California is home to the most influential west coast Hip-Hop acts. From Rappin’ 4-Tay, N.W.A, and Tha Dogg Pound to YG, Schoolboy Q, and Kendrick Lamar, the west side never fails to deliver — especially on the G-Funk tip.

Making his way to the west coast Hip-Hop frontier is Compton by the way of Vancouver spitter Jay Worthy. Repping Compton in every aspect, Worthy first received significant recognition after the debut of Aktive, with his LNDN DRGS collaborator Sean House on Fool’s Gold Records.

And the streets loved it; Worthy’s hard hitting lyricism about the gangster lifestyle and pimping, paired with House’s production featuring 80’s music samples mirrors the west coast rap that dominated radio airwaves back in the 90’s. Vice Magazine called the 14-track set with guest appearances from the late A$AP Yams and Krayzie Bone an “utter delight reveling in sumptuous soul and R&B.” Two years after the debut of the acclaimed free album, Worthy is back it.

This time around, he’s teamed up with the one and only Alchemist to deliver Fantasy Island. Showcasing promising bi-coastal heavy hitters like Conway, $ha Hef, Rugotti, Ray Wright, Polo100 and Big Body Bes, the 16-minute set presents a more mellow backdrop than Aktive. Still mirroring the swagger of Uncle Snoop mixed with Ice Cube with a side of Eazy-E, Worthy is an artist worth checking out. But despite his recognition within the music industry, many people still don’t know who he is. So we’ve compiled a list of facts to get you acquainted with Compton’s “best-kept secret” after catching up with him during Westside Gunn and Conway’s Griselda On Steroids tour stop in NYC:

1. He’s close friends with G Weeder and Kendrick Lamar: “G Weeder is one of my best friends and manager; K-Dot is my m********in’ dog, all of TDE, that’s fam.”

2. The name Jay Worthy is not a play on assistant LA Lakers coach and retired Lakers small forward James Worthy.

3. The cover art and name of the new project was Alchemist’s idea. As for what may have influenced his idea:

“It’s a couple things, it could be the TV show smooth and laid back, he said.” The whole project’s got sounds of birds and the ocean and then there’s a strip club up the street from Al’s house called Fantasy Island.”

4. Rock singer Grimes is his step sister.

5. He grew up traveling back and forth from Vancouver and Compton.

6. He’s been repping Compton since age 17 and identifies with Compton more than his birthplace because:

“…that’s where I grew up and became a man and where I spend most of my time, especially music wise,” said Worthy. “Ever since we were kids we were in Compton, my pops had us out there. Vancouver is a place where I go relax and see my family but it’s not really home to me anymore.”

7. Ice Cube influenced him to start rapping:

“I remember the first CD I bought with my little allowance was Ice Cube’s The Predator,” he said. “I would sit there with my headphones on and listen to it from top to bottom. Shortly after that, it was Snoop; before Cube it was Eazy-E, and The Geto Boyz… But Cube was the one that made me want to rap; he had kids on his album rapping on “Fantasy Fairytale” so I was like ‘I want to rap too’.”

8. Alchemist was a fan of Worthy’s music before meeting him.

“I met him at an Action Bronson show backstage, he came up to me and said he was a fan of my s**t,” he said. “We were out of town and [when] we got back to LA, we linked up.”

9.  On becoming a man in the streets, put it this way:

I was a wild boy…I’m just happy to be here making music, I could be in a lot worse situations, I’m happy it worked out for me,” he said.

10. He writes quite frequently as thoughts come to him without editing his verses.

11. His top rappers dead or alive:

“I like Pac, I like Nas, I like Kendrick, I like Raekwon, I like DJ Quik even as a rapper.”

12. Artists, he wants to work with include “Gap Band, Charlie Wilson, George Clinton and Steve Harrison.”

Photo Credit: Fahim Kassan

Look out for more music from Jay Worthy right here on RESPECT.

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The post Compton Rapper Jay Worthy Continues To Channel 90’s G-Funk Hip Hop appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Facebook@ Capital Steez

Steez Day is almost here again and it’s coming to New York City this time. On Tuesday, June 20,  Joey Bada$$ and CJ Fly announced the third annual festival on social media. Both Pro Era members revealed details about the event through a Kid Super designed flyer.

Photo Credit: Instagram @JoeyBada$$

Photo Credit: Twitter @CJFLY

This just in two-and-a-half weeks after Joey spilled some tea about upcoming LPs from both Pro Era album and Steez. Though release dates for the Pro Era project and Steez’s solo effort King Capital have yet to be unveiled.  This year’s Steez Day is set to take place at the PlayStation Theather in New York, NY on July 7. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 23 right HERE on the PRO ERA site.

