Broadway actress Jen Sánchez will debut her new music video for “Heartbeat” live in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. The music video for the pandemic-inspired song of resilience features real New Yorkers whose lives have been affected by the coronavirus and shutdowns.
The song was selected as a finalist and the Audience Choice Award winner in the Times Square Alliance’s Songs for Our City songwriting competition in June.
“Heartbeat” is a tribute to those working to keep their lives and cities afloat, as well as those who have been lost to COVID-19, while sharing an empowering and uplifting message of strength and solidarity.
The music video depicts scenes from Times Square and features real New Yorkers who are working each day to keep New York City running amid the pandemic, including Jason Clark, Co-Owner of Hold Fast Kitchen and Spirits; Ruth Levy, a Nurse Practitioner at Mount Sinai Hospital who worked in one of the hospital’s COVID wards; and Rob White, a Times Square Alliance Sanitation Maintenance Worker. The video was directed and choreographed by Broadway veteran Yani Marin and features performances by Broadway dancers Angelica Beliard, Natalie Caruncho, Albert Guerzon, Yani Marin, NaTonia Monét, Fredric Odgaard, and Brett Sturgis.
Viewers are encouraged to donate to NYCNext, an organization working to help the city we love recover and rebuild, and to energize and inspire others to act.
“Heartbeat” is written and performed by Jen Sánchez, directed and choreographed by Yani Marin, edited and filmed by Gregg Monteith, and produced by Jen Sánchez and Sophie Aung, for Times Square Alliance.
As the proprietor of hip hop, New York, carries certain expectations from the genres’ emcees. Take for instance that within the last half-decade alone we’ve seen top 10 records like “Hot N****,” “OOOUUU,” “All The Way Up” and “Dior” become staples of each respective summer. The inhabitants themselves walk around with a certain hubris, knowing that their fashion, demeanor and dialect is a valuable commodity within pop culture. With rap artists being a reflection of New York’s current state, there was bound to be an equal amount of historic moments and tragedy. As such, we take a look at the major events from 2020.
Young Artists Stake Their Claim
As cities like Atlanta and Memphis continue their surge within the genre, it is of importance that established young artists from New York continue their ascension, to keep pace with their counterparts. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie kept himself relevant with the release of his much-anticipated Artist 2.0 album. Pop Smoke (before his tragic death) continued his meteoric 2019 with a strong sequel to his breakout mixtape, Meet the Woo 2. Dave East dropped a tertiary edition to his Karma mixtape series and Brooklyn continued to make waves with projects from J.I the Prince of N.Y., Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, 22Gz, Curly Savv, Rah Swish and the surging Bizzy Banks.
Veteran Emcees Still Have Something to Say
Hip Hop is the culture of the youth. It always has been and always will be. Yet, many prominent veterans reminded fans that they still have stories worth listening to. Juelz Santana battled through turbulent times to release his #FREESANTANAmixtape, Jadakiss released a solid effort with, Ignatiius, M.O.P’s own Billy Danze dropped The Listening Session, KRS-One and Public Enemy dropped protest anthems. Twenty-twenty also saw the return of Nas, whose King’s Disease album showed an exceptional ability to blend his old school style with newer melodies.
Pop Smoke’s Death
In a year that saw one celebrity after the other pass away tragically, New York felt their fair share of grief. On February 19, 2020 New York’s latest rising superstar, Pop Smoke, was fatally shot at a Los Angeles home in a botched robbery attempt. His death came a week after the release of his Meet the Woo 2 mixtape. His death was followed by outpouring support from fans and industry peers, including his music rising atop the charts.
The Kids from Buffalo
Building upon their established buzz, the trio known as Griselda — Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny the Butcher – continued their takeover as the faces of New York hip hop. The Buffalo natives brought some much-needed attention to upstate New York.
I know people in Buffalo that have never been to New York City in they life and they 30 years old. So, we come from one of them type of cities, that kind of mentality.
Known for their gritty-hard hitting tales of the street life, the group kept themselves ablaze with multiple releases from each member throughout 2020. Westside Gunn kicked things off with his April release of, Pray for Paris, followed by Flygod Is an Awesome God 2 and his self-proclaimed retirement album, WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE. Benny The Butcher released his much-anticipated Burden of Proof record, while Conway the Machine’s From a King to A God rounded up a strong year for the upstate rappers. Their influence not only stems from their music, but also in the way they market themselves. That mentality perhaps comes from their head honcho, Westside Gunn.
