2017’s 10 Wildest Hip-Hop Headlines
While some say 2016 was an awful year, some may say that 2017 was pretty crazy, too. Although fingers could point toward Washington D.C. and Capitol Hill, politics weren't the only things that rocked the state of the world this year. With the Black Lives Matters Movement and Women's March to the countless shootings in the U.S. and the increased outing of sexual harassers it's pretty safe to say that the media have been busy this year. And many of these issues have affected the world of hip-hop, too. With everything that's happened in 2017, we took a look back at some of the craziest stories to hit the press and recount the rappers and other artists it affected.
Check out the top 10 wildest hip-hop headlines below.
- 10
(Dis)Respecting Hip-Hop
One of the qualities we've liked about up-and-coming rappers is their willingness to speak their minds. However it seems that some newbies to the rap game have been offending the community recently with their opinions. Post Malone was slammed for saying there isn't any "great hip-hop." And Lil Yachty was criticized saying Notorious B.I.G. is overrated. While some artists have been speaking their minds about hip-hop, Kendrick Lamar told the new generation of rappers that they need to "respect what got us here."
“I want hip-hop to continue to evolve," K. Dot said during Forbes annual 30 Under 30 Summit. "That’s why I can’t shun a lot of the artists that may not be a Kendrick Lamar. But this is what I tell them every time I see them … be yourself and do what you do but also know who laid down the groundwork.”
- 9
Kanye West Fans Stream "Hey Mama" To Keep Taylor Swfit Off the Charts
As much as anyone tries to make sure there's no bad blood between Kanye West and Taylor Swift, it may never happen. Well first, there's the supposed shade T-Swift threw at Yeezy in her new song "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things." So what did Kanye's fans to do get back at the pop singer? Many of them banded together and streamed his song, "Hey Mama" over and over on Spotify to make sure that Taylor stays off the charts.
- 8
L.A. Reid Accused of Sexual Harrassment
Sexual Harrassment has been one of this year's most talked about issues. And the music industry hasn't been spared from these scandals. L.A. Reid stepped down as chariman of Epic Records in May, where he oversaw many of today's big artists due to sexual harassment allegations. And what made it worse was the Billboard's report that many label execs knew what was going down during that time.
- 7
Russell Simmons Steps Down From Businesses Amid Sexual Assualt Allegations
L.A. Reid wasn't the only one. Russell Simmons had to step down from his businesses after allegations that he sexually assaulted model Keri Claussen Khalighi who was then 17-year-old. The new 43-year-old alleged victim gave the details of the incident to the Los Angeles Times, where she claimed that film producer Brett Ratner watched everything happen.
- 6
Lil Peep Died
Lil Peep was still an artist on the rise. However his sudden death rocked the music world and left many blind-sighted. The Soundcloud rapper from Long Beach, N.Y., was reportedly experienced a drug overdose, and fentanyl, a really potent opiod, was involved in his death. He was only 21 years old, and many, including Lil Pump, Lil Yachty and others shared their condolences on social media.
- 5
Cardi B Breaks Billboard Chart Records
For those of you who catch Love & Hip Hop, you already knew about the magic that is Cardi B. But her single, "Bodak Yellow," was one of summer 2017's biggest anthems. It raked two Grammy nominations, and Cardi also become the first female rapper who took #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since Lauryn Hill. Cardi B is now a household name, but we know this is only the beginning.
- 4
Tyrese Reveals State of Mental Health
Although we're used to seeing Tyrese with all smiles, the singer and actor has had a very rough end to 2017. After having a meltdown on social media followed by a plea from his ex-wife to undergo a , he's also broke. Despite his issues, things have been looking up, especially after he won joint custody of his daughter.
- 3
Beyonce's Twins Break the Internet
Beyonce doesn't always post on social media. So when she does, it makes an impact. And when she uploaded a portrait of herself carrying her newborn twins, Sir Carter and Rumi, the internet melted and fell in love instantly with Mrs. Carter's growing family. It has since amassed 10.2 million likes on Instagram.
- 2
The NFL Protest Movement
Colin Kaepernick was once only known for being one of the NFL's star quarterbacks. But then in August 2016, he didn't stand up for The National Anthem, and everything changed. His stance against police brutality toward black people started a movement that caused divisions within he NFL and also showed lots of solidarity, too. And it was felt beyond the football field and attracted support from many in the hip-hop community including Killer Mike, Jay Z, a href="http://theboombox.com/forget-a-team-diddy-wants-to-buy-the-nfl/" target="_blank">Diddy and Master P -- just to name a few. Beyonce recently surprised Colin with Sports Illustrated's < a href="http://theboombox.com/beyonce-surprised-colin-kaepernick-with-sis-muhammad-ali-legacy-award-and-everyone-lost-their-minds/" target="_blank">Muhammad Ali's Legacy Award.
- 1
Meek Mill Sent to Prison And Refused Bail
Meek Mill has been trying to get his rap career off the ground and show everyone how good he really is. But his previous run-ins with the law and a particular Philadelphia judge have been getting in his way. And in November, Meek was arrested and put in jail without bail. His request for bail was repeatedly denied. Find out Meek's relationship with the law here.