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Cannabis has certainly lost a lot of the stigma that was attached to it a decade ago. More dispensaries are popping up as more states decide to legalize the plant for recreational use, allowing safer access and more jobs. With that in mind, the communities that have been affected most by the war on drugs also haven't been allowed their fair share of the industry. So, Jay-Z is putting his money where his mouth is and launching a fund to help minority-owned cannabis businesses, per WSJ. Michael Kovac/Getty Images The new fund arrives after the acquisition of Left Coast Ventures and VMG Partners by Subversive Capital Acquisition Corp. The two companies have now been merged under the name The Parent Company and are taking $10M from their seed money acquired by Jay to launch the Social Equity Ventures Fund. The new fund will work towards promoting Black-owned cannabis ventures to combat the efforts of America's War On Drugs. "We were the ones most negatively affected by the war on drugs, and America has turned around and created a business from it that’s worth billions," Jay-Z said to WSJ. "I wanted to do something in a real, concrete way, where I do my part." Jay-Z also recently launched his own cannabis brand called Monogram. For more on hip-hop's relationship with the cannabis industry, read, "All The Smoke: Hip Hop’s Capital In The Multibillion Dollar Cannabis Industry." [Via] View the full article

The talk of the town since January 1st was when we'd be receiving a new album from Drake. The rapper's sixth studio album, Certified Lover Boy was announced last summer with a fall update revealing that it would be set to drop in January. Rumors of the release date have hit the net while songs from the project have been leaking. Yet Drake's been relatively quiet. Even in the past few days of chatter, the rapper hasn't said much, simply indicating that he was still working on it. Unfortunately, it seems that Drake won't be pulling through this month as promised. The rapper hit Instagram with a message to his fans, breaking the bad news that its release has been pushed back. "I was planning to release my album this month, but between surgery and rehab, my energy has been dedicated to recovery," he wrote. "I'm blessed to be back on my feet, feeling great and focused on the album, but CLB won't be dropping in January. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all in 2021." The fact that there wasn't even a timeline on when we could expect it isn't promising. However, if Drake is holding the release of his album off until later on this year, maybe we'll at least be able to be outside to enjoy it. Interestingly enough, Drake's message arrived just a day after an apparent tweet from Charlie Puth's Twitter account announced that Drake's album would drop on Friday. Check out Drizzy's message below. Are you disappointed Drake's not dropping this month? View the full article

Happy Birthday, Joey Bada$$. The Brooklyn-bred rapper celebrates his 26th year on this planet, and we've all been fortunate enough to be on this journey with him for the past few years. Since 17, he's been in the game. That's nearly a decade. Even if he's been relatively low-key in recent times, he let fans know that he was coming through with something. And he didn't fail to deliver on his promise. Joey Bada$$ is back with his long-awaited return with the release of one of his first solo tracks in a minute, "Let It Breathe. Produced by Statik Selektah, the rapper offers an introspective take on his career to date, from the highs to the lows while showcasing that his pen is still sharper than ever. "They throw dirt up on my name like I'm already buried/ Graveyard shifts, 'til they put me in a cemetary/ Until then, I'm gettin' better every January," he raps on the first verse. Peep the latest offering from Joey Bada$$ below. Are you excited for his next album? Quotable Lyrics Tell them group of broads not to call now They tellin' me to calm down But bein' humble was the first mistake I ever made Not knowin' my worth was the biggest price I ever paid So 'til I leave this earth, I'ma shine on n***as everyday View the full article

