Prior to his sudden murder in 2018, Florida rapper XXXTentacion was in the midst of becoming a superstar. Boasting albums like 17 and ? to his name, Triple X quickly won fans through his experimental nature, his strong ear for melodies, and his ability to flip the script and spit bars when prompted. In truth, few of the new generation of hip-hop artists boast his level of versatility, a quality that went a long way in widening the scope of his base. To this day, there are some who deem him legendary, another young pioneer gone before he could truly reveal his full potential.

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As his death anniversary slowly approaches, Lil Yachty took a moment to reflect on Triple X's passing. "I still can’t believe this n***a x really gone," he writes on Twitter, though it's unclear as to what prompted his mourning. In any case, it goes to show the impact XXXTentacion truly had on his fellow artists. 

Though Yachty and XXX never actually linked up on wax, it's not the first time that Lil Boat openly reflected on the rapper's passing. A few weeks after Triple X's murder, Yachty sat down with Big Boy TV and explained how the news had impacted him. "I've been a good person, I've always been a good person, but I want to be the best person, in a serious way," he explained. "I really want to be like, active. I want to help, and learn more about what's going on in the world."

Rest in peace XXXTentacion, and respect to Lil Yachty for showing his memory some love. Should you be looking to support Lil Boat in your own way, be sure to check out his brand new Lil Boat 3 album.

The murder of Freddie Gray at the hands of Baltimore police rocketed across the nation. As you may recall, the Maryland-native was arrested in 2015 after he began running away from police upon seeing them. The latter resulted in a chase, within which unreasonable force was used to arrest Freddie. The ensuing series of events remains uncertain but resulted in the death of the youngster at the hands of the police. The cause of death was later revealed by medical experts to be linked with a spinal cord injury. The 25-year old’s demise sparked the continuing conversation surrounding police brutality and the perpetual killings of unarmed black & brown folks. 

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After the officers involved in the case of Freddie Gray were found not guilty, riots quickly followed and many individuals motioned movements to speak up on Gray’s death. Of these individuals, we include the activist group Black Lives Matter, was Freddie’s best friend Juan Grant. And unfortunately, recent reports by The Washington Post indicates Grant’s passing in Western Baltimore this past Saturday, after being shot to death. 

According to The Post, detectives informed Grant’s grandmother that Juan was driving back to her home at about 8 PM after dropping off a cousin. An altercation occurred when Juan collided with a dirt bike and was shot once we got out of the car. Frederina Grant, Juan’s grandmother, adds: “I don’t know whether it was to confront this person or to see if this person was okay. Whoever it was just shot him.”

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Juan was then taken to the hospital where he died of the fatal gunshot wounds to the head. RIP. 

Few sins sting as deeply as a DJ who cuts “The Next Episode” before Nate Dogg gets a chance to belt out his immortal wisdom: “smoke weed every day.” That’s only the tip of the iceberg of Nate’s unique style of musical genius. A baritone singer who first caught the ear of Dr. Dre and went on to lay vocals on The Chronic’s infamous “Deeez Nuuuts,” the late Nathaniel Dwayne Hale went on to collaborate with damn near every legendary rapper who comes to mind.

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That’s no exaggeration. Before passing away due to stroke-related complications, Nate had amassed a repertoire of collabs with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Ludacris, 2Pac, The Game, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Warren G, DJ Quik, and many more. Few can think of “The West Coast” as a general presence without hearing a Nate Dogg hook. It’s no surprise that the beloved maestro remains mourned to this day, as evidenced by those who took to Instagram to pay respects on his death anniversary yesterday.

Xzibit, a frequent collaborator of Nate on songs like “Been A Long Time,” “Bitch Please,” and “Multiply,” offered up some kind words in his honor. Likewise did his cousin Snoop Dogg, who shared a picture of them sitting courtside. Daz Dillinger also held it down for his DPGC soldier, making it clear that the fallen will not soon be forgotten. And naturally, fellow “Regulator” Warren G lamented the loss and what might have been under different circumstances.  In an era sorely lacking a presence like big Nate Dogg, it feels fair to say that hooks have never quite been the same. Rest in peace to a hip-hop legend. 

