Archie Eversole, Rapper of Popular Sports Anthem 'We Ready,' Dead at 37

Courtesy Atlanta United 

A day after Georgia radio station Hot 107.9 FM announced his death citing "close sources" to the family, authorities confirmed the death of Atlanta-based rapper Archie Eversole, Thursday.

According to a statement released by the DeKalb County Police Department, the musician born Arthur Eversole, 37, and best known for his 2002 hit single "We Ready," was shot on March 25 in Decatur, Georgia, and was taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.

"On March 25, 2022, Officers responded to the Chevron at 4410 Snapfinger Woods Drive in reference to a person shot," the statement reads. "Upon arrival, they located the victim suffering from a gunshot wound," the statement read. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries on April 3, 2022."

The police went on to say that officers had located the suspect at the location of the incident and taken him into custody and that he had been identified as Alexander Kraus, Eversole's brother. Kraus was initially charged with aggravated assault, but his charges were upgraded to murder after Eversole died.

A veteran of the Atlanta rap scene, Eversole's 2002 collaboration with Bubba Sparxx, "We Ready," rocketed up the charts and became the hip-hop stadium anthem of choice for multiple sports teams and leagues following its release.

The man who gave us “We Ready, the greatest Game Day anthem ever, has passed away at 37 years old.
Rest In Peace Archie Eversole.
Prayers up to his family and loved ones.
pic.twitter.com/Y4q55WzgWt

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 13, 2022

The track which heavily sampled the 1969 hit “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Steam, helped his debut album, recorded when he was just 17-years-old, "Ride Wit Me Dirty South Style" to be certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

While he never matched the success of "We Ready" he continued to record, contribute and participate in the local rap community.

In 2018, he was chosen by Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United to create an anthem for the fledgling team. The result was “United We Conquer,” a rousing piece popular with supporters. Following the announcement of his death, the club released a statement saying, "we are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Archie Eversole."

"A staple in the Atlanta hip-hop scene, Archie adopted Atlanta United before our first season and continued to be one of our club’s most fervent supporters," it read.

Club statement on the passing of Atlanta hip-hop artist Archie Eversole. pic.twitter.com/PuT8xQUuUg

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) April 14, 2022

"In addition to his decorated musical career, his voice will long live in our supporters’ minds as ‘We Ready’ billows through the speakers for kick-off at Atlanta United matches. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.”

Fans and friends also took to social media to memorialize the fallen artist.

Former NFL Player Robert Griffin III summed up a lot of their sentiment on Twitter writing, “The man who gave us ‘We Ready,’ the greatest Game Day anthem ever, has passed away at 37 years old. Rest In Peace Archie Eversole. Prayers up to his family and loved ones.”

Precocious Prince Revealed in Rare Footage

Screenshot: WCCO - CBS Minnesota

The keen eye of Minnesota news production manager Matt Liddy, unearthed a long-lost treasure recently in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

A Minnesota native, Liddy, was looking through archival footage for WCCO, where he works, last month when he spotted a familiar face in a story about a school strike that took place in 1970.

The resemblance to Minnesota's Muse, the Purple One himself —Prince, as an 11-year-old speaking in support of the teacher's strike was so stunning that Liddy immediately ran to the newsroom to confirm that he was not crazy.

"I immediately just went out to the newsroom and started showing people [the footage] and saying, 'I'm not going to tell you who I think this is, but who do you think this is?" he told WCCO.

According to Liddy, every single person responded "Prince."

Still, after being advised by experts that pre-teen videos of Prince are nearly nonexistent, the team at WCCO had to go the extra mile to verify the video and confirm that their footage contained a rare look at the legend who came to embody the Minnesota music scene as a child.

After restoring the video, the station found Kristen Zschomler, a professional historian, archeologist and researcher who has written extensively on his journey from Minneapolis’ northside to Paisley Park and the world.

When she was shown the clip, in which the young boy is called Skipper by his classmates (a nickname Prince had as a child), she was convinced it was the star immediately.

“I think that’s him, definitely. Oh my gosh! Yeah, I think that’s definitely Prince,” Zschomler said. “This definitely looks like Lincoln Junior High School where he would have been attending school in April of 1970."

The news team got its final confirmation when it hunted down Terrance Jackson, a childhood friend and former neighbor who was also in the singer’s first band, Grand Central, as teens.

“We go far back as kindergarten at John Hay Elementary in north Minneapolis,” Jackson told WCCO.

“That is Prince! Standing right there with the hat on, right? That’s Skipper! Oh my God!" Jackson exclaimed.

So, what did the star, who died at age 57 in 2016 from a fentanyl overdose, have to say about the striking teachers?

“I think they should get some more money because they be working extra hours for us," he said.