Early Wednesday morning, the former POTUS Donald Trump carried out one of his final acts as President, releasing a list of 143 people in federal prison who will be pardoned in a late-night blast at 1 am. Included in the list were Lil Wayne, Kodak Black, Death Row Records co-founder Harry-O, and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez. Not included on the list was Joe Exotic, who had filed a 250-page request for clemency to the President and even had a limo waiting outside of his Texas prison today before finding out the news. Now, the Tiger King star is claiming he did not receive a pardon because he was "too gay." The former wildlife sanctuary owner wrote on his Instagram page today, "140 million Joe Exotic fans had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. We are as disappointed that The President did not sign Joe’s Pardon, as we were confident yesterday that he would. It is only because of you 140 million fans that Joe’s Pardon was even a possibility. Since his trial, the evidence has made it clear that Joe is not guilty but, rather, he is a victim of the persons he trusted most." He continued by adding, "I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump. I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post. Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice? His corrupt friends all come first." Without elaborating further on why he believes his sexuality is the reason he was denied clemency, he then went on to continue encouraging people to help #freejoeexotic. Exotic's husband Dillon Passage previously told People magazine how they are working through Joe's 22-year prison sentence, explaining, "The only thing that's keeping us going is really just hoping for the best, and these lawyers seem like they have a really good plan to kind of get things executed." There's no word yet on whether or not Joe will get a second chance at being pardoned. [via] View the full article

A$AP Rocky is known for making daring choices when it comes to his outward aesthetic, making his mark in the music industry as one of the best fashion and street-style connoisseurs around in the game. Earlier in the month, the "Fashion Killa" artist announced that the upcoming Yams Day 2021, which will commemorate the death of A$AP Yams this time 6 years ago, would be completely virtual. Rocky presented Yammy Awards to Drake, Travis Scott, Baby Keem, and others, while also premiering new music at the event. In addition to the theatrics of Yams Day itself, A$AP also debuted a flashy new grill made of diamonds and real canary flowers. As reported by the jeweler who worked on the spectacular sight on Instagram, the grill was commissioned ahead of the big events on Yams Day. "Happy Yams Day! Flower Grillz," captioned Tetsuya Akiyama, the Japanese grillz jeweler known for his impressive mouth-ice creations. He also shared a series of videos featuring the rapper showing off his new grill. The new flower grill was donned by the Brooklyn native and appears in his most recent Instagram post after purging his page ahead of Yams Day 2021. Often known to rock gold or diamond in his teeth, this new set is truly the first of its kind for A$AP. Check out some more images of the ice below. Let us know how you feel about A$AP Rocky's elegant new grill down in the comment. View the full article

Back in October, Blac Chyna made headlines for storming out of an interview with Adam 22 for the No Jumper podcast after he asked her about her previous relationship with Bow Wow. Angry at him for "bring weird with her," the new artist left the interview after just 18 minutes. In an interview for VladTV, the podcaster got candid about what he calls "the most bulls*it ass interview." During his interview for VladTV, DJ Vlad begins by bringing up the topic of plastic surgery before asking the No Jumper host about his experience interviewing the 32-year-old socialite. "I tried to interview her," he explained. "The whole thing lasted 18 minutes. Whatever is on Youtube is the full thing." When asked about why she stormed out, the podcaster responded, "Well, it all started cus she walked in and she wanted to use the bathroom and I mean, my space is in a warehouse so the bathroom is like, pretty akin to any warehouse you've ever been to, it's not the worst," he explained. He went on, "She takes one look at it and she's just like 'no,' I'm not doing it and she's so pissed," while offering her an option to use the restroom at McDonald's or Starbucks. They continued on with the interview, with Adam22 adding, "I already knew this is not the energy to be going into an interview with, you know, if she had sat down and done a good interview and actually showing the version of herself that I'm sure exists... she came in and gave me the most bullsh*t ass interview and I couldn't believe it." He then went on to explain his experience interviewing Amber Rose the following week, praising the 37-year-old model for her kind manners and genuine personality. Check out the full clip of Adam22's interview with Blac Chyna above. Also, be sure to refresh your memory with the original interview below as well. [via] View the full article