I never considered myself really a rapper, I just curate. I love putting different people together and just painting a certain picture..
Westside Gunn
Shoot For the Stars Aim For The Moon
Despite his life coming to a tragic end, Pop Smoke’s musical momentum didn’t waiver, with his popularity in fact rising. His debut studio album was announced with 50 Cent as executive producer. The star-studded album became the record of the summer, with all 19 tracks simultaneously charting on the Billboard 100, eventually reaching platinum status.
Listening to Pop come into his own as an artist was a bittersweet feeling. Despite the commercial success of the album, many songs consisted of either duplicated or unfinished verses. Yet, his ability to melodize on records like “Something Special” and “Backseat” combined with his already strong delivery on his grittier records made him a rarity in the drill rap genre. In fact, he had long surpassed the label of “drill rapper” and was blossoming into a superstar whose charisma would have made hip hop just the tip of his monetary exploits.
Alas, that future was not meant to be. Instead, Pop Smoke’s music, exploits and legacy will be passed down from generation-to-generation where he’ll eventually become a fabled and mythical figure. In due time, the sorrow from his passing will turn into nostalgia, where we’ll remember 2020 as the year Pop Smoke ruled the airwaves.
Billy Joel welcomed 2019 with a 26 song, 160 minute set at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island. It was the first time in 25 years that Billy Joel played a New Year’s show at the Coliseum. At midnight he played the traditional “Auld Lang Syne” paired with “Only the Good Die Young.” The Coliseum was sold out and Billy really seemed to be having a good time, while he wore a New Year’s top hat.
Billy Joel kept New Year’s spirit by playing New Year’s themed songs like “This is the Time,” “I Loved These Days” and “Souvenir.” As it got close to midnight, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest appeared on the screens and the crowd counted down to 2019. As confetti exploded and Billy sang “Auld Lang Syne,” a banner reading “Billy Joel: 34 Sold Out Shows” was unraveled from the ceiling of the Coliseum, commemorating the milestone.
The setlist included all the usual hits. He threw in a couple of breaks throughout the show like Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla.” He also did a cover of Joe Cocker’s take on The Beatles “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Kevin James made an appearance during “Uptown Girl” and Gavin DeGraw, who opened the show, joined Billy on stage for the final song “You May Be Right.”
Setlist: Big Shot, Miami 2017, The Entertainer, Vienna, The Downeaster Alexa, Big Man on Mulberry Street, This is the Time, Movin Out, New York State of Mind, Don’t Ask Me Why, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, I’ve Loved These Days, Allentown, She’s Always A Woman, Auld Lang Syne, Only the Good Die Young, My Life, The River of Dreams, With a Little Help From My Friends, Nessun dorma, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Piano Man.
Encore: We Didn’t Start the Fire, Uptown Girl, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, Souvenir, You May Be Right (with Gavin Degraw).
The Book Museum of the City of New York will host a conversation with David Byrne and Maira Kalman and their book American Utopia on January 13. The conversation includes author, illustrator and artist Maira Kalman as well as Talking Heads frontman Byrne, who have worked together on a book version of Byrne’s American Utopia musical. The audience Q&A will be hosted by WNYC’s Alison Stewart.
Byrne and Kalman’s book, also titled American Utopia, was released on October 27 and contains some words from the musical, but it is mostly centered around illustrations. According to NPR’s review of American Utopia, “[the book] contains little of the play’s language; in fact, it contains little language, full stop. Some pages offer only a few words, or a notable place name — Truth or Consequences, New Mexico makes an appearance, as do Bullfrog, Utah and Goofy Ridge, Illinois—or, in one case, the chorus of the Talking Heads hit ‘Road to Nowhere.’ The resulting effect is much more like reading a book-length poem than reading a play, though few poems or poetry collections come filled with charming illustrations of trees, dancers, and party-hatted dogs.”
Just before the book was released, a concert-film version of American Utopia was released on HBO, directed by Spike Lee. Learn more here.
The conversation will be hosted on Zoom and will begin at 7 p.m. ET. While the event is free to register, there is a suggested donation component. Click here to register.
Roger Berlind, a producer or co-producer of more than 100 plays and musicals on Broadway, including hits The Book of Mormon, Dear Evan Hansen, City of Angels and the revivals of Guys and Dolls and Kiss Me, Kate, died on December 18 at his home in Manhattan.
The cause of death was reported by his family as cardiopulmonary arrest. He was 90 years old
In a four-decade career in the theater, Berlind backed a great deal of original work on Broadway, amassing 25 Tony awards.
photo by Picture Perfect/REX
According to the New York Times, Berlind helped bring buoyant musicals to the stage, like the smash 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls with Nathan Lane, as well as sophisticated literate dramas, like the original 1984 production of The Real Thing, Tom Stoppard’s dazzling exploration of the nature of love and honesty. The Real Thing swept the Tonys, winning for best play and best director (Mike Nichols) and garnering top acting awards for Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close and Christine Baranski.
Berlind was able to play the piano by ear and felt he was destined to be a songwriter, but that dream faded and he worked on Wall Street for a while. Tragedy struck while he was a partner at a brokerage firm, when his wife and three of his four children were killed in an airliner crash at Kennedy International Airport. Days later, he resigned from his firm.
Berlind told the New York Times in 1988, “The whole idea of building a business and making money didn’t make sense anymore. There was no more economic motivation.”
Born Roger Stuart Berlind on June 27, 1930 in Brooklyn, his parents were Peter Berlind, a hospital administrator, and Mae (Miller) Berlind, an amateur painter who also gave painting lessons while raising her four sons. When Roger was three, the family moved to Woodmere, Long Island, where he attended Woodmere Academy. He would later go on to Princeton University, majoring in English.
There, his life revolved around the theater and he joined the Triangle Club, which performs student-written comedies, and Theatre Intime, a student-run theatrical organization. In 1998, Berlind would donate $3.5 million to build the 350-seat Roger S. Berlind Theater as part of an expansion of Princeton’s McCarter Theater.
“He loved the big-band music of the ’40s, he could play almost any song from the American songbook and he had a great memory for lyrics,” his son William said in a phone interview with the New York Times. His own tunes ran to the simple and nostalgic, as reflected by their titles, “Lemon Drop Girlfriend” and “Isn’t It a Rainbow Day?” among them. But Tin Pan Alley was uninterested, and, needing a job, Mr. Berlind was pointed by friends to Wall Street.
Second wife Brooke Berlind said in an interview “The significant thing about Roger is that he made an incredible turnaround.”
While his first musical, Rex, was a flop, he had his first hit with the original 1980 production of Amadeus. The play, written by Peter Shaffer, directed by Peter Hall and starring Ian McKellen and Tim Curry, took home several Tonys, including best play.
Following that, early works included Sophisticated Ladies, Nine and 8½. Later successes included Proof, Doubt, The History Boys, Kiss me, Kate, the 2012 revival of Death of a Salesman and the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly! He would work with actors including Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jeremy Irons, among many others.
Survivors include his wife and son, two granddaughters and a brother.
Simone has our attention. Instantly hooked with off the cuff, blunt storylines and edgy alternative guitar, the 16-year-old singer/songwriter has crafted a name for herself, where music transcends beyond her years.
It’s justSimone. No fancy names or alter egos. The young and upcoming artist jumped into live performance at the age of ten at a Nashville open mic. “It was terrifying. I was definitely the youngest kid there and I was surrounded by these experienced, mature, 20 to 40-something-year-olds. I just remember begging my dad to take me home because I was so intimidated and nervous.”
But her music transpired. “I kind of blacked out while I was performing. The sound of applause and encouragement from the audience was so unreal and amazing. I immediately fell in love with performing and being able to share my songs to different people. It was a really important experience.”
The New York singer broke out two years later with her first batch of work in 2017. Stories in My Mind, Simone’s debut was released and arguably the most transformative, in her music and personal life. These years are life changing for most of the world, and to capture them through song and pure self-expression is quite magical.
“I was dealing with a lot of mental health struggles. And realized that instead of holding all of these emotions inside, I could write about them. I have changed a lot since that first EP, as a songwriter and just as a person. I would’ve liked anything that came out of those first recording sessions because I was just so excited to be there. It was something I dreamed about for so long.”
