This year’s Stadium stage will be performances from Cardi B, Meek Mill, Migos, Tory Lanez, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Megan Thee Stallion, Rich The Kid, and more…Blueface and Trippie Redd are among the acts set to keep the party going at Summer Jam’s Festival stage (two acts — Melii and City Girls — will apparently be holding court at both, which is pretty dope).

Check out the line-ups below and get your tickets/additional information here.

Image credit: Emmis

Image credit: Emmis

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The post HOT 97 Summer Jam Line-Up Announced appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed. Photo Credit: Eric Salvary/Get Fit Radio TV

Photographer, Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed checked in with Scoop B Radio podcast’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Press Play Below To Listen!

If you read articles on the internet then you’ve seen his work. Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed has photographed the latest and greatest.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, Dwyane Wade, Jay-Z, Fabolous, DJ Khaled, P.Diddy and many more have been photographed under the keen lens of Calligrafist.

His photography is a bridge between fashion, lifestyle, hip hop and culture.

He’s everywhere!  Literally!

Homeboy’s work has appeared in reputable publications such as Billboard, ESPN, Bleacher Report, HBO, CBS Sports, Complex, Catch Restaurant, Reebok, Nike, Adidas, New York Fashion Week, DJ USA, Hot 97, Power 105.1, S.O.B.’s, Tidal, BET, VIBE, Mass Appeal, The Shade Room, Hype Beast, The Source Magazine, REVOLT, RESPECT Magazine, Bleu Magazine and Elliot Wilson and Brian ‘B.Dot” Miller’s Rap Radar.

All of that said…guess what? He’s not comfortable! 

“The kind of person that I am, I just want to do more,” Calligraist told RESPECT Magazine today by phone.

“This is just the beginning.” 

Forever Uptown… it’s a Harlem Thing. | #CalligrafistChronicles | www.CalligrafistPhotography.com

A post shared by Ismail اسما عيل Calligrafist™ (@calligrafist) on Dec 15, 2017 at 7:12pm PST

Harlem, NY bred and globally influenced, Calligrafist actually didn’t aspire to be a photographer. In fact, he fell in love with the art of graffiti and calligraphy; hence the nickname, ‘Calligrafist.’

A man of faith, the devout Muslim is college educated at Jamia Madinatul Uloom University in Trinidad & Tobago, where he studied Quranic Studies and Arabic reading and writing.

Calligrafist acknowledges seasoned hip hop photographers like Johnny Nunez and Jonathan Mannion  who have undoubtedly paved the way for on-the rise photographers such as himself. Calligrafist emphasizes that he’s glad to sit at the table with them and eat, while also gaining their respect for his skin in the game. “It’s genuinely cool to have intimate conversations with them,” he said.

“It’s more humbling that I am able to have direct access to people that I look up to like them and someone like Lenny S., DJ Clark Kent, Emory Jones, that have a name in the industry, people that have a place in the culture, for people to acknowledge me for more my work; that’s an honor. That’s more humbling. But it moves me to want to do more.”

For more information on Calligrafist and his photographic/art movement, visit www.calligrafistphotography.com and scroll up and press play to listen to our chat on Scoop B Radio! 

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The post Scoop B: Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed is a rising star who has stayed true to both his Islamic faith & his craft appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

From “Certified Gangsta”

Juelz Santana, Jim Jones, Freekey Zekey, Duke Da God, Hell Rell, Jim Jones and Cam’ron are forever engrained into hip hop culture as Dipset! They were fashionably different, hand their own slang, their own swag and cult following. Some consider them the modern day Wu Tang Clan.

Breaking into the music game, being noticed and being consistent can be tough. Jim Jones began as Cam’ron’s hype man. 

Remember Horse and Carriage? Jimmy was Mr. Me Too!

Appearing on a Mother’s Day edition of the Scoop B Radio Podcast, Nancy Jones, mother of Love & Hip Hop reality star and rapper, Jim Jones, weighed in on Jim and Cam’ron’s relationship being repairable, stating:

“Well you know what that’s on them. I would love for them to get it together and even though a little damage has been done. And if it was left up to me, I honestly would call myself stepping in but you know what? They are two grown men, they’re not young boys anymore. So that’s something where they have to either work it out or don’t work it out and that’s how it is. I hate for it to be like that but sometimes it is what it is.

