Category: Hip Hop

Hip-Hop has been taught for decades, just not always in classrooms. The earliest “curriculum” was the basement, the sidewalk cipher, the radio and the DJ who decided you were worth spinning. Then the internet cracked the gates open. When AllHipHop launched in 1998, it helped define that early online wave, where discovery and debate moved at forum speed and where lyricists could be championed without a major label megaphone.

Fast-forward to today and the conversation has flipped: no gatekeepers, more noise and a real hunger for craft again. That’s where Mickey Factz comes in. He built Pendulum Ink as an online school centered on lyricism, plus the stuff artists usually learn the hard way, like business, content, and even mental health support. The Bronx wordsmith recently brought “The Art of the MC” into NYU’s Clive Davis Institute, stepping into a course previously taught by Black Thought. He and Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur discuss the education of rap and much more.

Factz and Jigsaw zoom out on the larger state of Hip-Hop, touching on the ongoing Jay-Z vs Nas GOAT debate and what longevity really means in 2026. Factz questioned whether any artist can permanently hold the crown without continuing to add to the canon, especially as Nas keeps releasing high-level work. And where does Drake fit into the conversation as the charts reflect a decline of sorts. Factz also spoke about Hip-Hop’s current fragmentation, citing gatekeepers, lack of mentorship and no clear torchbearer. Hip-Hop isn’t lacking talent, it’s lacking structure, discipline and more. Check the full video interview below, along with an edited Q&A.

Mickey Factz: Yeah, yeah, it’s Mickey Factz, Dean of Pendulum Inc. The goat of lyric breakdowns. And I’m here with one of the originators of the internet wave for Hip-Hop, exclusively AllHipHop.com. Keep it locked.

AllHipHop: What’s going on world, it’s AllHipHop in the building at Oneworld Studios with a veteran, a legend. I’m a call you a Hip-Hop icon. An emcee. And now an educator.

Mickey Factz: Wow. Thank you, brother. Yes sir.

AllHipHop: I was on the train like, “Mickey Factz is teaching people how to rap.” And I had mixed emotions. Because I’m from the basement era. You studied tapes, wrote trash, threw it away, recorded, battled in front of the supermarket. Now we teaching that? Or are people skipping ahead?

Mickey: Everything you said is what every MC did. You were self-teaching. But every art form has teachers. There’s jazz classes, piano classes, art classes. There were no rap classes. I wanted to change that. And before I started, I asked my peers for the blessing.

AllHipHop: Who’d you ask?

Mickey: Black Thought. Lupe. Rest in Peace Chino XL. We had a lot of conversations. Through them, I felt like I had what I needed. Then once it rolled out, MCs started hitting me like, “Yo, I want to come teach at your school.” At first we reached out. Now they reach out to us.

AllHipHop: Give people Pendulum Inc in plain terms.

Mickey: It’s an online school for lyricism. Teaching MCs how to rhyme on beat better, how to write better. We have mental health group therapy sessions. We teach the business of music, how to create content. Electives too, like poetry for rappers, Hip-Hop history with Dart Adams. And we bring in a legendary guest MC every month. We’ve been operational four years. Most businesses fail after two. We still here.

AllHipHop: I’m going to ask you a messy one. What MC makes you cringe technically?

Mickey: I’m not saying “what works,” I’m talking technique. But everybody has nuances. The MCs who lean more on songwriting to appeal to the masses, they don’t always live in that super technical space. I’m not asking everybody to rap ultra technical, I just want content on point and at least a two-syllable multi. Somebody like Kid Cudi, talented songwriter, super successful, but his lyrical technique might not be the highest. That’s not a shot. It’s just not his focus.

AllHipHop: Break down what a “multi” is, because a lot of people hear it and don’t realize there’s a name for it.

Mickey: If I say, “What rhymes with space?” you say “ace.” Space/ace is one syllable. Two-syllable, “backspace.” Flat face, fat face, rat race. Three-syllable, “outer space.” The more syllables you stack, the more advanced the pattern gets.

AllHipHop: People forget Run-DMC. They kept it simple, right?

Mickey: Here and there, but listen. “There is none higher… they call me sire.” Sire/fire is two syllables. Shout out to Run-DMC.

AllHipHop: You said DMC came to the school?

