By: Gene Noble

Singer/songwriter, Gene Noble returns to the music scene, with a powerful new single/video “Too Many Lost”. Having written for the likes of Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, & Faith Evans, his immense talent is unmatched. As the newest signee of Hidden Beach Recordings, this release is right on time, as it marks the label’s return to the music business.   

“Too Many Lost” is a song designed to spark healing, change and unity. The heartfelt video was inspired by the current COVID-19 epidemic effecting the entire world. The New York native pays tribute to his late mentor Bishop David Gates, who passed away around the time Gene announced his debut as a signed artist. He wanted to show his love and appreciation to a role model of his who was very influential in his life and career. This visual is also meant to bring awareness and give thanks to people on the front line fighting not just the virus, but also essential workers that are constantly risking their lives.

Showing appreciation to these types of people is very personal for this artist, as his father was killed in a line of duty while serving his country when he was a child. It’s fitting that this project was written to call out the nation’s injustices and the overwhelming loss of people in the front lines. Shot in the empty streets of Atlanta, GA the video was captured directly from Gene’s iPhone and is meant to educate and bring awareness to our communities about this pandemic. He does an excellent job of sharing his experiences as a black man in a society designed for him to fail.

Some lyrics that stand out most are “But you got guns and they’re pointed at my sons”. These chilling bars are a reference to the lack of resources in minorities communities, making it harder to fight off this epidemic for people of color. The R&B centric single “Too Many Lost” produced by the multi-instrumentalist, Gorden Campbell, is the first track off Gene’s forthcoming Hidden Beach debut EP.

Be sure to check it out below. 

The post Gene Noble Releases Powerful New Single & Video “Too Many Lost” 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.

One of the most anticipated duet albums ever is on it’s way. Last year, Grammy award winning artist, Faith Evans announced that a duet album with her late husband, The Notorious B.I.G. was in the works. We finally get to see the album come to fruition. The album is titled The King & I  and will be released on May 19th. So far, two songs have been released from the album, “NYC” featuring Jadakiss and “When We Party” featuring Snoop Dogg. Other features on the The King & I include Styles P, Sheek Louch, Busta Rhymes, and Lil’ Kim. Listen to the two released singles and check out the full track list below.

Track list for The King & I :

01 A Billion
02 Legacy
03 Beautiful (Interlude)
04 Can’t Get Enough
05 Don’t Test Me
06 Big/Faye (Interlude) [ft. Jamal Woolard]
07 Tryna Get By
08 The Reason
09 I Don’t Want It [ft. Lil’ Cease]
10 I Got Married (Interlude) [ft. Mama Wallace]
11 Wife Commandments
12 We Just Clicked (Interlude) [ft. Mama Wallace]
13 A Little Romance
14 The Baddest (Interlude)
15 Fool For You
16 Crazy (Interlude) [ft. 112 & Mama Wallace]
17 Got Me Twisted
18 When We Party [ft. Snoop Dogg]
19 Somebody Knows [ft. Busta Rhymes]
20 Take Me There [ft. Sheek Louch & Styles P]
21 One In The Same
22 I Wish (Interlude) [ft. Kevin McCall & Chyna Tahjere]
23 Lovin You For Life [ft. Lil’ Kim]
24 NYC [ft. Jadakiss]
25 It Was Worth It

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The post Faith Evans Releases Two New Singles from Duet Album with The Notorious B.I.G. [LISTEN] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Bad Boy come out and play…

Since Diddy and his crew took the stage at the 2015 BET Awards to celebrate Bad Boy Records 20th anniversary, fans have sat hoping and praying for a Bad Boy Reunion tour to happen. Whispers from artist camp said it was in the works but nothing has come to fruition until now.  Well…there’s still no tour, but we’re about to get a taste of what we can expect from said tour.

Diddy announced that he and the gang will perform a One Night Only concert at the Brooklyn Barclays Center on May 20th to honor The Notorious B.I.G.‘s 44th birthday.

“This isn’t just another concert, this is hip-hop history,” Diddy told REVOLT. “The Bad Boy Family includes some of the biggest names in music and songs that helped define a whole generation of music. Also, we are celebrating one of the greatest of all time, Notorious B.I.G. This will be a night to remember. I can’t wait to see you all there.”

The concert is scheduled to have epic performances from Faith Evans, Ma$e, Lil Kim, The Lox, Mario Winas, 112, Total, and French Montana.  Also, Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige are scheduled special guests to perform.

Tickets for B.I.G’s One Night Only bash go on sale Saturday April 2nd at 11am.

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The post Diddy & Bad Boy will be Honoring B.I.G.’s B-Day with Concert appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“Tattoo on titty saying B.I.G.”

For sometime now, Faith Evans has been talking about this music project she’s been working on and finally we’ve gotten some solid news.  The forthcoming project? Well its a duet album with her and late husband, The Notorious B.I.G. titled The King and I.

“Right now I’m recording this project. That’s something I’ve been thinking and talking about doing with Ms. Wallace for a long time. I’m kind of in the finishing stages,” said Evans on Dame Dash‘s radio show.

Through her Instagram page she has been documenting the studio process with a series of photos, using the hashtag #TKAI.  Her latest IG post is a photo of her holding a glass of champagne in front of the Warner Bros. signage, with the caption that reads “Celebrating BIG things! #TKAI coming soon.”  Evans has also updated fans that the LP’s release slated is for this upcoming September and a possible first single will debut this summer.  This project is something Notorious B.I.G. fans should look forward to because the album will include never heard before material from B.I.G.

“I had no idea how I was even going to go about it, but it’s been coming along pretty awesome,” Evans included. “If he was alive, I know ultimately we would have done something like this. But the way this stuff is coming together and the way I’m using his vocals, it’s giving this stuff new life. I think people are really going to enjoy it.”

It’s nice and exciting to see Wallace’s widow keeping his music legacy alive years later.  Evans and Wallace were both signed to Bad Boy Records and married on August 4th 1994, just after weeks of meeting at a Bad Boy photo shoot.

Are you anticipating this project?

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