Rihanna is an absolute icon, and she's going to continue doing iconic sh*t forever and always. On today's history-making day, marking the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Rihanna felt like doing her part, taking a picture of herself taking out the trash and offering her services to the Biden-Harris administration. "I’m just here to help," she wrote on Instagram, adding, "#wediditJoe". In the picture, Rihanna stands tall in a pair of kitten heels, rocking a bodysuit with an "end racism" t-shirt over it. She covered her eyes with some dark shades and layered a few choker necklaces. Previously, Rihanna offered massive praise for Biden and Harris after they delivered their victory speeches in November. "The faces of history makers, boundary breakers, and WINNERS!! CONGRATULATIONS to you both, and mostly to the American people," she tweeted after the election. "So much work to do, so much hurt to undo! Let’s GO! I’m so proud of you America!" A year before her congratulatory message was sent out, RiRi was critical of Biden and his message about "poor kids" being just as talented as white kids. "Whoa! And he's convinced he said something great here," she wrote in August 2019. "Even when they fake it, the truth about how they feel about us is blatant!" While Joe Biden likely isn't her preferred choice for President, Rihanna is celebrating the fact that Trump is officially out, gladly taking out the trash they left in the White House. Bryan Bedder/Getty Images This week, Rihanna shared photos from her summertime visit to Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Read about that here. View the full article

As people all across America tune in to watch today's inaugural ceremony for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, live reactions to the ceremony poured in across social media platforms everywhere. Earlier in the day, the internet fawned over former first lady Michelle Obama's Sergio Hudson look at today's events, while the internet mocked Donald and Melania Trump for presumably departing the White House with no Barron in sight. Perhaps the most exciting moment for the internet, however, was the fresh set of Bernie Sanders' memes deriving from the event. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images The Vermont socialist Senator elected to forgo a formal overcoat and dress coat in favor of a warmer jacket a bit more suitable for Winter conditions in his home state back in New England. He paired the parka with hand-knitted mittens while carrying a large manila envelope with a mailing label tucked under his arm as he searched for his seat. "Berniedressedtostandonlineatthepostoffice," joked freelance writer Clare Malone. One user wrote, "I wanna be Michelle Obama but I know I'm a Bernie Sanders," comparing Sanders' look to Michelle Obama's snazzy plum-toned matching set. Pigeons & Planes even edited the former presidential candidate onto the album covers of good kid, m.A.A.d city, The College Dropout, and Views. Here are some more of the funniest Bernie Sanders inauguration memes. View the full article

Post Malone has been keeping busy during the pandemic, hunkering down in the studio and preparing his next studio album for release. According to the superstar artist's manager Dre London, we're in store for something special when it does release. This week, London took to Instagram to build hype for Posty's next moves. Sharing a video of the rockstar artist casually strumming on an acoustic guitar, Dre London wrote, "I know [the world] waiting for that @postmalone musical fix! Stand by!! We planning to do a few special things during #2021." The album was previously teased for a release last year, but the pandemic seems to have pushed back those plans. He previously had this to say about the body of work. "I’m working on an album now. There’s so much to say in these times that will give people hope and hopefully uplift people’s spirits. Because it’s a dark time in America. In the darkest of times, I’m just trying to make something beautiful out of it." Posty says that the music is different from anything he's ever released, adding, "To be honest, I think everyone in America is going a little bit crazy sitting at home all day. So I’ve gone a little bit crazy, and I wanted to take more steps outside of my comfort range and make music that I think — to me — is some of the best I’ve made." Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Post Malone recently donated 10,000 pairs of his sold-out Crocs collaboration to frontline medical workers across the country. He's also been teased for a possible collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign, who said this during an interview: "Who knows if I might do it again. But I'm sure it's possible. Posty and Ty Dolla $ign album coming soon." Stay tuned for Posty's next moves! View the full article