Mickey: Yeah. Shout out to DMC. To me he was the MC’s MC.

AllHipHop: Let’s talk NYU. How did that even happen?

Mickey: I’m at lunch with Ray Daniels and I get a random text like, “Yo, this is Dan Charnas. I work at NYU. We’d love for you to be a professor.” I thought it was spam, so I let it sit. Then I checked LinkedIn, it was real. I called him and I got fast-tracked. The position was held by Black Thought previously, and his schedule couldn’t make it work, so they called me. I thought it’d be virtual. They said nah, in-person. I live in Atlanta now, so once I got it, I started booking flights once a week.

AllHipHop: How were the students? Did anybody give you a hard time?

Mickey: I love them, but they treated it like a show at first. Showing up 15, 20 minutes late. I’m like, “Yo, I’m flying in at 7:30am for a 10 to 1 class, y’all can be on time.” But it was love. I had people FaceTime in, Method Man showed love, Maeda Dawn showed love, and Corey Gunz was coming in. They’re in the Clive Davis Institute, so they get professors who were musicians, managers, attorneys. But not a rapper who’s lived the highs and lows and worked with people they actually listen to. It was eye-opening for all of us.

AllHipHop: I replay that whole Royce, Ransom, you, Lupe moment over and over. It might be the greatest thing that never happened. It felt like relationships got blown up, and the culture veered off a cliff.

Mickey: Everybody expected the rumble. Lupe and I were ready for whatever. We didn’t know who would jump in or if Royce would respond. We had conversations about strategy, even about dropping records if it got worthy. Lupe dropped freestyles every day for like a week just to show the time he was on. Then nothing really happened, so it dissipated.

AllHipHop: Let’s talk the state of Hip-Hop. I don’t feel that “young hungry” torch-passer like when Nas hit, or when Kendrick hit. Does that concern you?

Mickey: Yes and no. No, because this was inevitable. AllHipHop and Nah Right and 2 Dope Boys, y’all were pivotal. You were like the mutation of what the DJ was, getting music to the people. Now there’s no gatekeepers, no filter. Anybody can record and go viral tomorrow. That’s where we need some sort of filter again.

AllHipHop: Who are you listening to right now?

Mickey: My students at Pendulum Inc. I’m excited for Conway, excited for Nas, I listen to Graf, waiting on Saigon, waiting on new Thought, love Stove God, hoping Royce drops next year, more Lupe. And Ransom is breaking every rule. A DJ Premier album, then a Conductor album right after. That’s crazy.

AllHipHop: Is Jay-Z still the GOAT if he’s not dropping?

Mickey: He’s still a GOAT, but is he the GOAT? That’s between Jay and Nas. When Jay pops out with a verse, everything shuts down. But we need an album.

AllHipHop: I’ve concluded we might need Drake. Where you at with him?

Mickey: Necessary evil, if you want to phrase it like that. Incredible songwriter. I think he should stay in that space. I don’t know if I want “guns and tough talk” Drake. “Nokia,” that’s Drake. That’s the pocket I want him in.

AllHipHop: Can a lyricist just be a lyricist now, without the movement behind them? The crew, the machine, the mentorship?

Mickey: Having a strong team helps push you to the next space. People want to see motion. Mentorship is missing. Cole might be the last one. Drake doesn’t have an MC under him, he’s got singers. Who’s Future’s MC? Who’s Big Sean’s MC? Even the elite pens don’t really have “the next.” How do we fix it? I’m not sure. I’m working on it.

AllHipHop: Last thing. Podcast rappers. It’s devolved into gossip.

Mickey: That’s where the money is, so people go where the money is. I like podcasts where we talk bars, songs, choruses, features, collaborations, cyphers, battles. I don’t care about who fought who or who dated who. At Pendulum, we stand on the art form. Game told me he hates press because it turns negative, he gave me 30 minutes. I told him we only talk bars. He stayed an hour and 15. That’s what time I’m on.

AllHipHop: Respect. And it’s a wrap.

​AllHipHop

Lil Durk has spent more than four months in solitary confinement at MDC Los Angeles, locked in a small cell for 23 hours a day, as his legal team demands answers over what they call a lack of due process tied to an alleged contraband Apple Watch.

The rapper has been confined to the Segregated Housing Unit (SHU) since August 29, 2025, according to AllHipHop.com.

