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

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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.”

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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.

UCLA Taps Public Enemy Frontman, Chuck D, to Help Establish School as Leading Center for Hip-Hop Studies

Courtesy of California African American Museum

Chuck D will be the first artist-in-residence for a program aimed at establishing UCLA as a "leading center for hip-hop studies."

Monday, the school's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies announced that the Public Enemy frontman will begin participating this week in a series of on-campus events that bring together artists and members of the community.

UCLA's Hip Hop Initiative will employ artist residencies, community engagement programs, a book series, an oral history and digital archive project, postdoctoral fellowships and more to amplify the voices of the medium the school identifies as "one of modern history's most powerful cultural movements and most visible symbols of contemporary Black performance and protest."

Anthropology professor H. Samy Alim, who is heading the initiative, has been working towards it for decades with his colleagues. UCLA says it builds on the wealth of hip-hop scholarship produced at UCLA and across institutes of higher education since the 1990s.

Courtesy UCLA

A sampling of books on hip-hop and Black culture by UCLA faculty members who will play an integral role in the new Hip Hop Initiative

"As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop music and cultural history, the rigorous study of the culture offers us a wealth of intellectual insight into the massive social and political impact of Black music, Black history and Black people on global culture — from language, dance, visual art and fashion to electoral politics, political activism and more," Alim said.

Co-leading the initiative with Alim are Bunche Center assistant director Tabia Shawel and Samuel Lamontagne, a doctoral candidate in the department of ethnomusicology.

Lamontagne, whose dissertation reexamines Los Angeles' hip-hop history, said that with the launch of the initiative the school will become the first major West Coast destination for scholarly explorations of hip-hop culture.

"Our goal," he said, "is also to advance the legacy of UCLA by producing original, creative, public-facing, social justice–oriented work and building bridges between academia and the community by discussing the implications of scholarly research and how it can serve Black and brown communities in Los Angeles."

R&B Singer Keith Martin Found Dead in Philippines

Credit Instagram: @keithmartinmusic

R&B singer Keith Martin, best known for his 2004 hit ballad "Because of You," was found dead at the age of 55 in his condominium in the Philippines on Friday.

According to reporting from The Manila Times, building workers found Martin’s body after being alerted by his neighbors of a foul smell coming from the unit at about 7:15 a.m. local time.

The Quezon City Police Department told the paper the property reported the incident to authorities, and his body was discovered inside on the bed.

Keith Martin - a friend, mentor, & legacy artist - gone too soon.

My prayers of comfort to The Martin Family. Mom and Vickie, thank you for sharing Keith with so many of us. He lived fearlessly by faith. pic.twitter.com/AiMnTTFlSC

— Kenny Lattimore (@kennylattimore) March 27, 2022

The case has been turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit for investigation. A cause of death has yet to be revealed.

In shock and in disbelief.. You will be missed, Keith Martin.. Thank you for the inspiration. You will leave a legacy of great music that is timeless and will always be remebered..

— Kyla (@kylaessentials) March 25, 2022

The Washington, D.C. native rose to prominence in the late 1990s. His 1995 album “It's Long Overdue” peaked at No. 82 on the Billboard R&B, but the lead single “Never Find Someone Like You” — which was included on the platinum-selling “Bad Boys” soundtrack — reached No. 43 on the R&B Singles chart.

Martin moved to Manila in 2004, leveraging his continued popularity in Asia into a career as an in-house producer for EMI Philippines. He worked to develop Asian artists and was a frequent collaborator with local acts.