the time of his death, the Notorious B.I.G., an iconic American rapper, was worth $10 million. As of this writing, the circumstances surrounding his death from a drive-by shooting on March 9, 1997, at the age of 24 remain unknown.

Early Life Of Biggie Small

He was born Christopher George Latore Wallace on May 21, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York, and became known as The Notorious B.I.G. He was born to Voletta Wallace and Selwyn George Latore, two Jamaicans, and he was their only child. When he was just two years old, his father abandoned his family. As a child, Wallace lived in Clinton Hill, a neighborhood of Brooklyn not far from Bedford-Stuyvesant. In middle school, he excelled academically, earning a number of English-related awards.

Rap Career Biggie Small

After his release from prison, "Biggie Smalls" released "Microphone Murderer," a demo. The Source's Unsigned Hype editor featured Biggie after hearing the recording. The demo tape was also given to Uptown Records A&R and producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. After Combs signed Biggie, Heavy D & the Boyz featured him. Uptown fired Combs in 1993. He started Bad Boy Records soon. Wallace joined Combs' record label on launch day. Biggie's big break was appearing on Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" (remix). He garnered music industry notice as a guest performer. He remixed Craig Mack's "Flava in Ya Ear" with LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes in July 1994.

Biggie Small Net Worth 2023 Biggie released Ready to Die, his first solo album, on September 13, 1994. The Billboard Hot 100 ranked the song thirteenth. "Big Poppa" and "One More Chance" from the album reached #1. Over 1.1 million units were sold in 1995. It went six times platinum. Busta Rhymes said Wallace gave away free copies of Ready to Die from his residence for self-promotion and grassroots marketing. You may also like: - Actress Annie Wersching Cause Of Death: Annie Wersching Played a Variety of Characters in Movies And Television Shows - Is Mayim Bialik Married? Height, Age, Net Worth And More Information About Mayin Bialik Biggie became pals with Tupac Shakur and Shaquille O'Neal on his debut album. Biggie and O'Neal created "You Can't Stop the Reign." A second album from Notorious B.I.G., recorded over 18 months starting in September 1995. He visited New York, Trinidad, and Los Angeles. He also worked on Michael Jackson's ninth album, HIStory. Biggie was jailed in March 1996 for chasing and threatening to murder two autograph seekers in a Manhattan nightclub. Community service was 100 hours. Biggie was arrested for drug and firearm possession later that year. Biggie's meteoric rise elevated East Coast rap despite West Coast rap's peak popularity. As expected, coasts clashed. After a falling out and diss recordings, Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. sparked the East Coast vs. West Coast hip-hop battle. On September 7, 1996, six bullets killed Tupac in a drive-by shooting. He died six days later. Biggie's family dismissed the murder rumors. Death To promote his second studio album and film the music video for its lead single Hypnotize, Death Wallace jetted off to the Golden State in February 1997. Since he was concerned for his safety, he hired security guards. Biggie was shot and killed in a drive-by outside a Los Angeles museum on March 9, 1997, six months after Tupac had been killed in the same way. Earlier in the night, he had presented Toni Braxton with an award at the Soul Train Music Awards. At 12:45 a.m., as Biggie was leaving an afterparty, a black Chevy Impala pulled up next to his truck. When an unknown assailant opened fire on Wallace's vehicle, four bullets struck his vehicle. Biggie was rushed to Cedars-Sinai by his crew, but he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m., at the age of 24. The funeral was held on March 18 in Manhattan, and 350 people attended to pay their respects, including Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, Salt-N-Pepa, and many more. Both rappers were brutally murdered, and no one has ever been brought to justice. There are many differing theories and perspectives on what really happened to the two men. On March 25, 1997, just 16 days after Wallace's death, his second solo studio album was released. It was certified Diamond in 2000, making it one of the rare hip-hop albums to reach the top spot on the Billboard album charts. In the end, this album would earn 11 platinum certifications. The Notorious B.I.G.'s rapping style was known for its relaxed flow, the apparent autobiographical nature of its dark lyrics, and its ability to tell stories. Several albums and compilations have been released in his honor since his passing. Biggie's estate would make tens of millions of dollars in the decades after his death. Posthumous album releases, re-releases, licensing deals, and other factors have helped increase Biggie's estate to an estimated $160 million today. His mom, Voletta Wallace, is in charge of the estate. Along with Biggie's former manager Wayne Barrow, a merchandising manager, and several lawyers, Biggie's widow Faith Evans helps manage the estate. Read Next:> Raquel Leviss Net Worth: When Did Raquel Leviss Join ‘Vanderpump Rules’?

