The Hype Live Sessions

Live Session with Husband, Father, Music Exec, and Rapper Papoose about participating in the critical new iOne Digital series: 'Listen to Black Men'. 'Listen to Black Men’ is a new 7-episode series featuring father, rapper, and actor, Dave East, Hip Hop legend Jim Jones, comedian, writer, and actor Tyler Chronicles, and rapper turned music exec Papoose. Hosted by Media Personality and Hip Hop Commentator Mouse Jones, the series jumps straight into cultural topics and discussions the world rarely has a chance to witness amongst Black men including fatherhood, parenting, mental health, relationships, and interracial dating. Connect with @TheHypeMagazine on all platforms and check out our feature articles and interviews at https://thehypemagazine.com.

In this Live Session, independent artist and entrepreneur, Hungry as a Hostage, or H.A.H. for short, talks about his latest project, diversifying into distressed properties and life as an indie artist who gets first count on his money. Hungry dropped in to chop it up not only on his musical journey and choosing to remain independent, but he also let us in a bit on using his money to invest in distressed properties. Hungry just re-released his impact album “Soundz of Revenge” which is a reminder of what one may have to hear from a real winner when one may have disregarded and refused to help them on their way up. I always think about those who didn’t believe in Bill Gates because he started Apple in a home garage…just think of the value of even one share of Apple from its start-up days. Check out more Live Sessions here and you can view the video interviews  Connect with The Hype Magazine on all Social Media @TheHypeMagazine

I had the great pleasure of connecting with Lisa Cortés, the director of the highly anticipated documentary film, LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING. Produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment for CNN Films and HBO Max, this film is set to explode the whitewashed canon of American pop music and reveal the true innovator of rock n' roll, Richard Penniman. Featuring interviews with Mick Jagger, Billy Porter, John Waters, Tom Jones, and more, LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n' roll and how Richard created an art form for ultimate self-expression. Executive-produced by Dee Rees, Mike Powers, Anita May Rosenstein, Gus Wenner, Jason Fine, Amy Entelis, and Courtney Sexton, this Sundance opening night documentary is a must-see. Lisa Cortés and her team have done an amazing job unspooling Richard's life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions, using a wealth of archive and performance footage that brings us into Richard's complicated inner world. It was a great pleasure to welcome Lisa Cortés. Check out more exclusive Live Session conversations on The Hype Magazine Website and follow us across social media @TheHypeMagazine. Find me everywhere here.

In this Live Session, I speak with music game changer Gina Thompson who debuted her Billboard charting premiere single, The Things That You Do (Bad Boy Remix), with Missy ‘Misdemeanor‘ Elliott, on Mercury Records / Universal Music Group in the mid-1990s about her recent return to the industry courtesy to Web3 music platform Infanity. Discovered by superstar producer, Rodney Jerkins, of Darkchild, her then cutting-edge R&B swing style with its infectious Hip Hop bounce, and her pretty smile to boot, left one feeling like the world was theirs. Moving on to Missy’s The Goldmind Inc. / Elektra Entertainment Group, Gina charted again with her playful girlfriend anthem “Ya Di Ya,” also with Missy.  Becoming far removed from her authentic roots singing in South Jersey, Gina would eventually go on a self-imposed hiatus.   Thanks to Web3 opportunities giving more control to artists, Gina Thompson is back, as a guest feature while passing the torch to Baltimore-based premiere band, The Leftovers, on “The Things That You Do (Infanity Remix)“ set for release on the music platform, Infanity.  Her next highly anticipated new single, “Starving”, will also be released with Infanity in May 2023.    Catch more Live Sessions and news from Hip Hop to Hollywood on TheHypeMagazine.com and follow on social media @TheHypeMagazine

Live Session with Jordyn Weekly, the creator of Dont eat the homies (D.E.T.H.), and is making waves in the fashion industry with her vegan streetwear brand. What started as a personal lifestyle statement has grown into a movement, and Jordyn's brand is now launching its first brick-and-mortar location in the Los Angeles area this March. Jordyn expands on some of her thoughts from the first piece we posted on her and Dont eat the homies in May of 2021 as well as brings us up to date on her expansion to brick-and-mortar retail as the mission to create a more peaceful world takes hold. Follow @TheHypeMagazine on all social media and connect with Dont eat the homies on IG @dont.eat.the.homies The Hype Magazine Host: @jerrydoby_ on all social media

