Have you ever been hanging out, and suddenly the dance floor got slightly “excited?” This likely could’ve happened when you heard the sounds of will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas. From songs like “Let’s Get It Started” to “My Humps,” the eclectic group has music that helps define moments and keeps the party going. However, the group’s musical prowess is not by happenstance. Arguably, much of the group’s success can be credited to its leader. Born William James Adams, Jr., the Los Angeles, CA native, has early childhood roots in music stemming from his early beginnings in the Estrada Courts housing projects. During these early times, he found inspiration from legendary Hip-Hop acts like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. In fact, the “I Like To Move It” rapper found so much inspiration from those groups that he doesn’t even have an answer for the age-old rap question: Biggie or Tupac? In a recent interview with Skillz on the Hip-Hop Confessions podcast, the Black Eyed Peas leader...

A portion of Notorious B.I.G.’s estate will now be handled by Primary Wave. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, a deal rumored to be in the “eight figures” was in the works between Notorious B.I.G.’s estate and the music publisher and involved half his publishing and master rights, including his rights to name, image, voice, and “other identifiable characteristics.” Notorious B.I.G.’s estate had been primarily run by his mother, Voletta Wallace, who was instrumental in securing stake from Bad Boy Records. Christopher Wallace, otherwise known as Biggie Smalls or Notorious B.I.G., had been one of the first artists to sign to the label owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs. Bad Boy Records had 50% stake in his songwriting catalog, Variety mentions. Voletta was able to increase the estate’s stake to 85% after arguing it was doing the heavy lifting in securing deals to license and monetize Notorious B.I.G.’s music. She then secured the remaining 15% stake in 2020. “Securing control of my son’s...

Despite releasing three albums, Common found himself struggling to sustain his music career. The rapper’s career took off in Chicago, IL, in the ’90s. He released three albums during this decade: “Can I Borrow a Dollar?” (1992); “Resurrection” (1994); and “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” (1997). Common explains that his first album received limited attention and credits his second album with putting him on the radar of some of the industry’s greats. “I remember Biggie doing one of those promos for me, being like ‘Yo this I wish this kid was from Brooklyn.’ I remember seeing Nas, and he was like ‘Keep doing your thing,” Common recalled on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast hosted by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings. The rapper also opened up about the challenges he faced in the music industry early in his career, which caused him to question whether it was a sustainable path. “It was hard being in Chicago and trying to get even signed or get heard… I still wasn’t planted in the industry. I...

In the world of hip hop , you’d be hard-pressed to find a more highly regarded voice, name, or face than that of Clifford Smith Jr, AKA Method Man. The Wu-Tang Clan alumnus is known as a founding father of the gritty New York rap sound, and has gone on to launch a highly successful solo career, and star in multiple film and television programs . According to Celebrity Net Worth , Method Man has an estimated net worth of over $14 million, earned from his many successful artistic outlets. Unlike many of his Wu-Tang affiliates, Meth hasn’t invested in many private business entities, though his acting career, music catalogue, and side ventures have obviously made him a pretty penny over the years. The Grammy Award winner ‘s many popular works and modest lifestyle have resulted in great financial success, making Method Man one of the most respected figures in the genre. Without further ado, let’s dive into the life and career of Method Man, and dissect the many contributing factors to...

The year 1997 was a good one for Black culture. The movie “B.A.P.S.” was in the theaters, and The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” was at the top of the charts. But it was a somewhat historic June night in Las Vegas, NV, that most people remember most. Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield were going head to head in a boxing match, and something unbelievable happened out of nowhere. Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear. That bizarre moment changed boxing forever and was a pinnacle moment in Tyson’s public life. Tyson is a New York native who rose to prominence in the mid-’80s for his boxing prowess. At one point, he boasted an undefeated record, dominating the industry and earning the heavyweight boxing title. According to ESPN, the 56-year-old would finish his 58-fight career with 50 victories, winning 44 by knockout. In 2011, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. And while Tyson’s talent in the boxing ring was commendable, his out-of-the-ring antics started to...

The year 1994 was a good year in pop culture. Films like “The Lion King” premiered, the television show “Living Single” was in season two, the original PlayStation launched, and Notorious B.I.G. had the radio waves slammed with his hit single, “Juicy.” Needless to say, there was no void in cultural moments. The world of sports was no different. Emmitt Smith helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to a Super Bowl Championship, Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets won the NBA Finals, and a young shooting guard from Michigan named Jalen Rose entered the National Basketball League (NBA). Rose is a Detroit, MI, native and former star of the University of Michigan’s basketball team and a part of a sports super group known as the “Fab Five.” The quintet consisted of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, and Jalen Rose. Known for their baggy shorts, black socks, and black shoes, they were a part of the first team in NCAA history to make it to the Final Four with a starting lineup...

While the whole “East Coast, West Coast” beef is mostly a thing people hear about in Tupac and Biggie documentaries, it seems like rapper Mase is making strides to be the official bridge between the two. As a former artist of Bad Boy Entertainment, the Harlem, New York rapper announced his plans to join Death Row Records.