Aside from her professionalism, Simone gets to the point. Her song titles first make you chuckle, proving to be point blank and ever reliable. “It took awhile for me to arrive at the full transparency and honesty of my current songwriting process. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that when I started writing, there was a lot in life I had never experienced, or could even understand.” Songs like “Fuck, I’m Tired,” prove this point to be evermore true in a witty, clever way.
Now that I’m a little bit older, and get to watch R-rated movies and know a lot more about the world, romance and emotion. I find that people connect more to songs that are truthful. At the end of the day, we all go through a lot of similar things, and it’s so much more valuable to talk about it then to pretend it doesn’t exist.
Simone takes on independent singer/songwriter with her June 2020 release ofSad Songs For Depressed Girls, a three-track EP written and produced all on her own accord. This release featured “Fuck, I’m Tired,” as well as a sentimental “Julia.” The the heartfelt tenure of Simone’s guitar and falsetto will perk your ears. It’s as if you knew “Julia” better than she knew herself. Perhaps a lifelong, childhood best friend. The story is vivid and of self preservation.
Julia smoked weed alone in parking lots she said it helped her thoughts stop wandering off. And for a moment she felt free, but it all was temp-or-ar-y. And she stopped wishing for a heartbeat.
If you’re not into getting goosebumps, try the airy pop tracks of To Be Honest, released March of this year. This five-track EP, produced by Danny Ross, puts Simone’s songwriting in a different light. The songs are ones you dance to, and soundtrack worthy. Syncopated drums and grooving bass create foundation for the hooks of “The End of the World” and “Can’t Get Enough of You.” To Be Honest gets a little more sentimental as the record plays on.
Danny and I listen to a lot of tracks as a reference point when beginning a session. There’s a ton of pop influence, like Conan Gray, Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan, Lorde… the list goes on. I wrote the songs at different points in my life, but they all tell different stories about love and youth. Some were inspired from personal experiences and others from plot lines in TV shows. I’m excited to see what people will think.
Danny Ross is an indie rock frontman turned mad scientist pop producer mining new sounds for the TikTok generation with classic songwriting craft. He features Simone countless times on his Spotify portfolio.
Simone has crafted her skill and knows what it takes to make a hit song. “What I like about a song, either one that I write or one that I’m listening to, is a good hook that gets stuck in your head. If I write a song that’s all over the place and doesn’t have a lyric or a melody that people want to listen to over and over again, then I’ll usually leave it behind.”
A catchy chorus is so important to me, because it keeps the listener entertained throughout the song and excited when the chorus comes back around. I’m a sucker for a catchy chorus.
From the beginning Simone watched a lot of TV shows and movies surrounded by music that influenced her career. She was obsessed with soundtracks from Lemonade Mouth and High School Musicial. “That was a huge phase in my life and it got me really interested in performing and singing.” This was supported by her parents, a backbone in her path. Music was always around.
Currently Simone is listening to Taylor Swift – always. But has been into curating other up-coming female artists, like herself. Search, Holly Humberstone, Silver Sphere, and beabadoobe. In Simone’s words “They’re all killing it.”
Simone has more planned for 2021. After a strong year of music, her latest releases are the best yet. “I’m really proud of how I’ve grown in my songwriting and vocals, and I hope that comes across. I made these new tracks with Danny Ross, who I made the To Be Honest EP with. He’s amazing, and It was so fun to work with him again. I brought new songs to him and he brought them to life, and I’m so happy with how they turned out. I don’t wanna give too much away, but I’m really excited.”
Hey, if you like Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Lorde, or anyone in that arena, you might like my music. I’m a 16-year-old singer/songwriter and I am influenced by a lot of pop and alternative artists. My songs are relatable, sometimes depressing, and sometimes fun. Whether you need a good cry or a good dance, I got you.
Christmas is here. Which means it’s time to deck the halls with bars of the holiday. So grab your cup of eggnog, your Santa hat, and enjoy this list of Christmas raps.
“You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” by Tyler, the Creator.
