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The 44 percent: Rap lyrics as street names, Black school closing, Jazz in the Gardens
The song and the follow-up single, 'Wish I Didn't Miss You,' were peak neo-soul. Perhaps a precursor to neo-soul is embedded in the smooth tunes of Roy Ayers, the legendary jazz artist whose work has been sampled by Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and A Tribe Called Quest to name a few. If I play Angie for 2000s nostalgia, I play Roy to mellow out, reflect or to seek some form of joy.
That's why losing them both in the same week is hard. They knew how to tug at your heart strings in times of despair or worry.
INSIDE THE 305:
Will Grind with Me Terrace come to Miami-Dade? Proposal puts rap lyrics on the map
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon wants to name about a dozen streets in Liberty City after song lyrics by prominent Miami rappers such as Mike Smiff and Trick Daddy.
As Miami-Dade County government reporter Doug Hanks writes: The longest and most heated debate for Miami-Dade County commissioners on Tuesday came down to the question of creating Grind with Me Terrace, Peace in Da Hood Street and Big Money Baller Street.
Those were some of the names proposed by a commissioner who wants to bring buzz to a downtrodden area north of Miami with a cluster of street signs bearing lyrics of rap and hip-hop songs made famous by local artists who made it big. 'If you're from Miami, you know these famous songs and these sayings,' Commissioner Keon Hardemon, the sponsor, told board members. 'For those of you who may be a little uncomfortable, I ask you to support me and my community.'
'It's not right': Parents and activists push for new plan at Broward school set to close
Broward Estates Elementary School, a predominantly Black school in Lauderhill, is closing even as parents and activists pushed for a new plan for the Broward County school.
As Broward County reporter Amanda Rosa writes: Parents who had not followed the school board's plans closely were shocked and confused. Members of Lauderhill's predominately Black community felt slighted since Broward Estates, the only school left on the chopping block, has an over 92 percent Black student population.
And for those who don't have children who currently attend Broward Estates, the stakes feel just as high. Longtime Lauderhill residents say defending Broward Estates is about more than saving one school, its about the future of the community.
OUTSIDE THE 305:
D.C. mayor to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza amid pressure from White House
In 2020 and in the wake of George Floyd's death by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, D.C. painted 'Black Lives Matter' on a two-block stretch of 16th Street near the White House. Now, what has been called Black Lives Matter Plaza is set to be painted over after Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde introduced legislation earlier this week that would force the plaza to be renamed or D.C. loses funding, NBC BLK reported.
60 years after Bloody Sunday, activists remember the Black women behind the curtain
In interviews with The 19th, a women-led and centered news outlet, activists recounted the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge led by young John Lewis.
HIGH CULTURE:
Florida's own Doechii performs at Jazz in The Gardens
As listeners groove to the smooth tunes of R&B and jazz, they will also get a taste of Tampa-native and Grammy-winning rapper Doechii who will grace the stage Saturday night alongside Lauryn Hill, Busta Rhymes and Florida legends Uncle Luke and 69 Boyz.
Where does 'The 44 Percent' name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter's title.
