Before They Were Famous

When it comes to rap beef, calling people out, stirring up controversy, and generating wild headlines there truly aren't too many rappers that hold a candle to Jayceon Tyrell Taylor more commonly known as rapper The Game. Born Jayceon Terrell Taylor on November 29th, 1979, The game was a force to be reckoned with during the 2000s and throughout the 2010s up until this day, giving us classics like The Documentary, The Doctor's Advocate, and Jesus Piece Game just to name a few. He was a member of the legendary hip hop group G Unit but only for a short amount of time. We have covered the life and career of The Game before on this channel so if you haven't already be sure to check those videos out but today we aren't exactly focusing on The Game's overarching career. You can almost sense when an artist known for being controversial has an album coming out as there's usually a press run that includes multiple interviews with bombshell call out moments and it seems like that is exactly what Game has been up to, making headlines by calling out his old collaborators Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, and he recently announced his forthcoming album Drillmatic Mind V Soul, Hitboy is announced to of produced the whole album and it is slated to drop June 17th. The Game has always put together a solid body of work so I think we can expect the man to deliver especially if Hitboy is spearheading that production and the name Drillmatic is a dope name paying homage to the classic Nas album Illmatic. The Game is undoubtedly one of the best rappers of his generation, but in the last decade or so, his public antics seem to heavily outshine his music. While we anticipate this new game album, let's take a look at 5 of the craziest moments from The Game's career.

There are few artists who has left a legacy as polarizing and unique as the late XXXTentacion, this man had a depth to his artistry that is still unparalleled to much of his peers, regardless of what you think of the man himself. Whether you loved his music for the infectious melodies, slick wordplay or overwhelming aggression, or maybe if you were just a fan of the way X was vulnerable about his multitude of mental health struggles, there's an endless amount of reasons why X is still so adored by his fans.

A few short weeks ago it was business as usual for the West Midlands chip shop known as Binley Mega Chippy -- but now their staff is in a whole other dimension -- one where pilgrims flock from all over the UK and other parts of the world simply for the chance to sample some of their deep-fried goodness. Millions have watched TikToks boasting the shop’s ear-worm of a theme song and now everyone is ready to see what the fuss is all about for themselves, including patrons from faraway places like the U.S. and Australia. But how the hell is this happening and where did this Chippy even come from in the first place? Well, if you feel out-of-the-loop because you can’t get all the way to the English town of Coventry for yourself, then don’t worry -- we’re here to fill you in on all the details of the world’s newest most viral meme, right here on Before They Were Famous!

Technically speaking, the man we know as Crip Mac is a rapper. I say, “technically” because if you search for his name on Google, odds are you’re going to find a lot more about his wild interviews as well as rumors and gossip about his gang affiliations than you will his music which is, honestly, almost non-existent. But then, why the popularity and the interest? Just who is this dude and why does his boisterous personality have so many people talking about him? And how does his past involve gang violence, incarceration, and going viral with his pets? If, much like myself, you’ve been wondering how a 55-Neighborhood Cripp has become a social media sensation then join us as we take a look at his come-up on our latest edition of Before They Were Famous.

“The funeral will happen in my youth.” That’s a translated line from one of the Indian rappers Sidhu Moose Wala’s latest singles “The Last Ride”. Heartbreakingly, only weeks after that song’s release, those lyrics would take on unforeseen meaning when their author was gunned down in an organized slaying. On Sunday, this 28-year-old rapper was driving near his village in Punjab state when he was ambushed and shot dozens of times. According to reports, eight bullets would find their mark and Moose Wala would be dead before getting to the hospital. With music that touched on themes of violence, bravado, and machismo -- particularly with respect for Punjabi men – Wala was an outspoken individual whose passing has left many with an empty feeling in their hearts. And now his fans are struggling to come to terms with the controversial circumstance revolving around his death. Who ordered the attack on Sidhu Moose Wala and what complicity do the local authorities have in what went down? We’ll investigate that and a lot more as we take a look back at the life and career of one of rap music’s most promising young stars taken far too soon in this latest edition of Before They Were Gone.

For as long as he’s been making music, Kendrick Lamar has been trying to open minds. But Kendrick Lamar is NOT a role model. On his third studio album “To Pimp a Butterfly”, Kendrick became something of a Liberal champion, but the truth is that -- just like the rest of us -- Kendrick is a deeply flawed individual whose been trying to tell us that the entire time. Sure, he’s a Pulitzer Prize winner. Sold more than 17 Million albums worldwide. Been nominated for 33 Grammys. Won 13. His music is even archived in the library at Harvard University and he’s been described as the poet-laureate of hip-hop -- an innovative storyteller whose work has been compared to that of classic novelists like James Joyce and James Baldwin. But here’s the thing – since becoming the biggest name in all of rap music with the release of “DAMN” in 2017, Kendrick Lamar has been going through something. Maybe a lot of things. And for anyone who knows anything about his past, it’s entirely understandable. After all, you don’t just get over being shot at or watching your friends die as a child. Now -- with his return from a nearly 4-year long hiatus and the release of his fifth studio album, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”, Kendrick has seemingly finally accepted that he can’t solve the world’s problems. Hell, he might not even be able to solve his own.

Since the untimely passing of the artist known as XXXtentacion, his legacy and impact on his many fans have only grown, and in many ways has taken a life of its own. From wild memorials and multiple posthumous albums, it truly seems like X’s fans will commemorate him any way they can. XXXtentacion-born Jaseh Onfroy has led one of the most polarizing and infamous careers in hip hop history, one that has recently been extensively covered in the new Hulu documentary titled ‘Look At Me”. This documentary features are never before seen footage, and insight on X from his family members, collaborators, and closest friends, it also gives a truly unsettling up-close look into X’s battles with mental health, the variety of ways he treated people, and ultimately how this damaged and troubled soul was able to cultivate the persona we know as XXXtentacion with one of the most unique, multi-faceted, unparalleled and controversial runs we have ever seen in music, So today we are going to break down 5 things that you may have missed from the Look At Me documentary, there are truly some interesting moments that involve X living with adult film stars, mental health diagnoses, to Asap rocky being involved, X turning down boatloads of money for his artistic integrity I mean this doc truly is a rollercoaster. It should also be acknowledged that some of what we talk about will likely be a little heavy so just a heads up for that and without further ado let’s get into it.

Amber Rose isn’t here to make apologies. Not for her body, not for her tattoos, not for her signature buzz-cut, and most definitely not for her sexiness. Anyone who heads over to her Instagram account is bound to get lost spending the next hour or so staring at post after post of Rose’s unique brand that somehow manages to blend sensuality with empowerment. It’s a difficult line to walk for most people and yet somehow, Rose pulls it off pretty effortlessly. After all, it’s not every day that a self-described feminist is also willing to pose for magazine spreads. Simply put – Rose is looking to find ways to confront society’s narrow-minded and pre-conceived notions of what a feminist ought to be. And today, she’s a lot more than just how the world chooses to remember her – a teenaged stripper and the ex of famous rappers like Kanye and Wiz Khalifa. Instead, she’s one of the leading voices in the fight for gender equality. Know how Amber first became inspired to lend her voice to the cause? Then fill the rest of us in down below. Everyone else, stay tuned as we take a look at the recent history of Amber Rose on our newest episode of Where Are They Now.

Most people eat to live, but speed eating competitor Matt Stonie lives to eat. I mean, how else could you possibly explain this dude’s ability to crush 14-and-a-half pounds of super-sweet birthday cake in just 8 minutes? Matt first began competing in Major League Eating events in 2011 and by 2015, he was shocking the world by defeating the then eight-time champion Joey Chestnut at Nathan’s infamous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Since then, Stonie has taken this passion for food and turned it into a full-time career by maintaining his spot as one of the top-ranked competitive eaters in the world. If you already know how many hot dogs it took for Matt to un-seat Joey Chestnut as the world champion, then drop the number down below. But if you’re wondering how Matt went from an under-fed and scrawny college student to a man who can pack away 25 Big Mac’s in just under 22-minutes, then you’re about to find out on our newest episode of Before They Were Famous!

Tony Yayo spent a good chunk of his early life with a young 50-Cent, teaming up to rap, hustle, and generally struggle through life together on the mean streets of New York City. But when 50 finally began to hit his stride in the early 2000s, suddenly, Yayo was nowhere to be seen. Turns out, his prior criminal activities had finally caught up with him, landing him behind bars for well over a year. But 50 wouldn’t forget about the man he grew up alongside and when Yayo was finally released, he would rejoin the group he helped found in the first place -- G-Unit -- by taking his rightful place as one of the group’s longest-running members. Unfortunately, a true solo career was never really in the cards – but that hasn’t stopped Yayo from continuing to participate in the world of hip-hop behind the scenes while also capitalizing on his long and storied history in the industry. Ever wonder how Yayo went from being released from prison to finding himself back on the inside within the span of a day? Then stay tuned to our newest episode of Where Are They Now to find out all about Tony Yayo!