HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty Hip-Hop culture across the globe is in mourning after the untimely passing of DMX. Many were close with the rapper, but one longtime collaborator particularly close to Dark Man X was Swizz Beatz, who eulogized his late friend. Some of X’s most memorable hits were produced by Swizz, including “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” “Party Up (Up in Here)” and “Blackout,” featuring Jay-Z and the Lox. On Saturday (April 10), Swizz took to Instagram to thank people for their support, while speaking on the greatness of his fallen friend. “Since the day that I met him, he lived his life for everyone else,” says Swizz says in the 8-minute clip. “You ain’t ever seen him next to a Lamborghini… You ain’t ever seen him iced out with no jewelry, he did not care a...
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty The next Verzuz episode set for December 12 features R&B stars, Keyshia Cole and Ashanti. While followers are excited to watch their favorite R&B songs go hit-for-hit in a battle, there is a lot of chatter on a hypothetical matchup that could be big for New York rap fans. In the latest episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, the fellas discussed the likelihood of Ma$e getting his day on the Verzuz stage. After sizing up the Harlem legend’s catalog housing a long list of writing credits and stellar features, it was quickly agreed upon that Cam’ron would not only be the perfect contender but could actually take the W in the match-up. Not long afterward, the podcasters called Swizz Beatz to pitch the Verzuz co-founder their idea for the next New York battl...
Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Are OG golden era Hip-Hop heads ready to revisit the infamous Bad Boy vs. Death Row era of the 90s? Swizz Beatz and Timbaland certainly wouldn’t mind doing so. After successfully getting rivals Jeezy and Gucci Mane to be in the same room together for a spectacular Verzuz battle a few weeks back, Timbo and Swizz aren’t completely dismissing the possibility of a Dr. Dre Verzuz Puff Daddy event that would totally break the internet. Speaking to TMZ about their smash IG series, Charles Latibeaudiere asked the show’s founders about pitting Dr. Dre’s catalogue against P. Diddy’s and though that’s not currently in their plans, Swizz basically said never say never. After initially shooting down Harvey Levin’s idea of a Jay-Z Verzuz Diddy outing (we want Jay-Z Verzuz N...
Source: Cindy Ord / Getty Verzuz cofounder, Swizz Beatz, has found his next competitive hustle, and it’s something no one really was expecting. Speaking with Variety, the super-producer/mogul who has season 2 of his online DJ battle situation ready for liftoff with Atlanta’s Hip-Hop elite, Jeezy and T.I., revealed to the publication that he is all in on camel racing. Swizz Beatz born Kaseem Dean is now the first African American and westerner to own a competitive camel racing team in the Middle East. Beatz’s racing team, Kaseem Abu Nasser, has 12 fast camels in his stables, and he has already won his first race on Thursday (Oct.22), in Saudi Arabia. His team also won another race on the same day he dropped Kaseem Abu Nasser merch with Chinatown Market, the LA streetwear brand. When asked w...
Source: Gary Gershoff / Getty Jermaine Dupri has revealed that he is willing to go head to head against Diddy in a Verzuz battle. During an interview with Fat Joe for The Fat Joe Show, the So So Def head honcho stated that he is not only open to participating in the Verzuz battle but that he is willing to have a match up with none other than Diddy. “So So Def, Bad Boy, will we ever see that in a Verzuz?” Joe asked. “Or will we see So So Def versus somebody else?” “Whatever the culture wants,” JD said. “Jermaine, you for the culture,” Fat Joe interrupted and asked. “But if the Verzuz come on and it’s live from ATL with the chandeliers. You would prefer you to be sitting in one chair and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sitting in the other? “A hundred percent. We gonna break the f*ckin’ internet,” JD con...