Deadly Stampede Breaks Out at GloRilla Concert

Rochester Mayor Malik Evan called the incident a "tragedy of epic proportions." 

One woman is dead and two others are in critical condition after tragedy struck the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York on Sunday night, as a stampede broke out during a concert featuring popular hip-hop artists GloRilla and Finesse2tymes.

In the wake of the tragedy, Grammy-nominated rapper GloRilla, who performed at the concert, expressed her condolences on Twitter. "I'm just now hearing about what happened wtf," she wrote. "Praying everybody is ok."

I’m just now hearing about what happened wtf 😢😢😢praying everybody is ok 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

— GloRilla 🦍 (@GloTheofficial) March 6, 2023

According to Rochester police, the crowd surge occurred as concertgoers were leaving the venue after the show and was sparked by false rumors of a shooting.

At a press conference on Monday, Rochester Police Chief David Smith revealed that the injuries sustained by the victims were not caused by gunfire or other weapons, but rather by the chaos of the stampede itself.

"Preliminary reports from people at the scene indicate that these injuries were caused from people being trampled," said Police Chief David Smith, adding that they have not found any evidence of gunshots or stabbings at the scene.

#viralvdoz#WATCH: 1 dead, 9 hurt in stampede at GloRilla concert in New York#NewYork #stampede #GloRillaconcert #US pic.twitter.com/B3mdBwlj2U

— ViralVdoz (@viralvdoz) March 6, 2023

In addition to the three injured women found by the officers when they entered the building, seven other victims were hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evan called the incident a "tragedy of epic proportions." He pledged to hold those responsible accountable and urged anyone with information or footage of the event to come forward.

"We are nowhere near completing this investigation," he said.

Watch the entire press conference below:

 

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Hip-Hop Icons Wu-Tang Clan and Nas Unite for Worldwide Tour

Courtesy Live Nation 

The saga continues.

Hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan and Nas are teaming up once again for a sequel to their "NY State of Mind Tour" from last year.

On Monday, Wu-Tang shared the news on the group's official Instagram.

"The Saga Continues Worldwide! The #NewYorkStateofMindTour is back — coming to a stage near you," the group wrote alongside artwork featuring the upcoming dates.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wu Tang Clan (@wutangclan)

The 32-date sequel will kick off in Auckland, New Zealand on May 9 and make its way to Australia, Europe, and the UK before reaching North America on September 20 in Nashville.

Both Wu-Tang Clan and Nas began their careers with genre-defining albums in the 1990s. Wu-Tang Clan's "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" dropped in November 1993, while Nas' "Illmatic" hit the airwaves six months later.

The tour follows Wu-Tang Clan's historic debut album being added to the Library of Congress' National Registry in 2022. Nas' most recent album, "King's Disease III," was also released in the same year.

This time the tour, which ironically skipped New York, will include a stop in Brooklyn along with cities including Toronto, Chicago, DC, and Seattle before concluding on October 22 in Highland, California.

Tickets for the North American and European dates will be available for purchase on March 3 at 9 a.m. local time through Ticketmaster, while a Live Nation pre-sale will begin on March 2 (use code CHORUS). Alternatively, tickets can be purchased through Stubhub. The general on-sale for Australia and New Zealand tickets will begin on March 6 at noon local time through Vivagogo.

View the complete schedule for the "NY State of Mind Tour" below:

NY State of Mind Tour Schedule

Date	City	Venue
May 9	Auckland, NZ	Spark Arena
May 12	Brisbane, AU	Brisbane Entertainment Centre
May 13	Sydney, AU	Qudos Bank Arena
May 14	Melbourne, AU	Rod Laver Arena
June 2	Stockholm, SE	Avicii Arena
June 3	Copenhagen, DK	Royal Arena
June 5	Berlin, DE	Parkbuhne Wuhlheide
June 6	Amsterdam, NL	Ziggo Dome
June 7	Paris, FR	Accor Arena
June 9	Dublin, IE	3Arena
June 12	Glasgow, UK	OVO Hydro
June 13	London, UK	The O2
Sept 20	Nashville, TN	Bridgestone Arena
Sept 22	Hollywood, FL	Hard Rock Live
Sept 23	Jacksonville, FL	Daily’s Place
Sept 24	Tampa, FL	Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sept 26	Washington, DC	Capital One Arena
Sept 27	Brooklyn, NY	Barclays Center

Watch: Ab-Soul Releases Raw and Vulnerable Tiny Desk Performance on Birthday

On Thursday, to mark his 36th birthday, Ab-Soul released a Tiny Desk concert, which he called his "second second chance."

The performance is a must-watch for all hip-hop fans. Backed by a hand-picked group of musicians he dubbed the "Soulersystem," Ab-Soul delivered a raw and rousing performance.