Personal Life Of Biggie Small

The couple had broken up by the time Wallace and his high school sweetheart Jan had their first child, T'yanna, on August 8, 1993. On August 4, 1994, Biggie married R&B singer Faith Evans. Reports say the couple got married just days after meeting at a Bad Boy photo shoot. On October 29, 1996, Evans gave birth to Biggie's son, Christopher C.J. Wallace Jr.  After rumors spread that Evans had an affair with Tupac Shakur, she became embroiled in the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry. As of Wallace's passing, he and Evans had been living apart but were not divorced.

Quick Facts

Net Worth in 2023 $160 million Full Name Christopher George Latore Wallace Nick Name Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G Birth Place  Brooklyn, New York, United States Birthday 21 May 1972 Death Date 9 March 1997 Age 24 years old ( 21 May 1972 – 9 March 1997) Occupation Rapper, Songwriter Sun Sign Gemini Spouse Faith Evans (m. 1994–1997) Height 6 feet 2 inches

Biggie Smalls’ Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZom_gVfuw&t=12s He created his channel on YouTube on March 12, 2006, and as of February 1, 2023, it had over 1,876,433,514 views and 3.3 million subscribers. Follow us on Twitter to check out our latest updates on our social media pages. Read the full article

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

BROOKLYN RAPPER DA INVISIBLE MAN MUSIC VIDEO "NO SUPPORT" STILL CLIMBING IN NUMBERS

BROOKLYN RAPPER DA INVISIBLE MAN MUSIC VIDEO "NO SUPPORT" STILL CLIMBING IN NUMBERS

In the bustling streets of Brooklyn, there was a rapper who went by the name Da Invisible Man. His music was raw, real, and unapologetically honest. His latest release, “No Support”, was a heartfelt anthem for all those who felt unseen and unheard.The music video for “No Support” was a work of art. Shot in a residential building in his hometown of Brooklyn. it captured the essence of Da Invisible…

[cyarskaren52]

The Beastie Boys have one of the most unique career trajectories in contemporary music. Three friends from Brooklyn, Adam Horovitz, Michael Diamond and Adam Yauch bonded over a love of stupid jokes and brilliant music. Their circle of friends included punks and artists from around New York City, and soon these three fans of hardcore thrash bands found themselves drawn in by the burgeoning Hip-Hop scene. 

Now calling themselves Ad-Rock, Mike D and MCA, they eventually emerged as Beastie Boys, landed on Def Jam, and proceeded to become the most obnoxious and best-selling rap group of the 1980s. But the Beasties soon bristled under their novelty rap tag, bucked Def Jam and moved out West, looking to shuck off their white boy frat rap image. Unexpectedly, they would resurface on Capitol Records, meet the Dust Brothers, and completely revamp their sound and image. Over 30 years later, and the Beastie Boys have one of Hip-Hop's most uniquely eclectic discographies.

The death of Adam "MCA" Yauch in 2012 effectively ended the Beasties as a group, but their legacy is forever. We picked 25 of the Dopest Beastie Boys songs. 

#26

"STICK EM UP" - DJ HURRICANE FEAT. BEASTIE BOYS [BONUS SONG]

Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! When DJ Hurricane dropped his solo album in 1994, the Beasties joined in on this single—that was also on the CB4 soundtrack.

#25

"EGG MAN"

This is sampling as high art right here. The Dust Brothers meld Curtis Mayfield's distinctive "Super Fly" groove with Sly & The Family Stone on this album cut from PAUL'S BOUTIQUE. 

#24

"THE NEW STYLE"

One of the best songs on the Beastie Boys' blockbuster debut album LICENSED TO ILL, it's a great showcase for the musicality underneath all of the obnoxiousness.

