Maze's Frankie Beverly Dies at 77

Frankie Beverly, the legendary soul singer and songwriter best known as the frontman for the funk band Maze, has died. He was 77.

Beverly's family announced his death Wednesday in a Facebook post, sharing their deep sorrow and asking for privacy as they mourn. The post read, in part: "Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and emotional experience. During this time, as we are navigating feelings of sorrow, reflection, and remembrance, we kindly ask for privacy and understanding, allowing us the space to grieve in our own way."

Born Howard Stanley Beverly on Dec. 6, 1946, in Philadelphia, Frankie Beverly began his musical career in the 1960s, initially performing with local doo-wop groups. His big break came in the early 1970s when he formed Maze, a band that would go on to become a defining force in R&B and funk music.

Beverly's smooth, soulful voice and charismatic stage presence helped Maze produce several timeless hits, including "Joy and Pain," "Before I Let Go" and "Happy Feelin's." The band, known for its unique blend of soul, funk, and quiet storm, became a staple of the R&B genre, earning a devoted fan base and influencing countless artists.

Beverly's influence extended beyond his recordings. Maze's live performances were legendary, often lasting for hours and featuring extended improvisations. Their concerts became must-see events, particularly during the 1980s when the band was at its peak.

In their tribute, Beverly's family wrote: "He lived his life with pure soul, and for us, no one did it better. He lived for his music, family, and friends. Love one another, as he would want that for us all."

'Shaolin' Board Game Celebrates Hip-Hop's 51st with Wu-Tang Clan Tribute

The Wu-Tang Clan has a new board game inspired by the legendary rap collective.

As hip-hop marks its 51st anniversary this August, fans can celebrate the legacy of one of its most influential groups in a unique way – through a new board game. "Shaolin: A Wu-Tang-Inspired Board Game," developed by Chill B Games, is the first board game to exclusively focus on a hip-hop group or artist.

Co-founded by Tiffany and Mike Campolongo, Chill B Games aims to create board games that pay homage to classic hip-hop icons. "Shaolin" is their latest creation, a unique blend of Wu-Tang Clan trivia and a strategic battle mechanic that immerses players in the group's 30-plus year history.

"The Wu-Tang Clan has often been described as the Rolling Stones or Beatles of hip-hop. While there are board games themed around these classic rock groups, no board games explored the legacy of a hip-hop group until now," said Campolongo, the designer of "Shaolin."

In "Shaolin," players become students training in the 35 chambers of the Shaolin Temple, with the ultimate goal of creating the 36th chamber – a nod to the 1978 martial arts film "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin," which heavily influenced the Wu-Tang Clan and inspired the title of their debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)."

Players earn "cream" (in-game currency) by answering Wu-Tang trivia questions. The "cream" can then be exchanged for fighting styles such as Tiger Style and Shadowboxing, which can also be won through duels with other players as they battle through the Temple to prove their worthiness to create the 36th chamber.

The game features high-quality components, including metal "cream" coins and fully painted player pieces inspired by the "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" album cover and classic martial arts films sampled in Wu-Tang's music. The game's artwork also includes Chinese calligraphy by Shifu Shi Yan Ming, founder of the USA Shaolin Temple and a close friend of RZA, one of the founders of the Wu-Tang Clan.

"Shaolin" offers multiple difficulty levels for the trivia questions, ensuring that players of all skill levels can enjoy the game. The battle mechanic and thematic action cards help balance the gameplay so that knowledge of Wu-Tang trivia isn't the sole determining factor for victory.

Recently, Campolongo presented on using board games as a medium for telling hip-hop stories at the 8th Annual Can't Stop Hip-Hop Conference held at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. "Board games are a unique way to tell stories because they can bring people together for an engaging and educational experience," she said.

Campolongo added, "By bringing this game to market, we hope to establish board games as a medium for telling the stories of hip-hop artists, helping to preserve the legacy of hip-hop as it journeys through its next 50 years."

"Shaolin" can be purchased directly from Chill B Games' official website, or from various other retailers, including Get On Down and RZA's online shop 36 Chambers.

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.

Facebook Announces Name Change Amid Controversies

Facebook is dead! Long live Fac... err Meta!

You heard the man-bot, right kiddos? After 17 years of representing the best of what it is to be a bleeding-edge multimedia platform, — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company is rebranding itself as Meta.

The name change is in no way an effort to distance the platform from the increasingly bad press generated by its refusal or inability to deal with its sex-trafficking problem, hate-feuling algorithms or less than perfect privacy practices.

Zuckerberg instead insists that it is an effort to encompass his companies virtual-reality vision of the future. 

"I believe the metaverse is the next chapter of the Internet, and it's the next chapter of our company too," he said, adding, "While most tech companies focus on how people could connect to technology, we focus on building technology so people could connect with each other."  

