Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of Louis Farrakhan" hosted by DJButterrock Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott, later Louis X; May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader who has been the head of the Nation of Islam (NOI) since 1981, an organization which combines black nationalism and Islamic teachings.[2][3][4] Prior to the NOI, Farrakhan was a calypso singer who used the stage name Calypso Gene from 1950 to 1955 and a violinist from 1939 to 1955. The longest-serving NOI leader, he also served as minister of several mosques in Boston and Harlem in the 1950s under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad. Farrakhan is most prominent for antisemitic statements and racist remarks directed at white people.

After the death of Elijah Muhammad, his son Warith Deen Mohammed reorganized the original NOI into the orthodox Sunni Islamic group American Society of Muslims. Farrakhan began to rebuild the NOI as "Final Call". In 1981, he officially adopted the name "Nation of Islam", reviving the group and establishing its headquarters at Mosque Maryam. In October 1995, Farrakhan organized and led the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. Due to health issues, he reduced his responsibilities with the NOI in 2007.[5] However, Farrakhan has continued to deliver sermons[6] and speak at NOI events.[7] In 2015, he led the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March: Justice or Else.

Farrakhan's antisemitic statements and views have been condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL),[8][7] and other organizations.[9] Farrakhan has also been criticized for being homophobic and sexist.[10][11] He has denied assertions that he is antisemitic, racist, sexist, or anti-gay.[12][13][14][15] Farrakhan was banned from Facebook in 2019 along with other public figures Meta considered to be political or religious extremists,[16][17] and the official Nation of Islam YouTube channel was removed for "hate speech" in 2020.[18]

Early life and education
Farrakhan, who is Black,[19] was born Louis Eugene Walcott on May 11, 1933 in The Bronx, New York City.[1] He is the younger of two sons of Sarah Mae Manning (1900–1988) and Percival Clark, immigrants from the Anglo-Caribbean islands. His mother was born in Saint Kitts, while his father was Jamaican. The couple separated before their second son was born, and Walcott says he never knew his biological father.[20] Walcott was named after Louis Walcott, a man with whom his mother had a relationship after becoming separated from Percival Clark.[1] In a 1996 interview with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Walcott speculated that Percival Clark, "a light-skinned man with straight hair from Jamaica", may have been Jewish.[21][22]

After Walcott's stepfather died in 1936, the Walcott family moved to Boston, where they settled in the largely African-American neighborhood of Roxbury.[20]

Walcott received his first violin at the age of five. By the time he was 12 years old, he had been on tour with the Boston College Orchestra.[20][23] A year later, he participated in national competitions and won them. In 1946, he was one of the first black performers to appear on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour,[23] where he also won an award. Walcott and his family were active members of the Episcopal St. Cyprian's Church in Roxbury.[20]

Walcott attended the Boston Latin School, and later attended and graduated from the English High School.[24] He completed three years at Winston-Salem Teachers College, where he had a track scholarship.[23]

Khadijah and Louis Farrakhan, 1996
In 1953, Walcott married Betsy Ross (later known as Khadijah Farrakhan) while he was in college.[25] Due to complications from his new wife's first pregnancy, Walcott dropped out after completing his junior year of college to devote time to his wife and their child.[1][26]

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of Bobby Shmurda" hosted by DJButterrock kquille Jean Pollard (born August 4, 1994),[3] known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper and songwriter. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music.[4][5] He rose to international fame in 2014 when his single "Hot Nigga" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.[6][7] Its success led him to sign with Epic Records to release his debut extended play (EP), Shmurda She Wrote (2014).

In December 2014, New York City Police arrested Shmurda and charged him and several other members of GS9 with conspiracy to murder, weapons possession, and reckless endangerment.[8] In 2016, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison, which was reduced to five years after he received credit for the two years he served awaiting trial.[9] After over six years in prison, Shmurda was released from Clinton Correctional Facility in February 2021.[10] His release was celebrated in the hip-hop community.[11]

Early life
Ackquille Jean Pollard was born on August 4, 1994, in Miami, Florida.[2] His mother is Vincentian and his father is Jamaican.[12] He and his mother moved to East Flatbush, Brooklyn, after his father was incarcerated.[13] Pollard had run-ins with the law in Brooklyn, including 15 months spent in detention for probation violation and an arrest on gun charges that were later dropped. According to his 2014 indictment, Pollard was the ringleader of a criminal enterprise called "GS9" that regularly entered into disputes with criminal gangs, was responsible for murders and non-fatal shootings, and engaged in drug trafficking[14] along Kings Highway to East Flatbush.[15]

Career
The first song Pollard remixed was Crime Mob's "Knuck If You Buck",[13] but he received little attention until the 2014 release of his song "Hot Nigga".[1] The song uses the instrumental from Lloyd Banks's 2012 song "Jackpot".[16] The song and its accompanying video went viral shortly after being uploaded to YouTube in the spring of 2014.[13] Shmurda's signature "Shmoney dance", which he performs in the video, became an internet meme and featured in numerous popular Vines from the latter half of 2014;[17] Beyoncé and Jay-Z replicated it during their On the Run Tour[18] and Canadian rapper Drake did so while hosting the 2014 ESPY Awards.[19][20] Several rappers freestyled over its instrumental, including Juicy J,[21] French Montana,[22] Lil' Kim,[23] Gunplay,[24] and T.I.[25] Shmurda signed with Epic Records, which released "Hot Nigga" as his debut single.[26] The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The video had over 649 million views on YouTube as of July 2020.[27] The song's official remix—featuring guest vocals from Fabolous, Chris Brown, Jadakiss, Rowdy Rebel, Busta Rhymes, and Yo Gotti—was released on September 4, 2014.[17][28] Also in August 2014, a reggae remix of the song was released that featured Junior Reid, Mavado, Popcaan, and Jah X.[29] Shmurda also became known for his song "Bobby Bitch", which peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut EP, Shmurda She Wrote, was released on November 10, 2014.

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of T-Pain" hosted by DJButterrock
Faheem Rashad Najm (born September 30, 1984),[1] known professionally as T-Pain, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, rapper, record producer and actor.

His first album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second album, Epiphany. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. His third album, Three Ringz, was released in 2008. The albums included a string of hit singles, including "I'm Sprung", "I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)", "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')", "Bartender", "Can't Believe It", "Chopped and Screwed" and "5 O'Clock". T-Pain has earned two Grammy Awards from 12 nominations, one with Kanye West for "Good Life" and the other with Jamie Foxx for "Blame It". He was the winner in season 1 of the Masked Singer as "Monster".

T-Pain is the founder of his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, established in 2005. Throughout his career as a singer, T-Pain popularized the creative use of the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect, used with extreme parameter settings to create distinctive vocal sounds. From 2006 to 2010, T-Pain was featured on more than 50 chart topping singles. His most successful feature to date was on Flo Rida's first single "Low". The single has since been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of Migos" hosted by DJButterrock
Migos (/ˈmiːɡoʊs/ MEE-gohss) was an American hip hop group founded in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in 2008.[2] The group was composed of rapper Quavo, his nephew Takeoff, and their friend Offset. Quavo was born in Athens, Georgia but grew up in Lawrenceville, Georgia, while Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in nearby Lawrenceville. As a group, they were managed by Coach K, the former manager of Gucci Mane and Jeezy,[3] and frequently collaborated with producers DJ Durel, Murda Beatz, Zaytoven, and Buddah Bless.[4][5] Recognized for their contribution to trap music in the 2010s, Billboard stated that the group "influenced pop culture and the entire English language by bringing their North Atlanta roots to the mainstream".[6]

Migos' 2013 debut single, "Versace" spawned from their third mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), which was released in June of that year. The song was remixed by Canadian rapper Drake, leading to its entry on the Billboard Hot 100; it was followed by "Fight Night" and "Look at My Dab", which were released in the following two years. Their 2016 single, "Bad and Boujee" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert) peaked atop the chart, while their 2017 single, "MotorSport" (with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B) and 2018 singles, "Stir Fry" and "Walk It Talk It" (featuring Drake) each peaked within the top ten.

Migos signed with Quality Control Music and 300 Entertainment to release their debut studio album Yung Rich Nation (2015), which was met with positive critical reception and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200. Their second album, Culture (2017), debuted atop the chart[7][8] and was supported by "Bad and Boujee". After departing 300 Entertainment in favor of a joint venture with Motown and Capitol Records in February 2017,[9] the trio saw their furthest commercial success with their third album, Culture II (2018), which became their second to peak the chart and sold an estimated 200,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[10] Their fourth album, Culture III (2021), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.

In 2016, the group portrayed fictionalized versions of themselves in the first season of the Donald Glover comedy-drama television series Atlanta. On November 1, 2022, Takeoff was fatally shot outside of a bowling alley in Houston,[11] effectively causing its two remaining members to disband the following year.[12][13][14]

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of Roscoe Dash" hosted by DJButterrock
Jeffery Lee Johnson Jr. (born April 2, 1990), better known by his stage name Roscoe Dash, is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his guest appearance alongside Wale on Waka Flocka Flame's 2010 single "No Hands," which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[2] He signed with Zone 4, Geffen, and Interscope Records to release his debut single, "All the Way Turnt Up" (featuring Soulja Boy), in January of that year, which peaked within the top 50 of the chart and preceded his debut studio album, Ready Set Go! (2010). Due to erroneous circumstances regarding its release, it failed to chart and was admitted by Roscoe Dash himself to be unfinished.