#23

"RICKY'S THEME"

As the Beasties got stronger as instrumentalists, the trio (and keyboardist Money Mark) branched out into jazz excursions. This track from ILL COMMUNICATION, is one of their best. An ode to their longtime buddy Ricky Powell. 

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#22

"RHYMIN' & STEALIN'"

John Bonham's iconic drums from Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks" announces LICENSED TO ILL in thunderous fashion. It made the Beasties sound like marauders descending upon a coastal town.

#21

"SHAKE YOUR RUMP"

Coming on the heels of the "To All The Girls" spoken word album opener, this kaleidoscopic collage of sounds serves as the first proper track on the seminal PAUL'S BOUTIQUE. The Dust Brothers flip everything from Foxy to the Funky Four+One, as the Beasties make it clear this isn't going to be LICENSED TO ILL 2.

#20

"BODY MOVIN'" (FATBOY SLIM REMIX)

With a flip of "Modern Dynamic Physical Fitness Activities" by Ed Durlacher, the Beasties got an only-they-could-pull-this-off hit, courtesy of a remix from Fatboy Slim. And Redman, Biz Markie and Erick Sermon show up on the radio remix.

#19

"LOOKING DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN"

In many ways, its the heart and soul of PAUL'S BOUTIQUE. One of the Beasties most unique tracks, it perfectly encapsulates the musical free-for-all approach to sampling at the core of that album's genius.

#18

"RIGHT RIGHT NOW NOW"

One of the best tracks on the NYC-dedicated TO THE 5 BOROUGHS, the Beasties show that they're not averse to direct commentary, as they address the post-9/11 political landscape.

#17

"HOLD IT NOW, HIT IT"

If there's any specific moment on LICENSED TO ILL that gives any inkling of where the Beastie Boys would go next, it's that album's very first single; an all-over-the-place classic that features the Boys and producer Rick Rubin running through a bevy of samples.

#16

"TOO MANY RAPPERS" FEAT. NAS

None other than Queensbridge legend Nasir Jones shows up for this dedication to emcees from the Beasties' final album HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE PART TWO.

#15

"SURE SHOT"

This sample-delic slice of perfection is one of the Beastie's most popular tracks, boasting a killer flute sample and MCA's famous apology for the group's early sexism.

#14

"CH-CHECK IT OUT"

The Boys were still up to their old hijinks as they crept into middle age; as evidenced by this killer single from TO THE 5 BOROUGHS. And the zany Nathaniel Hörnblowér-directed video is a classic. 

#13

"NO SLEEP TIL BROOKLYN"

It may not be quite as inescapable as "Fight For Your Right..." (more on that later), but this monster hit from LICENSED TO ILL is another definitive moment from the mid-80s.

#12

"GRATITUDE"

It's almost a test run for the full-on assault of "Sabotage" just a year or so later, but this standout rocker from CHECK YOUR HEAD features some killer fuzz bass courtesy of MCA and one of the group's hardest singles.

#11

"B-BOY BOUILLABAISSE"

It's an epic that could only have been created in the late 1980s. This towering testament to the artistry of sampling is the feather-in-the-cap for the groundbreaking PAUL'S BOUTIQUE, and one of the most innovative moments in Hip-Hop.

#10

"PASS THE MIC"

A towering epic that carries CHECK YOUR HEAD, it's still one of their best singles, and one of the strangest, most forward-pushing tracks of the early 1990s.

#9

"JIMMY JAMES"

The opening track from CHECK YOUR HEAD is a murky groove that belies just how great the Beasties were at melding their newfound band sensibilities into their established sampling approach. 

#8

"HEY LADIES"

Audiences didn't quite know what to make of it. The lead single from the Beasties' 2nd album PAUL'S BOUTIQUE was a clear indicator of just how far outside the box that album was going. It took the world years to catch up.

#7

"BRASS MONKEY"

It's one of the all-time great odes to getting shitfaced drunk. Another classic song from LICENSED TO ILL that cemented the Beasties' reputation as rabble rousing frat rap ruffians. 