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Before Chucky Thompson became one of the unsung architects of '90s Hip-Hop and R&B, he was a native son of Washington, D.C., shaped by the city's signature go-go sound and steeped in musicality from a young age. His path would eventually cross with that of Howard University student and ambitious party promoter Sean 'Puffy' Combs—a meeting that, years later, would set the stage for a transformative chapter in Black music. Just as Combs was laying the groundwork for Bad Boy Records, Thompson was enlisted to help define a new sonic era. His assignment: craft the soundscape for My Life, Mary J. Blige's sophomore album. Blending vintage soul with streetwise vulnerability, Thompson tapped into something raw, honest, and era-defining. The result was not just an album, but a cultural touchstone—widely regarded as Blige's magnum opus. That success catapulted Thompson into rare creative air. 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On the fourth anniversary of his death, we present this never-before-published interview from the VIBE vault in celebration of Chucky Thompson's legacy, his artistry, and the quiet genius that helped shape the golden era of Hip-Hop and R&B. — VIBE: When people mention your name, your work with Bad Boy Records is usually the first thing to come to mind. What's your origin as a creative, and how did those aspirations lead to your musical journey? Chucky Thompson: All right, I'mma be real with you… you ready for this? First off, I'm from D.C.. My inspiration for half of all the music I've done is coming from D.C., it's go-go. That was the basis for me. There's one word that we use down in D.C., it's called 'cranking.' So, when you hear a song like 'Dead Wrong,' I'ma be on that joint 'crankin.' It's a whole 'nother feel for Hip-Hop because of that, so that's really where I'm coming from. I'm coming from that go-go a lot of times. It was just a great window to go out of with Bad Boy and everything that Puff was doing and his trust in me, too. His trust definitely allowed me to be able to bring in a lot of that vibe and swag that I was coming from. Being that Howard University is located in Washington, D.C., is that where the Puffy connection came in? I was actually introduced to him right after [attending] that [college]. He left and went back home and got started with Dre [Andre Harrell]. When he came back, that's when I first met him. I met him right before he left Uptown, so that's where it started. But it was a mutual friend who brought us together for him to even listen to the stuff I was sending him at that time. You gotta keep in mind, there was no internet. It was none of that sh*t, so you actually had to meet somebody [and] know them. They had to get a feel for you. It was a whole lot more involved in people even having a feel for who you are back then, 'cause they didn't know you. They didn't know sh*t, unless there was something that connected you.. Before your hit record run, what were some other records you worked on that helped get your foot in the door in the music industry? I grew up right around the corner from Howard. I was probably in that neighborhood where they told Howard students not to go, you know what I'm saying? [laughs] With me being right around the corner, I was playing in a lot of go-go bands. I played with Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers. If you ever see that Go-Go Live at the Capital Centre, that's me on the congas with him. After that particular situation, Hip-Hop kind've kicked in, so I started learning how to produce. I would charge Howard students or whoever came through just to learn. I wasn't really charging a lot, but I wound up meeting the Born Jamericans. I did a song called 'Boom Shak A-Tack.' It's like late '93 when it was released. When I signed my deal with Puff, that record was on the radio. It was popping in New York. I was always looking at what was moving forward. Puff had Bad Boy; I didn't really understand what that was. I just signed to him for management to be able to work on Mary [J. Blige]. She's the reason why I signed with him, 'cause he could get me to her. When looking at who he was dealing with, I saw that he had Big. He only had that one record, 'Party And Bullsh*t' out, but it was enough for me to say, 'You know what? This situation right here fits more into my lifestyle. It's fly, it's young.' It was almost like a match made in heaven, with me wanting to work on Mary. Then all of this other stuff came along with it. So what made you want to work with Mary? To be honest, I was transitioning. Hip-Hop is this thing that's happening; it was straight boom-bap. Then I just saw what Puff was doing. I saw that he was kind of merging R&B with Hip-Hop. Her whole first album was pretty much like a Ron G tape to me. Like how Ron would take those breakbeats, but he would throw the artist on there. It just reminded me of that energy. So, fast forward, I'm listening to Mary's songs. You see, it's something brand new. First off, for a female artist to have that Hip-Hop edge to her, she