His attorneys filed a motion requesting a status hearing, arguing that he has been held “without process” in violation of federal regulations and possibly the Eighth Amendment, which prevents cruel and unusual punishment.

Durk’s lawyer, Christy O’Connor, says he has been in the SHU for 131 consecutive days, with no access to commissary, only one phone call per month, and no in-person visits.

“[Lil Durk] is confined to a very small jail cell, just large enough for a single bed, a toilet, and a sink,” O’Connor said. “The deleterious effects of extended solitary confinement on an inmate’s psychological well-being are well-documented.”

Despite the serious restriction, Lil Durk has not yet received the disciplinary review required under federal prison rules, which state that inmates must receive a Unit Discipline Committee review within five working days and may be entitled to a hearing before a Disciplinary Hearing Officer.

His attorneys argue that the Bureau of Prisons and MDC Los Angeles have offered conflicting justifications for his prolonged isolation.

In October, an MDC attorney reportedly said Durk’s celebrity status had nothing to do with his SHU placement. But in December, the Warden allegedly told defense counsel that the rap star posed a threat to the general public because of the high-profile nature of his case and potential rule violations.

Defense attorneys also claim Lil Durk had no behavioral issues during the 11 months he spent in general population before being moved to SHU.

The government’s stance on the Apple Watch accusation has also been described as inconsistent.

Officials say the SHU placement is unrelated to the FBI’s investigation or any charging decision, yet they also claim the Bureau of Prisons is waiting to begin disciplinary proceedings until after a charging decision is made.

Lil Durk’s attorneys cited research on the psychological damage caused by extended solitary confinement, including depression, anxiety, social withdrawal and sensory issues.

The government has taken “no position” on the defense’s request for a status hearing.

Lil Durk is in federal custody after prosecutors charged him with murder for hire tied to a 2022 Los Angeles shooting that killed Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, the cousin of rival rapper Quando Rondo. Authorities allege Durk helped plan and fund the attack as retaliation for the 2020 killing of King Von.

He was arrested in Florida in October 2024 and extradited to California.

Judges have denied bond, citing the seriousness of the charges and concerns about flight risk. Durk has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed as he awaits trial.

​AllHipHop

Tsu Surf is scheduled for release from federal prison on February 16, 2026, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records.

The Newark battle rapper, born Rahjon Cox, has been serving a five-year federal sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

His scheduled release date represents the culmination of a legal saga that began with a 2022 RICO indictment targeting alleged members of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips.

Surf was sentenced in 2023 by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton. The judge also imposed three years of supervised release and a $15,000 fine as part of his punishment. The charges stemmed from prosecutors’ allegations that Surf was an active member of the Silverbacc Gorillas (SBG) set within the larger Crips organization.

Originally, federal prosecutors sought up to 30 years in prison, 20 for racketeering conspiracy and 10 for the firearm charge, along with a combined $500,000 in fines.

However, Surf’s April 2023 guilty plea during a virtual hearing significantly reduced his potential sentencing exposure. By admitting to both the racketeering conspiracy and firearm possession charges, he avoided the possibility of decades behind bars.

The battle rap legend built his reputation through lyrical dexterity and memorable performances, establishing himself as one of the scene’s most respected competitors. His legal troubles created uncertainty about his future in the culture that made him famous.

While February 16, 2026, is his official release date, federal inmates may be released earlier through good-behavior credits or placement in halfway houses.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains discretion over such decisions based on individual circumstances and institutional conduct.

​AllHipHop

Rihanna is pushing the Valentine’s Day heat to unbearable levels, posing in barely-there red lingerie that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination from behind.

One frame catches her turned just enough to flash bare butt cheeks, the fabric riding high and tight, while the rest of the set leans full goddess fantasy. Marble columns, flowing drapes, and warm lighting give it a mythic vibe, but the focus remains on her curves, especially the unapologetic reveal below the waist.

The lingerie cuts sharply across her hips, framing her backside in a way that feels intentional and prominent, as if she wanted that angle to hit hardest.

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Her stance pulls everything into view: legs set firm, back arched slightly, the camera catching skin where lingerie usually conceals. It’s a bold move that pushes the campaign beyond romance and into headline territory, because flashing cheeks like that turns a Valentine’s shoot into instant gossip.