In this Live Session, we check in with rapidly emerging entertainer Aleza, one of the hottest and most versatile rising artists in the game right now! Aleza is taking the world by storm with her unique blend of Hip Hop and R&B, and she’s currently on tour with GloRilla on the “Anyways Life’s Great” Tour. Aleza also just dropped a slick new single Opp Slide, which due to her signature smooth, quiet delivery, adds an ominous quality to the song. A definite 4/5 for me…she’s just so cool, calm, and collected as she drops lyrical missiles…watch out for her!!! Be sure to subscribe to The Hype Magazine and follow us @TheHypeMagazine on all social media. Check our Live Sessions playlist on YouTube!

Live Session with multi-platinum executive producer and artist, Cedric ‘Legacy City’ Bellamy who at a young age, discovered that he had a way with words. At the age of thirteen, he started battle rapping for fun, unknowing that it would be the start of his writing career. To date, Legacy City has seven officially released albums and has hundreds of songs in his repertoire. His latest single Perfect Timing is available on all streaming platforms. After experiencing life as a homeless Army Veteran, Cedric Bellamy became the CEO/Founder of StreetLigion Productions LLC, StreetLigion Nation Radio, StreetLigion Nation TV and I Am the Change Nonprofit Organization. The goal is to continue to build a platform for independent artists to make a splash in the industry. He also serves as the Marketing Chair with Putt A Way Cancer, a nonprofit organization that assists those battling cancer. Currently, as an Executive Producer, Legacy City is a six-time RIAA platinum Certified Platinum plaque earner with to Golds from RIAA. As an artist, Legacy City has two RIAA platinum albums of his own and has charted on the iTunes Top 100 Hip Hop Charts four times. I'd say that if the term started from the bottom was a person, Cedric Bellamy would be the poster child. Determined and studious, Cedrick learned all he could about the moving parts of the music business and struck out on his own path and now shares his lessons learned with emerging artists, producers, and potential entertainment business owners. In this Live Session, we talk about his journey, his goals for the StreetLigion brand, the new music, and how his group of imprints encompasses the basic needs of an emerging artist... Find out more about Cedric "Legacy City" Bellamy via Instagram @Streetligion_llc Follow your host @JerryDoby_ on all platforms! Get your news from Hip Hop to Hollywood daily via The Hype Magazine  

In this Live Session with St. Louis music pioneer Murphy Lee of the world-famous St.Lunatics, we get into his new “2nd Time Around” project available only via the online store on his site. The project celebrates a new musicality from Murph with the warmth of some classic stylings comingled with his signature storytelling and delivery. The project is bold and full-flavored, I’m digging this “new Murph”. Murph is a busy man and he’s taken his branded show on the road, so we dug in a bit on the Murphy Lee Experience Tour which took off last October. The mission and theme of the tour are described in a post from his site thusly, With his brother, KyJuan (also a Tic), by his side, the duo is pulling in everything they love and having fun with it. Murphy Lee is known for delivering phenomenal flows and manipulative metaphors, which hasn’t changed. Add the St. Lunatics, two headline comedians, a national live band, a solidified DJ, and a sprinkle of Hip Hop and R&B performances from talented humans, and you get The Murphy Lee Experience.

In this Live Session, we caught up with industry mogul Chris "Gotti" Lorenzo, of Murder Inc fame, to discuss his venture called “Add Ventures Music“, a digital distribution platform for independent artists. Gotti weighs in on the differentiators between Add Ventures Music, the new business model for independent music artists, and other digital distribution platforms. A big upside is having personal access to and guidance from a mentor who’s taken the mountain already. He’s got tips and solutions for the experienced and newly minted artist/entrepreneur in successfully starting and growing your entertainment business. For more Live Sessions, also check out The Hype Magazine on YouTube and follow on social media, @TheHypeMagazine, @HypeJustJay, and @JerryDoby_