#6

"HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER"

Over a loop of the intro from "Those Shoes" by The Eagles, Ad-Rock, Mike D and MCA offer up this weird-as-fuck story rap that sounds like the psychedelic sequel to "Paul Revere." Speaking of which...

#5

"PAUL REVERE"

Originally created in Adam Yauch's kitchen, the iconic backmasked beat would become a fixture, and this oddball story rap from LICENSED TO ILL would become one of the Beastie Boys' most beloved tracks. Amazing that it was never a single. 

#4

INTERGALACTIC

A clear indicator that the Beasties still had plenty creatively up their collective sleeves, this hit single from HELLO NASTY pushed the trio into the future while paying homage to the past.

#3

"SABOTAGE"

A song that's so 90s, you practically have to be wearing carpenter jeans and drinking a Zima to fully appreciate it. The Beasties rock harder than they'd ever rocked here; on this classic single that became a decade-defining moment for the band.

#2

"(YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY"

The song that defined them for so much of the 1980s. It's an image that's both indelible and cringeworthy; but it's a quintessential part of Beasties lore. And it helped launch LICENSED TO ILL into the stratosphere. 

#1

"SO WHAT'CHA WANT"

It's the perfect combination of the Beasties as a band and the group's gift for sampling. That hard-hitting groove is 90s perfection, and the distinctive thump of this single became the bedrock on which so much of the decade's "alternative" spirit was forged.

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[fmhiphop]

Drake's "It Was All A Blur Tour": First Brooklyn Show With A Special Guest

Iconic artist Aubrey "Drake" Graham absolutely put on a show last night. The Canadian was spreading love all throughout his entire performance to his fans, but he stopped in the middle of the show to take a shot of alcohol. So the "Best I Ever Had" rapper walked towards the DJ booth, where the audience was stunned by a special audience member and his family. The Currys Make An Appearance At Drake's Show The jumbotron shows professional basketball player Stephen Curry, his wife Ayesha, and his mom Sonya in the VIP section. The trio was just vibing to the amazing concert Graham was putting on. Sonya Curry looked like she was having the best time as Drake sang to her. Drizzy stopped to give his "look-alike" and the basketball icon a shoutout. "I got my brother in the building tonight. They say we look alike. Make some noise for my brother Steph Curry in the building one time. And of course, the lovely Ayesha Curry and mama bear, you know," said the Toronto native. The pair have been friends for a while, with the duo even playing ball in the rapper's backyard. Drake gives Steph Curry a shoutout at his New York show! (🎥: @WordOnRd) pic.twitter.com/3f0Hi0iFu9 — TSN (@TSN_Sports) July 18, 2023 Review Of The First Show in New York The "It Was All A Blur Tour" stop was filled with nothing but love and genuine vibes. There was even a point where Drake made audience members hug someone they did not know in between a song. He wanted everyone to feel comfortable and spread the love that his audience was giving him. He started out the setlist with "Look What You've Done" on the album "Take Care." The "Miss Me" rapper walked through the audience and acknowledged his fans with a smile on his face. He eventually sat next to what looked like a younger version of himself as he rapped the 2011 track. The "kid Drake" appeared throughout the show as popular shows like Family Matters and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air played on the jumbotron. The fans were ecstatic though when one particular show appeared on the screen, which Aubrey Graham appeared on the screen playing basketball. The show was obviously Degrassi. 21 Savage came to the stage towards the latter half of the concert. He came with a different energy to the stage that got the audience turnt up on another level. The Atlanta rapper performed classics like "Bank Account" and "X." Tour Dates in New York His first stop in Brooklyn, New York was Chef's kiss. I imagine it will only get better from here. He has three more shows at Barclays Center on July 18, 20, and 21. Plus he has three more shows at Madison Square Garden on July 23, 23, and 26. Written by Vhannah | Instagram | YouTube  Read the full article

[dailyrapfacts]

18-year-old suspect confesses to pulling the trigger in Pop Smoke’s murder

The suspect was a teenager at the time of the crime One suspect in the killing of Pop Smoke has admitted to letting of the fatal shot that hit the late Brooklyn rapper, according Fox 11 Los Angeles. The suspect was 15 at the time of the 2020 shooting and will be detained at a state juvenile facility until he’s 25 when he’ll be released. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ Akademiks…