Check Out Mama Jones and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio:

Mama Jones recalled the early days:

“I would always tell not only him, but his sisters and all of them it’s always better off having your own because you have no problems or nothing like that. After a while when I saw different things with him and Cam I said to him: ‘now it’s time to stop the things you are doing with him and do you.’ I didn’t know he was going go and rap but I told it was time to stop and do you. You do something great and something that you know where you can make money, because I knew soon as you was born I knew you were a star in my stomach and everything, soon as you were born that was it. I said: ‘oh a star is born.’

She recalled when Jimmy starting his solo career:  

“So one day I was laying in bed then he came home with this record saying, “I’m On My Way To Church” and showed me a $175,000 check,” she told me on Scoop B Radio. “And I said: ‘what the hell?’ 

“And I see him in front of the album and I almost lost my mind. Me and him were in front of the bed and I started jumping on the bed and after that he told me “mommy you inspired me because you told me now it’s time for me to go out and start to do my own.”

Mama Jones said that she learned from her own life experiences that it was better to blaze her own trail and she imparted that wisdom on to her son. “Yeah do your own,” she said.

“It’s nothing like you having your own because when you’re underneath somebody it’s a problem. You know I have a problem with it, I tell you like this I never really held on to a job I always made my own jobs because I can’t take a boss that’s over me telling me what to do, how to do it and the whole nine I’m not good at following directions like that so instead I have to go out and do my own and that’s what I did and that’s what I wanted him to do.”

She also talked about the early days of Mase, Jimmy, and Cam’ron:

“Oh I was very happy for them, I told them to be very careful. There were times they would get into little scraps and stuff like that. And I would have to come between them and tell them to get it together. Whenever they got into their little disputes they would get it together but now everybody is grown up and everybody wants their own. Everybody wants this and that, it’s kind of a little rough it’s kind of a little hard to where I say I’m gonna to control anybody. And I don’t want to control nobody and I got tired of the bickering and carrying on, making yourself look like an ass out there to people on TV or Instagram or on the radio. I don’t even like even with Love and Hip Hop the way they’re carrying on and stuff like that. Even though we started out like that, but when we started out with Love and Hip Hop it wasn’t like it is now Love and Hip Hop. Now, I might as well call it the wrestling ring.”

Despite differences, both Cam’ron and Jim Jones are coming around. Jones recently spoke about he and Cam’ron fractured relationship in February in an interview with Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex. He was contrite. According to Jones, Cam’ron was the most important member of the group and he protected him at all costs, making sure he was “untouchable.”

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The post Mama Jones on Jim Jones & Cam’ron’s Friendship: “I would love for them to get it together” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

In the Jahlil Beats produced song, Monster, Meek Mill’s chorus says:

 

“The money turned me into a monster, the money turned my noodles into pasta, the money turned my tuna into lobster, they want to do me I’mma do it like a mobster.”

Meet Lenny Williams. He’s certainly turned the tuna into lobster by using his story and his struggle to speak life into others.

After earning a lowly 1.9 GPA  in his freshman year of high school, Lenny had  a 5-6 year academic struggle. His SAT scores were low, as were his College Placement tests.

After getting his education on track and graduating with both his BA and MA from New Jersey City University and adjuncting at various area colleges he became an Assistant to the Dean for Enrollment Management at the school.

He also began his own own educational platform called Trill or Not Trill. The program uses culturally relevant content with the world of student development and leadership.  Trill or Not Trill brings together voices from pop culture to student affairs.Think: leadership master classes and using haters as your motivators through social media. Take it next level: the program even uses the Golden State Warriors’ all star guard Steph Curry journey early in his career as a case study. For those tardy to the party, many NBA Draft experts doubted Curry’s skill. In turn, the former NBA MVP turned that criticism into his success.

Williams has seen a return on his investment in himself and his personal brand. He’s been asked to speak at colleges like Princeton University, Yale, Columbia University and other notables functions like with the NFL’s Players Association.

Williams was even a guest last week on New York’s Fox 5 and Hot 97. There he chatted with the iconic Lisa Evers on her Street Soldiers program.

