Entertainment

Bushwick Bill, Of Houston Rap Group Geto Boys, Dead At 52

Published

4 years ago

June 14, 2019

Photo By LaNell Taylor - February 8, 2019 backstage at rapper Lil Sin's Birthday Bash

June 10, 201911:27 AM ETHeard on All Things Considered

Houston rapper Bushwick Bill, a founding member of the pioneering rap crew Geto Boys, died on Sunday evening in Colorado, his publicist, Dawn P., confirmed with NPR. A cause was not given pending a medical examination; the rapper was diagnosed earlier this year with pancreatic cancer. He was 52 years old.

Born Richard Shaw in Kingston, Jamaica, the artist moved to Bushwick, Brooklyn as a young child — hence his rap moniker — before relocating to Houston, where he first joined the Rap-A-Lot Records-assembled group in the early-to-mid-’80s as a breakdancer and hype man. But as members came and went, he found his way to the mic.

Known for his brash persona and performative storytelling, Bill’s unhinged, engaging bars on Geto Boys classics like “F*** a War,” “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” and “Mind of a Lunatic” were central to the group carving out its place as a pioneering Southern rap unit in the late ’80s and early ’90s. While Scarface was hailed as the lyricist of the group, Bushwick Bill’s appeal lied in his erratic, say-anything verses. In hip-hop’s Golden Era, Geto Boys is credited with putting Houston on the map by pioneering horrorcore — a rap subgenre rooted in nightmarish imagery, physical abuse and psychological horror. Many of rap’s current stars, from Jeezy and Lil Wayne to Juice WRLD and 21 Savage, have cited Geto Boys as an influence.

In the span of a decade, from 1988 to 1998 — including a three-year hiatus, from ’93 to ’96 — Geto Boys released an impressive six albums. As a soloist, Bill released six solo albums from 1992 to 2010, while Geto Boys reunited for a 2005 album, The Foundation. In 2019, on the heels of Bill’s cancer diagnosis, the members announced they were planning a farewell tour, to be called The Beginning of a Long Goodbye, The Final Farewell. The tour was later cancelled due to Bill pulling out of the performance dates.

Bushwick Bill was born with dwarfism and suffered from joint pain. In October 1991, Bill — drunk on Everclear and arguing with his then-girlfriend as he details in the song “Ever So Clear” — was shot in the eye. Willie D and Scarface posed alongside Bushwick Bill in the hospital halls the night he was shot, a photo which would later be used as the album cover of the trio’s 1991 seminal album We Can’t BeStopped. To date, it remains the group’s best-selling. In 2010, Bushwick Bill was arrested in Atlanta, charged with criminal possession of cocaine and marijuana and facing possible deportation.

Bill first shared the news that he was battling cancer on May 1, 2019. In a video posted to TMZ, the ailing rapper announced he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in February 2019 and, up to that point, had not told his fellow Geto Boys, Willie D and Scarface. Later that same month, Bill was hospitalized with pneumonia and was forced to cancel the remaining shows on the Geto Boys reunion tour. “Now, the rumor is I pulled out on the tour, but if my health was a concern then you would know about my health, not about me pulling out of the tour,” the rapper told fans in an Instagram video shot, speaking from a hospital bed. “This is a health issue. Pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapy gave me pneumonia.”

Speaking to Vice in 2015, ahead of a screening of the horror film Child’s Play that he was set to host in Los Angeles, Bushwick Bill explained the hope he found in fusing rap and the macabre: “There are these little moments in life where if you’re under the right stars and the right light hits you, or when the northern lights are going by you could become a superhuman being. To be able to be bigger than who you are, I think people have always been fascinated with that. That you could turn into a werewolf and be strong, or that you could use electricity and bring something back to life.”