Up front, the look stays just as aggressive. The bra lifts and shapes her chest, while the backless design makes the reveal feel complete, front and back, no safe angles anywhere.

Rihanna doesn’t hide behind props or poses, letting the camera sit where it sits and daring anyone to look away. For a Valentine’s Day drop, this isn’t sweet or subtle; it’s raw, confident and built to dominate timelines, with those bare cheeks sealing the deal.

​AllHipHop

‌50 Cent made waves on social media with a viral video criticizing Campbell’s Soup Company following a major controversy involving a fired executive’s leaked recording that sparked nationwide outrage.

The rapper posted a video of two soup cans in the garbage, saying, “I’m done with Campbell soup they said the s### ain’t even chicken the meat came from a 3D printer.”

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50 was referring to a scandal involving Campbell’s former executive, Martin Bally, who made offensive comments about the company’s products and customers during a November 2024 meeting.

The controversy began when Robert Garza, hired as a cybersecurity analyst in September 2024, secretly recorded his meeting with Bally that was supposed to discuss his salary. Garza reported the offensive comments to his manager, J.D. Aupperle, on January 10, but claims Aupperle did not encourage him to report the incident to human resources.

Garza was terminated from employment just weeks later, prompting him to file a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. The suit seeks compensation for emotional, reputational and economic harm.

In the leaked recording, Bally allegedly called Campbell’s products “s### for f###### poor people” and claimed the company uses “bioengineered meat” and “3D printed chicken” in their soups, according to a lawsuit.

Campbell’s quickly fired Bally after the recording went public and issued multiple statements defending their products, but 50 Cent’s viral response brought additional attention to the scandal.

The company took the unusual step of responding directly to the rapper on social media, writing: “Hey 50—to set the record straight, we use real, quality ingredients (real chicken!) and put a lot of care into every batch. Come see for yourself, we’d love to show you how we make our food!”

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Campbell’s acknowledged the recording’s authenticity in a November 26 statement, calling Bally’s comments “vulgar, offensive and false” and apologizing “for the hurt they have caused.”

The food manufacturer has aggressively defended its product quality, stating their chicken “comes from long-trusted, USDA-approved U.S. suppliers and meets our high quality standards.”

They published a fact sheet confirming that they do not use “3D-printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or any form of artificial or bioengineered meat” in their soups.

50 vowed to go and inspect the factory, but he may have some company.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced his Consumer Protection Division is investigating Campbell’s product quality following the controversy.

​AllHipHop

Do You Still Love Me? Ella Mai poses that loaded question with the title of her forthcoming album. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has announced a Feb. 6 release date for her third LP, which is executive produced by her longtime collaborator Mustard.

Though listeners didn’t know it at the time, Mai offered the first preview of Do You Still Love Me? in December 2024, when “Little Things” was released as part of her 3 EP. The album campaign properly kicked into gear last summer with the release of “Tell Her.” Director Cole Santiago’s music video for the track followed in September; the clip visually referenced Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” as a way to communicate a key influence on Mai’s new material. More details on the 14-track Do You Still Love Me? will be released soon.

Mai’s new chapter arrives following a brief stretch spent looking back. In December, the British R&B singer marked the 10th anniversary of her debut EP Troubled with her Did You Miss Me? tour, a series of concerts revisiting intimate venues where she took the stage early in her career. The six-night outing took her to London, Amsterdam, Paris, Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to Christmas. She also celebrated the legacy of her early EPs TIME, CHANGE, and READY with a vinyl reissue under the title TIME. CHANGE. READY., bringing the projects back to physical media for the first time in years.

Mai is one of the most successful R&B singers of her generation. The London native has been a consistent hit-maker, landing nine Top 10 singles on the U.S. R&B chart, including the No. 1 hits “Boo’d Up” and “Trip.” With “Boo’d Up,” she won Best R&B Song and was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2019 Grammy Awards. She’s also been honored with Billboard Music Awards, BET Awards, iHeartRadio Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, and more.

Shop Ella Mai’s music on vinyl and CD here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

“Music has always been a huge influence on me,” celebrated filmmaker John Singleton told record producer Arthur Baker at the International Music Summit in 2016. “I put certain music cues in the scripts… I have an idea of exactly what I want.” When Singleton passed away, on April 28, 2019, at the age of 51, he left us with a body of work that married storytelling with music, usually set in gritty urban landscapes.

Browse our soundtracks collection featuring limited edition vinyl and CDs here.

Boyz N The Hood

Singleton grew up in the South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles before graduating from USC School Of Cinematic Arts in 1990. The 22-year-old Singleton wasted no time in launching his career, quickly selling a semi-autobiographical script with the caveat that he would also have to direct it. The result was Boyz N The Hood, a coming-of-age story about a group of friends attempting to navigate the harsh realities of life in the ghetto.

Named after Compton native and NWA member Eazy-E’s debut single, Singleton gave the song’s lyricist, Ice Cube, a supporting role in the film, as the character Dough Boy. The gangsta persona Cube had cultivated through song became fully realized on the big screen, and music was integral to capturing the mood. As in Jaws, when someone is about to get eaten by the shark, the audience hears John Williams’ fear-inducing cue, in Boyz N The Hood, “Before someone’s gonna get shot, you hear the bumping 808 bass from a car,” explained Singleton.

When Boyz n The Hood was released in 1991 to great acclaim, not only did it make Singleton the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, but its accompanying soundtrack helped bring the filmmaker’s tale of the black experience to life.

“How To Survive In South Central” captures Ice Cube in his prime, though it wasn’t initially included on any of his own releases. Cube’s female protégé Yo-Yo comes correct with “Mama Don’t Take No Mess,” while fellow West Coast gangsta rappers Compton’s Most Wanted and Kam also contribute tracks.

“Whenever I’m trying to do something that is endemic of a certain environment, I have to use that music from that environment,” Singleton revealed, with regard to the Boyz N The Hood soundtrack’s heavy reliance on LA-based hip-hop. However, a handful of East Coasters thrown into the mix. New Yorkers Main Source’s “Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball” uses America’s pastime as a metaphor for police brutality to great effect. The soundtrack version is a remix of the original, which had appeared on their groundbreaking debut album, Breaking Atoms. Perhaps the most historically significant track on the soundtrack, however, is “Too Young” by Hi-Five, featuring a teenaged MC named Prodigy, who would soon make a name for himself as one half of the Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep.

Poetic Justice

John Singleton followed his cinematic debut with Poetic Justice in 1993, which, like Boyz N The Hood, sees renowned musicians cast in key roles. This time Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur star as an unlikely couple who fall in love over the course of a road trip after finding commonalities in their painful family situations. The Poetic Justice soundtrack is an intermingling of hip-hop (Mista Grimm, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Naughty By Nature, Dogg Pound, Nice & Smooth) and R&B (TLC, Babyface, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Terri & Monica, Cultural Revolution, Stevie Wonder and the first-ever appearance of Usher – then going by Usher Raymond), with Pac contributing “Definition of A Thug N__ga.”

Baby Boy

Tupac was also set to star in Singleton’s next coming-of-age hood film, Baby Boy, before his murder in 1996. The role of Jody, a 20-year-old who lives with his mother and small child in South Central LA, then went to R&B singer Tyrese Gibson. Released in 2001, Baby Boy saw the intermingling of hip-hop and R&B within many of the tracks themselves. Snoop Dogg (who plays ex-con Rodney) pairs up with Tyrese and Mr. Tan for “Just A Baby Boy.” Singer Raphael Saadiq and Houston rapper Devin The Dude collaborate on a track, as do D’Angelo and Marlon C. And who can forget the slow jam opus “Straight F__kin” by The Transitions, featuring Charles “Gator” Moore?

Four Brothers

When it came to creating a soundtrack for 2005’s Four Brothers, starring Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin (aka André 3000 of OutKast), and Garrett Hedlund as adopted siblings in Detroit on a mission to avenge their mother’s death, the studio wanted Singleton to make it hip-hop. He refused, insisting that it needed to reflect the kind of music their mother would have listened to – late 60s and early 70s soul meets R&B and Motown.

Four Brothers holds true to the director’s vision, and includes classic Motown tracks by Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, The Temptations, The Undisputed Truth, and The Miracles. “Knucklehead” by Grover Washington, Jr, while not originally a Motown release, fits the mood. “This is the music that got us through hard times,” John Singleton said of this specific era of R&B, speaking from the personal experience of growing up in the 70s.