Watch the clip below for the entire story:

Video Surfaces of Dead Rapper, Goonew, on Display at Memoriam Party in DC Nightclub

©Instagram

While most of the music world was focused on the 2022 Grammy Awards Sunday night —with more than a few viewers tuned in to see if the celebration would top the fireworks at the Academy Awards the previous week —a party in memoriam of rapper Goonew, went viral for a moment more shocking than Will Smith's Oscar-night slap of Chris Rock.

The Baltimore, Maryland, based musician, born Markelle Morrow, who died after being found shot last month in a parking lot at the age of 24, had his corpse put on display at a shocking memorial service at Washington, DC’s Bliss nightclub.

Video leaked from the event shows Morrow's body propped up on stage with a crown on his head while patrons danced and drank at the event, which was reportedly set up by the rapper's friends and family to honor his memory and required a $40 entry fee.

Reaction to the display was swift once the footage hit social media with most people decrying the display as disrespectful and demeaning to the deceased.

Tbh goonew deserved way better in my opinion, long live him tho❤️ pic.twitter.com/BdNs9fX6tB

— t3❤️‍🔥 (@3babyrackz) April 3, 2022

if y’all saw that video with Goonew’s body y’all can’t tell me this society ain’t already collapsed…

— silent hater (@doompeyton) April 4, 2022

Monday, Bliss posted an apology on Instagram saying the venue was not aware of the details of the service before it took place.

“Our deepest condolences to Goonew’s family, friends and fans,” the venue wrote. “Bliss was contacted by a local funeral home to rent out our venue for Goonew’s home-going celebration.

“Bliss was never made aware of what would transpire. We sincerely apologize to all those who may be upset or offended,” the venue continued. “Please keep Goonew’s family and friends in your prayers at this difficult time.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BLISS NIGHTCLUB : D.C. (@blissclubdc)

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit detectives are still investigating Morrow's death, which the family believes was a robbery that ended in murder and are working to identify and arrest the suspect or suspects who shot and killed him. There is currently a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest of a suspect in the shooting.

Watch: Aretha Franklin's Granddaughter Auditions for 'American Idol'

Grace Franklin on "American Idol."

Even coming from a royal lineage is not a guarantee to get you a spot on "American Idol."

Grace Franklin, the 15-year-old granddaughter of the Queen of Soul, found that out the hard way when she auditioned for the long-running musical talent show on its 20th season premiere Sunday.

When asked how she came to stand before the judges, the teenager said, "My grandma is Aretha Franklin."

The statement elicited surprise from R&B legend Lionel Richie.

"Stop right there, that's your grandma!" exclaimed the "All Night Long" singer.

Unfortunately for young Grace, the elation would not last.

The music neophyte, who shared with the audience in a pre-taped segment before the audition, "I don't think I could fully grasp the fact that she [Franklin] was known worldwide, because to me she was always just grandma," sang two songs.

Her take on "Killing Me Softly," as popularized by Lauryn Hill of the Fugees, was called "a little sleepy and subdued" by country superstar and "Idol" judge Luke Bryan. Her next attempt at Franklin's hit "Ain't No Way," was agreed to be more "in her lane" by the judges, but that was not enough to sway Bryan and Richie who voted for her not to advance.

Bryan sternly declared, "For right now I'm a no," before Richie took a slightly gentler approach on the deciding vote.

"Grace Franklin, I love you and I think the best thing for you in life is to take a shot at going backwards," he said. "Go back and get a running start and come at this again."

Perry, who voted her through to the show's next round, stormed off the stage following the decision.

As she exited the judges' chambers the "Teenage Dream" singer said, "She's got stardust on her! There's something wrong with your ears. Y'all are insane!"

Richie, however, was not done. He rose from his seat to address Grace directly and told her, "Trust me! If you go and come back and put the shyness behind you and the voice in front of you, you're going to be something amazing and I don't want to be the one to make you tip over and fall at this stage," and gave her a hug.

Watch the full audition below:

Watch: The Queen Bee Impersonates Adele on 'Carpool Karaoke'

Adele's rendition of Monster, while appearing on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" during a “Carpool Karaoke” segment in 2016, is the stuff of legend.

Both viewers and the musically-inclined host were left impressed by the 15-time Grammy Award winner's effortless flow and familiarity with the subject matter.

At the time the Queen Bee herself even co-signed the performance. She tweeted, "Adele is mad ratchet. I can’t take her #UK #WutsGood,” with the laughing emoji, seeming impressed with the take on her verse.

This past Thursday (Feb. 3) it was Minaj's turn to return the favor. While appearing on the talk show, she did her own take on the superstar chanteuse that was just as stunning.

