The month of April was a grueling month for the hip-hop community. Fans were overwhelmed by the death of rap legend DMX. The chart-topping rapper died on April 9th. As the hip-hop community attempted to process the loss, tragedy struck again as news broke in regards to Bad Boy Records artist Black Rob’s sudden death. The man who gave us the classic track ‘Whoa’ died on April 17th.
Five days later, news circulated in reference to the funeral arrangements for DMX. Later that same day, the media was provided with information confirming the death of the lead vocalist for the hip hop group Digital Underground. Rapper Shock G was found dead in his hotel room in Tampa, Florida. Shock G was a rapper who had an alter ego who went by the name Humpty Hump. His group Digital Underground was well-known in the 90’s thanks to their chart-topping hit ‘The Humpty Dance.’ Shock G was laid to rest in a private funeral. Due to three significant losses, April 2021 will go down in the hip hop history books as a month of pain and agony. However, thanks to a legendary trio, the month of April ended on a high note.
On the last day of April, DJ Khaled released his new album ‘Khaled Khaled.’ The star-studded LP has 14-tracks. The guest list includes Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Drake, Post Malone, Migos, H.E.R., Roddy Ricch, 21 Savage, Puff Daddy, Justin Timberlake, DaBaby, and Lil Baby. The album got off to a great start as the song and the video for ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ was released. The vocals feature rap icons Nas and Jay-Z. James Fauntleroy sings the chorus, and the background vocals are provided by Beyonce (listed as Harmonies From the Hive). The song’s primary focus is based on humble beginnings and the accumulation of wealth. New Orleans native DJ Khaled didn’t verbalize his humble beginnings in the video, but he knows what it’s all about. His parents came to America with only 20 dollars to their names. As a kid, he helped them sell clothes out of their van. Years later he worked at Odyssey Record store in New Orleans. He would go on to move to Miami, become a Radio DJ, and the rest is history. As the three legends were dressed in tuxedos and gambling in an empty casino, the song ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ was jump-started by Nas. He touched on being a kid from the ghetto and he spoke about being the ‘Cryptocurrency Scarface’ as he was referring to his Coinbase investment that has earned him a cool 40 million dollars. Jay-Z rapped about all of his B’s in regards to his billions and his wife. He also touched on his humble beginnings as he called himself a project baby. The song is inspirational due to the fact both rappers started from the bottom and now they are the picture of success. Music Executive/ Entrepreneur Steve Stoute weighed in on the song. “Thank you for doing that. Thank you for doing that. Everybody needs to hear that. Guys talking about success from the projects…the inspiration, and what it means for the kids…this is what we’re doing it for.” The song ‘Sorry Not Sorry,’ is a motivational track that emphasizes the journey in life. Nas, Jay-Z, and DJ Khaled all experienced humble beginnings, but now they are living the dream.
