Tag Archives: Hip Hop Squares

Machine Gun Kelly Needs A Bathroom Break During ‘Hip Hop Squares’

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By Zach Carugno

The second season of MTV2’s “Hip Hop Squares” is off to a running start–and it hasn’t even debuted yet! Just ask Machine Gun Kelly, who literally runs off set in the middle of the upcoming debut episode to use the little boy’s room.

This type of behavior shouldn’t surprise loyal MGK fans who know the true jokester that lies beneath the studded jewelry, tats, and rapper/rockstar persona, and fans of “Hip Hop Squares” fans are getting used to the unexpected, outrageous, and sometimes, yes, the unscripted.

Tune in to MTV2 on Tuesday, October 23 at 11pm EST to catch the first episode of the new season.

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‘Hip Hop Squares’ Episode 2 Bonus Clip

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Episode 2 of MTV 2′s “Hip Hop Squares” premiered tonight, continuing the fun that kicked off with guests like Fat Joe, Childish Gambino and Mac Miller. Tonight’s guests included. Check out the bonus clip above, where host Peter Rosenberg explains why he’s “super stoked every minute” that he spends on the “Hip Hop Squares” set.

Hip Hop Squares,’ I ain’t gonna lie, it’s gonna be the best game show,” DJ Khaled told MTV News when he gave us a tour of the set. “Especially because it’s representing hip-hop, but it’s real exciting. If I wasn’t even on it, I’d be watching it myself.”

If “Squares” looks familiar to you, then you may remember its predecessor, the iconic tic-tac-toe game show “Hollywood Squares.” In the new remixed version of the show, rap personalities like Mac Miller, Fat Joe, Ghostface Killah and 2 Chainz all answer trivia questions helping contestants win cash prizes.

“Tic-tac-toe, answering questions — I think it’s a cool game, especially to incorporate hip-hop in it,” 2 Chainz told MTV News.

Asher Roth remembers the original show well. In fact, it was those childhood memories that factored into his decision to participate in this new incarnation. “When I was younger, yeah, I definitely used to check out the ‘Hollywood Squares.’ It was just fun,” he said. “I think that was the thing that attracted me to ‘Hip Hop Squares‘… it’s just laid-back, it’s chill. I mean I get to sip on a beer while I answer questions right.”

“Just getting to experience it was a lot of fun,” Common added.

Fat Joe believes the new show, which is hosted by New York radio DJ Peter Rosenberg, helps solidify rap’s place in American pop culture. “Doing hip-hop trivia, this just pushes it one step further for hip-hop to be solidified as American culture,” he said. “This is the first time throughout my whole career when I seen my name, I said, ‘Wow I made it.’ “

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DJ Khaled And Kanye West Set To Release Another Track

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By Rob Markman

Kanye West teamed up with DJ Khaled for his latest solo single “Way Too Cold,” and the two titans aren’t done collaborating just yet. On the set of “Hip Hop Squares,” Khaled revealed to MTV News that he and Ye have already recorded another track, that they’ll roll out soon. 

Originally, Kanye’s Kim Kardashian-loving single “Way Too Cold” (initially titled “Theraflu”) was slated for the boisterous Cash Money disc jock’s upcoming Kiss the Ring LP, but Khaled didn’t mind giving Yeezy first dibs because the two have another in the stash.

“Me and Kanye West went back in the lab and we made another record and got some features on there too,” Khaled said,  careful not to let too many deets leak. “I can’t really talk about it, so expect another monstrous earthquake to hit the streets.”

Throughout his career, Khaled has served as a master matchmaker, pairing the likes of Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and T-Pain on an array of high-powered posse tracks like “We Takin’ Over” and “Welcome to My Hood.” His latest single, “Take it to the Head,” groups Weezy, Rozay, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, and on his next LP, the charismatic Khaled promises more of the same. “Kiss the Ring is gonna be the real deal,” he said.

When it comes to his collaborations with West, Khaled throws all the rules out the window. On “Way Too Cold,” the Chi-Town virtuoso not only pissed off PETA by boasting that his mink was draggin’ on the floor, he also confessed his love for Kim Kardashian, tossed a nod to Wiz Khalifa and threw a thinly veiled shot at Kardashian’s soon-to-be ex-hubby Kris Humphries. The Hit-Boy-supplied beat and Kanye’s ear-catching lyrics are what make the Khaled-assisted track stand out.

“On my end, I got this thing with ‘Ye where I tell him there’s no rules and there’s no regulations. It’s no format, and ain’t nobody gonna tell us nothing on what we’re gonna do,” Khaled told MTV News on April 5.

The Miami-based DJ/producer wouldn’t say much else about his and Yeezy’s next release, but who knows? Maybe he will spill the beans when he appears on today’s (April 18) “RapFix Live” with host Sway Calloway.

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2 Chainz Tells Fans To ‘Expect A Lot Of Surprises’ On Debut

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There are certain benefits that come with being one of the hottest up-and-coming talents in the rap game; just ask 2 Chainz.

