EAZY-E & DMC HONORED THROUGH AKOMPLICE COLLECTION

The collaboration between Akomplice, Ricky Powell, and David Flores sounds like a fantastic homage to Hip Hop legends. Featuring icons like DMC from Run-DMC, alongside LL Cool J, Big L, Mike Tyson, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, this collection seems to blend art and rap history beautifully. David Flores’ inspiration from DMC’s lyrics in “Run’s House” adds a deep connection to the essence of Hip Hop culture. It’s exciting to see how these elements come together in the form of T-shirts, skateboards, prints, and mugs, celebrating the influence and legacy of these legendary figures.

“I loved the one encounter we had, in 1993,” he says. “I got a gig to interview him for a CD/EP he came out with. He greeted me at the door with a cannon-sized blunt, saying ‘For you, Ricky Powell.’ I was like, ‘Whaa? This is gonna be fun.’ So we spread out in his suite at the Hilton, on 51st and 6th Ave. We smoked as he rolled more joints, and I asked questions on my tape recorder, and took some pictures, and we were sharing some chuckles. Then I broke out my Ricoh camcorder and stared filming for my public access show, ‘Rappin with the Rickster,’ and then he asked me if he could film me, so I handed him the camera, and he got illy with it. So I dubbed him the Black John Cassavetes. You can peep on YouTube. And then I shot my famous shot of him, which I call ‘Tune in Compton.’ I really likened to him. Shame he passed so young. But that’s what happens when you wild out too much. I know. I’ve come close.”

Eazy-E died from complications due to AIDS in 1995. His legacy was furthered as his rise through the music industry with N.W.A was depicted in the recent biopic, Straight Outta Compton.

Haliey Welch / Eminem

Eminem has unleashed another trailer, teasing the new The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) centered around killing off his alter ego while tapping into the viral “HAWK TUAH.” trend by Haliey Welch.

The gloomy clip features Slim Shady’s tombstone on a rainy night. The gravestone is inscribed with “Beloved Antagonist Slim Shady 1997-2024 It Feels So Empty Without Him” in an homage to lyrics from his 2002 hit “Without Me.” A person walking by the tombstone hawks a loogie on the tombstone. Then seconds later, a battered and bruised arm emerges from the dirt, signaling a possible Slim Shady revival.