Author: alaskaadmin

Ghazi is betting big on immersive tech and hometown pride as his EMPIRE label invests in a $6.5 million entertainment venue set to reshape San Francisco’s Pier 70.

The independent Hip-Hop powerhouse is joining forces with Elevation Sky Park San Francisco to launch what’s being billed as the Bay Area’s first large-scale immersive entertainment space. The venue, slated to open this winter, will feature projection domes, a pyramid-shaped structure and capacity for over 2,000 attendees across multiple rooms.

“ESP SF represents exactly the kind of innovative, community-focused venture that embodies San Francisco’s creative spirit,” said Sean Ahearn, CEO of Elevation Sky Park. “Partnering with EMPIRE creates incredible opportunities to showcase how technology and artistry can transform communities while pioneering the future of immersive entertainment.”

The collaboration will fuse EMPIRE‘s global artist network with ESP SF’s tech-driven platform to deliver 360-degree concerts, live performances, film screenings and community arts initiatives. The venue will also serve as a hub for emerging artists, giving them access to industry resources and audiences they might not otherwise reach.

Ghazi, who founded EMPIRE in 2010, called the partnership a natural extension of the label’s roots. “

San Francisco has always been the heartbeat of EMPIRE, and Elevation Sky Park is the perfect stage to reimagine how music and culture come to life,” he said. “We’re excited to create experiences that are as bold and innovative as the city itself.”

The project is being developed through a public-private partnership involving Brookfield Properties and the Port of San Francisco. The venue’s location at Pier 70 places it in the heart of the city’s expanding arts and entertainment zone.

The team behind Wisdome LA, known for its immersive domes and multimedia installations in Los Angeles, is leading the buildout. Their experience in blending art and tech is expected to play a key role in bringing ESP SF’s vision to life.

The immersive entertainment sector is booming. According to Bloomberg, the global market is projected to reach $413 billion by 2030, driven by growing demand for interactive and tech-enhanced experiences.

Ghazi, a San Francisco native with Palestinian heritage, began producing music at the age of 14. Before launching EMPIRE, he worked as a DJ and audio engineer.

What started as a digital distribution service for Bay Area Hip-Hop artists has grown into one of the most influential independent labels in the industry, known for blending traditional music strategies with digital innovation.

The ESP SF partnership reflects EMPIRE’s continued evolution, expanding from music into experiential entertainment while staying grounded in its local community.

The venue’s programming will cater to a range of audiences, from casual music lovers to tech-savvy concertgoers.

ESP SF is scheduled to open in winter 2024, just in time to draw holiday crowds and position itself as a new cultural landmark in the Bay Area.

​AllHipHop

The Philadelphia Eagles looked dead in the water at halftime last Sunday in Los Angeles. The Rams had them on the ropes, dictating the pace and stacking up a commanding lead. Then the second half arrived, and everything changed.

The game flipped when the Eagles blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown, but the spark that fueled the comeback came from star wideout A.J. Brown. Already considered one of the NFL’s premier offensive threats, Brown turned into a one-man wrecking crew in the final two quarters, shredding the Rams’ secondary and helping Philly secure a 33-26 win.

While highlight reels replayed the blocked kick, something else unfolded behind the scenes that may have set Brown on fire. Sources inside the stadium say the DJ cued up Kurtis Blow’s old-school classic “AJ Scratch” during the game. For those who know it, the song’s hook chants “AJ” over a funky beat — catchy enough to get a crowd moving, and apparently enough to give No. 11 an extra jolt.

In postgame interviews, Brown didn’t directly name-check the track but hinted at the moment, grinning when asked about what fueled his surge. One source who was in the locker room told AllHipHop that Brown “pointed directly to that song” as a turning point in his energy. Whether coincidence or cosmic timing, the mix of football and Hip-Hop may have tilted the momentum toward Philadelphia.