“First of all, it’s Adele. Second of all, it’s ‘Monster.’ You guys made such an amazing freaking tag team,” Minaj said about the Adele impersination. “That made my day, my year. I probably got a thousand phone calls about that one thing.”

Nicki then got into character as Adele and spoke with a British accent.

“All right, in order for me to channel Adele, I sort of have to think like a black lady in London, right?” Nicki said while getting into the accent.

Adele is mad ratchet. I can't take her😂 #UK #WutsGood

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 14, 2016

She continued, “Because the thing is, normally, everybody knows … my British accent is sort of like a posh white lady. A rich white lady, right? But with Adele, I sort of have, like, to transform. She might have used to sell crack. Maybe she used to be hustling nickels and dimes in the hood and then she got her big break.”

Watch the entire video below:

Watch: Hip-Hop Legends Come Together in Epic Super Bowl Halftime Trailer

Last year we reported that Dr. Dre had assembled some of hip-hop's greatest talents to headline the 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Today, with the game closer on the horizon, the rapper and producer dropped a hype video for the event that has expectations soaring for the halftime experience at the first Super Bowl in Los Angeles since 1993.

In the nearly four-minute clip directed by F. Gary Gray, who had the same role on "Straight Outta Compton," the biographical movie about Dre's former group N.W.A. released in 2015, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar answer "The Call" from Dre and unite to head to the stadium together in their own unique ways.

Eminem opens the video battle-rapping his alter ego Slim Shady before getting the nod and jumping on his private plane. Snoop Dogg cruises the California streets to his frequent partner in rhyme in his custom lowrider. Blige announces she's back in a high-fashion photoshoot before jumping in her own slick ride, and Lamar wrestles with his own verses and smoking pen in an empty room before jumping on his custom bike to heed the call.

The soundtrack, scored by Adam Blackstone, transitions into Tupac Shakur's 1999 hit "California Love" as they come together and approach the stadium. It is in an homage to the deceased star who was a pivotal part of Death Row along with Dre and Snoop and the city in which the game will be played.

"The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career," Dr. Dre said in a statement when the lineup was originally announced.

"It will be an "unforgettable cultural moment," he added.

Whether or not that is true remains to be seen but the hype video has certainly made some fans believers. Watch the entire clip below:

Travis Scott Finally Opens up About Astroworld Festival Tragedy

Over a month after a deadly crowd surge at his hometown Astroworld music festival in Houston on Nov. 5 left 10 people dead and hundreds injured, rapper Travis Scott set down with radio and television personality Charlamagne Tha God Thursday to talk about the mass casualty incident.

In his first interview since the tragic events unfolded the 30-year-old, born Jacques Bermon Webster II, said he had no idea of the carnage that ensued while he was on stage.

“I didn’t know the exact details until minutes before the press conference [after my set],” he said. “And even at that moment, you’re like, ‘Wait, what?’

Scott went on to say that he would have stopped the show if he had heard signs of distress in the crowd.

“It’s so crazy because I’m that artist too — anytime you can hear something like that, you want to stop the show,” he said. “You want to make sure fans get the proper attention they need. Anytime I could see anything like that, I did. I stopped it a couple of times to just make sure everybody was OK. And I really just go off the fans’ energy as a collective — call and response. I just didn’t hear that.”

The "Sicko Mode" artist, who is currently facing more than 140 lawsuits and a mass litigation suit by 1,500 show attendees against himself, Live Nation, Apple Music, and Drake amongst others —added that the band, lights, pyrotechnics and other elements of the performance obscured his vantage point from the stage.

“You can only help what you can see and whatever you’re told, whenever they tell you to stop, you stop,” he said," noting how difficult it would be to perceive the difference between fans in danger versus enjoying the show.

Asked by Charlamagne if he did all he could to make the event safe Scott, choking back his emotions, said, “Everything I physically [could], sure, yes. And, if knowing what was going on … you just wish you could have done something better. But, standing there, 1,000 percent.”

Watch the entire interview below:

Blue Ivy Carter Steals the Show in Jay-Z Tribute Video

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that's true recent Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Jay-Z must be basking in pure adulation. 

While the rapper was officially inducted to the hall in October, a new video was released shortly after the ceremony aired Saturday on HBO. In it a long list of luminaries, including his wife Beyoncé, pay tribute to the artist by reciting iconic lyrics from his body of work.

However, it was his nine-year-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter, who stood out from the pack of 30 celebs — including the likes of Kevin Hart, Rihanna, Halle Berry, David Letterman, Chris Rock, Ed Sheeran, Idris Elba, Lin-Manuel Miranda and LeBron James, reciting a censored line from her father's 1998 track "Ride or Die."

"Congrats S. Carter, ghostwriter. You paid the right price, so we just make your hits tighter," recites Blu before bursting into laughter.

What the entire video below: