Jay-Z – Marcel Friday

Why Would Sada Baby Not Rank Eminem In His Top Five From Detroit?

Updated: June 3, 2019

Originally posted on Vibe 4/19/2019

Eminem is the most prolific and successful rapper of all time. His stats can’t be faded. When it’s all said and done, we’ll be retiring his number in every stadium he’s ever sold out.

With over 100 million records sold worldwide, an Oscar for Best Original Song, 10 No. 1 albums, more than 1 billion streams on Spotify, two top 100, all-time best selling albums, Marshall Bruce Mathers III is the highest selling rapper of all time. His top five status should be firmly cemented.

INTERVIEW: Producer Dakari on His African Roots & How He Became G-Eazy’s Top Engineer

by Marcel

Updated: June 3, 2019

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Originally posted on Billboard 12/10/2018

Hip-hop may have originated in the Bronx but not even Kool Herc could have imagined the reach and impact that his art-form would soon achieve. Rap officially kicked down the door in 2015 when Spotify reported that hip-hop was the most listened to genre in the world. In 2017, Nielsen’s Music year-end reportshowed that R&B/hip-hop had taken the crown from Rock to be the most purchased music in the United States.

That kind of global reach has empowered new creators from all over the world. For Zimbabwean producer Dakari, hip-hop has provided a way of life for him that he couldn’t have dreamed of. After moving to Dallas, DG would have his coming of age moment in high school that would eventually lead to a world class internship and writing and producing for G-Eazy.

MOVIE REVIEW: Warren G’s Brilliance Revealed In YouTube’s ‘G-Funk’ Documentary

by Marcel

Updated: December 30, 2018

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Originally posted on Vibe 7/25/2018

In the 1990s, three best friends at Long Beach’s renowned Polytechnic High School polished a new sound at the intersection of funk and rap music. Warren G, with the help of Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, ushered in what will be forever known as the g-funk era. While the three didn’t create the musical subgenre, they built on the foundation created by the West Coast rap quintet Above The Law and took the sound worldwide. YouTube Originals partnered with Warren G to create G-Funk, telling the untold tales of arguably hip-hop’s most underrated legend.

The full-length documentary starts off in Long Beach, Calif. as we’re introduced to a young Warren G and Snoop Dogg. “Every time you seen Warren, you seen Snoop,” Warren recalls as he and Snoop trade stories of their early LBC experiences. They would later meet Nate Dogg at Long Beach Polytechnic High School and form the group 213.

INTERVIEW: Verse Simmonds Details Songwriting Career, Work With Chris Brown & “Diamonds” EP

by Marcel

Updated: December 30, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 11/13/2017

Too often, being a songwriter means one’s own artistry takes a back seat but not in the case of Verse Simmonds. The Puerto Rican wordsmith has penned hits for stars while simultaneously putting out his own music.

Simmonds recently stopped by DXHQ to chat with the #DXLive team about being a songwriter, working with Chris Brown and his recently released project, Diamonds.

EDITORIAL: One Time 4 Your Mind: Ranking Nas’ Albums From Best To Worst

by Marcel

Updated: December 30, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 9/21/2017

While Nas was out celebrating his 44th birthday in style with Nicki Minaj and his 1988 190E Mercedes-Benz, the #DXLive staff was busy ranking Esco’s discography. Jake Rohn, Trent Clark and Marcel Williams took on the daunting task of deciding which albums would slot after Illmatic in a ranking of his entire discography.

INTERVIEW: Dame Dash On His Career Moves, Big L & Not Having Heard JAY-Z’s “4:44”

by Marcel

Updated: December 30, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 8/29/2017

Dame Dash has played a major role inside and outside the realm of Hip Hop. For the past couple of decades, Dame’s had his hands in everything, from the career of the most successful rapper alive to some of the biggest movies in the urban sphere.

Dame recently stopped by DXHQ to politic with the #DXLive crew about a myriad of things, such as his career in film and music, JAY-Z being the best, and not having listened to 4:44 yet.

#DXLive Ranking Jay-Z’s Discography

by Marcel

Updated: January 2, 2019

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INTERVIEW: Stat Quo Spills What He Knows About New Eminem Album

by Marcel

Updated: December 14, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 3/9/2017

Could Eminem be working on a new album — he actually plans on releasing?

Stat Quo, the former Shady Records MC, mentions that such a project is in progress as he breaks down how he is still known in the circle by the incident that led to his Shady Records exodus. “Denaun called me yesterday [when] him and Em were working on the album and he was telling me, and I haven’t really been in the room with [Eminem, since leaving Shady Records], that shit that happens is still what they say when they mention me,” exclaims Stat on his most recent episode of #DXLive. “So we gon’ work that out. When he comes out here [to LA], I’m pulling up [and] I’m going over there with him and Dre… and we gon’ figure that out.”

INTERVIEW: Zaytoven Reveals Jay Z’s Reactions When He Played Him Beats

by Marcel

Updated: December 14, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 2/16/2017

What are the odds that Zaytoven appears on Jay Z’s next album? According to Zay, they’re pretty favorable. One of the South’s most prolific producers (Gucci Mane, Migos, Soulja Boy, you name it) to ever grace the studio recently checked in on #DXLive to give the scoop. “I met him once,” Zaytoven says. “We were talking about regular life stuff most of the time. We were talking about his daughter [and] we were talking about the election, things like that.”

It wouldn’t take long for the conversation to turn to music. “Then we start talking about music. He was letting me know what artists he likes. I was asking him who [is] he feeling in the game,” Zaytoven recalls. “Then it got down to ‘I got these beats I need to give you.’”

INTERVIEW: Casey Veggies Previews New Music & Says He’s Dropping 2 Projects Soon

by Marcel

Updated: December 13, 2018

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Originally posted on HipHopDX 1/31/2017

Los Angeles MC Casey Veggies has been on a bit of a hiatus. His last mixtape, Customized Greatly Vol.4, was only his second project in about three years along with his debut album, Live & Grow that dropped in 2015. Veggies recently stopped by the DXHQ to hit play on some new music and talk shop about his relationship with Roc Nation.

“I’m managed by Roc Nation,” Casey says. “I think it means [I’m] doing something right but it doesn’t mean [I] have it all figured out or will be the next big thing.” Casey first caught the attention of Roc Nation’s leader Jay Z when he was only 17 years old.

Marcel Friday

Social Media Manager Creative & Social Strategist Journalist

Tag: <span>Jay-Z</span>

Why Would Sada Baby Not Rank Eminem In His Top Five From Detroit?

INTERVIEW: Producer Dakari on His African Roots & How He Became G-Eazy’s Top Engineer

MOVIE REVIEW: Warren G’s Brilliance Revealed In YouTube’s ‘G-Funk’ Documentary

INTERVIEW: Verse Simmonds Details Songwriting Career, Work With Chris Brown & “Diamonds” EP

EDITORIAL: One Time 4 Your Mind: Ranking Nas’ Albums From Best To Worst

INTERVIEW: Dame Dash On His Career Moves, Big L & Not Having Heard JAY-Z’s “4:44”

#DXLive Ranking Jay-Z’s Discography

INTERVIEW: Stat Quo Spills What He Knows About New Eminem Album

INTERVIEW: Zaytoven Reveals Jay Z’s Reactions When He Played Him Beats

INTERVIEW: Casey Veggies Previews New Music & Says He’s Dropping 2 Projects Soon