Twitter @CJFLY

The Underachievers, Ab-Soul, Saba, J.I.D, Jay IDK, and Jazz Cartier, and returning act A$AP Mob are all slated to take center stage at the festival. Surprise guests are also scheduled to perform. Last year’s Steez Day kicked off in Los Angelos, featuring Raury,  and Danny Brown among others. The celebration will mark what would’ve been Steez’s 24th birthday. The event was first initiated in 2015 as a tribute to the late Pro Era founder and friend. Steez, né Jamal Dewar committed suicide on December 23, 2012, by jumping from the rooftop of Cinematic Group headquarters in Manhattan, NY. He was 19-years-old.

The post Third Annual Steez Day Festival Kicks Off In New York City This July appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Robert Winter

Competition is fierce in showbiz, especially when two siblings pursue careers in similar genres. There isn’t always enough room for everyone to succeed. And though both may have their own unique talent and style, one sibling is likely to outshine the other.

Some artists grow resentful while others celebrate their sibling’s stardom and carve their own lane—(Hey Solange).

Rapper, singer, and songwriter, Illa J, still honors his late brother, J Dilla‘s prolific legacy. But, he’s focused on honing the career he’s built on his own.

After appearing on various posthumous projects with the deceased Hip-Hop producer and releasing various well-received solo albums, J channels the classic Detroit-bred Motown sound on “Home.”

Billed as the title song to his upcoming album, the single features J singing in a raspy falsetto matched with soulful production from Los Angeles-based producer, Calvin Valentine.  

Additional vocals by newcomer, Danielle Henderson beautifully complements the track as J showcases stellar vocals. The upcoming album was recorded in North Hollywood within six days; all other tracks on the new project also feature production by Valentine.

Home is slated for release on Friday, June 30, via Jakarta Records and is currently available for preorder on iTunes. Get into the new single below and stay tuned for more dope music from Illa J right here on RESPECT.

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The post Illa J Drops Title Track to Upcoming Album ‘Home’ [Listen] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Facebook @The Notorious B.I.G

Two decades after the legacy, riches, and diamond rings—the late Notorious B.I.G is still doing real things.

On Thursday, nonprofit performance rights firm, ASCAP said it will honor the rap legend with its acclaimed ASCAP Founders Award on June 22nd.

The ceremony will take place during the ASCAP’s 30th annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

Notorious B.I.G’s mother, Voletta Wallace, his children, and his widow, R&B singer Faith Evans, will claim the award on his behalf.

The rapper’s former managers and estate consultants, Wayne Burrows and Mark Pitts will also accept the merit in his honor.

Born Christopher Wallace in Brooklyn, NY, Biggie became a prime figure in the East Coast Hip-Hop scene with his debut LP, Ready To Die in 1994.

Hit singles like “Juicy,” “Unbelievable,” “Big Poppa,” and “One More Chance earned the LP quadruple-platinum success a year after its release.

Biggie’s popularity quickly increased NY’s visibility in a time where West Coast rap was more dominant on the mainstream front.

On March 9, 1997,  his life came to a tragic end after he was shot multiple times by an unknown assailant during a drive-by in LA.

His sophomore LP, Life After Death debuted 16 days after his death and rose to #1 on U.S. Billboard charts.  The album spawned hits like “Hypnotize,” “Mo Money Mo Problems,” featuring Mase and Sean “Diddy” Combs and “Sky’s The Limit.”

ASCAP President Paul Williams calls Biggie a master storyteller.

“Biggie was a legend in his own time and his legacy lives on through his music,” he said. “Like all songwriters, he was a master storyteller, but it was the realism in his rhymes that captured so many.”

On May 19, just two days before Biggie’s 45th birthday, Evans released a tribute LP with her late husband titled The King and I. On May 26, the couple’s son, CJ Wallace, told London’s Evening Standard he’s working on his debut album. The new set is scheduled for release later on this year. CJ played the role of young Christopher Wallace in the 2009 biopic, Notorious. The 20-year-old rapper and actor did not mention whether or not his father would appear on the upcoming album.

Grammy-winning duo, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will also be honored with the Voice of Music Award at the ASCAP ceremony. The songwriters,  known for working with Janet Jackson all through her career will be enlisted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame this month. Jam and Lewis have also written chart-topping singles for Usher, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and George Michael.

Past ASCAP Award recipients include Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Dr. Dre, and Sean Combs.