[fangomusic]

20 "Baby" songs, for all sorts of moods:

B-A-B-Y, Carla Thomas

Baby, Os Mutantes

Baby Blue, Action Bronson (featuring Chance the Rapper)

Baby Can I Hold You, Tracy Chapman

Baby Come Back, Player

Baby Don't Cry, INXS

Baby Got Back, Sir Mix-A-Lot

Baby Love, The Supremes

…Baby One More Time, Britney Spears

Baby You're a Rich Man, The Beatles

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), Nancy Sinatra

Be My Baby, The Ronettes

Big Bang Baby, Stone Temple Pilots

Brooklyn Baby, Lana Del Rey

Cry Baby, Janis Joplin

Hey Baby, No Doubt

Industry Baby, Lil Nas X (featuring Jack Harlow)

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, Bob Dylan

My Baby Just Cares for Me, Nina Simone

Step Into My Office, Baby, Belle and Sebastian

[usasharenews]

Rapper TDott Woo shot and killed outside Brooklyn home

Rapper TDott Woo shot and killed outside Brooklyn home

CANARSIE, Brooklyn (WABC) — The NYPD is investigating, after an up-and-coming rapper and dancer was fatally shot outside his Brooklyn home. 22-year-old Tahjay Dobson was killed Tuesday in Canarsie. It happened hours after he signed a contract with Million Dollar Music under the stage name TDott Woo. The label says Dobson’s dance and music electrified the streets and captivated a generation. “We…

[thewtcho]

Was Rapper Leeky G Bando Shot In Brooklyn? Is He Dead Or Alive?

Was Rapper Leeky G Bando Shot In Brooklyn? Is He Dead Or Alive?

Rapper Leeky G Bando was shot on August 3 in Brooklyn, New York, and was taken to the hospital by authorities. Despite the rapper’s songs that features shootings and totally different acts of violence, Bando had on no account engaged in a brawl sooner than. The Brooklyn Drill rapper’s safety is a precedence for most of the people, and the incident is being regarded into by the…

[lovewasherelab]

Master fetish trainer/adult entertainer/rapper: @therealkingnoire 📸Ph: @i.am.tarricelove Art direction by @i.am.tarricelove2 Shot with @canonusa Location : Bedstuy, Brooklyn, NY Lighting: @paulcbuffinc _______________________________________ Rights Reserved ©copyright Tarrice Love. 2023 for rates and booking email me at tlove.photographer@gmail.com _______________________________________ #explorepage #art #artist #creative #classic #clean #blackart #blackphotographers #blackartist #blackart #fetishtrainer #kingnoire #tarricelove #therealtarriceloveexperience #imadethat #madebyme #canon #canonrebel #loveismyrealname #style #photography #lovewashere #allloveallpride✊🏾

[shyblogafrica]

Last words of Pop Smoke revealed by woman who witnessed his murder

Last words of Pop Smoke revealed by woman who witnessed his murder

Last words of Pop Smoke revealed by woman who witnessed his murder Amelia Rose, the woman who was present when rapper Pop Smoke was killed has given a terrible story of the Brooklyn rapper’s murder on the first episode of WE TV’s Hip Hop Homicides, which aired earlier this month. Rose was with the rapper when he was shot dead during a home invasion in February 2020. Rose recalled Pop walking…

[yasbxxgie]

The Artist’s Way: Writer-director Radha Blank ruminates on creative frustration and rejuvenation in her debut feature, The Forty-Year-Old Version

Fair warning: This interview with Radha Blank isn’t business — it’s personal. Right now, like at this very moment, Radha is being introduced to the world as the writer, director, and star of the remarkable new Netflix film The Forty-Year-Old Version. But I remember Radha in the 1990s, smashing open mics at Brooklyn Moon in N.Y.C., rocking a fitted N.Y. Yankees cap and big hoop earrings. I remember her jumping into cyphers and catching wreck (read: she can dance her ass off) at Club Kilimanjaro. I remember sitting in the audience of her play Seed in 2011 and thinking, Damn, homegirl can write. I remember witnessing the rise of her emcee alter ego and one-woman show RadhaMUSprime at Joe’s Pub in 2014 and thinking, Damn, Radha can rhyme. AND she funny AF. Because Radha was (and is) a part of a close-knit artists’ community, I also recall her hustle, the keeping-the-lights-on-while-trying-to-make-your-dreams-come-true shuffle we know so well. Radha worked as a teacher, she wrote for children’s television and for shows such as Empire and She’s Gotta Have It.

So when The Forty-Year-Old Version won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at Sundance earlier this year, the community rejoiced! This wasn’t just a win for Radha, it was a win for the people. Here was a film rooted in Radha’s own story, about a woman at 40; a Black artist trying to get her stories told — as a playwright and as a rapper; a daughter grieving the death of her mother. Radha told her story her way, down to shooting the streets of New York on 35mm film in black and white. The result is a whole, liberating mood. There’s even a nod to Prince’s Purple Rain.

Karen Good Marable: First of all, Radha, congratulations! The Forty-Year-Old Version is amazing. Your success feels so much like a win for Brooklyn. A win for us all. Thank you for writing it. Radha Blank: I really did make it for us — us being Black women, Black women of a certain age, Black women artists of a certain age. I didn’t think I’d be starting a whole new career in my 40s, but I think it speaks to what’s possible if you let go of other people’s ideas of where you should be in your life. If I listened to other people and gave credence to their ideas, I would not be here.

Amen. When you were younger, did you have the boxes to check, i.e., “I need to get this done by 30, I need to get this done by 40”? Were you that girl? RB:

I think I was that girl. And I always say this about aging: It’s never really about the person; it’s about other people’s perceptions that you then take on. I thought by 40, I would be married with a couple of kids, all of my work being published, theaters asking, “Can we do a revival of this play now?” I really thought once I decided to be a playwright, which was probably my mid-20s, I thought, Oh, by 40, I’m going to be set up. I will have a house. And I do have a house, but that came from Cookie and Lucious Lyon. They got me a house.

Come through, Empire. RB:

I feel like we’ve all been conditioned to think that 40 is: You’re an adult, you’re accomplished, you’re established. What me and my character share is there’s still all of these “who am I” moments, questions around identity. Especially when my mother died, I really had to figure out who I was, because so much of my life as a woman, as a person, as a Black American, as an artist, was tied to this woman. When she died, I really had no sense of myself. So I feel like my personal experience propelled me toward telling the story. We just don’t see women of that age saying, What do I do next? Am I happy? Is this enough?

Your mother — curator, visual artist, cinephile, and arts teacher Carol Blank — figures prominently in the film. She is a goddess and a guide, but she also represents a complicated lesson in what it means to be an artist. RB: Oh, listen, I feel like everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from my mother — from my frustration as an artist to being a teaching artist for so long. That’s where I learned how to be a director, honestly. I didn’t go to film school. I did stand-up comedy and all this performance stuff, and my first example was my mother. She knew how to turn a phrase or a joke to get the kids interested, and if they weren’t, she wasn’t going to push it. I learned from her first, and I tried to match her energy.

I don’t know what my mother went through when she turned 40, as an artist. I know she was a mom of two by that time, but I gathered — especially because she was a teaching artist for so many years — that she was hustling, jumping between these different roles, trying to make sense of something for herself. In that way, I feel like the movie and my journey as an artist brought me closer to her. I was like, Oh, this is what you had to go through. And then you had two kids on top of that?

In the film, your character is also a teacher. As much as she tries to model support and positivity, sometimes the frustration seeps through. One line stayed with me: “Don’t think that because you created something, people will appreciate it.” RB:

Yeah, I have been bitter. I was able to transform that into a film; it gave me a story to tell. But I did feel that theater as an institution didn’t pay off, there wasn’t much of a dividend. I had done a play in 2011 called Seed, and everyone was like, “Girl, this is your breakout! This is your moment! This play is going on Broadway!” None of that shit happened. Theater was not responding in the same way. I was quietly devastated by it, and I think the movie is my exploration of the why. How come things didn’t happen for me? Here’s someone who has been trying for 20-something years and my biggest accomplishment was 10 years ago when I was 30. That’s why I invented the 30 Under 30 award for my character: The idea that accomplishments are amplified by one’s proximity to youth. There’s no 50 Under 50 award. Or 60 Under 60. Being young and doing something as an artist seems more of a cause for celebration. You know what I mean?