In this Live Session, legendary Memphis music icon Drumma Boy pops in to talk about his new project "Welcome to My City Vol 4", his relationship with Takeoff (RIP), his Mayor's Ambassador Award, and what it means for him, as well as what he's most looking forward to from the new generation of artists and how he listens to music these days. Be sure to check out the Drumma Boy app to keep up with some of the amazing things he's got in store!!! And cop that "Welcome to My City Vol 4" which dropped recently! Listen Here

Live Session with best-selling author, writer, and podcaster, Touré (@toureshow) regarding his new show Masters of The Game on Byron Allen’s, theGrio. He is also well known for his work on “The Cycle” on MSNBC, “Hip Hop Shop” on Fuse, “The Black Carpet” on BET, “I’ll Try Anything Once” on Treasure HD, and “Spoke N Heard” on MTV, and as the FIRST Pop Culture correspondent on CNN. Touré is also a frequent contributor at The Daily Beast and serves on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.  Masters of  The Game airs original episodes every last Friday of the month at 8P ET/PT on theGrio’s cable channel. Subsequent airings are available on demand and on theGrio’s streaming service via the free app.

Live Session with the award-winning multi-faceted Darrin Henson who is a renowned actor, choreographer, director, producer, and author. Darrin is an award-winning talent who has been successful in the entertainment industry for three decades! - Known for working with stars such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, NSYNC, Xscape, and Jagged Edge, and appearing on fan favorites like Soul Food, Stomp The Yard, with current shows The Family Business on BET+ and Double Cross. He also has a current documentary that is in negotiations with major networks/ streaming services.

Live Session with breakout Baton Rouge rapper Hd4president who now lives in Houston, to discuss his new single “Big Booty” featuring DJ Chose via Motown Records, his journey, and how he sees himself from the inside looking out, plus we get him to describe the defining moment that made him choose music as a career. You know him from shaking up the internet with the viral smash “Touch Down 2 Cause Hell (Bow Bow Bow),” which reached the Top 30 on Urban Radio, piled up 20 million-plus streams, and attracted 2 Chainz & Fredo Bang for a high-profile remix. It also exploded on TikTok, inspiring nearly 2 million TikTok creations – including clips from Lizzo, Coi Leray, City Girls, Latto, Niecy Nash, Gabrielle Union, and Jessica Alba – and over 2 billion views on the platform. Earlier this year, HD released his critically acclaimed album Find My Way, for which BET spotlighted him as a ‘Fresh Faces New Artist.’ Check out the full story on The Hype Magazine portal Photo Credit: Motown Records/Antoine Francois

In this Live Session with multi-faceted lioness CHERON K. GRIFFIN, we talk about her development as an entrepreneur, author, public speaker, and advocate passionate about leading inspiring conversations that change lives. I call her a lioness because just like those queens, she takes charge and hunts…she hunts down and brings back tools and resources for those who might have a difficult time even knowing where to start. Cheron feeds the minds of those in search of a way through the mazes of employment, relationships, self-doubt, depression, and even thoughts of ending it all.

Live Session with television and film icon Hal Williams. As we celebrate the 37-year anniversary of the game-changing Black family television series 227, Hal, who has well over 100 combined film & television credits to his name, talks to us about how Hollywood has changed over his more than five decades in the business. We also discussed his activism and why he doesn't so much care about accolades as much as results. Hal delivers his own twist on the adage "Real gangsters move in silence." Always busy, Hal is working on a cookbook and his memoir! If you haven't had a chance to check out his podcast "Hal's Hitlist," with Emmy Award-winning co-host Sharlette Hambrick, you've missed quite an experience and it looks like it might be coming back for another season...previous shows are available on the major podcast networks and on YouTube via Manifested Entertainment. Here's a very short list of his work: 227: first aired September 14, 1985 - May 6, 1990 (37th Anniversary since original air date; 32nd anniversary of last show) Private Benjamin: 1980 Film - 42nd Anniversary Private Benjamin TV series: first aired April 6, 1981 - January 10, 1983 (41st anniversary since original air date; 39th anniversary of last show) The Waltons: first aired September 14, 1972 - June 4, 1981 (50th Anniversary since original air date; 41st anniversary of last show) Sanford and Son: first aired January 14, 1972 - March 25, 1977 (50th Anniversary since original air date; 45th anniversary of last show) Sanford: March 15, 1980 - July 10, 1981 (42nd Anniversary since original air date; 41st anniversary of last show) Harry O: September 12, 1974 - April 29, 1976 (48th Anniversary since original air date; 46th anniversary of last show) Kung Fu (original series):  October 14, 1972 - April 26, 1975 (50th Anniversary since original air date; 47th anniversary of last show) On the Rocks: September 11, 1975 - May 17, 1976 ( 47th Anniversary since original air date; 46th anniversary of last show) The Sinbad Show: September 16, 1993 - April 21, 1994 (29th Anniversary since original air date; 28th anniversary of last show)