When longtime hip-hop fans get together and the topic of the “King Of Hooks” arises, it doesn’t take long before the legendary Nate Dogg‘s name is mentioned. Responsible for adding no shortage of melody and sauce to the G-funk movement, Nate Dogg’s repertoire includes such classics as Dr. Dre‘s “The Next Episode,” Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun,” Mos Def’s “Oh No,” Warren G‘s “Regulate,” 50 Cent’s “21 Questions,” Eminem’s “Till I Collapse,” Jadakiss‘ “Time’s Up,” and Fabolous‘ “Can’t Deny It” — among countless others.

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Given all that he contributed to game, be it on his native west coast or during the away games, it’s totally fair to deem the late great Nate as the bonafide “King Of Hooks.” Now, the honorary title has been literally etched in stone. This weekend, Nate’s headstone in a Forest Lawn, Long Beach cemetery was redone with a highly detailed and intricate update reflecting his royal status. The design was done by Cemetary Tim, who shared images of his handiwork on Instagram. The headstone cites lyrics from the title track of Music And Me, which dropped in 2001. It reads:

“Time does change, but the music it remains the same
I hit em with the music from the slaves
Oh my goodness, what my ancestors gave
I don’t want you to think I don’t know
They taught me how to reach deep down and touch the soul
Without my music, where would I be
You thought me how to cry and still remain a G
You keep alot of soldiers at ease
And together the next level proceed”

Closing out with the wisdom “it ain’t a hit till Nate Dogg spit,” the headstone also draws attention to Nate’s time served with the U.S Marines. Sad though the passing of a legend may be, it’s always bittersweet to see the celebrations of life to follow. Check out the beautiful headstone below, as well as an image from the unveiling ceremony — longtime friend and collaborator Daz Dillinger was in attendance, as well as Nate’s brother Samuel Hale.

Nate Dogg passed away on March 15, 2011, after suffering complications from several strokes. What is your favorite hook from the King?

Gang Starr fans have been in a good place of late. Last year saw the release of a fully-fleshed out album from the legendary duo, One Of The Best Yet, the first since Guru passed away on April 19th, 2010. Now, DJ Premier has come through with another piece of history, sharing a rare acapella Guru freestyle on his Instagram page. 

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“Don’t base my whole life on loot,” raps Guru, the camera fixed on his focused face. “But money sure help, I keep it tight like army boots / to ensure wealth, used to hang with the older dudes / so I know the rules, notice how these fools hold mics but can’t hold the tool / my struggle is hard, the jungle is large, my man’s locked in the valley, probably walking the yard.” There’s a way about Guru’s delivery that speaks to self-assurance, a charm that speaks to his grounded nature; he told it like it is, never wasting words or Primo beats. 

Deemed a “natural talent” by his longtime friend and collaborator DJ Premier, it’s clear to see why Guru remains a respected figure long after his passing. Check out the raw and uncut bars below, and show some love one of hip-hop’s lost ones. Otherwise, run the risk of being stuck down right where you stand. 

A superhero died yesterday.

To some, he may have been just a basketball player, but to millions more, he was invincible– a man who could hit two clutch free throws, limping on a torn Achilles, a man who could score 81 points in a single game, a man who, while being the best at it, showed us there was more to life than just basketball. Kobe Bryant was a hero.

Sure, I was undersized and never anything special, but it didn’t matter. When the bell rang and school was over, the first place I wanted to be was the basketball court. I wanted to reenact the moves I saw my hero, Kobe, make the night before on ESPN.

I’d have to heave the ball with all my strength just for it to reach the hoop from where Kobe hit the impeccable game-winner over Dwyane Wade in December of 2009, but when the ball finally went in, I felt like Kobe Bryant. I was shooting from the edge of a driveway in Charlestown, Rhode Island, but I felt like I was in front of thousands at the Staples Center. I could escape the stresses of middle school, the low self-esteem of my anxious 12-year-old self and, for just a moment, feel like I was invincible, because Kobe Bryant was invincible. Kobe Bryant was Super-Man.

This story is likely similar to millions of other kids who looked up to Kobe and found solace on the basketball court.

He was an assassin– 33,643 career points, 18 all-star selections, five NBA championships, an MVP award and countless more accolades. He was one of the rare competitors who could strike absolute fear in his opponents. Regardless of the score, a lead was never safe if Kobe was on the court. Unparalleled balletic footwork, a brain that seemed designed for basketball, an unshakable love for the fourth quarter, it all made Kobe the most entertaining player to watch.

Moments like when Kobe scored 62 points in three quarters in a 112-90 route over the Dallas Mavericks in 2005 made fans fall in love with his game. Kobe sat out the fourth quarter, and, as legend goes, when offered a chance to go back in to reach 70, he told coach Brian Shaw, “Nah, I’ll get it another time.”

How about when he scored 60 points in his final game and gave life to the Staples Center, that of which it hadn’t seen in years? Or when Matt Barnes pump-faked the ball into his face and Kobe didn’t even flinch? The alley-oop to Shaq in Game 7 against the Trail Blazers in 2000? The countless game-winners, deep fadeaways, jawdropping dunks, are all ingrained in the memories of NBA fans whose lives were impacted by Kobe Bryant.

A loss like this forces us to stare in the face of our own mortality. How can he be gone? He was invincible.

Kobe may have been passed the prime of his playing days, but he was just entering the prime of life. With his wife Vanessa, he had four children– Gianna, Natalia, Bianca, and their newborn Capri, who was only just born, in June 2019.

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Above all else, though, Kobe was a father. After taking a break from basketball post-retirement, he rekindled love with the game once again, vicariously through his daughter Gianna. The two could be seen attending NBA games across the country; he often tutored her from the sidelines in the art of the game. At his Mamba Sports Academy, he did the same for other young girls who found love for basketball. 

For his short film, Dear Basketball, Kobe won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, setting up what could have been an illustrious second-act: “What I love is storytelling,” he told Sports Illustrated in 2018. “I love the idea of creative content whether it’s mythology or animation, written or film, that can inspire people and give them something tangible they can use in their own lives.”

Tragically we will never get to see that second-act come to fruition. Kobe Bryant died yesterday, in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others. It’s one of the most devastating losses in NBA history.

This is not the ending Kobe Bryant was supposed to get.

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“You was easy mac with the cheesy raps, who the FUCK is Mac Miller?” 

In November of 2018, the unfinished legacy of Mac Miller was memorialized by a prominent cast of his peers. To say the evening was emotional can’t begin to describe it. A celebration sprayed with a mist of sorrow. A coronation with the stench of resignation. As much as everyone tried to drum up good feelings and memories it was nearly impossible to ignore the 300lb knot in all our throats and barbed wire wrapped around our stomachs. In a tragic fashion, the music world suffered a terrible loss. One of its brightest stars faded to black. I’ll never forget the looks on the faces of those in the crowd. 

I had seen that look before. A sight so visceral, it was like something reached out and touched you. I didn’t quite grasp why my uncle cried when 2 Pac died. 10 year-old me was conscious enough to digest his music but not cognizant enough to grapple with his gravity. In the days that followed, everyone bore t-shirts wielding his likeness and quotes he said while still breathing. His face superimposed with Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and Muhammed Ali. A year later I remember watching the television in silence as images screamed through in colored pixels for Biggie’s precessional crawling through the Brooklyn streets. The path lined heavily with onlookers hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of hip-hop’s chosen one. It was here I first realized how connected people became with artists. Not to say that Mac is Pac or Biggie, but for some soul out there, Mac was a distant friend, a voice to null the drudgery of life. Even as I write this, it still seems strange to be referring to him in the past tense.   

