Is Primary Wave the best entity to handle The Notorious B.I.G.’s catalog? 

Fly Anakin’s “The Times” is produced by Mono En Stereo and it’s on his forthcoming album, (The) Forever Dream. The Richmond, Virginia, rapper collaborated with Quelle Chris, who executive-produced the new album. Pink Siifu, BbyMutha, The Alchemist, Turich Bengy, and more appear on Anakin’s sophomore studio album. His Mutant Academy brothers Big Kahuna OG and Sycho Sid also have verses to share. Since 2020, Anakin has been in a race to become an underground legend with the release of a joint project with Pink Siifu, FlySiifu’s. He had been recording since 2014 but FlySiifu’s was a breakthrough moment. In 2022, his studio debut Frank arrived to critical acclaim. The millenial rapper has stood out because of his proud influences from people like Ghostface Killah and Sean Price. He raps more like a Gen Xer instead of the drowsy triplet flow so popular among his peers and Gen Zers. Check out the Phillip Youmans-directed visualizer for “The Times” and look for (The) Forever Dream on April 25th via Lex Records. 

                                                                                (The) Forever Dream

1. Good Clothes (feat. Demae)

2. Teen Summit

3. My N*gga (feat. Quelle Chris, $ilkmoney & Big Kahuna OG)

4. Lil One (Intro)

5. Lil One

6. CheckOnMe (feat. lojii)

7. NOTTOOSHABBY (feat. Quelle Chris, Nickelus F & $ilkmoney)

8. Lord Forgives, I Hold Grudges (feat. Denmark Vessey & Pink Siifu)

9. The Times

10. Forever Dream (Interlude)

11. Forever Dream

12. Corner Pocket (feat. Quelle Chris & BbyMutha)

13. Dr Phil [skit] (feat. Psycho Sid)

14. YOUGOTME!!

15. Foreverever Dream (Interlude)

16. Say Thank You (feat. Pink Siifu & Turich Benjy)

How did Snoop Dogg only earn 45,000 dollars for a billion streams on Spotify if a spokesperson for the company said that a billion streams is supposed to make an artist millions of dollars? 

What will come of the FCC investigation into iHeartMedia for payola? 

Soul and hip-hop pioneer Angie Stone passed away on March 1st in a car accident after leaving a show in Montgomery, Alabama. Stone was a rare artist who made her mark in the hip-hop and soul music worlds. Stone started her career as a teenager in her native Columbia, South Carolina, by forming the female rap trio The Sequence. An audition backstage at a Sugar Hill Gang show for Sugar Hill Records co-founder Sylvia Robinson landed them a deal, and they became the second act to sign to the label. They were the first all-female rap group, and they had a hit with “Funk You Up” and maintained their popularity with “Monster Sound,” featuring Spoonie Gee, and “Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off).” The group dissolved in 1985 after Stone’s refusal to continue to do business with Sugar Hill. During this time she started working as a songwriter for Mantronix, Jill Jones, and Lenny Kravitz. She also sang backup for Malcolm McLaren and singer Junior. A job working at KISS FM in New York City introduced her to the musicians that would join her in the R&B trio Vertical Hold. They had a hit with “Seems You’re Much Too Busy,” which Stone co-wrote with Kurtis Khaleel. The trio disbanded in 1995 after releasing two albums. Her gifts as a songwriter surfaced again when she embarked on a personal and professional relationship with D’Angelo, making contributions to his Brown Sugar and Voodoo albums.

The next reinvention would be as a solo artist after she signed to Arista, and Black Diamond was released in 1999. “No More (Rain In This Cloud)” was a hit, and her voice became known by the mainstream. Her rise continued in the early 2000s with her recording the theme song to the TV show Girlfriends and the release of her sophomore album, Mahogany Soul. “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” “Brotha,” and her “More Than A Woman” duet with Calvin Richardson became signature songs. Stone also did some acting and appeared in five movies and one Broadway production of Chicago. 

Stone’s ascent as a solo artist was a great comeback story from her early days as a rapper, and her list of stellar collaborations grew. Prince, Raphael Saadiq, Calvin Richardson, Betty Wright, Omar, and Guru were some of the voices that she made music with on top of her writing, arranging, and vocal support work. She released 10 studio albums and had plans for new music at the time of her passing. In 2024, she was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame.