👋🏾 Akademiks—say hello to the bad guy?
hip hop's new daily operation | 7.2.20
TheMotto No. 57 focuses in on my media colleague Akademiks — since the face been revealed, the game got real. He put in work covering Chicago’s controversial hip hop scene via his own YouTube channel, and from the April 2017 launch of Complex Networks’ Everyday Struggle, Akademiks continues to be no stranger to drama. He’s had differences with artists from Nicki Minaj to Vic Mensa.
In 2020, he’s still beefing with Meek Mill. And Freddie Gibbs is making t-shirts about him. Today it was announced that Ak was suspended by Complex for making disrespectful comments on his personal Twitch about the bestselling author and media personality Chrissy Teigen. Teigen is also John Legend’s wife. Akademiks’ apology is below ⬇️
Correct me where I’m wrong? But to the best of my knowledge, Livingston Allen is from New Jersey by way of Jamaica. He attended Rutgers University, possibly received a degree in biomathematics, and can probably still hold a party down as his original title, DJ Akademiks. When Joe Budden left Complex in December 2017, Star (formerly of Star & Bucwild) cohosted for about four months. In May 2018, Wayno stepped in and he, Akademiks, along with Nadeska Alexis have been working together since.
He has his Henny and he talks reckless and many, including me, can find it wild entertaining. He and Drake even did shots via IG Live. But now Akademiks’ Twitch sessions are apparently no longer available. Being the most hated in hip hop media can be fun, but it comes at a price. Ak is still fighting for the respect he deserves, and that’s something a lot of us can relate to. I don’t agree with a lot of moves he makes. But I like Akademiks, and wish him the best.
top billin’:
mood⏬
watch out, now:
City Girls’ 5-episode series begins. With JT incarcerated, Yung Miami keeps the group alive. And then in June 2019, Miami announces she’s five months pregnant ⤵️
I don’t give a fuck / We don’t bang the same thing. Reppin’ both sides of the life: Dallas’ Lil Loaded and Compton’s YG get their gangsta boogie on ⏬
Pretty face | No waist | First place | I’d be a billionaire | If I sold my sex tape. I’m tellin’ you! Saweetie has suddenly become one of my favorite young rappers in the game. She goes in ⤵️
you must learn:
⤴️ link to the audio and text here 🎤author: Joe Coscarelli / the New York Times
A History Of Virgil Abloh’s Album Covers 🎼🎨 author: Lei Takanashi / Complex
So Far: 2020’s winners (Lil Baby) and losers (John Lennon) 🎵🏆 author: Mikael Wood/ the Los Angeles Times
Koffee talks new music, Jamaica — and those Rihanna rumors 🎼🇯🇲 author: Angie Jaime / Teen Vogue
made you look:
🏀 ⤴️ LeBron back to work at Lakers practice session in L.A.
🏆 ⤴️you deserve it, Young Thug
Meg gets her catsuit on for HBO Max’s Legendary
turn it up:
⤴️ Murdered my ego when you walked away. Ty brings the “Fade” vibes back with Mr. West. We need the clubs to reopen for this one
💸 ⤴️ real hustlers survive any drought: Yo Gotti shares game for the young hustlers on his first (independent!) CMG Records release
what more can I say:
On this day in 1996, Nas followed his pure breakthrough, 1994’s Illmatic (Columbia) with a more commercially-viable second album. Jones was being managed at the time by “Commissioner” Steve Stoute, and many New York hip hop journalists were outraged. I was at ego trip, and working as rap editor of CMJ at the time, and I was among the critics. Nas is rhyming some Kurtis Blow shit? Over Whodini’s beat? With a Lauryn Hill hook?
We hated it. We was wrong. It was written—for real.
@elliottwilson tweets | @elliottwilson IG | follow HRDlist
a danyelliott production
Danyel Smith + Elliott Wilson