The 2017 ASCAP Rythm & Soul Music Awards will be presented by Revolt TV.

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The post Nonprofit Performance Rights Organization ASCAP Will Present The Notorious B.I.G With Founders Award This Month appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: SonReal/Facebook

Obviously, the ride to fame is a bumpy one, and signing to a major label won’t shield you from the perils ahead.

In an industry where artists must not strive by talent alone, a big deal can lead to security for an artist. But remember, a record label is a business. Budgets are not as large they were 15-years-ago when money was just “floating” everywhere. So these days especially, label execs focus more on cashing in. And if making coins means having either partial or full reign of an artist’s creative process and owning the masters to recordings, then so be it.

Some artists happily comply, some cry about it later, and others just walk away.  Artists who choose the latter, like SonReal, continue their trek on the do-it-yourself route until the right deal comes along.  After parting ways with Capitol Records last year,  the iHeart Radio Much Music Video Award winner returns with “Potential.”

The single is an uplifting anthem for all underdogs in pursuit of success.  In the visual, shot in the heart of China, Real taps into his creative potential with group exercises and basketball.

As a fan of skateboarding, he decided to shoot the video in China given the nation’s rising popularity in skateboard culture. “Potential” is slated for Real’s first international album, One Long Dream. When asked about the particular region of China the visual was shot in, here’s what Real had to say:

“I wanted to go somewhere we could shoot a video based on real human interaction and somewhere that people don’t normally shoot videos,” he said. “Also, the skateboarding in China is insane, especially in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.”

According to Real’s manager, the split with Capitol Records was a mutual parting due to a misalignment in creative visions. Real will sign to the right partner but is completely comfortable on the DIY front.

Creative differences led to the split. However, let’s not forget the collab did produce the platinum single “Can I Get A Witness,” last summer.

Stay tuned for even more news on the quirky, rapping vocalist, and songwriter right here on RESPECT.

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The post Canadian Artist SonReal Taps His “Potential” After Leaving Capitol Music Group [Visual] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo Credit: Evan Iskovitz

Seems like Statik Selektah‘s got a thing for numbers. And after two years with no LP, it’s time for the follow up to his seventh album, Lucky 7.

After signing to Roc Nation, Selektah announces his final compilation, 8. Aptly named, the new set features appearances from various old school and new school heavyweights like 2Chainz, Raekwon, and Wale. 

Joey Bada$$, Run the Jewels, The LOX, Black Thought, Freddie Gibbs, and the late Sean Price, are among others on the project.

8 is scheduled for distribution on Selektah’s Showoff/Duckdown record label this summer.  Aside from the forthcoming project, the Boston-born, Brooklyn-based producer/DJ laid tracks for 2Chainz and Nas’ upcoming solo albums.

In addition, he’s produced tracks on recent releases like Joey Bada$$’s All-AmeriKKKan Badass and “Detroit vs. Everybody” featuring Eminem, Royce Da 5’9,” Big Sean, Danny Brown, Dej Loaf, Trick-Trick.

With over two decades in the industry, Selektah’s catalog also includes collaborations with underground hip-hop veterans like Termonalogy, Saigon, and Freeway.

Hear more from Selektah on “Showoff Radio” every Thursday via Shade45 from 8 PM to 12 AM ET.

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The post Statik Selektah Announces Forthcoming Album appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Making it out of the ghetto isn’t so hard. Actually, escaping the poverty trap prevalent in your neighborhood depends on your mindset—not your bank account.

Make a plan to leave and watch it come to fruition with hard work and perseverance. On the new single, “You Know That,” L.A. musician Garren and Atlanta vocalist YFN Lucci share their motivational tale of escaping that other “Belly of the Beast.”

Backed by magnetic production, the Think It’s A Game Records labelmates trade verses on staying ahead. The verses from the two artists do not only complement each other, they sound like they were meant to coexist.

And like many artists on the rise, there’s plenty more magnetic tracks where this came from. “You Know That” comes a month after Garren dropped the instinctual “LA $hit” and “Wrong Way.”

Both singles, which touch on South-Central L.A. street culture, originally premiered during Ebro Darden‘s DJ set via Beats-1 radio.

Fresh off the release of his debut EP Long Live Nut, YFN is the next artist to watch from ATL.  Long Live Nut, a tribute to YFN’s fallen mentor, features appearances from Boosie Badass and Rick Ross. Geesh, with all this potential it’s no wonder the street verse slanging youth from South-Central and ATL prodigy blend well together.

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The post YFN Lucci and Garren Join Forces on “You Know That” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.