was almost like a rapper that sang, you know what I'm saying? It was different than, like, the Miki Howards, but yet it was still the same as the Miki Howards. It was different, but it was the same. At that particular time of the [What's the] 411? album, I started adding music to my Hip-Hop, the stuff that I was creating. I damn near created most of the My Life album before I met Puff. I didn't know that I was creating this lane of Hip-Hop & R&B, but her record confirmed that it could work. When the 411? album [opportunity] came, it's like, 'Yo, this sh*t could work.' That's what made me kinda say, 'You know what? I need to get with her. I need to get with her some kind of way.' And it just became a situation where I was sending him [tracks]. I sent him one song, and that was the one song out of all of the songs she was getting to start the My Life album. It was the only song that she liked [laughs]. When I first met her, it was always a bunch of tapes and sh*t all over the floor, so I saw what she was going through to pick that one song. It's what really started my situation with Bad Boy, and that's really how that sh*t started. What was that song? 'Be With You.' It's on the My Life album. One of the first songs you scored that got you noticed on the production tip is Usher's 'Think of You' from his debut album. What are your memories of working on that song? Same sh*t. I was signing my deal with Puff, and I wanted to sweeten the deal, so I said, 'Let me just make a couple of joints.' But it's still coming from that same, 'I'ma take Hip-Hop and I'ma put some R&B in there,' and I sent him that. I think I was trying to send it for Mary, but [with] him having stuff to do, it was like, 'Sh*t, throw that on Usher.' The next thing you know, I met Faith [Evans]. Faith came in to write on 'Think of You.' So that one song was the introduction to me and Faith. Did you work with Usher in the studio? Usher was in the house! In the beginning, Bad Boy was at Puff's house in Scarsdale [New York] so [if] anything was happening, we were way out in Scarsdale with that sh*t. The parties would be at his house. Anytime Harve [Pierre] and the whole Bad Boy was at Puff's house, Usher was staying there. When I did my deal, I stayed at the house, we all stayed at the house. I would be in constant contact with Usher, period. He was just the young dude in the house, and I used to just hang out with him. But that whole record, that one particular record just came from Puff saying, 'Look, I need him to go and do this.' And he got Donell Jones and Faith, and I don't know who else he had writing, but they wrote it. [Usher] went in the studio the next day and did it. Once I did my part, I was pretty much done; he just put all the writers to it. They wrote to it, and then we mixed it, and that was it. You also worked on The Notorious B.I.G. album, earning credits on Me & My Bi**h' and 'Big Poppa,' which became the biggest hit from the album. Being that you're more regarded for your work with singers, what was it like working with a lyricist at the caliber of Big? I'mma be real. The vibe in the house was just like Young Black America. You got Puff, you got Big, you got Craig [Mack], so that energy is what was guiding a lot of things. Big was just a big motherf*ker that was in the refrigerator, you know what I'm saying? At that time, that's all I saw him as. I didn't know how crazy it would be for him, but at the end of the day, we kind of met and vibed on the big boy tip. I'm heavyset, he's heavyset, so we kicked in on that level. And then he knew about [Washington] D.C. Most New Yorkers, like Puff, he's 1,000% New York. 1,000. Not saying that Big wasn't 1,000, but Big was also a hustler, so he was moving around. He took a picture in a Raiders hat. He had more of a feel for the culture and what was going on. It was Nashiem Myrick [who] basically had a loop playing when I walked in. He just had that Isley Brothers ['Between the Sheets'] loop playing. In my brain, I'm like, 'You know what, I know Big, he f**k with L.A.. I know he, f**k with Detroit, so I'm a play a trick on him.' It was a f**king trick. I said, 'I'ma throw this West Coast bassline in there just to see what he do with this sh*t.' First off, we're in New York, but our vibes are everywhere. It was the freedom that I could even do some sh*t like that that made me say, 'F**k it, let me do it. Let me just see what he does to this sh*t.' And I kind've catered it around 'It Was a Good Day.' If you listen to Ice Cube's 'It Was a Good Day,' it's the same sh*t. He just kept the sample being the strongest part, but he just layered it, so I said, 'F**k it, I'ma do the same sh*t. Big reminded me of Ice Cube. He was a direct rapper, he spoke direct. Most New York rappers didn't speak direct. They spoke with those fu**ing metaphors and all that sh*t, which I understand, but I understood him a whole lot clearer because of that. So it automatically flew in this L.A., Ice Cube… I don't know what the f**k, it just flew in a different vibe because I knew that he could understand. But like I said, it was just a trick. I just wanted to see what the f**k he would do. It was one of them joints where—I'ma be frank with you. I don't know if you wanna print this. It's almost like if somebody hit you in your nuts. You don't really know it hit yet, you know what I'm saying? But in a minute, it's gonna be like, 'Wait a minute… I just got hit in my nuts.' So that's kind've the way 'Big Poppa' slid in there 'cause his album was totally New York. That's what they were going for, but then I entered the room. It was never any animosity towards anybody at that time, it was just young, black sh*t happening. And it was happening in L.A., and it was happening in New York. We just were on that vibe. We listened to Snoop's [Doggystyle] album while we made Ready to Die, so all of those things just happened because of the energy that we were on. We were just on, 'This is about to be some black, fly sh*t.' If that answered your question [laughs]. You were talking early about Mary and wanting to work with her, but when that opportunity came to be, what was that like? Well, first off, when I met Mary, it was an immediate connection to the type of person that she was. When you're dealing with people from the hood, they don't like people approaching them. I don't like people just running up to me and approaching me and certain sh*t. I knew her energy, so I just stayed away from it. I ain't say nothing to her. I stood back, and let her get a feel for who I was. She knew I was the one who gave her that record that she loved, but I just kind of chilled until she was receptive to me. And then from that point on, it's like, 'Wait a minute, you remind me of my sister.' Like my real sister. In D.C., at that particular time, it was a thing on the radio called 'The Quiet Storm' where they played a lot of slow soul records and sh*t like that, so we vibed on that level. If you notice, the My Life album has a lot of soul. Barry White, Curtis Mayfield, and sh*t like that, but these are records that we grew up to. It just fit the time. Then even with the sh*t she was going through, these particular records, for her to even be able to talk about all that painful sh*t that she was going through. But we did it where we were like partying at the same time [laughs]. We're talking some sad sh*t, but we're partying at the same time, so I look at it like that. I was blessed enough to get her trust. I think that was the biggest thing for me. Did you get the feeling that the album would get such acclaim? I felt it because everything was new to me. This is a brand new management situation I'm in with Bad Boy. This is a brand new situation where I'm coming in to [produce] a triple-platinum artist, and this is the next look. I didn't really take it as pressure. I just took it as, 'You know what? I have a mission really with her,' 'cause I didn't like the press that she was getting from the previous album. People were trying to corner her out 'cause she was dressed a certain way or she had this hard edge to her. But I knew that bi**h was dope. I never took my mind off that. After I heard a song like the one that she did, the Chaka Khan record on the 411? album? 'Sweet Thing.' When I heard that, I said, 'This bi**h is nuts,' you know what I'm saying? And this is where I wanna get ready to bring her into, if I can. That trust that Puff and her gave me was really the canvas. If you're an artist, you can have the greatest paint in the world, but if that canvas ain't right, that sh*t is gonna slide all over the place. I was just happy that they let me become the canvas for the sh*t. I was building my relationship with Mary through these songs. I was more excited when the record dropped. When the sh*t dropped, it was nuts! But people didn't really know who I was. So I'm in the grocery store, I'm seeing the press, and I'm listening to some of the conversations. You gotta keep in mind, this is a brand new record. So I'm hearing a couple of negative things, so I kinda left the building, I thought that I might've f**ked up [laugh]. 'Cause we did something so new and so different, and then the rush came. And you also gotta keep in mind, the record wasn't really promoted like that. Uptown [Records] was going through a phase. Puff was trying to get his thing off the ground. 'My Life' wasn't even a single, that tells you how th*s sh*t was going. But the crazy part about it is that people were listening. It was like an underground swerve that was happening where people still loved her, people started vibing with her, and people let the record kind of live. The stuff that she was singing about was different. Like she's actually singing about some bullsh*t that's happening, and it's connecting to people that's dealing with bullsh*t that's happening. I didn't really know the magnitude of it until I started hearing what people started saying about it. I don't know if I really thought about how 25 years later the sh*t would still be considered one of her greatest bodies of work. What are your three favorite songs on My Life? 'All Night Long' is one of my favorites, only because [with] that particular record, I was actually focusing on what she had done before. I'm coming into this project, and I gotta pull these pieces [together]. Puff kind've was trying to figure out what to do. 'Do I do more songs like we did, do I go into this different space?' I was like, 'Wait a minute. What about those remixes y'all did? That energy is needed right now. F*ck that, I'm taking that energy, I'mma make a record with it.' So that record came from that. And then 'Never Wanna Live Without You' is one of those songs that at the time, Puff and them, everybody was hanging out and doing sh*t. And I'm like, 'Man, I'ma stay in and finish this sh*t 'cause I feel this sh*t is more important.' I basically stayed in all night and not just to say, 'Okay, I know what they want,' but it was just to put it together and see if they vibed with it. This is one of those records where she was actually crying in the studio, to the point where she pushed through, off of a song I made, you know what I'm saying? So that [song] holds weight with me. And one song that didn't make the album. It was supposed to be on the My Life album, but it didnt [make it], it's [called] 'Everyday It Rains.' And that's when we used the Lou Donaldson sample, the one we used for Big's 'One More Chance' remix.' It was two 'One More Chance' remixes, one was [with] the Debarge sample, and one was [with] the Lou Donaldson sample, and we used that sample for Mary. So it was like I used it for her first [laughs]. And then it became this Biggie classic, I was excited about that. So did the song 'Every Day It Rains' ever come out? Yeah, it's on The Show soundtrack. Remember that movie The Show? It's another underground classic. It was supposed to be on the My Life album, but they wound up bumping it 'cause it was gonna have to be a double-album or some sh*t at the time. You produced the Total 'No One Else (R&B Mix).' What was it like working with Total? Those are my sisters right there. When Puff introduced me to the idea of what they were supposed to be, [it was] just some average around-the-way girls. When I met them, Keisha's energy was so crazy. Pam's energy was super crazy, Kima…they just became my sisters. I caught what Puff's vision was for them. You also mentioned Faith earlier. You two had a close bond and worked on 'Used To Love Me' and 'Soon As I Get Home.' What was the connection like between y'all? I did 'Used To Love Me' in the idea of it being for Total. When Puff was explaining to me what he wanted, I did 'Used To Love Me' thinking about Total. He heard the record, and the next thing I know, I'm walking into the studio and I hear Faith is there. I didn't even know that Puff signed Faith at the time. I just hear her singing in the studio at the Hit Factory. I hear this weird hook, she's singing it flat. I said, 'Hold up, yo, this sh*t sound crazy and that's when I found out that she got signed. And right after that, when she got signed, she kinda thugged me out a little bit, I'm not gonna lie. She was just like, 'You're doing my next album.' And I was like, 'Okay, I guess I am.' And there was always a piano around, so I started playing parts to 'Soon As I Come Home.' She cursed Puff out and made sure that I got that sh*t done before I left New York. I was getting ready to fly out. I put it together real quick, and I left. I never touched it again, and she went in and put that hook on it, did what she did to it. I mean, these records and these stories are just that simple. That energy we had in the studio around each other allowed us to just come up with sh*t just that fast. It's almost like Motown. When you look at all of those people that was around all the time, it don't take sh*t for them to pull something together. One track you produced that many don't attribute to you is 'One Mic' by Nas, which many considered a return to his roots and became a sleeper hit. How did you and Nas link? Well, he sought me out. I had submitted a couple of songs. I never heard back, and then he was like, 'Why don't you just come to the studio? We can just vibe.' At that time, he was going through all that Jay-Z stuff. All that stuff was kind of happening and in my brain, I'm like, 'This sh*t gonna be over with [soon].' We just started rapping about life, so I was like, 'Well, what's that energy [you tap into] if it's about to go down? What's that record to calm you down from a situation happening?' We both thought about [Phil Collins] 'In The Air Tonight.' Nas always has this thing where he's like, 'I want the hooks to be calm, but I want the verses to be up!' You remember how those drums come in [on 'In the Air Tonight']? If you listen to 'One Mic' and you listen to 'In The Air Tonight,' they kind of have the same canvas, you know what I mean? That was really it. I didn't know nothing about the story, I just painted the canvas for him. He told me what he needed. The crazy part about it is DMX was in the studio with us at that time. He was actually about to get on it, but Nas is like, I don't think I should do that 'cause then I would have to have him every time I perform the song. I'll just go ahead and drop