It's no secret that Fat Joe is a die-hard Eminem fan -- possibly even a Stan, in the eyes of some. For the most part, Joey Crack has been a vocal supporter of Slim Shady's greatness, having frequently praised the Detroit rapper's storied catalog. In fact, he's also shared a few interesting anecdotes stemming back from the Terror Squad's heydey, when the legendary Big Pun was still putting in work on the mic. As he and Remy Ma revealed, Pun was actively pursuing an Eminem collaboration, though it never came to pass as Pun died on February 7th, 2000. Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images Yesterday, Fat Joe took a moment to chop it up with Bow Wow on Instagram Live, where he proceeded to ask his signature question -- the Top 5 best rappers of all time. After Bow Wow named his uncle Snoop Dogg, 2Pac Shakur, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, and Jay-Z, he clarifies that he was close to including Eminem. "I was going to throw Em in there," says Bow Wow, admitting that he's been noticing that rappers are hesitant to include Eminem in their top fives. "As far as lyricism and wordplay, I don't understand how dude can just rhyme words that don't rhyme, and he makes them rhyme." Naturally, Bow Wow's praise triggers Fat Joe's own fandom. "Eminem is incredible, he's something else" says Joe. "You know and I know, if he wasn't something else, he wouldn't be where he's at. That man was so exceptional. I remember when Em's first album came out, we was in L.A for the Grammys. Me and Big Pun waited in line -- and Pun was nominated for two Grammys, he was already double platinum -- and me and him physically waited in line at the Tower Records to buy Eminem's album." "What happens is, one of the biggest misconceptions ever, is that all the other new white rappers that come up in the game, they feel they have to diss Eminem to get to another level," continues Joe. "They want to go to war with him even though he's still dead nice. The next Peurto Rican rapper don't gotta diss Fat Joe -- show me love, I'll embrace you!" Check out Bow Wow and Fat Joe's take on Eminem below, as captured by Shady Records fansite Southpawer. All things considered, it's refreshing to see Fat Joe still riding for Eminem after all these years -- it's no wonder the pair had such good chemistry on "Lord Above," a highlight when it dropped in late 2018. View the full article

Earlier in the day on Wednesday (January 19th) prior to the inauguration ceremony of President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris, Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump departed the White House for one final time. As they walked across the South Lawn to board Marine One and leave the nation's capital, noticeably absent from their exit was Barron Trump, the only child of Melania and Donald. Pete Marovich - Pool/Getty Images While one explanation for the 14-year-old's absence could be that he simply did not need to be there and left already, that did not stop the internet from speculating that they had in fact "forgotten" their son back at the White House. One user wrote, "Yo, where's Barron tho? Did he escape?" Another joked, "Is Barron still in the White House like some sort of Home Alone situation," referencing to the memorable 90s classic Home Alone starring Macaulay Culkin as 8-year-old Kevin, who wakes up to his empty mansion after his parents accidentally leave for the airport without him. The family will be moving to Florida after leaving the White House, with Melania using her final days in the West Wing to map out her future. Barron will now attend school in Florida as well. Check out some more reactions to the Trumps departing the White House without Barron. View the full article

LeBron James is arguably the most popular name in sports, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to their seventeenth championship last season and looking to repeat this year. Off the court, he's always tapped into the hottest sounds in hip-hop, often using Instagram Stories to co-sign rising artists and established rappers alike. Most recently, he showed the world that he was a fan of Lil Durk's single "Stay Down", which features 6LACK and Young Thug. Unfortunately, the video upload ended up sticking to the internet for the wrong reasons. While LeBron's handles are highly-superior on the court, he can't seem to grasp hold of song lyrics a lot of the time. He's historically messed up lyrics from Lil Baby, Pop Smoke, and many more. This week, he's being trolled for royally flubbing the lyrics to 6LACK's chorus in "Stay Down", seemingly singing "yabadabadodobo Old Navy" where the artist says "hoppin' out the car, no photos, baby". People have been getting at King James for his version of the song, having a laugh at his expense. However, 6LACK says that LeBron might have been onto something, reposting the viral video and adding his two cents. "Maybe I wrote the lyrics wrong & he's the correct one," said 6LACK on TikTok. He said almost the same thing on Twitter, commenting, "The sureness made me question my own lyrics". Do you think 6LACK should advocate for Lil Durk to add LeBron James to the remix? View the full article

Epik High carved space for themselves in the South Korean mainstream. With their tenth album, 'Epik High Is Here,' they're paving new ground for other artists, too. View the full article

Epik High carved space for themselves in the South Korean mainstream. With their tenth album, 'Epik High Is Here,' they're paving new ground for other artists, too. View the full article

One of the greatest MCs of all time will be linking up with the legendary Diamond D of the Diggin' In The Crates Crew for an ode to New York City. The rapper and producer announced that they would be releasing a joint project titled, Gotham: A Hip-Hop Love Letter To New York City. The album's due out sometime this year, though a release date hasn't been set. Until we get that, they've served up a new single to get us excited for what they have in store this year. The two teamed up for the single, "Far Out Bar Out" featuring A.F.R.O. Kweli and A.F.R.O. go bar-for-bar over the classic East Coast production. Peep the single below and sound off with your thoughts in the comments. Quotable Lyrics I'm never subtle and I love it when they fumble they words And start to mumble, and I'm still calm and humble View the full article

Russ has been one of the game's foremost advocates for the independent route, frequently praising the benefits of a self-owned catalog. In fact, there are many who have come to look at Russ as a welcome source of knowledge, the rare sort of artist who actively seeks to better the future of his fellow emcees. While that hasn't exactly converted all haters, many have taken to putting further respect on Russ' name, especially when he drops gems at such a frequent rate. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images Today, Russ has come through to open up about a recent milestone he achieved, thanks to the release of his new single "UGLY" with Lil Baby. "imma be honest...gettin on a radio was the only element of bein independent that I didn’t really know how I was gonna conquer," admits Russ, flexing his latest accomplishment on Twitter. "This means A LOT. MOST ADDED. preciate everyone supporting" For those who don't know, he's referring to the fact that "UGLY" was the most-added single to Urban Radio, proving that Russ fans are among the most loyal in the game. As for the song itself, "UGLY" marks the first time Russ and Lil Baby have collaborated -- but perhaps not the last, given the success their Boi-1da-produced new single continues to see. Check out the rapper's celebration below, and be sure to sound off with your thoughts on the independent empire Russ has built since first entering the game. View the full article

Lil Wayne was one of the most prominent celebrity endorsements for former President Donald Trump during the 2020 election. The rapper posed for photos with the controversial President, co-signing his Platinum Plan for Black Americans. On Tuesday night, Trump used his final hours in the Oval Office to pardon over seventy people, including Lil Wayne, granting clemency to another seventy, including Kodak Black. Bradford Cohen, the shared attorney of Kodak and Wayne, has already issued a statement on their respective situations, but he's speaking out a second time to combat claims that Tunechi only endorsed Trump to get pardoned. Speaking with The New York Times, Bradford Cohen said that he helped organize the meeting between Lil Wayne and Trump, denying that it was a strategic decision for the rapper to endorse Trump to earn a Presidential pardon. Cohen claims that the meeting likely did help to sway Trump in deciding to pardon Wayne, but it was not the rapper's intention. "It never hurts that someone gets a full understanding of an individual when they're just looking at a piece of paper," he said. "In hindsight, I guess it worked out." Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Cohen goes on to say that Trump and Wayne shared a connection following their meeting. "I think they had a very strong connection," he added. "He’s in the entertainment world. He’s got a style that’s similar in terms of the way that he carries himself, and a lot of rappers and people in the industry relate to that." Lil Wayne's pardon has been celebrated by some of hip-hop's greats, including 2 Chainz, Royce Da 5'9", Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, and more. [via] + [via] View the full article