Ab-Soul's career is a prime example of how rap has grown over the past 50 years. For his Tiny Desk set, he hand-picked a live band and gave a display of raw honesty and next-level lyricism. https://t.co/p73zxwu2aj

— NPR Music (@nprmusic) February 23, 2023

The Carson, California native's music is defined by vulnerability, pathos, and hope, all of which were on full display in his first-ever appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series.

Surrounded by childhood pictures, some of which graphically detailed his fight with the rare disorder Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which ravaged his skin and left him legally blind, the artist, born Herbert Stevens IV, powered through tracks from his critically-acclaimed new album "HERBERT."

He also paired never-before-heard rhymes with instrumentals from 2012's "Control System" between sets.

Watch the full performance below:

Chuck Jackson, "Any Day Now" Hitmaker, Passes Away at 85

Wand Management, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Chuck Jackson, the legendary R&B and soul singer known for hits such as "Any Day Now" and "I Don't
Want to Cry," has died at the age of 85.

The sad news was confirmed by Ady Croasdell, of UK-based Kent Records, who wrote on social media: "There are confirmed reports that one of the very greatest soul singers of all time, Chuck Jackson, died on February 16th. His passing will be deeply felt around the world." No cause of death was given.

Jackson had an impressive career spanning over six decades, starting in the 1950s as a member of The Del-Vikings before becoming a solo artist and signing with Wand and Scepter record labels. He released over 30 singles throughout his career, including hits such as "Tell Him I'm Not Home," "Beg Me," and "Since I Don't Have You."

In 1962, Jackson released his most famous hit, "Any Day Now," written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard. The song earned him a contract with Motown Records and was later covered by Ronnie Milsap. Jackson's "I Keep Forgettin'" was also covered by Michael McDonald and David Bowie.

RIP Chuck Jackson

The R&B singer/songwriter charted 23 songs on the #Hot100 in his lifetime. Here are the top-charting ones below:

#23, Any Day Now
#36, I Don't Want To Cry
#42, Tell Him I'm Not Home
#45, Beg Me
#46, (It Never Happens) In Real Life
#46, If I Didn't Love You https://t.co/Fogj6y2aQX

— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) February 21, 2023

Croasdell reflected on Jackson's impressive career and legacy in a statement on Kent Records' official website. "No artist had more releases or titles issued on Kent records than Chuck Jackson," he said. He also credited the company's first compilation featuring Jackson's work, "Mr Emotion" (Kent 033), with helping to revive interest in his Wand recordings, which had largely been forgotten about by the 80s.

In memory of #ApolloLegend Chuck Jackson 🕊❤️ pic.twitter.com/wIZO7kgBgv

— apollotheater (@ApolloTheater) February 22, 2023

"Throughout his career Chuck worked hard with his acclaimed live appearances and he continued to sing in great voice up until quite recently," Croasdell said. "He got a terrific reception at the Great Yarmouth soul weekender in 1990 and appeared around Europe on several occasions afterwards — as well as being in constant demand in his home country."

Dionne Warwick, a friend and collaborator of Jackson's, issued a statement about his death, saying: "Another heartache has come my way. Chuck Jackson has made his transition. He was my label mate on Scepter Records and was like a big brother to me."

Da Brat Reveals She's Pregnant at 48

Photo Courtesy Twitter

Da Brat, the legendary rapper behind the hit song "Funkdafied," is pregnant at the age of 48.

The hip-hop icon revealed the news in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine published today.

Da Brat, whose real name is Shawntae Harris, and her wife, Jesseca "Judy" Harris-Dupart, CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, said they were inspired to have a baby after their marketing campaign for a new hair product line featured the tagline "extending our family."

"It started as a joke, but then we got a huge response. It was like, 'Oh my God, do we want to actually have kids, and if we do, girl, we better hurry up!'" Harris-Dupart told PEOPLE.

Da Brat reveals pregnancy at 48: 'I thought it wasn't in the cards for me' https://t.co/tny1yHwf96 pic.twitter.com/m6gqoSo43a

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 21, 2023

The couple tied the knot in February 2022, and Da Brat said she thought having a baby was "not in the cards" for her at this stage in her life.

"It's been quite a journey," she said, adding that they had to learn a lot about pregnancy and childbirth for women over 40.

Da Brat has been in the music industry for over three decades, with hits such as "Funkdafied" and "Give It 2 You," and has also appeared in films and television shows.

She became the first female solo artist to go platinum with her debut album, "Funkdafied," in 1994.

The rapper recently made headlines after receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2023.

Her induction ceremony was attended by several of her peers in the music and entertainment industries, including Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, and Jermaine Dupri.

Ice-T Honored With Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Screengrab YouTube

Rap icon and actor Ice-T, a pioneering force in hip-hop and acclaimed performer in film and television, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, one day after his 65th birthday.

Ice-T, whose real name is Tracy Lauren Marrow, was joined by his wife Coco Austin and their daughter Chanel for the celebration, attended by family, friends, co-stars and contemporaries on the world-famous stretch of sidewalk in Los Angeles.