this joint and get it done.' It was just that. It was some theatrical Hip-Hop sh*t. I was just there to color it in for him. Being that you'd already worked with Biggie years prior, what would you say are the similarities and differences in their recording process and overall artistry? The difference is Nas does a bunch of research. He's a researcher, I would see him just reading. Reading books and reading different things, and just getting the facts and getting things situated for him to say half the stuff that he says. But at the end of the day, he's looking for those sounds and those sonics that can express it from a fly level and express it from a New York level. Me being from DC, I have a whole other respect for New York. I was able to bring that Queens side out in 'One Mic.' When I'm working with Big, yeah, I'm straight up in Brooklyn. I'm in the Brooklyn lifestyle. So that would be the difference to me, of working with them, as far as them as lyricists. Big is a f**king comedian. I mean, who says sh*t like that 'suck on your daddy d*ck' sh*t? Get the f**k out of here, who says some sh*t like that? But he'll say that sh*t 'cause he's funny as sh*t. Nas is more; he's gonna give you the facts. Give you that side of it that you might not be thinking. He's a Virgo, so his thinking and analytics are f**king retarded. Another record in your catalog that gets slept on is 'Bonnie-n-Shyne' from Shyne and Barrington Levy. What's the story behind that record, especially with the legal battle Shyne was going through at the time? At that time, with Bonnie & Shyne, none of that was happening. He was just a new artist signed to the label. If you remember, it was a lot of hype behind him being signed because they felt he sounded like Biggie and all this other wild sh*t. This was actually around the time we were in the Bahamas working on maybe like three or four albums. In our conversation, he was like, 'Man, ni**as keep talking that do I sound like Biggie sh*t.' I said, 'Listen man. Let me just be real with you. You're not Biggie, ni**a [laughs]. Get the f*ck out of here. You're a skinny, fly motherfucker, be that. As long as you're not faking that sh*t, it's gonna be real.' I wanted him to get into who he was. As far as 'Bonnie & Shyne' was concerned, I was starting my own situation. I had a situation with Epic Records with an artist named Frankie, and I was really getting into working with Frankie. I started cutting off everything. I didn't work [on anything else], I almost missed working on Life After Death. I almost missed that sh*t, but Harve Pierre called me on the street and was like, 'Yo, I need you to get in the studio. Just give me one day. Just go in and just give me some sh*t.' So I go in, and there's a stack of records on the floor. I don't really f**king feel like being here for real for real. But I see these records, I say, 'The first record I touch, I'mma flip it. I don't know what it is, I don't give a f**k what it is, I'ma flip this bi**h.' And it was the Grace Jones ['La Vie en Rose'] joint. I put it on, basically just got it crankin', and then I left [laughs]. But then Shyne came in later that night and was like, 'Yo, Chucky was here? Where his DAT at?' He's looking for my sh*t. He put that joint on. Next thing I know, Puff lets me hear it, he's going crazy. He brings Barrington Levy in and they sent it to me. When I know a record is there, I play that sh*t like f**king 800 times. I can drive to wherever, I'ma play that one-a** record and that's what I was doing. That's when I knew it was something. And yeah, that was pretty much how that sh*t happened. When people think of Bad Boy producers, The Hitmen come to mind, but when people list the members, you're often left out. Were you ever an official member and what's your relationship with them? Let me just put it to you like this. I was the first one signed under Bad Boy management. I knew [Angelettie] from Howard. I knew him from a group called Two Kings in a I got signed, Nashiem was the studio manager, but Nashiem was also thinking about signing with The Henchman or some wild sh*t. So we're in the studio everyday. I said, 'Nashiem, let me tell you something, Joe. I'm all the way up here from D.C., the f**k you think is happening? I'm here in Bad Boy, and you're talking about signing with who? Who's these ni**as?' I said, 'Sh*t, man. If you don't f**king get in this sh*t, man, and stop playing.' I talked him into doing records with Puff, and he had a relationship with Puff before me. I said, 'Bruh, I don't know what you're thinking about.' Then right after that, Puff gave us like $500 to go record shopping. We went down to Tower Records and bought a bunch of sh*t. We came back that night and Nashiem was one of these type of people: 'We're gonna play the song for hours.' It was this one song that was like seven or eight minutes long, 'The Masquerade' or some sh*t. And he found this one loop in there. He looped that sh*t and that sh*t played for god damn three or four in mind, I'm working with Big. I'm doing a lot of sh*t for Puff, but Nashiem, he's like my studio assistant, but I'm encouraging him to start doing the sh*t. Bigge comes in and guess what that loop is? 'Who Shot Ya.' And then also for me, I'm coming from D.C. I'm being dropped into this new situation. Where I come from, it's hospitality. I play like seven or eight different instruments, so the first session, Puff is like, 'Easy Mo Bee is down here. If you wanna go to his session, he's out here working.' I went to Easy Mo Bee's session, and there was a guitar in there. I just picked the sh*t up and started playing. When you hear that guitar work on Ready to Die, that's me. So in a sense, I'm creating [the camaraderie]. One time I came up there, he introduced me to Stevie J. He's like, 'I want you to meet Stevie,' and in my brain, in my demented mind, it was like, 'Okay, he's bringing people in here just to build a family.' So Stevie's f**king family. I know I'm not gonna be here all the time, but let me show you a couple of chords and a couple of things to keep the sh*t going. Things that I know that Puff loves. 'You're just getting here, let me just show you a couple of things.' I started back going back and forth [to D.C.] and working on my sh*t and doing me, but I knew that later, they were really one of my replacements [laughs]. That's why me and Stevie are still brothers til this day. I never took it like that, I always took it as 'this is a house that we're building, and this is a family. This is our f**king family. Whatever you need, you got, it's no questions.' And that just helped push Stevie to where he knew how to deal with Puff. He directly knew what melodies to work with. Me and Stevie would play a billion instruments together. Once those records and things started happening, then I saw in the situation. I remember they went to school together. He comes in, but he brings in Ron [Amen-Ra Lawrence]. Then Nashiem works and then he starts doing stuff with Carlos ['Six July' Broady]. I don't know if it's a D.C. thing where we just do what we do and keep it moving, but that's always been my vibe. I was always low-key with it. At the time, the records they were coming with were right around the time the success started happening. That's like after Biggie's record, after Faith's, all of these things are starting to come out. Then there was the next level or the next regime, which was Lil Kim,Ma$e. I'm the one who came in the beginning to kind of circle it to get it going. And I don't have a problem with that, I still look at these dudes as my brothers. We still contact and connect with each other; it's still a brotherhood. Mario [Winans] included. Everybody. We still have that camaraderie with each other. Puff was the first Hitman, let's just get that sh*t straight. He was the one that kicked all of this sh*t off. It's just that we all came and kind of helped facilitate. I would even consider Easy Mo Bee, Rashad Tumbling Dice Smith [as Hitmen]. It was a couple of people that he was working with before I got there, and they were the ones that were kind of hitting hits for him. What's next for Chucky Thompson? I'm actually excited about a project I'm working on. I just feel like people know about it, but they don't really understand the full story of it. I'm giving my story in it, and it's called Chucky Thompson Presents D.C. Go-Go. The thing about it is a big part of go-go is in Hip-Hop. Those breaks in a lot of Chuck Brown's records were happening at that time, a lot of EU [Experience Unlimited] records, things like that. When I see records like 'Crazy In Love' with Beyoncé, that's from my man Rich Harrison. That's from here. There are a lot of records that people would say are their favorite, but they don't even understand the mentality behind it. And I'm doing this documentary based on my perspective of it. I'm scheduled to drop that next year. You know what's crazy? I just resigned my deal with Sony. I'm doing a whole lot of work with a lot of new writers. I'm kind of helping Puff out with this new Love Records. I finally ran into Christian [Combs], so I'm in the studio tonight, working on a song for him, but these are just some of the things that I'm kind of working on. My main focus right now is this documentary, though. It's really gonna help people understand that they've been loving go-go for a minute, from the Migos to f**king Pharrell. Everybody has taken from it, but I don't think that the general public understands how it was created, why it was created, and how it's really used. Every time somebody takes a chance with it, they win. They win in a crazy way. More from Pres. Donald Trump "Seriously Considering" A Diddy Pardon Ahead Of Trial Sentencing Mary J. Blige Blasts Misa Hylton's $5M Lawsuit, Accuses Her Of Harassment Rick Ross Trolls 50 Cent, Alludes To Daphne Joy's Sexual Exploits With Diddy: "We Know You Hurt" Best of 10 Rap Albums Snubbed Of The Grammys' Album Of The Year Award 21 Black Entertainers Who Are Almost EGOT Winners 11 Black-Owned Games To Play At The Next Function Or Kick Back Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
Diallo Redefines Athletes' Lifestyle Through Heritage And Authenticity