There’s also this theme of displacement that runs through the film. In addition to your protagonist feeling out of place in the classroom and in the theater community, she’s also setting a play, Harlem Ave, that deals with gentrification. RB:

So, my parents were gentrifiers in their own way in the late 60s and 70s, when they moved to the south side of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They didn’t displace people, because what they and their artist and jazz musician comrades would do is take over dilapidated spaces that were considered unlivable — broken-down lofts and factories and storefronts — and create community. There was an investment in engaging the community that came before you, whereas now I think gentrification really is just about an opportunity for the person moving in — “Oh, look at this dope, cheap brownstone that I can get” — with no regard for what came before.

Right. RB: The same thing happens with these artistic institutions: They find a dilapidated space, they revive it and put a million dollars into it. Then when it comes to programming, the people on the stage don’t look like the people outside of the gate. They’re thinking of their silver-haired patrons, because those people can afford a $100 ticket, and that is who I feel most of the theaters cater to. So when diversity shows up on the stage, it’s a version of diversity that protects the audience from feeling bad about racism or sexism. They can still remain in a comfortable place, so they can come back next week or next month and see something for the $300 membership.

But then you brilliantly juxtapose said institutions with the battle rap in the Bronx. RB: I wanted to show these different hubs of art in New York. This film is about capturing an authentic New York experience, and so we shot that battle rap scene at a warehouse space at the tip-top of the Bronx. Art and culture are happening in these spaces that we’re not always focusing the camera on and that don’t have the multimillion-dollar renovation fund of a downtown theater. But this is theater. This is art.

Is that battle based on an actual show? RB:

Yes. Well, we recreated that. Babs Bunny, who people may recognize from Making the Band, created this brand called Queen of the Ring. If you go on YouTube, you’ll see their battle raps. I would watch them because I just needed to see women slaying shit and not being proper or polite. I just wanted to put it into a cinematic world.

Your pen is equally hard-hitting, Radha. Rhymes like “Poverty Porn” and “This Some Bullshit” do so much in revealing character, advancing the narrative. RB:

Thank you. I mean, I feel like if we’re stopping to listen to a song, it should still be about advancing the narrative. We’re still moving forward, riding on this person’s frustration, but into the next scene, next act, or what have you. I think it comes from being a playwright, making sure that everything is earned and not just thrown in there for novelty or because it’s colorful and interesting. I feel like RadhaMUSprime is probably an explosion of her consciousness, the things that she’d been suppressing.But yeah, I’m an emcee. I rhyme. The beautiful thing about the film is I didn’t have to become a professional rapper. I don’t feel like the movie is 8 Mile. I say the movie is 2 Mile,

because she’s not trying to go that far. She’s not trying to be a hip-hop star. For her, hip-hop is a meditation and it shows up in many ways, from the trap beat floating outside her window, to her freestyling in the mirror, or with the dudes in the basement cypher at Arlene’s Grocery.

In some ways, the moral and artistic struggles of The Forty-Year-Old Version remind me of Hollywood Shuffle, Robert Townsend’s 1987 classic. RB:

I appreciate that you bring up Hollywood Shuffle, because I know that because I’m Black and I’m shooting in black and white, people always make the comparison to She’s Gotta Have It. But I feel like my film calls back to Hollywood Shuffle, about a Black artist confronting the white gatekeepers on who gets to tell a Black story and how.

Exactly. And like Townsend, you wrote, directed, and starred in your own first feature film. How was that experience, and do you think you would do it again? RB:

I wouldn’t say I regret being in my film, but I think that there’s probably more of a fascination with my film because I’m in it. And I have too much respect for actors to call myself one. I don’t come from training. I don’t sit in these auditions day after day. I don’t have to endure seven callbacks for a role. I just think that when an audience is familiar with a face, it might make it easier for them to go down the line with this person. So while I don’t plan on being in another one of my films, I do plan on mining my family legacy for storytelling, and on telling stories where music is a driving force.I really want to be an auteur. I’m hoping that my stories get quieter. Very quiet, but very potent. A slow burn, but such a beautiful payoff. I want to make work like that.

