Meet the Blacks

Mike Epps is tackling the spoof genre with his new flick Meet The Blacks, and PMG 

caught up with him in Los Angeles to talk about making a parody film, and poking fun at serious racial issues.

Meet the Blacks sees Chicagoan Carl Black move his family to LA after coming into unexpected funds, but while in Beverly Hills they encounter rather unruly neighbours.

“Right now with all the racial issues and diversity issues going on, you gotta make light of it,” said Epps. “If we can’t laugh at sh*t, it’ll kill us.”

The film, which is a parody of “The Purge” film franchise, follows the Black family as they settle into their new home in Beverly Hills on the night of the annual purge, and as you can imagine, they aren’t going down without a fight.

“I wanted to do this because I was a huge fan of The Purge and for some reason I was following the franchise and I was like, this would be hilarious if there was a black family in the purge,” said director Deon Taylor.

Follow Tha' Baddest Radio Station Online right here: http://ow.ly/10bf1T

Taylor enlisted some of the worlds best comics like George Lopez, Gary Owen, Charlie Murphy, Lil Duval and King Bach to appear in the film, and also got cameos from Snoop Dogg, Mike Tyson and Tameka “Tiny” Cottle.

Daddy, they Purgin’!” So shouts Bresha Webb, whose comic performance in the ultra low-budget Meet the Blacks is so unpredictable and versatile it virtually makes up for the film’s many dull patches. Webb, who is 28 but plays the teen daughter of Carl Black, has a range that zips from Judy Holliday-like ditz to an antic, Kevin Hart-style faux toughie over the course of just one scene. That’s probably not a good indicator of the film’s overall consistency, but considering how ridiculous this movie is, ditching credibility for the higher cause of a laugh at any price is probably the right decision. Meet the Blacks is an asinine film (though with a kernel of seriousness) but whenever it feels like it is running out of steam, something strange and surreal will happen to elevate it above a typical spoof movie.

Despite assembling a talented group of performers, director Deon Taylor and his co-writer Nicole DeMasi have aimed low. Meet the Blacks mimics the 2013 horror/action movie The Purge, which has had a bigger cultural impact than I realised. Spoof movies are frequently safe to write off, but Meet the Blacks is not A Haunted House, the wretched though financially successful Marlon Wayans vehicle that parodied Paranormal Activity. This is an angry, unapologetically gutter-mouthed nasty comedy, and while the plot may mirror something current, the vibe is more akin to classic 1970s independents such as Rudy Ray Moore’s Petey Wheatstraw. It isn’t polished, but it has an urgency.

Mike Epps’s Carl Black (who likes to shout his own name a lot) is a cable installer from Chicago who steals a giant stack of cash and marijuana from a gangster and takes his family to a mansion in Beverly Hills. His new wife Lorena (Zulay Henao) is doing her best to connect with her stepchildren Allie (Webb) and Carl Jr (Alex Henderson), who everyone calls Carl’s Jr, like the fast food chain, for reasons that are never explained. It’s probably something that happened on set and then they kept it up, because it feels like they went into this movie with about nine pages written and the faith they’d figure the rest out from there. (Carl Jr is also dressed as a vampire the entire time, but with plastic fangs and coffins made from cardboard.)

There’s also Cronut (Lil Duval), Carl’s idiot ex-con cousin, and George Lopez playing President El Bama in one ridiculous scene. When the sirens for the Purge (a 12 hour period in which all laws are suspended, and people are free to kill one another if they wish) begin, various guests Charlie Murphy and Mike Tyson (!) pop by. (Tyson’s death by power drill leads to the weirdest moment in an already weird film; someone shouts: “You killed Venus Williams!” It’s as if some of these lines were left in on a dare.)

The internal logic is non-existent. You can’t quite tell if Carl Black knew about the Purge beforehand. He clearly doesn’t understand its rules, because he’s nervous about getting caught once he starts killing his attackers. (The first to go, his daughter’s beau, is played by Vine star King Bach with a pronounced afro comb.) Meet the Blacks is no dumber than The Purge, however, and when the white neighbours start surrounding the house there’s just a whiff of social commentary about integration and gated communities. There’s also a hilarious bit where a white man feels comfortable repeating a laundry list of horrible stereotypes, but realises he crossed the line when he used the N-word, pleading for forgiveness on that transgression only.