“I’m working with people like Kanye, of course. I’m in a good creative space right now,” Deuce told MTV News about his mindset while putting the finishing touches on his debut solo album Based on a T.R.U. Story.“I’m able to get my hands on a lot of things that I need. I have access to a lot of artists right now. I have great production.”

We caught up with the MC formerly known as Tity Boi on the set of MTV2′s upcoming game show “Hip Hop Squares” and spoke about what fans can expect from his highly anticipated Def Jam release. “You can expect a lot of surprises. I like to bring the element of surprise back in hip-hop; bring the enjoyment and anticipation,” he said.
Fans will have to wait until August 14 to get their hands on the LP, but the Atlanta rap virtuoso plans to release a single entitled “No Lie” on May 1. “I don’t wanna leak a record right now, I’m doing so many features and ‘Riot’ is doing so well I don’t want to cause any kind of confusion.”

To say he’s doing well is a bit of an understatement. 2 Chainz is currently featured on Young Jeezy’s “SupaFreak,” Nicki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap” and Kanye West‘s latest G.O.O.D. Music single “Mercy.” His current solo single, “Riot,” is quickly becoming a staple for hip-hop mixshow radio DJs.

For the most part, 2 Chainz is classified as a trap rapper whose material mainly revolves around the drug game and street life. With Based on a T.R.U. Story, he plans to change all of that. “From me you can expect concepts; you can expect things that you can think about, substance,” he explained. “Although I have a trap background and I’m heavy with the street credibility, I also have the mind frame to expand a few ideas and some current events, ya dig?”

What kind of surprises are you hoping to hear on 2 Chainz’s debut? Leave your comment below!

How Will Kanye West, DJ Khaled Follow ‘Way Too Cold’?

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If you happen to feel the ground shake in the next few months, don’t be alarmed: Chances are, you’ll just be feeling the after effects of another Kanye West and DJ Khaled single drop.

Originally, Kanye’s Kim Kardashian-loving single “Way Too Cold” (originally titled “Theraflu”) was slated for the boisterous Cash Money disc jock’s upcoming Kiss the Ring LP, but Khaled didn’t mind giving Yeezy first dibs because the two have another in the stash.

“Me and Kanye West went back in the lab and we made another record and got some features on there too,” Khaled told MTV News after a taping of “Hip Hop Squares,” careful not to let too many deets leak. “I can’t really talk about it, so expect another monstrous earthquake to hit the streets.”

Throughout his career, Khaled has served as a master matchmaker, pairing the likes of Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and T-Pain on an array of high-powered posse tracks like “We Takin’ Over” and “Welcome to My Hood.” His latest single, “Take it to the Head,” groups Weezy, Rozay, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, and on his next LP, the charismatic Khaled promises more of the same. “Kiss the Ring is gonna be the real deal,” he said.

When it comes to his collaborations with West, Khaled throws all the rules out the window. On “Way Too Cold,” the Chi-Town virtuoso not only pissed off PETA by boasting that his mink was draggin’ on the floor, he also confessed his love for Kim Kardashian, tossed a nod to Wiz Khalifa and threw a thinly veiled shot at Kardashian’s ex-hubby Kris Humphries. The Hit-Boy-supplied beat and Kanye’s ear-catching lyrics are what makes the Khaled-assisted track stand out.

“On my end, I got this thing with ‘Ye where I tell him there’s no rules and there’s no regulations. It’s no format, and ain’t nobody gonna tell us nothing on what we’re gonna do,” Khaled told MTV News on April 5.

The Miami-based DJ/producer wouldn’t say much else about his and Yeezy’s next release, but who knows? Maybe he will spill the beans when he appears on today’s (April 18) “RapFix Live” with host Sway Calloway.

Catch Future, DJ Khaled and Juvenile on “RapFix Live” today at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com, and be sure to join the Twitter conversation using the hashtag #RapFixLive. Send your questions for the artists to @MTVRapFix!

Fat Joe Compares Mobb Deep To Gang Starr

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Mobb Deep‘s musical legacy is cemented. There aren’t many groups in rap who could match Havoc and Prodigy’s reputation for crafting unfiltered street music, so when Mobb Deep appeared to be in turmoil last week, fans feared the worst. Fat Joe, for one, is thrilled that all the drama is behind the Queens, New York, duo.

Joe Crack actually likens the Mobb to another pivotal rap duo, Gang Starr. The group, which consisted of DJ Premier and late rapper Guru, was responsible for quite a few classic singles, including “Step in the Arena” and “DWYCK.” Mobb Deep, of course, also have favorites under their belt, like 1995′s “Shook Ones Pt. II” and the Lil’ Kim-assisted “Quiet Storm” remix.

“Mobb Deep is equivalent to Gang Starr with being one of the purest forms of hip-hop music,” Fat Joe told MTV News after a taping of MTV2′s upcoming “Hip Hop Squares.” “Whenever you want to go do an ill, hard-core hip-hop song that crosses over in the clubs, anybody who makes it is like, ‘Yo, this is like “Shook Ones,” this is like “Quiet Storm.” ‘ They the kings of that.”

