A$AP Yams passed away in his sleep back on January 18 and there was immediate speculation stemming from his last tweet posted that his death may have been drug-related.

Fellow A$AP Mob members A$AP Ant and A$AP Rocky released statements denying rumors that Yams’ death had been caused by drug use or overdose. At Sundance Festival, Rocky stated, “People were saying that Yams overdosed on drugs — he didn’t overdose on any drugs, I feel like people feel that way because that’s all he’s in pictures doing. When you see A$AP Yams you see Hennessey or purple drink, you see some type of controlled substance or illegal narcotic.”

Earlier today (March 19), the New York Times’ Jon Caramanica tweeted that the Chief Medical Examiner’s report concluded that the 26-year-old Harlem native, born Steven Rodriguez, died due to acute mixed drug intoxication. The report revealed that opiates and benzodiazepine were found in Yams’ system, and his death has been ruled accidental.

Rest in power A$AP Yams.

Sad news: Chief Medical Examiner calls ASAP Yams’s death accident caused by acute mixed drug intoxication (incl. opiates & benzodiazepine)

— Jon Caramanica (@joncaramanica) March 19, 2015

The post A$AP Yam’s Cause Of Death Revealed appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Denver-based trio BLKHRTS make dark music. That’s the initial impression you’ll be left with after listening to any of their songs, however they’re not, as Anthony Jeselnik would put it, “dark for the sake of dark.” Yonnas Abraham, King FOE  and Karma the Voice all deliver introspective lyrics that are masked by punishing Nine Inch Nails-esque industrial beats. When they’re not digging into their own souls, they’re lashing out with violent lyrics and describing heavy drug use and sexual romps.

Abraham describes the group’s sound as “ghetto goth,” which is as good a description as any, seeing as how the BLKHRTS are probably what Marilyn Manson would sound like if he morphed into Eminem. Their latest mixtape samples everything from Crystal Castles to Bob Dylan. Stream or download below and be on the look out for their debut album via Dave Sitek’s Lecord Rabel.

The post New Mixtape: BLKHRTS – “Death, Romance and The Color BLK” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Haring’s work first appears playful and child-friendly, but it is the work of an enraged man. In spite of the color selection, there is an extreme presence of violence: the exhibit puts forth a story, placed into chapters by theme: Capitalism, Religion, Mass Media, The Fear of Nuclear, AIDS, Death. None of these themes belong solely to the past. His characters are in-temporal, not only due to the themes they embody but because of their lack of faces. They could be anyone; they are each of us.

The post Art: Homage to Keith Haring – The Enraged Man appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Mannion/ The FADER

Drake posted on Twitter yesterday that his beloved grandmother had passed. If you listen to his catalogue you know how influential Evelyn Sher was to the Toronto musician. And if you didn’t, the love in apparent in this great Mannion flick above.  Rest in peace, and condolences to Drake’s family.

The post Photo Of The Day: Drake Pays His Respect appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.