Straight to the “scource”

For his films, Singleton often employed what he coined “scource music,” a combination of source music and the score. Source music refers to what the audience can visibly see a character listening to in a given scene that then transitions into the background score of that scene. Singleton would also play the music on set in order to capture the correct emotion from the actors.

The director firmly believed that black representation in film was often corrupted by studio execs from outside the community meddling with art. This made music a generally truer form of expression than cinema. “In terms of African-American aesthetic, the purest images we have is only through music,” said Singleton. “If music is used very well through film, it lifts and adds a whole other emotion.”

Shop our soundtracks collection featuring limited edition vinyl and CDs here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

You may not have heard of Doris Troy, but it’s likely you’ve heard her voice. Born in the Bronx, New York, on January 6, 1937, Doris Elaine Higginsen changed her name to Doris Troy after she was “discovered” working at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theatre by James Brown.

This led to her singing backing vocals for many artists, including Cissy Houston and Dionne Warwick. She got an opportunity to record for Atlantic Records in 1963, and her single, “Just One Look” made No.10 on the Billboard Hot 100; several singles followed that all stalled just outside the 100. “Just One Look” was covered in early 1964 by the Hollies and made No.2 on the UK singles chart. One of her follow-up records for Atlantic, “Whatcha Gonna Do About It,” made No.37 in the UK.

Further records in the 1960s all failed to sell in any decent numbers, and it led to Doris moving to London in the spring of 1969. One of her earliest gigs in the UK was arranging and singing on the gospel-tinged chorus of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Around the same time, Madeline Bell asked Doris to help with the vocals on Billy Preston’s Apple album, That’s The Way God Planned It. Also on the album was Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Keith Richards, and George Harrison. This led to Doris signing to Apple and recording a solo album that George Harrison co-produced at Trident and Olympic studios in London.

Work began at George’s home in high summer 1969 with help from Billy Preston, before Doris and George went into the studio proper, probably in late September. Over the next few months, there were sessions in which numerous musicians participated, including Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, Delaney and Bonnie, Leon Russell, Klaus Voormann, Bobby Whitlock, Jim Gordon, and Rita Coolidge. It all reflected George’s involvement with other musicians and his solo album, All Things Must Pass.

Harrison co-wrote four of the songs on Doris Troy, arranged the traditional, “Jacob’s Ladder” with Troy, while other tracks included a cover of The Beatles’ “Get Back” that did not appear on the original album, but was the b-side of “Jacob’s Ladder,” along with songs by Stills (a Buffalo Springfield cover), Joe South, Jackie Lomax (another Apple artist) and some Doris Troy compositions and co-writes. When the album was reissued, Troy said, “Doing that album was a reminder that ‘soul’ didn’t have a color.”

When the album came out in September 1970, at the same time as Bill Preston’s album, it largely sank without trace. Allen Klein ran Apple at the time, and his ability for marketing records was not his strongest suit.

Troy went back to singing backing vocals and arranging, and her credits during the 1970s included Humble Pie, Nick Drake, Carly Simon, Dusty Springfield, and perhaps most famously, Pink Floyd on Dark Side of the Moon.

In the 1980s, Doris co-wrote a musical, Mama, I Want To Sing, with her sister, and it ran in Harlem for 1500 performances and later in London. Doris Troy passed away in February 2004, aged 67.

Browse our soul collection featuring limited edition vinyl and CDs here.

​Discover more about the world’s greatest R&B artists | uDiscover Music

A$AP Rocky launched his latest visual spectacle for the single “Punk Rocky” on Tuesday, enlisting Winona Ryder for a surreal, genre-bending music video that previews his long-anticipated fourth album DON’T BE DUMB, set to arrive January 16 via A$AP Worldwide and RCA Records.

The video, co-directed by Rocky alongside Folkert Verdoorn and Simon Becks, collectively known as The Three Musketeers, features a cast that includes Ryder, Danny Elfman, Thundercat and A$AP Nast.

The clip brings to life five of Rocky’s six alter egos from the upcoming album, including GR1M (played by Rocky), RUGAHAND (Tommy Revenge), BABUSHKA BOI (Thoto), SHIRTHEAD (the Williams twins) and DUMMY.