Roscoe Dash guest appeared alongside Kanye West on Big Sean's 2011 single "Marvin & Chardonnay," which peaked at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut extended play (EP), J.U.I.C.E. (2011), was released in December of that year and lukewarmly entered the Billboard 200.[3]

Career
2002–2009: Career beginnings
Johnson started rapping at the age of 12, after his older brother introduced him to hip-hop.[4] While attending in Mill Creek High School, he, his brother, and two other rappers formed a rap group who went by the name Black Out Boiz, for which Johnson adopted the stage name "ATL". Though the group released one project to positive feedback, Johnson parted ways with the group in favor of pursuing solo work. His first project, My Turn, was resealed on MySpace.[5] In his basement, he continued recording mixtapes; this activity led him to connect with his cousin Torrey Hood, who was managing a local hip hop trio by the name of Travis Porter.[6]

Johnson began touring and recording with Travis Porter, and started negotiating a contract with their manager, Charlie Jabaley. On August 1, 2009, Porter's second mixtape, I'm a Differenter 2, was released, and an early version of Johnson's song, "All the Way Turnt Up", was part of the tracklist. Johnson, despite writing and performing the song, was credited as a guest performer under the name "ATL." According to Porter, this was a mistake.[7] Perhaps in spite of this, Johnson knew he had to create a solo identity to further his career.[8] He Googled names of comic book heroes, and came across the name "Roscoe Dash." Johnson says:

"I needed something more marketable. I needed something that would catch the ears and eyes of whoever was listening or reading the name Roscoe Dash and make them want to do research on Roscoe Dash."[9]

He then met local entrepreneur LA da Boomman in 2009, who then signed him to his production company, Making Moves Inc. (MMI).[10][11] Johnson later signed onto a joint venture with A&R representative Anthony Tate, and the Interscope Records-distributed label Zone 4, after Tate and Johnson spoke with music producer and the latter label's founder, Polow da Don.[10][11]

2010–2013: Ready Set Go! and J.U.I.C.E.
Shortly after its original release, Dash re-recorded "All the Way Turnt Up", and included a guest verse from fellow Atlanta-native Soulja Boy. After the version became a radio hit, Dash signed with Interscope Records before its commercial release on January 1, 2010. Dash then began recording for his debut studio album, titled Ready Set Go!, although it was leaked and shipped before the official release date. The following year, Dash guest featured on the single "No Hands" by fellow Atlanta native Waka Flocka Flame, alongside Washington D.C. rapper Wale. The song received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the "Club Banger of the Year" at the 2011's BET Hip Hop Awards; Johnson received a nomination at the ASCAP Music Awards in 2011.[12][13]

In December 2011, Johnson released his first extended play (EP), J.U.I.C.E.. Johnson also appeared on Big Sean's single single "Marvin & Chardonnay", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[14] In 2012, Johnson was featured on the cover of XXL magazine, as part of their annual "Top 10 Freshmen list", along with fellow rappers Iggy Azalea, Danny Brown, Kid Ink, Future, Hopsin, Macklemore, French Montana, Don Trip and Machine Gun Kelly.[15]

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of BDP" hosted by DJButterrock

Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip-hop group formed in the Bronx, New York City, in 1986. It originally consisted of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the South Bronx.

The group pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip-hop music, and their debut LP Criminal Minded contains frank descriptions of life in the South Bronx during the late 1980s.

Members
BDP's membership changed throughout its existence, the only constant being KRS-One.[1] The group was founded by KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock, with producer Lee Smith, who was essential in the production of the songs on Criminal Minded, being added as a member shortly after.[1]

From those beginnings, BDP members and collaborators included Ced Gee of Ultramagnetic MC's, Lee Smith, Scott La Rock, D-Nice, Henry Wilkerson PoppyDa, Kenny Parker (KRS-One's younger brother), Just-Ice, ICU, McBoo, Ms. Melodie, Heather B., Scottie Morris, Tony Rahsan, Willie D., RoboCop, Harmony, DJ Red Alert, Jay Kramer, D-Square, Rebekah Foster, Scott Whitehill, Scott King, Chris Tait and Sidney Mills.

BDP as a group essentially ended because KRS-One began recording and performing under his own name rather than the group name.[1] Lee Smith, who has co-producer credit on the original 12" "South Bronx" single, was the first to be jettisoned by KRS-One and the future new label after Scott's death.

In the liner notes on BDP's 1992 album Sex and Violence, KRS-One writes: "BDP in 1992 is KRS-One, Willie D, and Kenny Parker! BDP is not D-Nice, Jamal-Ski, Harmony, Ms. Melodie, and Scottie Morris. They are not down with BDP so stop frontin'." Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews.com claimed that this initiated the ultimate breakup of the group.[2]

Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of 21 Savage" hosted by DJButterrock

Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a British-born rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia.[2] Born in London and raised in the US, he began his recording career in 2013 and released three independent mixtapes to regional acclaim. His breakout project—the collaborative extended play (EP) with record producer Metro Boomin titled Savage Mode (2016)—peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200. Its lead singles, "X" (featuring Future) and "No Heart" both peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he saw further recognition for his guest appearance on Drake's single "Sneakin'".[3][4][5] He then signed a recording contract with Epic Records in January 2017.[6]