Today we're introducing Meta, which brings together our apps and technologies under a new company brand. Learn more about how we’re helping build the metaverse and other news from Connect. https://t.co/6s3GKjWq4S

— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) October 28, 2021

So what is the metaverse? Unless you're already working Big Blue or one of its digital brethren like Google, there's no simple explanation. But, in his founder's letter, Zuckerberg likened it to an immersive version of the internet, "where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it," adding, "The defining quality of the metaverse will be a feeling of presence — like you are right there with another person or in another place. Feeling truly present with another person is the ultimate dream of social technology. That is why we are focused on building this."

Online Betting the Next Frontier for Billionaire Music Mogul Jay Z

 

Source @michaelrubin / Instagram

A week after Jay Z and his entertainment company Roc Nation joined other new investors to secure $325 million in order for the the e-commerce powerhouse Fanatics to expand its offerings into gaming, ticketing and media, after dominating the sports apparel market — the billionaire music mogul has teamed up with Fanatics founder Michael Rubin to form Fanatics Sportsbook.

“Jay-Z and 76ers’ owner Michael Rubin are applying for a gaming license to form Fanatics Sportsbook, in what would be the newest and latest sportsbook in New York, per source,” ESPN writer Adam Schefter wrote in a tweet on Monday (August 16). “The process is expected to take a few months, but a big business could be growing.”

Jay-Z and 76ers’ owner Michael Rubin are applying for a gaming license to form Fanatics Sportsbook, in what would be the newest and latest sportsbook in New York, per source. The process is expected to take a few months, but a big business could be growing.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2021

TMZ and several other publications confirmed Schefter's reporting, with the online entertainment magazine stating that according to its sources Jay-Z might be the group's (which also includes sports betting tech company Kambi) secret weapon:

Not only is he the most prominent public figure applying for a license, but he's the only Black applicant. While the other corporations might have Black employees or execs, they aren't the actual licensees... whereas Jay would be.

Even so the competition will be stiff for a betting license with the likes of DraftKings, BetMGM,  FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook and WynnBET, in the mix for what will reportedly be just two licenses granted by the New York State Gaming Commission. The commission had until January 6, 2022, to select the successful bidders.

Success is never guaranteed but the dynamic duo have a winning history working together in business as well as for social causes. In addition to Jay Z's investment into Rubin's Fanatic, which helped push the company's valuation to $18 billion, they are both founding members of the Reform Alliance,  a criminal justice organization whose mission involves "fighting for the justice and dignity of people who are needlessly trapped in the criminal justice system."

Today, we celebrated the signing of our historic probation reform bill in Virginia. Thank you @GovernorVA @DonScott757 @JusticeFwdVa @ACUFforJustice @FaithandFreedom for helping us Give Life Back! @michaelrubin @MeekMill @RobertRooks5 pic.twitter.com/WvVc8ghNAA

— REFORM Alliance (@REFORM) June 10, 2021

Hip-Hop Side Hustle Added to NBA2K22

 

Courtesy 2K Games

NBA fans will soon have a chance to try and pull off something some of their favorite ballers have had
trouble doing over the years — have a successful hip-hop career. 

Yes, that’s right. In the Year of our Lord 2021, NBA 2K22 is scheduled to release September 10 with a mechanism in place designed to let players pursue a side hustle in the music game — along with other options like a fashion designer.

In a recent release the studio behind the game, 2K Games, said the new feature will be exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions.

“NBA 2K22, dreams and ambitions in MyCAREER stretch beyond the hardwood floors; players can now pursue side ventures to build a profile in lucrative and trendy spaces. Brush up against the fashion world, where the art of promotion will drive your success as a mogul. Or get involved in the hip-hop business, where your music talent opens up an intriguing lane in the industry,” the statement read.

It’s unknown if famous artists will be added to the game for the players to emulate or interact with at this time. Those of you who have satisfied your need to ball like Kobe in previous games, but have always wondered if you could have done the legend one better on the mic — this joint is for you!

Official #NBA2K22 Trailer pic.twitter.com/7fvqT4V8mF

— NBA 2K22 Leaks & Intel (@2KIntel) July 14, 2021

Watch: Marvel Reveals Spider-Man: Miles Morales In PS5 Trailer [VIDEO]

Insomniac Games confirmed that the newly announced Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be a standalone title for the PlayStation 5.

Watch the trailer for "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" below:

The Future of Gaming: Sony Reveals Highly Anticipated...

Sony confirms its next PlayStation 5 event will be held on Thursday, June 4th. 

The event will begin at 4PM ET / 1PM PT, and Sony is promising “a look at the future of gaming on PlayStation 5.” It will feature a first-look at the games you can play after PlayStation 5 launches this holiday.

Are you interested in the next PlayStation system dropping this 2020?