Tyrod "DIALLO" Taylor, and Dex Robinson, co-founders of the epitomes brand. DIALLO Curating areas of lifestyle, DIALLO has engaged audiences since its inception. Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. Their shared love for thrifted gems, retro sportswear, and vintage silhouettes shapes the brand's DNA. Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. DIALLO Originally envisioned as a multi-purpose retail space in D.C. that combined fashion, a barbershop, and community events, DIALLO pivoted during the pandemic into a full-fledged lifestyle brand. Their signature perforated jerseys, born from the need for breathability, became an instant hit, embraced by athletes and celebrities like Future and Wale. "We didn't expect the jerseys to become our signature," admits Robinson. "But people connected with the authenticity." DIALLO is a lifestyle movement rooted in nostalgia, community, and bold self-expression. August 8th, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 05: (L-R) Tyrod Taylor and Dex Robinson attend the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo byfor ESSENCE) Getty Images for ESSENCE DIALLO debuts Act III: Echoes of Legacy , a new collection that threads together stories of Black labor, community, and enduring American modern style. Between the cousins, they both concluded that the fashion journey for athletically built men is different; 'too many well-known brands - simply - didn't fit guys with more athletic builds,' Taylor and Robinson echo. Culture has long enlisted fashion as a carrier of subversive messages, yet DIALLO found that the cut-and-sewn identity supports their narrative. "Though we're from different parts of Virginia - about an hour apart - we found common ground in our upbringing, history, and traditions,' says Taylor. 'The clothes we create are just one way we tell that story. Everything we make is rooted in those Virginia traditions and shared experiences." Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. Steven Jackson Blending their own sports backgrounds with authentic style and storytelling, the latest rollout features denim reimagined with DIALLO's unmistakable craftsmanship, with a sensibility that feels genuine for daily wear. Act III also infuses the line with nods to classic American polo and football style, silhouettes that reflect cross-generational staples made for daily wear, brought together by stories that echo community and family. DIALLO goes deep for Taylor, as his middle name is one of the closest things he has to his family and his roots. The West African translation for the word insists on being 'bold' and 'exuding confidence,' according to him. Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. Steven Jackson "Diallo is a West African name, but it's also my middle name,' says Taylor. 'I grew up asking my mom how she came up with it. She always said she and her best friend made it up, but that wasn't enough for me. I dove deeper and decided that the name means something. It's elegant, unique in our community, and something my family has always called me. The meaning - 'bold, exuding confidence' - aligns perfectly with who we are and what this brand represents." Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. DIALLO DIALLO's Act III: Echoes of Legacy collection introduces new core pieces, including rugby shirts, raglan shirts, two-tone shirts, technical cargos, track jackets, and graphic tees. Classics reimagined, like the Oxford shirt, are remnants of uniforms and workwear, with a color-blocked track jacket to signal DIALLO's sartorial evolution. Old high school jerseys in signature DIALLO silhouettes, polo and football references, denim and workwear that pay homage to the legacy of Black labor and craftsmanship in America. The brand reimagines personal and cultural memories into tangible, elevated pieces that resonate with athletes, artists, and everyday consumers alike. Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. DIALLO "We pay homage to things that made us who we are," says Robinson. Whether it's a reworked football jersey, a workwear polo, or a cropped hoodie, each piece tells a story like a grandfather's couch, a childhood car's color, or a high-school practice jersey, all dear to Taylor and Robinson's upbringing. DIALLO's future extends beyond apparel with the founders hinting at lifestyle products, fragrances, home goods, and experiential spaces. These will be infused with the same Virginia-rooted nostalgia that defines their clothing and brand. "DIALLO could be a soap, a fragrance, a feeling," says Robinson. "It's about legacy." Founded by Virginia natives, and inspired by NFL quarterback Tyrod Taylor's middle name, friend and relatives, Dex Robinson and Taylor have created the Diallo brand name in search of refining a lifestyle suited for the modern man and sports aficionado. Steven Jackson As Taylor concludes, "We're not just creating clothes - we're creating a narrative." In a world saturated with European luxury names, DIALLO stands out by honoring Black heritage, athletic culture, and timeless storytelling.