In the end, the Blacks come together as a family to overcome obstacles. Even Allie begins to see that her stepmother, who strips down to a tank top in one sequence for absolutely no reason, has her heart in the right place. Holding back tears, Allie looks her in the eye and shamefully admits “I thought you was a ho!” before giving her a warm embrace. That’s not funny on paper, but Webb brings the house down with her selling of it. Here’s hoping we get to meet this family again in something a little less gimmicky.

Kanye Wests' The Life of Pablo available to buy again

The album is also available on Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play.

BY SCOTT WILSON, APR 1 2016

"The Life of Pablo is now available for purchase https://shop.kanyewest.com " 

Almost two months after it was released, Kanye West has made The Life of Pablo available to buy and for listening on streaming services other than Tidal.

The album was originally available to purchase during a brief window on February 14, but was quickly pulled from sale. As tweeted by Kanye, the album is once again available to buy through his website, where it costs $20.00.

The Life of Pablo

Streaming services currently hosting The Life of Pablo in the USA include Spotify, Apple Music and Google Play, but the only option currently available to European listeners is Spotify.

Follow Tha' Baddest Radio Station Online right here: http://ow.ly/10bf1T

Despite Kanye finally rolling the album out widely, he’s not finished tinkering with the album, which has undergone extensive tweaks since its release.

Earlier this week, Def Jam confirmed that the album rolled out to streaming services today was “a newly updated, remixed and remastered version,” but that “Kanye will release new updates, new versions and new iterations of the album” as part of a “continuous process”.

Nas Collaborative Clothing Line With "Ghostbusters"

Nas' HSTRY Clothing has teamed up with Ghostbusters to create a special collaborative clothing line inspired by the film, which makes its debut in theaters July 15 starring Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Melissa McCarthy.

JAY-Z Sues Tidal

Nas announced the collaboration with Ghostbusters while filming at Sony Pictures' lot in Culver City, California with HYPEBEAST.

50 Cent Derby Event

In the video, Nas talks about his appreciation for Ghostbusters 

and why a collaboration with HSTRY made sense.

"The music industry is going through a drastic change on every level [and] every aspect of it where there are new interesting ways to do things," the Life Is Good rapper says. "So I like to be part of that. Remember Sean Jean was t-shirt and a baseball cap in my man's Puffy's office and he was like wondering if it would work and look at it now. I like getting involved in things in the beginning stages and getting a vision for it and going for it."

Follow Tha' Baddest Radio Station Online right here: http://ow.ly/10bf1T

Katt Williams Granted Bond

Both Williams and his teenage opponent were locked up for their recent brawl after a pick-up soccer match. Williams was granted bond this morning and hopes for an imminent release.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Katt Williams would face charges for his recent brawl with 17-year-old Luke Wash after a soccer game in Gainesville, Georgia. 

The Life of Pablo

Footage shows Williams throwing the first punch in the fight that quickly ended with Wash pinning the 42-year-old comedian to the ground. 

Nas New Clothing Line

For his role in the altercation, Williams faced charges of disorderly conduct and bond violation, and Gainesville police showed up at his house yesterday afternoon to take him to jail.

50 Cent Derby Event

Williams appeared in court today, and according to his attorney, Drew Findling, he was granted $500 bond. According to the AJC, Findling expects his client to be released today.

JAY-Z Sues Tidal 

As for Williams' opponent, Luke Wash was not presumed innocent due to his age. In fact, he, too, was charged as an adult for disorderly conduct. Wash turned himself in on Monday, reports PMG. It's unclear if he remains in jail, though -- unless he had prior charges -- it is assumed he was granted bond immediately upon his arrest, unlike Williams. 

Will Hot 97’s "Summer Jam" Expand To Tokyo?

NEW YORK, NY - New York radio station Hot 97’s "Summer Jam" will expand with a stop in Japan June 5, according to HipHop-N-More.

The site says that a combination of United States and Japanese artists will be on the bill on the Tokyo show. 