Today is a special day, as the legendary Questlove celebrates his 50th birthday. Having played an integral role in developing the iconic and genre-bending sound of The Roots, Quest has been widely hailed as one of hip-hop's most accomplished musicians -- and for good reason. Having amassed an incredible discography to his name, it's difficult to single out a specific track. However, there's something electric about The Roots Phrenology crossover classic "The Seed 2.0," on which Quest provides a sturdy backbone with plenty of swagger. Speaking of, "The Seed 2.0" is about as debonnair an anthem as they come, fueled by twangy guitar chords, a dominant bassline, and Quest's controlled drum work. Black Thought and Cody ChestnuTT hold down the vocal honors, the former's gravelly storytelling the perfect contrast to the latter's soulful vocals. "She want platinum or ice and gold, she want a whole lot of something to fold," raps Thought, his flow locked in an infectious scheme. "If you an obstacle, she just drop you cold cause one monkey don't stop the show." Though he doesn't provide any vocals, Quest's presence is certainly felt throughout, especially by way of his subtle yet impactful fills. Revisit "The Seed 2.0" now, and show some love to Questlove on his birthday! QUOTABLE LYRICS Little Mary is bad, and these streets she done ran Ever since when the heat began I told her "Girl, look here, calm down, I'mma hold your hand To enable you to peep the plan, cause you's quick to learn We can make money to burn if you allow me to lay this game" View the full article

Stepping out of one's comfort zone is necessary for growth. Following the release of May 2020's Intermission, West Coast vocalist and guitarist Deb Never trekked to London where she spent the next five months working on new music. And today, we're blessed to hear one of the first offerings from those sessions with "Someone Else." Never offers a dreamy soundscape that builds up as she gets deeper and deeper into her most vulnerable thoughts. Never enlists Jam City and Michael Percy, who Never moved in with in London, for the song's production who help transform the skeletal guitar arrangement into a deep drum-and-bass infused record. Check out the latest offering from Deb Never who also released an accompanying music video shot by Elif Gonen. Quotable Lyrics Don't you carry on Know we're worlds apart Darlin', I can play your favorite song View the full article

President Joe Biden was only sworn in a couple of hours ago but, already, he's busy in the Oval Office, revealing how he plans to spend his first day as POTUS. Rob Carr/Getty Images Becoming the forty-sixth President of the United States, Joe Biden isn't taking any days off, spending the rest of the afternoon attempting to heal the country of Trump's wrongdoings. Officially taking over the @POTUS Twitter account, Biden announced his first course of action as the leader of the free world. "There is no time to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face," wrote Biden. "That's why today, I am heading to the Oval Office to get right to work delivering bold action and immediate relief for American families." Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images His tweet was shortly followed by another, which included a video announcing that it was time "to move forward" and to "rebuild". Biden has a lot of hard work ahead of him, leading a country that has been ravaged by a deadly pandemic, as well as a surge in racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy in recent years. Hopefully, he stays true to everything he promised on the way to this point. Last night, former President Trump spent his final hours in office pardoning over 140 people, including Kodak Black and Lil Wayne. Read more about that here. View the full article

Trump has left the building, and brought his offsprings with him. The 45th president of the United States will go down as among the worst to lead the nation, even if you just focus on the past two weeks of his tenure in office. But it's officially over. Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States with Vice President Kamala Harris making history as the first woman, and the first person of South Asian and Black descent to be elected into national office. Of course, people have been ecstatic over the news, especially with Trump's exit. Just before leaving, Trump pardoned a list of a hundred or so people that included Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. If at any point he won points within the hip-hop community, it was probably at that very moment. Too bad for him, it came hours before he actually left office. But the inauguration went down as yet another historical moment in American history, especially after the tension-ridden four years endured. Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez both hit the stage for performances with the former leading the Star-Spangled Banner. Twitter, of course, was filled with all sorts of reactions to the inauguration. Check some of them below. View the full article

Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez injects some Latin pride — and "Let's Get Loud" — into Biden-Harris inauguration with a familiar passage in Spanish. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PopHiss/~4/Sznp8qabmcsView the full article

Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez injects some Latin pride — and "Let's Get Loud" — into Biden-Harris inauguration with a familiar passage in Spanish. View the full article

Lopez performed an abridged "This Land Is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful" and added a Spanish-language section from the Pledge of Allegiance. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PopHiss/~4/Igir7zFVeeYView the full article

Lopez performed an abridged "This Land Is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful" and added a Spanish-language section from the Pledge of Allegiance. View the full article