A makeshift Mac Miller memorial in Los Angeles, September 2018 – Katharine Lotze/Getty Images 

Rewind back to 2018, at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on that somber Wednesday night. Friends and fans communed the rapper once known as “Easy Mac.” Hundreds looked on while hundreds of thousands watched live stream. The most gripping moment came when Action Brunson took the stage to perform “Red Dot Music.” With what I’m sure was a heavy heart Bronson consummated the celebration by delivering the song which created the Mac Miller we mourn but was writing on the wall for his inescapable fate. Yet without the Excalibur moment that was “RDM,” we would not have The Divine Feminine nor Swimming or the soon to come Circles.

Pittsburgh native Mac Miller grew into an independent hip-hop star with Blue Slide Park, his freshman album. It was the first independently-distributed debut to top the US chart since 1995. The project’s success didn’t nullify its aversion. Some critics took aim at the album and Mac was sincere about how that affected him in a 2013 interview with Billboard. He said, “You’re 19, you’re so excited to put out your first album, you put it out — and no one has any respect for you or for what you did.”On his promethazine (or lean) addiction, Miller said this: “I love lean; it’s great… I was not happy and I was on lean very heavy,” Miller says. “I was so fucked up all the time it was bad. My friends couldn’t even look at me the same. I was lost.” 

Miller’s follow up album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off produced in part by Pharrell Williams and Diplo, etched his name onto the stone tables of 21st-century rap. The best way I can describe the album is as a dark inspiration. A now drug-addicted Miller delivered a further sunken sort of expression. Diving deeper into oblivion by the day, Miller was now, perhaps, fueled differently by this poison. It verified him. The first cobblestone on his road to crafting a legacy. No more “cheesy raps,” like “Knock Knock” and “Donald Trump.”

If Miller’s maturity as a rapper could be surmised in one song, the delineation would come at “Red Dot Music.” The track is forthright in addressing central themes in Mac’s life and career. The record is an earthquake that terminated Easy Mac and out of its ruble survived Mac Miller. For better or for worse, this is who grew to become a universally-loved figure in the hip-hop community. It was a shot of real hip-hop injected directly into the veins of anyone who felt Mac was simply another white boy garnering more acclaim outside rap’s wall than inside it. An allegory of his inner torment. The silent battle he chose to face alone. It is an underrated but integral part of Miller’s story arc. “Red Dot Music” was where he demanded – no, he took, his respect. But growth is pain. Progress is pain. And in the end, the scars of his transformation were maybe too much to bear. 

In an interview with Billboard, Miller said his favorite part of the song was the hook where he says: 

“They looking down, keeping watch ’til I’m dead (I said it must be the drugs)

So how’d I get this red dot on my head? (I said it must be the drugs)”

Chilling to read, is it not? The root of his demise came from his own lips, not just in “RDM” but often. As he battled with drugs and alcohol Miller spoke frequently of bouts with vices in his music.  

“Think I can see a fucking halo bout to meet my maker brought a double cup of draino and soda for the flavor…” 

I remember scrolling through twitter the day the news broke of Miller’s death. This song was mentioned by masses who suggested it got them through a rough time in their lives. He gave so much to his craft. You can hear the overflow of his blood and tears leak from every song. As I’ve stated in prior pieces, true artistry begins at the point of full vulnerability and transparency. Both come with a heavy price for artists and musicians. For them, drugs become tranquilizers that ease the skeleton’s voices bouncing off the closet walls, for a moment.    

“I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs

I said it must be the drugs”

The fact he used “must be the drugs” as a mantra is chilling because drugs are what took from us. Later in the song, he says:

“I said it must be the drugs that got us thinking crazy shit

Looking up into the clouds where the angels sit

They looking down, keeping watch ’til I’m dead

So how’d I get this red dot on my head?”

The red dot marks an impending doom Miller feels will befall him sooner or later. No matter what he does. The heavens have a target on him.  

On a 2014 track titled “What Do You Do” Milled said, “A drug habit like Philip Hoffman will probably put me in a coffin.” 

In a Vulture interview published a day before his death, Miller discussed the immense pressure he and other artists feel from the public. “I used to rap super openly about really dark s–t because that’s what I was experiencing at the time,” he continued “That’s fine, that’s good, that’s life. It should be all the emotions.”