Inspired by the music and animation of Dr. Seuss’s “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” Tyler took the reigns and composed a soundtrack to accompany the 2018 Universal Studios animated film The Grinch. Although a whole EP full of songs inspired by The Grinch can be found on Tyler, the Creator’s Spotify, something about Tyler’s typical cartoonishly deep vocal inflections make this song a true holiday standout.
“Christmas in Harlem” by Kanye West featuring Teyana Taylor
There’s something almost ironic about how Kanye, a man known for calling himself “Yeezus,” would release one of the 2010s most critically acclaimed Christmas songs. Originally released on December 17th, 2010, “Christmas in Harlem” brings us the best of both worlds around the holidays. Produced by Hit-Boy and originally released as part of Kanye’s GOOD Music series, “Christmas in Harlem” exhibits the raw talent West possesses when it comes to the meticulous process of arranging music.
“Santa Clause Goes Straight To The Ghetto” by Snoop Dogg featuring Daz, Nate Dogg, Tray Deee, & Bad Azz
Have you ever wanted to hear a gritty, G-Funk Christmas song that simultaneously critiques the modern commercialization of Christmas? Well, “Santa Clause Goes Straight to The Ghetto” is the song for you to hear this holiday season. Again, this song is a perfect blend of Snoop’s typical West Coast cool, calm, and collected rap flows while flipping the typical narratives driving Christmas songs. This song is sprinkled with social commentary and full of joyous Christmas cliches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVkg5FM59NA
“Christmas in Hollis” by Run D.M.C.
If there were ever to be a rap song synonymous with Christmas, it would be Run D.M.C.’s “Christmas in Hollis.” This song may owe some of its notoriety to the hotly contested Christmas movie, Die Hard (yes, it’s a Christmas movie! ). Run D.M.C. trade-off shouted verses about stumbling across Santa in the park.
“Christmas Rappin’ ” by Kurtis Blow
For the next song on our list, we go back to the early days of rap when its popularity as genre was just becoming mainstream. Curtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin’,” was released in 1979 and found instant success, capitalizing on two popular trends, rap and holiday music. “Christmas Rappin’,” was a product of two Billboard employees who recognized the potential for a hit song. They then enlisted Curtis Blow as the MC who would deliver this rendition of the Christmas classic “Visit from Saint Nick.”
“Merry Muthaf****n Xmas” by Eazy-E featuring Menajahtwa, Buckwheat from the Lil Waskals, Will 1X, & Atban Klann
Eazy-E isn’t referred to as one of the kings of gangsta rap for nothing, the twisted spin “Merry Muthaf****n Xmas” takes on Christmas music and is a prime example of E’s close ties to gang life growing up in Compton, CA. Everything about this song rings true to West Coast rap: the beat, the lyrical narratives Eazy-E and company explore, and, not to mention, the yuletide sampling and mentions of Santa that classify this otherwise raunchy cut as a Christmas song.
The most recently released song on this list, “Chi-Town Christmas” is perhaps one of the most emotionally potent tracks from Chicago-born artist Chance, the Rapper. Chance released a whole album’s worth of original Christmas music this past month featuring longtime collaborator Jerimiah. In “Chi-Town Christmas,” Chance once again takes center stage as the rap game’s family man and recites verses depicting a lowkey Christmas in Chicago. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Chance dabble in Christmas music. However, this is by far his most organic attempt.
Talking Heads will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards show on January 31, 2021. The award celebrates performers who have made outstanding contributions of artistic significance to the field of recording.
Forming in NYC in 1975, Talking Heads had an immense career, spanning 16 years and influencing countless bands in the rock and jam scenes, extending their reach well beyond their lifetime, among them Phish, Widespread Panic, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and many more.
The accolade from the Recording Academy is particularly noteworthy, given that Talking Heads never received a Grammy Award. They were nominated twice – once in 1984 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for “Burning Down the House,” and again in 1988 for Best Concept Music Video, “Storytelling Giants.”
Those looking for Talking Heads to perform, pandemic aside, can recall the last official Talking Heads performance, which took place at the band’s 2002 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. It is unlikely this award will spark a reunion, one that Byrne has not been in favor of for many years (a lifetime even).
In addition to the 2021 Lifetime Achievement, Special Merit gramophones honorees include Tejano music legend Selena and female rap group Salt-N-Pepa, as well as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, opera singer Marilyn Horne, and late jazz great Lionel Hampton.