Live Session with the fabulous Achieng Agutu, known as "The Confidence Queen" by Vogue, who is a changemaker and an internet personality that has grown quickly given her creative force, infectious energy & charisma. Her content empowers women to be the best version of themselves and has filled a massive gap in the self-love, self-confidence, and body positivity industry as a leading Black plus-sized fashion and lifestyle creator. Achieng has given much-needed representation and visibility to women like her and adds crucial diversity in the digital sphere and beyond. Since beginning her journey, she has partnered with major lifestyle and fashion brands such as Valentino, Beyoncé’s Ivy Park, Marc Jacobs, and Moet among others.

Live Session with Canadian hip-hop sensation Pressa as he preps to return to Canada for Rolling Loud this month (after a 3-year stint away from his stomping grounds). Currently based in Los Angeles, the rapper just released his latest single ‘Blame Me’ which he plans to perform at the festival. The Sony/Blue Feather Records recording artist Quinton Gardner, better known as”PRESSA”, is one of the biggest faces within the Toronto hip-hop scene to date. We talked about his journey which began in 2016, touring with Drake, and a whole bunch more!

Live Session with Joshua Davis, Head of Experience at Shrapnel. Shrapnel, the world’s first blockchain-enabled moddable AAA first-person shooter game, will be in Atlanta from Thursday 1st to Monday 5th September for Dragon Con. For over two decades, Joshua has been bringing digital and analog experiences to life. With 20 AAA game credits to his name, he has held roles as a UX leader for Electronic Arts, Irrational Games, 343 Industries, Microsoft, High Fidelity, and Amazon, stewarding franchises such as Madden NFL, Tiger Woods PGA Golf, EA Sports MMA, Superman, Bioshock, Halo, Harry Potter, and more. Joshua also holds a design patent for Microsoft and a THEA Award for contributions to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Live Session with FrankHaveMercy, the Army vet turned artist, photographer, and rapper. His latest project, “Endless Summer,” has caused some to mention him in conversation with The Weeknd for his style and delivery while at the same time recognizing the unique perspective delivered through his music. During his time in the combat zone of Afghanistan, FrankHaveMercy began taking pictures as a way to capture his surroundings and the beauty of the region after seeing so much ugliness. His album covers all that and yet paints amazing pictures through his timbre and intonation as well as great storytelling ability…check it out! https://open.spotify.com/album/09Lkvqrltfg2O7BGixZzt9?si=T0V1qlyRTF-piVDLsGHG0Q His project exposes his tumultuous road to success and is a celebration of the victories along the way to the present day. We discuss his journey into the entertainment industry, what about Afghanistan make him take an interest in taking pictures, and his transition back to humanity after his time in a combat zone…music had a LOT to do with where he is now as a person! As the interview turned into a conversation between two combat vets plying different trades after their time in harm’s way, things got deeper than music…tune in!

Live Session with Dr. Desiree Williams about her role in CBS’s “THE CHALLENGE: USA,” her work in empowering WOC through all she does, namely her book Love Affair with my Hair: Why Black Women Cheat on Health, why she felt it was necessary to get her Doctorates degree on top of all her other accomplishments, what lessons she took from winning Miss Virginia USA, and so much more. We also got to discuss her mobile physical therapy business! Catch her on IG: @DesiJWilliams