Check it out:

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The post Scoop B: Lenny Williams Turns Passion Into Career & Appears On Street Soldiers With Lisa Evers appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Laura Stylez is the ma’aam on Hot 97’s Ebro in The Morning Show.

Stylez moved from LA to New York at 19. Like many starving artists looking to claim their own territory, she didn’t have her family’s full cosign at first. In spite of all of that, she kept trucking.Stylez went to school and interned at radio stations to earn her keep. “It goes to show you that you have to claim your destiny sometimes and believe in yourself,” Stylez told me on the Scoop B Radio podcast.

Her big big break came when Stylez became an online digital producer at Hot 97 in 2013. She hosted live streams and assisted former Hot 97 personality, Angie Martinez, who recently celebrated a birthday. “She’s truly been a mentor to me,” said Stylez. “Took me in and really just believed in me.”

In between filling in for Ebro, Cipha Sounds and others, Stylez ended up being a mainstay and here she is now fulfilling her dream. “ I’m thankful every day,” she said.

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The post Laura Stylez Reflects On Hard Work & Sound Advice From Angie Martinez appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Laura Stylez moved to NYC to pursue her dream of being a radio personality.

One third of New York’s Hot 97 Morning Show airing weekdays from 5 AM-10 AM, Stylez holds it down with Ebro Darden and Peter Rosenberg. The first lady of the morning show also appears midday on Sirius/XM Radio hosting a midday Latin hits show.

Initially, Stylez began as an online digital producer at Hot 97 in 2013. There she’d host live streams and assist former Hot 97 personality and radio legend, Angie Martinez. Stylez credits Martinez for planting seeds in her life and encouraging her to stay true to herself. “She’s truly been a mentor to me and took me in and really just believed in me,” said Stylez.

In a part two of the conversation from episode 3 of Scoop B Radio, Stylez talks about her radio journey, the dynamics of being a woman host, best guests she’s interviewed and more tales about her come up.

Check out Laura Stylez and Scoop B on Scoop B Radio 

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The post Scoop B: Hot 97’s Laura Stylez Talks Dreams & Radio appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

After finishing the 2015-16 season at 32-50 and 13th place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks had to make some upgrades during the offseason.

The team hired head coach Jeff Hornacek, acquire the rights to Derrick Rose in a trade with the Chicago Bulls and signed free agents Joakim Noah, Brandon Jennings and Courtney Lee.

DJ Clue a long time dj on New York’s Power 105 has been a long suffering Knicks fan and he’s happy that key names at key positions are in place. “Any move is a good move because we were struggling,” DJ Clue told me. “I think some good trades and some good pickups, I’m not mad at all. They’re just missing a solid free throw shooters.”

Check Out Fabolous Recounting His First DJ Clue Freestyle

Since the Knicks made the blockbuster trade with the Denver Nuggets that brought Carmelo Anthony to New York in 2011, Anthony has played under four head coaches. Hornacek makes it his fifth.

Anthony has always been an efficient scorer. Last season, basketball purists marveled at his ability to play a team concept. In 72 games last season Anthony had a productive 22 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists and had a successful gold medal run with USA basketball this summer. “I’ll be entering, what…my 14th season,” Anthony told me earlier this summer.

Carmelo Anthony’s 2015-16 Highlights

“I have to continue to lead this team. We’re professionals and we’ve certainly improved from last season.”

HoopsHype has the Knicks pegged at third in the NBA’s  Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference.Actor, podcast host and die-hard Knicks fan Michael Rapaport sees it a little different. “I’m looking for a four seed in the East,” Rapaport told me.

Rapaport Talks Knicks on ESPN’s The Jump

“I think the Knicks’ moves were good. I expect them to make the playoffs. You got a lot of pieces. The ‘umph’ is the health factor, not just with Rose, not just with Noah, you know Brandon Jennings; I love him. So hopefully, if they’re all healthy and their hands are on deck for at least 65 games and all of those guys are playing, we’ll definitely make the playoffs.”

The Knicks begin their season on Tuesday in Cleveland against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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The post Scoop B: DJ Clue and Michael Rapaport Are Excited For New York Knicks’ Season appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.