Amen.

Photographs:

Radha Blank on set, t & m

Radha Blank with her fellow cast members

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

HIPHOPRAISEDMETHEBLOG.COM BIG HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY SALUTE HALF~A~MIL HIP HOP ANGEL

HIPHOPRAISEDMETHEBLOG.COM BIG HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY SALUTE HALF~A~MIL HIP HOP ANGEL

Jasun Ward (January 25, 1973 – October 22, 2003) better known by his stage name Half a Mill, was a Brooklyn-based American rapper. Half a Mill was considered an underground rapper in the early 1990s. His mainstream breakthrough came in 1997 when he scored a guest spot on supergroup The Firm‘s only release, The Album. Wardlaw was shot and killed in Brooklyn’s Albany Projects on October 22, 2003.…

[moodymaudy]

FLATBUSH ZOMBIES and the acid rap

Flatbush Zombies is one of my favorite recent hiphop/acid rap bands. I think I discovered them in 2016 as I was falling in love with their album 3001: A Laced Odyssey. Obviously the title is a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a travel into reality, into space, into a distorted reality. It’s powerful, aggressive, soft… It’s a lot of things.

The Flatbush Zombies is a holy Trinity:

Erick the Architect -production and rapper, he makes great beats, adds lots of references into his beats, and manages to find a great balance between rhythm, airiness and strong beats.

Meechy Darko -rapper, renewed the way of rapping and developed his own style, with a deep and husky voice. He has a quite agressive and fluent flow.

Zombie Juice -rapper, very limpid, heart and soul flow, that dances. It works really well as Meechy’s flow counterpoint.

As we can guess after the name of their group, they come from Flatbush a neighborhood in Brooklyn, NYC. They’re East Coast rappers who worked really well on their image and offered something new.

They have a colorful look, tie and dye their hair, a peculiar and original style (psychedelic tie-dye t-shirts, pink furs, patterned suits…). A style that is definitely different from other East Coast rappers (like the A$AP Mob, or Joey Badass -who will be wearing more like plain suits, or obviously luxury brands, sometimes wearing diamonds and rings…).

They developed a very definite universe in between main rap themes (like weed -and drugs-, women, sex, success) and more unconventional themes (like new ways of feeling reality (not only through being high and day-to-day consumption of psychedelics but also in a spiritual way), death, ego death, reincarnation…).

On their webpage, they posted videos that they probably shot during their debuts entitled ‘HiGH Def’ -an obvious pound. You see them taking drugs, having fun, performing at concerts, working… it’s a montage of short clips.

If their consumption of marijuana is a leitmotive in their songs, acid is also a recurrent theme.

In some songs, Meechy Darko also shares the results of being on drugs ‘all the time’ and this his what he could call ego death. He also plays on his persona, as a crazy disturbed spiritual man.

“LSD drops in my iris, tire mark, police sirens

No guidance, the belly of the beast is where I reside in”, R.I.P.C.D

Zombie Juice even talks about one of his experience on acid for an animated webseries.

The music video clip also conveys this impression of flyness and distorted reality linked to psychedelic drugs. I believe their combination of music and flow also adds to that feeling, especially the fact that we can hear up to three voices, giving the listener many different experiences and could almost embody different states of being high.

They play with split-screens, camera movements that are more abrupt than in other music videos.

Here below the very simple music video of their song S.C.O.S.A, that is, in my opinion, one of their most violent and trap-like songs and music video (less acid). But in this one, you can have a very good example and avant-goût of the video effects they use in most of their videos.

I first wanted to analyze one of their songs or one of their music videos but it was too hard for me to make a choice. I hope that you’ve found this overview about The Flatbush Zombies interesting.

And I’ll end this post by saying that in my opinion acid rap isn’t only about a style of music nor beats, but it is to be also found in the style and the image they made for themselves.