The Life of Pablo

The long-running New York radio station concert is also set for its usual New York-area stop, with a June 5 concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 

The Summer Jam concert, which has brought a long list of high profile acts in the past, is jet setting to Tokyo this year. 

Badboy Family Re-Unite

97 announced its multiyear license agreement with Japan’s Avex Live Creative, which will lock down the event for July 2016 at the Zepp Tokyo venue.

Hot 97 Summer Jam 2015 Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Chris Brown, Fetty Wap, Dej Loaf And More

50 Cent Derby Event

The new addition is said to “reinforce” HOT 97 brand’s global awareness and the importance of cultivating hip-hop’s value and platform across all coasts, according to Emmis Communications President, Patrick Walsh.

JAY-Z Sues Tidal

“HOT 97 has a passionate following in Japan and hip hop is experiencing enormous growth in popularity among Japanese millennials,” Wash said in a statement following the news. “We look forward to working with our partners to deliver an authentic HOT 97 Summer Jam experience to the growing legion of Japanese hip hop fans and share the experience with our American listeners as we promote the groundbreaking event to our audience in New York and all over the United States. Our goal is to add another significant event to a country so rich in history and culture."

Nas New Clothing Line

Summer Jam Tokyo will kick off on Friday, July 29, following the original Summer Jam at MetLife Stadium on June 5. The lineup, which has yet to be announced, will include both internationally-known artists and DJs, as well as some of the biggest hip-hop talents in Japan. Stay tuned for HOT 97’s global explosion line up.

Follow Tha' Baddest Radio Station Online right here: http://ow.ly/10bf1T

Who Wants the Air Jordan 11 Low "Varsity Red"?

This is ideal for summer stuntin'.

If you’re a sneakerhead, the summertime is basically primetime for you. All those icy soled kicks and fresh white mesh you’ve had tucked away in your closet can finally see the light of day once winter’s wretched weather passes. Jordan Brand is clearly in tune with this effect, because they’re bringing back the Air Jordan 11 Low Varsity Red just in time for the warmer months.

The Life of Pablo

The shoes sport a white mesh upper with white lacing, offset by varsity red patent leather wrapping around the shoe. 

Interestingly, the shoe’s icy sole doesn’t have the blue tint that Jordan Brand introduced to try and cut down on yellowing. Maybe they heard the general sentiment that we’d rather have a truly clear icy sole that might yellow versus something bluish.

Nas New Clothing Line

These kicks haven’t seen the light of day since they first released in 2001, which is a pretty long time considering how many times some other Air Jordan models have re-released since then. This colorway isn't even available on Flight Club, so you know it’ll be in high demand.

50 Cent Derby Event

No release date or retail price has been announced yet, but it’s a safe bet that they’ll be in the ballpark of $190. Keep it locked here for more information.

Jay Z Accuses Previous Tidal Owners of Exaggerating Subscription Numbers

Jay-Z is suing TIDAL's former owners, claiming there untruthful about the amount of subscribers the streaming service had upon selling the company to the rapper.

According to Music Business Worldwide, Jay Z is seeking $15 million from the former shareholders of Aspiro, the parent company of TIDAL. This translates to about 100 million Norwegian Krone. The Rap mogul acquired the streaming service for a reported $57 million. He was told that TIDAL had 530,000 subscribers as of January 2015 and now says that figure was "misleading."

Badboy Family Re-Unite

Hov adds to his suit the fact that the owners were not transparent about the condition of Aspiro's business structure, which the rapper says was much worse than reported.

One of the shareholders, Schibsted, says it did nothing wrong in the business transaction.


50 Cent Derby Event

"We want to point out that it was a publicly traded company that was acquired, [which means] transparency of financial reporting [was required]," Communications Manager Anders Rikter said to Norwegian publication Dagens Næringsliv. "Otherwise we have no comments.”

Nas New Clothing Line

Upon its one year anniversary, TIDAL reported three million subscribers worldwide. Kanye West's The Life of Pablo was reportedly streamed 250 million times in the first 10 days after its February release.

Follow Tha' Baddest Radio Station Online right here: http://ow.ly/10bf1T