Kurtis Blow, a pioneer from rap’s earliest days, probably never imagined his 1984 anthem echoing inside an NFL stadium and motivating one of the league’s top receivers. But Hip-Hop has always been about energy, defiance and winning! These are the same ingredients that powered Philly in the second half. By the way, KB did not return our message for a comment. He might be a NY Giants fan…or worse, LA Rams

Anyway…to casual fans, it may have looked like pure luck. But in truth, the comeback was built on grit, adjustments and mental toughness. Brown and the Eagles didn’t just ride fate. They forced it.

As Philadelphia keeps pushing through the season, this victory is likely to be remembered not only for the blocked field goal or Brown’s dominance, but also for a reminder of how culture and competition often collide in unexpected ways. One old-school jam, one fired-up receiver and one resilient team turned what looked like certain defeat into a West Coast heist.

For the record…our own Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur is the “source.” He was there and saw it all as it rolled out.

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​AllHipHop

Cardi B leaned on faith and her mother’s prayers after sensing what she described as “weirdness” and “dark energy” from women following her pregnancy reveal.

The Grammy-winning rapper said she felt a growing wave of negativity since announcing she’s expecting, prompting her to seek spiritual protection for herself and her unborn child.

“I called my mom the other day to pray over me and my baby because I feel like a lot of weirdness has been coming out from people and women and all this stuff ever since I announced that I was pregnant,” she said.

Cardi B is expecting her first child with Stefon Diggs, a wide receiver for the Patriots. The rapper revealed her pregnancy earlier this month and discussed how Diggs makes her feel safe as she prepares for a new album and tour.

Cardi B also has three other kids with Offset, her soon-to-be ex-husband. She told her followers that she believes many already suspected her latest pregnancy before it was confirmed.

But after going public, she noticed an energy shift that felt hostile.

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“It’s funny because I know that y’all knew that I was pregnant because clearly everybody kind of figured that I was. But the negativity and the weirdness that people are bringing and putting, I told my mom like, please pray for me and for the Lord to cover me.”

The Bronx-born rapper said she especially felt targeted by other women, some of whom she believes are wishing harm on her unborn child.

“There’s a lot of weird women that will wish you weird stuff on your kid, like stillbirth, death, slowness, you know what I’m saying? And I feel that energy. I feel people putting that on me.”

To protect herself, Cardi said she turns to her faith and spiritual practices.

She often reads the Bible aloud in her home when she senses tension or negativity. “I personally believe nothing is as powerful as a mother’s prayer,” she added.

Cardi B has been open about her spiritual side in the past, but this time she’s using it as a shield against what she sees as a toxic response to her pregnancy.

The rapper said she is doing what she can to stay grounded.

​AllHipHop

Kim Kardashian and Ray J are at it again, but this time it’s not sex tapes, it’s full-blown legal threats over wild talk about the feds.

Ray J hopped on a livestream with Chrisean Rock and dropped a bomb, claiming he’s working with federal agents to bring a RICO case against Kim Kardashian and her mom Kris Jenner.

His exact words: “The federal RICO I’m about to drop on Kris and Kim is about to be crazy… the feds is coming. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s worse than Diddy.”

Well, Kim’s lawyer Alex Spiro didn’t waste time. He clapped back hard, calling Ray J’s comments “false and defamatory” and warned that pushing those claims is defamation under California law.

I GOT NOTHING TO LOSE THIS LIE!!! — YOU ALREADY THINK IM A BAD GUY BC OF FALSE NARRATIVES BY KRIS AND KIM!! So F### IT — MY KIDS ARE MY ONLY PRIORITY!! Daddy is a great person – NEVER DID ANYTHING FOUL LIKE THEY SAY!! Truth is here right now ! pic.twitter.com/pGiWoVbnvf

— Ray J (@RayJ) September 11, 2022

Spiro made it crystal clear: there’s no RICO case, no investigation, no fed involvement, nothing. In his words, there’s “no credible evidence whatsoever” behind Ray J’s allegations.

He also stated that no law enforcement agency has launched an investigation against the Kardashian crew.

And he’s not playing around. Spiro demanded that any site running with Ray J’s claims yank the content ASAP and post a retraction. Kim’s legal team also contacted multiple outlets, instructing them to revise their stories or face the consequences.

​AllHipHop