One of the creators of gangster rap in the nineties, he was recognized for his contributions to the music and entertainment industries with the Walk's 2,747th star, located at 7065 Hollywood Blvd.

Speaking at the ceremony, Law & Order franchise producer Dick Wolf, who counts Ice-T among the stars in his long-running crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, praised the rapper's talent and character.

"Ice has appeared in more of my shows than anyone else on Earth. It goes back now 25 years," Wolf said. "I’m now gonna show how old I am by saying, ‘Ice is the coolest guy I have ever met,’ and I’ve said that to him. I don’t know what the term for it is — ‘the bomb’? I don’t know."

Law & Order: SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay called Ice-T the O.G. of friendship, emphasizing the rapper's deep impact on the music industry and the world at large.

"Your whole story runs so deep. It runs deep particularly here in L.A., and it runs deep around the world," Hargitay said. "You are a rapper and an actor and an artist. And at a time when people overuse words without thinking and wearing out the meanings, you are indeed the real O.G."

Fellow hip-hop legend Chuck D of Public Enemy revealed he calls Ice-T Berg as a nickname "‘cause he’s so cool that he could sink the Titanic and raise it again," and praised the rapper's influence and power with words.

"He brought theater to hip-hop and rap, and you got frozen in the moment like he’s the Black rap Alice Cooper, without biting off the bird’s head," Chuck D said. "And he would hold you in the palm of his hand with words, wisdom, and wit."

When it was Ice-T's turn to take to the podium, the star expressed disbelief at the honor, saying, "I never thought I would get a star — really? I mean, the way my life was going, it was what can we come up in Hollywood and steal. We were really out here causing real problems. And this was just out of the question. Show business was just out of the question."

He also thanked his detractors for fueling his motivation to succeed.

"Last but not least," Ice-T said, "I want to thank the motherf— haters, ‘cause you really make me get up in the morning and be the best that I can be. All the naysayers, all the people that wanted to end my career, now I’m on the Walk of Fame ... and that’s the motivation! You’ve got to let the haters motivate you."

Diddy Reveals New Name for Business Empire

Hip-hop entrepreneur and Bad Boy Billionaire Sean "Diddy" Combs has unveiled his latest business venture, Combs Global, a rebranding of his parent company Combs Enterprises.

The company, which started in 2013 with brands such as Bad Boy Entertainment and Cîroc Vodka, has now expanded to include Empower Global, Our Fair Share, Love Records and a presence in the cannabis industry.

“Combs Global represents the next chapter in my journey as a business leader and a bigger vision to build the largest portfolio of leading Black-owned brands in the world,” Combs said in a statement on Tuesday.

"I've enlisted world-class teams of top executives, specialists and strategic partners to bring this new dream to life and put us in the best position to keep making history while leading another 30 years of dominance across industries.”

With the launch of Combs Global, there has been a complete rebranding of the website, social channels, and brand communications. The new visual identity coincides with plans to take the company and its business units international.

The new logo was unveiled in a Uber One Super Bowl commercial starring Combs where he dreams up a hit song for Uber One, a reminder of Combs' unrivaled success as a hitmaker.

Combs, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Bad Boy Entertainment, the 15th anniversary of his partnership with alcohol brand Diageo, the 10th anniversary of REVOLT — the first Black-owned multiplatform cable music network, now reaching over 80 million homes and 20 million monthly viewers digitally — shows no signs of slowing down.

This year has already been a busy one for Combs, with his acquisition of The Nile List and his $2M investment in creator platform REC Philly. He also expanded his Capital Preparatory charter schools to now include campuses in the Bronx, New York and Hartford, Connecticut.

De La Soul’s Trugoy the Dove Dies At 54

Sven Volkens, sven.volkens@wikipedia.de, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trugoy the Dove, one-third of the influential hip-hop group De La Soul, has died at the age of 54.

The news was confirmed by a representative of the group after first being reported by AllHipHop.

While no official cause of death has been announced. Trugoy, also known as Dave and Plug Two, was open about his struggles with congestive heart failure in recent years.

De La Soul fought to get the rights to their music back for so many years. Just when they do, Trugoy the Dove aka Dave passes. De La Soul was an innovative force of creativity that changed the perception of what “rap” could be. A true pioneer and legend 🙏 Thank you, Plug 2. pic.twitter.com/Wr3vtWKU1s

— Eric Schwartz (@ericschwartz) February 12, 2023

In the "Royalty Capes" video by De La Soul, Trugoy, whose passion for music and performing never waned despite his medical woes, spoke of his love for the stage, saying, "I miss that. I love traveling. I love being around my guys and I want that back."

Born David Jude Jolicoeur, Trugoy formed De La Soul in 1988 alongside his high school friends, rappers Posdnuos and Maseo in Long Island, New York.

The group's Prince Paul-produced debut album, "3 Feet High and Rising," was released in 1989 and solidified De La Soul as one of the genre's most influential groups.

Trugoy was notably absent from the recent Grammy's hip-hop tribute performance by the group.