Mac Miller performs at the Smokers Club Festival on April 29, 2018 – Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

In 2018, Miller released the single “Self Care.” In this track, the rapper addresses the state of his mental health and the now undeniable effects of his substance abuse. He looked to acknowledge that change is needed to live a better life. Though he would pass shortly after this, it presented that things were on the up-and-up. 

Miller made a lot of music about appreciating life for what it is. Accepting its realities and living with the best you can. I theorize Mac wanted to say these words himself, but it was more profound coming from a third party:

“You can’t match your killer with that wigger

I’d rather attack Tigger or Jack Triller

He got track fillers for a album

If he had Jigga on an ad-sticker

Wouldn’t go cat litter where I’m from

Malcolm, I knock the thoughts off your balcony

King, you’re from a home of funny bones

Not like quite the one I’ve known

You look like, before you punched in flows

You were struckin’ blows, bloody nose for your honey row

In the lunchroom gettin’ yo money stole

You’re a bully’s Best Day Ever

With them Nike’s on your feet

Coming through Blue Slide Park

I’m gon’ rob this chump

On a party on Fifth Ave like he Donald Trump

Nigga give me that shit

I liked you better when you was Easy Mac

With the cheesy raps

Who the fuck is Mac Miller?”

Loaded Lux said these lines in the outro of “Red Dot Music.” It gave a voice to the inner thoughts of hip-hop fans across the spectrum who questioned how thorough this goofy kid from Pittsburgh was. In this soliloquy Lux slew the old Mac Miller or Easy Mac. By the artist’s own request. As Loaded Lux alludes, people loved the image of the primitive Mac more than his substance. As time passed that changed. He made believers out of countless eventual listeners who detested the “Best Day Ever” version of Miller.  

Miller told Billboard: “I was too worried about the legacy that I would leave behind — how I would be remembered if I died. That was my whole thing. Like, you never know, man, so I’ve got to make sure I make all this music so when I die there’s albums and albums,” he said when talking about his fear of dying. 

Mac Miller performs at Camp Flog Gnaw on October 28, 2017 – Rich Fury/Getty Images

Miller’s passing rocked the music world. Though he could not finish life’s race, his legacy will trot on by way of his catalog. The permutations of his voice shall forever live in the hearts of those who loved his music. Vexed by the battle an internal tug-of-war, Mac gave of himself in the purest way for us, his fans. “Red Dot Music” and other songs like “Self Care” opened the doors and debate needed for mental health-probing in hip-hop. Songs followed such as Logic’s “1-800-273-8255,” addressing suicide. The tragic nature of his death is a wound hip-hop won’t soon forget but I hope that his final inspiration was to encourage someone who feels like they are barely holding on to seek help. I want that person, if they are reading to know, you are never alone.

Yesterday, it was reported that the father of Meechy Darko (of Flatbush Zombies) was fatally shot by Miami police officers. The incident occurred this past weekend after Meechy’s father Ryan O. Simms allegedly attacked and stabbed an officer named Ricardo Castillo. XXL shared a press release from the Miami police department detailing their account.

Apparently, Castillo and several officers had received a call from Mango’s Cafe, after claims that Simms was threatening employees. Upon their arrival, Simms then proceeded to stab Castillo, prompting his fellow officers to open fire. Though Castillo was sent to the intensive care unit, his current condition is confirmed to be stable. Though Simms was also brought to the hospital, he did not survive. He did not have a local arrest record. 

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images 

Last night, Meechy Darko shared an emotional message on Instagram in homage to his father. “My heart is shattered,” he begins. “Never ever in my life felt pain like this before. I’m trying to stay strong and be tough for him. I’m filled with so many emotions right now. I don’t want to come on here for any type of sympathy. I want to spread this message. To Any and everyone out there dealing with Mental illness. Please get help.”

“This has been a Battle that My Family and I have been dealing with for over a decade, suffering in silence,” he continues. “I used to think there was strength in that…I love my father. So Much. Never once was ever ashamed of him despite what may have been going through mentally or what he may have thought in his head.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Meechy Darko in this difficult time.