Ryder, who rose to fame in the late 1980s with standout roles in Beetlejuice, Heathers and Edward Scissorhands, adds a haunting presence to the video.

The two-time Academy Award nominee and Stranger Things star has long been a cult favorite for her offbeat roles and gothic screen presence, making her a natural fit for Rocky’s eccentric visual universe.

“Punk Rocky” is the first official single from DON’T BE DUMB, Rocky’s first full-length album in eight years.

The track was co-written by A$AP Rocky, Ghost, Ging and Zach Fogarty. Its gritty, lo-fi energy sets the tone for what Rocky has described as a push toward more deliberate and creative choices in both music and life.

The album’s cover art was crafted in collaboration with filmmaker Tim Burton, whose signature visual style helped bring Rocky’s six personas to life. Each character reflects a different chapter of Rocky’s career and identity.

A$AP Rocky has been teasing DON’T BE DUMB for more than two years through live performances, fashion collaborations and cryptic previews.

The album rollout follows a high-profile year for the Harlem-born artist, who served as co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala, was named creative director for Ray-Ban and became Chanel’s newest house ambassador.

He also previewed new material during headlining sets at Lollapalooza and Camp Flog Gnaw, giving audiences an early taste of the sonic direction of DON’T BE DUMB.

The album is scheduled to release January 16, 2026.

​AllHipHop

Franky Venegas from the Island Boys got arrested on New Year’s Eve with fentanyl paraphernalia and now an acquaintance has revealed his alleged daily drug habit.

The 24-year-old TikTok star spent the first day of 2026 locked up in Collier County Jail following a traffic stop that exposed his ongoing substance abuse problems.

Deputies pulled over Venegas and driver Olivia Dubois near a Circle K gas station on State Road 29 in Naples around midnight. Officers said they observed suspicious movements by Venegas inside the black Mercedes-Benz as they approached the vehicle during a routine traffic stop.

The search of their vehicle revealed multiple items containing fentanyl residue that painted a disturbing picture of regular drug use. Deputies found a debit card with Venegas’ name that had a white powdery substance testing positive for fentanyl in the center console area.

Officers also discovered a cut straw with fentanyl residue where Venegas was sitting and a pill breaker containing the deadly synthetic opioid. The evidence suggested a pattern of frequent drug consumption rather than casual experimentation with dangerous substances.

Paris Livvy, a social media content creator who knows Venegas through influencer Jack Doherty, made shocking claims about the rapper’s drug use habits during an interview with WZVN-TV.

“They always do fentanyl like on a daily basis,” Livvy said about Venegas and his twin brother Alex. “I don’t even know how they do it.”

Livvy described Venegas as someone who became famous for being “weird” rather than talented, adding fuel to the brothers’ controversial reputation. “He’s kind of just like a joke,” she explained. “Like he kind of went famous for people being like this guy is so weird.”

The weirdest incident involving the Island Boys happened when the twin brothers posted a viral video of themselves tongue kissing each other. The controversial clip sparked massive backlash across social media platforms as fans expressed disgust over the incestuous behavior between siblings.

Franky and Alex Venegas defended the kissing video, claiming they were promoting content on their OnlyFans accounts. The brothers said the intimate moment was purely for financial gain rather than genuine romantic feelings between them.

The year 2025 proved especially difficult for both Island Boys members as their legal troubles mounted throughout the months. Franky faced his first major arrest in February 2025 during another Naples traffic stop that resulted in gun and drug charges.

Police found oxycodone pills and a spray-painted firearm without serial numbers during that February incident, leading to serious weapons charges. Franky remained out on bond for the altered firearm possession case when deputies arrested him again on New Year’s Eve.

Alex Venegas experienced his own mental health crisis in November 2025 when authorities detained him under Florida’s Baker Act. The involuntary mental health hold allows police to detain someone for 72 hours if they pose a danger to themselves or others.

The Baker Act detention happened during a livestream where Alex appeared to be having a psychotic episode that he later blamed on “multiple substances.” His brother Franky confirmed that Alex’s drug use contributed to his mental breakdown and subsequent hospitalization.

Livvy believes both brothers need professional help for their substance abuse problems rather than continued arrests and jail time.

“They’re just like not good people,” she said. “Like they’re very like crazy in real life and like they don’t really think and like definitely like I think they probably need rehab.”

​AllHipHop