On April 9, some pretty vicious messages directed at Prodigy were sent from Havoc’s now-defunct Twitter account. The messages threatened physical violence and questioned Prodigy’s sexuality. Sources close to Mobb Deep initially confirmed to MTV News that Hav’s account wasn’t hacked, but later that evening Havoc released a statement saying that he lost his phone and declaring his allegiance to the group and Prodigy. “To all Mobb Deep fans: it’s business as usual! It’s Mobb Deep all day,” the statement read.

On Friday the group even attended a Knicks game together and released a photo, silencing speculation about a disconnect. Fat Joe is just glad to see the duo as a unified front. “I really don’t know none of the details,” he said. “If they were to break up, it would be a sad day for hip-hop because we love Mobb Deep as a group, as a fan.”

What’s your favorite Mobb Deep song? Tell us in the comments!

Fat Joe Calls Signing Q-Tip ‘The Smartest Thing Kanye West Ever Did’

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Fat Joe has seen it all. The Don Cartagena has clocked in more than 19 years in the rap game and rubbed shoulders with some pretty iconic hip-hop figures, so when studio pictures of him, Kanye West, Jadakiss, Mos Def (now known as Yassin Bey) and Busta Rhymes hit Twitter last week, Joey chalked it up as another one for the record books.

“Hip-hop moments, that’s it. It was just a back-in-the-days hip-hop moment,” Joe Crack told MTV News after a taping of MTV2′s upcoming “Hip Hop Squares.” “For, like, a whole week, we’ve just been vibing, everybody’s been vibing with each other, and it’s a beautiful thing.”

Though he wasn’t in the pictures, Joe confirmed Q-Tip was also in those vibing sessions. It’s no secret that Joey Crack is a fan of the former A Tribe Called Quest frontman, and he believes his recent deal with Yeezy’s G.O.O.D. Music will further cement ‘Ye as a musical genius. “Smartest thing Kanye West ever did,” Joe said of the signing.

The Bronx, New York, MC wasn’t completely forthcoming about what he has cooking with West and company. Still, Joey did liken the interaction to the days when he would randomly pop up in music videos with 1990s rap staples like Black Sheep, Das EFX and Lord Finesse. “I’m in every Lord Finesse [and] Das EFX video, so it just felt like back in the days, every hip-hop head in New York City getting together with Kanye,” he said. “We were discussing hip-hop politics, who’s hot, who’s the new, who’s this, who’s that, and we just had an amazing time.”

In February, Joe told MTV News he was a pretty big Yeezy fan, but the two have never worked together. Whether we’ll ever hear some type of collaboration remains to be seen. “You seen every rapper in that picture, but once you seen Fat Joe in there, you already know what it is,” he said. “You already know it’s official. Everybody’s joining forces, everybody’s vibing with each other, and look, Q-Tip’s on G.O.O.D. Music — that’s a beautiful thing.”

What do you think of Q-Tip’s signing to Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music? Tell us in the comments!

Nicki Minaj Is ‘Fine As Hell’ In ‘Beez’ Video, 2 Chainz Says

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While filming the “Beez in the Trap” video, it was hard for 2 Chainz to ignore all of Nicki Minaj‘s assets. Luckily, Deuce is a professional.

“I was like, ‘Damn my little sister fine as hell,’” 2 Chainz told MTV News after a taping of MTV2′s upcoming game show “Hip Hop Squares.” Tity Boi then broke down his relationship with the Harajuku Barbie, one that dates back to around 2008. “I’ve known Nicki for a minute; I met her on the I Am Music Tour, the first leg with Wayne. It was cool, we had a great relationship, we used to talk, trip out here and there.”

The “Beez” clip was shot in a strip club and features a bikini-clad Minaj counting hundred stacks. By the time 2 Chainz gets to his verse, Nicki grinds alongside him in leopard-print cat suit that accentuates her much-fawned-over rump. 2 Chainz attributes Nicki’s comfort while doing her naughty dance to the closed set. “When it’s closed off, she felt more free, I felt more free, that’s how you can see the camaraderie in the video and how we just kinda vibing with each other,” he said.

As for Nicki, the MC just wanted to salute all of the dancers who supported her as she was performing in strip clubs at the beginning of her career. “When I see the strippers and all of that, they always show me love, so I wanted to kinda make a video around them,” the reigning rap queen said. “I hit up Benny Boom like, ‘Yo, I need a sexy video right now.’ I knew 2 Chainz wasn’t gonna be mad.”

Deuce, who is preparing his solo debut Based on a T.R.U. Story for an August release on Def Jam, didn’t get to see the video while it was being edited but was very pleased with the result. “I just knew I got a little dance in on her and I’m glad they used it,” he said. “She’s very talented and I support what she’s doin’.”

In other Nicki news, the Young Money star disappointed millions of fans when she deactivated her Twitter account on Sunday after feuding with a fansite for posting snippets from her Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded LP . “Like seriously, its but so much a person can take. Good f–king bye,” she wrote before vanishing from the social networking site.

Do you like the “Beez in the Trap” video? Let us know in the comments!