The 2021 Grammy Awards are set to take place Sunday, January 31, 2021 with Trevor Noah of The Daily Show as host.
Revisit Talking Heads performance at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on August 5, 1983.
The group included founding members David Byrne (vocals, guitar), Chris Franz (Drums), Tina Weymouth (Bass), and Jerry Harrison (Keyboards) in addition to a number of added musicians who come and go when needed to supplement the bands theatrical performance. One of these musicians just happens to be magic keyboard man Bernie Worrell of ‘P-Funk’ fame. For those fans who love the 1984 concert film ‘Stop Making Sense’, this live recording makes a fitting addendum to that document, which also chronicles the 83 tour in support of the LP Speaking In Tongues.
Saturday Night Live’s final episode of 2020, hosted by Kristen Wiig, featured two electric performances from musical guest Dua Lipa. The episode opened with Vice President Pence (Beck Bennett) and Vice President-Elect Harris (Maya Rudolph) receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
One of the few artists who thrived during the pandemic, Dua Lipa’s second album Future Nostalgia cemented her status as a pop staple. It dropped in the first month of quarantine and didn’t need an accompanying tour to bolster its release, although one is coming in September 2021.
Future Nostalgia righted the wrongs of its predecessor, the 2017 self-titled debut Dua Lipa, by finding a distinct sound amid complaints of being too generic. Dua also improved her live performances, coming off more confident and energetic onstage than in the past. Future Nostalgia is ending the year on several publications’ best of 2020 lists, and is up for five Grammy Awards, including Album and Song of the Year.
Dua’s first song of the night was “Don’t Start Now.” While Future Nostalgia’s lead singlewas released on Halloween of 2019, it had major staying power throughout 2020. It reached its Billboard Hot 100 peak of #2 on its 19th week of release, and surpassed Lipa’s 2017 single “New Rules” as her biggest hit. The nu-disco bop channels “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, as well as Daft Punk and the Bee Gees, dealing with themes of female empowerment and independence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDsyocmK3XI
Dua closed her SNL debut with “Levitating,” an album standout that became a single in August. The dance floor-ready anthem spawned remixes with Madonna, Missy Elliott, and DaBaby, although none compare to the original solo version. “Levitating” is arguably Future Nostalgia’s high point, expertly updating the Studio 54 sound for 2020. The DaBaby remix made Barack Obama’s recently unveiled list of favorite songs of 2020.
Saturday Night Live returns in January. Revisit Kristen Wiig’s memorable final episode as a cast member on SNL, where Mick Jagger dedicated “She’s A Rainbow” to Wiig and the cast gave her an emotional send-off.
Brooklyn rapper, Rowdy Rebel, has officially been released from prison, to the rejoice of fans and acquaintances alike.
Chad Marshall, known professionally as Rowdy Rebel was released this past Tuesday after spending nearly four-years incarcerated at Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County. Upon his release, the “Beam Jawn” emcee was greeted by family, friends and associates. Soon-after, he was being gifted eye-popping jewelry and made his way to a private Jet, as well as a recording studio.
Originally arrested back in 2014 alongside fellow rapper Bobby Shmurda and other GS9 hip-hop collective affiliates on murder, drug, and weapons charges. The two Brooklyn drill rappers then took a plea on conspiracy to possess weapons and were then sentenced to seven years in prison.
Even while locked up, Rebel kept up his grind, keeping his focus on music. The “Computers” rapper made a guest appearance on Pop Smoke’s Billboard charting record “Make it Rain,” recording his verse via a collect call from prison.
Videos surfaced all over social media documenting Rowdy Rebel’s first day of freedom, including a call to still incarcerated Bobby Shmurda. Who, on the other hand, hasn’t fared as well with the Board of Parole despite taking a plea deal so his compatriot would serve less time. Bobby Shumrda has allegedly racking up violations for possession of weapons and drugs while in prison and is serving the rest of his sentence, Bobby is scheduled to be released in December of 2021.
Fans should keep their ears to the ground for new music coming from Rowdy Rebel as he has already been seen cooking it up in the studio, you can see him live on Instagram reveling in his newfound freedom and triumphant return to Brooklyn’s rap game.
