DailyRapFacts

Category: 2010s

  • Virgil Abloh directed A$AP Rocky & Rihanna’s music video for ‘Fashion Killa’

    Virgil Abloh directed A$AP Rocky & Rihanna’s music video for ‘Fashion Killa’

    Virgil Abloh directed A$AP Rocky’s music video for ‘Fashion Killa’

    Long before A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were dating and had a kid together, they collabed on a song called ‘Fashion Killa’ back in 2013 which was on Rock’s debut album Long. Live. ASAP. The music video for Fashion Killa was directed by Virgil Abloh at the Mercer Hotel in Soho, New York.

    During a talk at Harvard University Graduate School of Design Virgil revealed (54:44) that this was the first music video he ever shot.

    Rest in Peace Virgil Abloh, watch the music video for ‘Fashion Killa’ below.

    Read: Lil Uzi Vert and Virgil Abloh got fined $3k for the blood in XO Tour Llif3 Music Video

  • Kanye West co-wrote and co-produced Drake’s “Find Your Love”

    Kanye West co-wrote and co-produced Drake’s “Find Your Love”

    Drake‘s second Top 5 hit “Find Your Love” was originally written for Rihanna and she even recorded her own cut

    Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West, and his mentor, No I.D, produced Find Your Love with Rihanna in mind.

    During a 2010 interview with Complex, No I.D revealed how Drake took the song. “Drake heard Rihanna’s version and was like, ‘I really want to use this record,’ and I was like, ‘Man, ask her!’… So he ended up with the beat and then when he recorded it he was singing, and I was like ‘Word? Singing. You’re really rolling with this, huh?’ Drake took it and made his own magic record.”

    Kanye is credited as a co-writer and co-producer on the song and No I.D claims they made the song in just one hour.

    Related content: 5 Facts: Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ album

    According to Find Your Love‘s co-producer, Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West came up with the melody for the track: “[Rihanna] actually cut it, it was just another writing day in the studio. I think No I.D. had that drum beat and that’s the classic, ‘Jeff jump on the piano,’ and Kanye started humming in my ear. We started coming up with a melody, I started crafting the music and we wrote that relatively quickly, within an hour. When you think about it [sings, ‘I’m more than just an option, hey, hey, hey,’] that’s right up Kanye’s alley, that’s his style, that’s all Kanye.”

  • The inspiration for “No Role Modelz” caused Phoenix Beats to get his girl an Uber from work

    The inspiration for “No Role Modelz” caused Phoenix Beats to get his girl an Uber from work

    He was in the car when the inspiration came about for “No Role Modelz.”

    One of J. Cole’s most beloved songs is his 2014 track, “No Role Modelz.” The song, which is certified diamond, caused the Phonix Beats to instantly head to the studio upon hearing a sample.

    He had just had his newborn with his girlfriend and she asked him to pick her up from work. He got in the car, and that’s when everything shifted.

    Related content: J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz” is certified Diamond

    He called her and said, “yo, so I’m gonna get you an uber. I know you’re really gonna be upset but I have to go back to the studio. I just have this idea, I have to make it.”

    His parents have worked with Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Prince.

  • 21 Savage’s first rap name was Lil Man

    21 Savage’s first rap name was Lil Man

    21 Savage used to rap as Lil Man. 21 Savage originally went by the moniker Lil Man.

    Before Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was famously known as 21 Savage, his first rap name was Lil Man. In a 2012 song called ‘ No More” by Mookie Mardi Gra, which features 21 Savage, then named Lil Man and 2100 gang you can hear 21 Savage shout out Lil Man at the beginning of the song and you can also see him in the music video for it.

    Lil Man would eventually change his name to 21 Savage and on November 12th, 2014, he released his debut single, “Picky”, produced by DJ Plugg.

    Read: 21 Savage self-produced his hit song “Bank Account”

    Read: Fat Joe’s first rap name was Fat Joe da Gangsta

    Read: Birdman’s first rap name was B-32

    Read: GZA’s first rap name was The Genius

  • will.i.am’s ‘Reach for the Stars’ was the first song broadcast from Mars

    will.i.am’s ‘Reach for the Stars’ was the first song broadcast from Mars

    Back in 2012, NASA’s Curiosity rover beamed a song from Mars to Earth. Will.i.am’s idea came about due to his interest in robotics and STEM learning and he invited a group of students from his native Boyle Heights neighborhood to the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena to listen to the song.

    Why they say the sky is the limit

    When I’ve seen the footprints on the moon

    And I know the sky might be high

    But baby it ain’t really that high

    And I know that mars might be far

    But baby it ain’t really that far

    Let’s reach for the stars

    -will.i.am, “reach for the stars”

    “Rech for the Stars” was released on his 2013 album willpower. The Black-Eyed Peas frontman is a well-known technology and gadget buff and his entrepreneurship has extended beyond music.

  • Nipsey Hussle died on March 31, 2019

    Nipsey Hussle died on March 31, 2019

    LA rapper Nipsey Hussle was tragically murdered on March 31, 2019. He had recently been nominated for a Grammy for his album Victory Lap. Nip was gunned down outside of his Crenshaw area Marathon clothing store by a gang-affiliated shooter. His brother, Black Sam, rushed to be at his brother’s side but sadly he succumbed to his wounds

    Nipsey was honored at the Staples Center in the following weeks and tributes to the rapper showed up at his storefront. His legacy has lived on through his motto “The Marathon continues.” He worked with GQ, Roddy Ricch, John Legend, and others.

  • Phife Dawg died on March 22, 2016

    Phife Dawg died on March 22, 2016

    Malik Taylor, aka Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest, died on March 22, 2016. He was a founding member of ATCQ along with Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed, and Jarobi. Phife was known as Tha 5-Footer and was known for his clever wordplay and pride in his Trini heritage. He made his struggles with diabetes well known in his lyrics and sadly, it was complications from the disease that killed him.

    He was working on ATCQ’s last album We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service when he died and the group, including Jarobi who had split years earlier, rejoined for the effort. The tour culminated in a performance at the 2017 Grammy awards where they paid tribute to Phife. He was only 45 when he died in his Bay Area home.

  • Nate Dogg died on March 15, 2011 

    Nate Dogg died on March 15, 2011 

    When did Nate Dogg die? Nate Dogg died on March 15, 2011. 

    Nate Dogg was one of the most recognizable voices in West Coast rap and a pioneer of the G-Funk sound. He got his start with Warren G and Snoop Doggy Dogg as a member of a group called 213 and eventually became the go-to hook singer for Death Row rap songs.

    Sadly, Nate Dogg died from congestive heart failure related to multiple strokes. He left behind two sons and an impressive music catalog consisting of three solo albums and numerous memorable features. He worked with Ludacris, Fabolous, Eminem, and others.

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