Additional reporting by Andrew Flanagan

(Source: NPR)

Black Life Texas

Celebrating Hip-Hop’s Golden Anniversary at National Battle of the Bands

Published

1 month ago

August 22, 2023

BLT Staff

The 2023 Pepsi National Battle of the Bands (NBOTB) is turning up the heat to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. The event organizers announced an all-star lineup featuring Doug E. Fresh, aka “Human Beat Box,” Slim Thug, Choppa, Lil Keke, Z-Ro, DJ Mr. Rogers, and a special artist announcement on August 26. These artists will join the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) marching bands for an unforgettable musical experience.

The musical showcase, hosted in collaboration between Webber Marketing and the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority, occurs annually in Houston, TX, at NRG stadium. Event organizers have generated nearly $1 million in scholarships for the participating colleges and universities.

Recognized as the annual kickoff to the fall marching band season, NBOTB spotlights hip-hop legends shaping the genre’s rich history. The special anniversary celebration seeks to pay tribute to the cultural impact of hip-hop, intertwining with the spirit and soul of HBCU marching bands.

“The 50th anniversary of hip-hop is a significant milestone in our musical heritage,” said Derek Webber, executive producer and creator of the National Battle of the Bands. “We’re ecstatic to bring together the vibrant energy of HBCU bands with hip-hop pioneers, creating a unique synergy that honors the past and fuels the future. This year’s lineup symbolizes the unbreakable bond between music, culture, and education.”

The rich history of HBCUs extends beyond academia to a thriving tradition of soulful marching bands and community activism. Their performances are not just about the music but also the movement, passion, and creativity that resonate with the essence of hip-hop. This shared heritage makes celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at NBOTB a momentous occasion in American culture.

For more details, including tickets and official event information, visit (NationalBattleOfTheBands.com) or follow.

Black Life Texas

Black in Gaming

Published

1 month ago

August 22, 2023

BLT Staff

The fast-paced gaming world will hit American movie theaters on Aug. 25 via the Sony movie “Gran Turismo.” The film is loosely based on the true story of gamer Jann Mardenborough (played by Archie Madekwe), a mixed-race teenager who becomes a real-life race car driver.

In 2011, Mardenborough became the third and youngest winner of the GT Academy competition, beating 90,000 entrants. Sony PlayStation used the Academy to help racing gamers become professional drivers.

Though his success is far and few between for Black gamers. Research shows that Black people make up a staggering 2% of the video game industry, and only 11% of Black characters are featured as the central player outside of athletes in sports games.

The nonprofit Black in Gaming Foundation is dedicated to cultivating, supporting, and promoting Black professionals in the video game industry. By actively working on creating opportunities for Black people in the video game industry, BIG also develops action plans to combat systemic institutionalized racism that manifests itself in unsafe spaces, microaggressions, and hidden discrimination in the workplace.

Also, soft-drink company Mountain Dew (MTN Dew) is doing its fair share to uplift minorities in Esports. The company is bringing back the MTN DEW Real Change Challenge in 2023, which focuses on promoting representation in Esports and gaming and supporting HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) student gamers.

MTN Dew is teaming up with Cxmmunity Media, a champion of diversity and equity in gaming and creators of the HBCU Esports League. The Real Change Challenge will be open to all current HBCU students. Contestants will compete for a share of the $500,000 prize pool, coaching, and exposure to esports professionals. The tournament will kick off in October, with sign-ups open to all current HBCU students through Sept. 8 at (HBCUESports.co/RealChange).

Black Life Texas

Black Weekend is Here!

Published

2 months ago

August 9, 2023

BLT Staff

The tax-free weekend is not only the best time to go shopping but THE prime time to socialize, network, and get involved in the community that we like to call Black Weekend.

Kicking off Black Weekend on Friday, Aug. 11, is the first annual Purchase Hire Black expo presented by Avista Products at the Freeman Expo Hall near the AT&T Center from 2 pm to 8 pm. The free expo is a great way to recognize Black Business Month as a way to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses. Later that night, check out famed jazz musician Najee, who will perform on Aug. 11 at 7:30 pm at the Buena Vista Theater downtown. He is a part of the 2023 jazz series dubbed “Jazz on the Water by Land & by Sea,” presented by Foster Perry Travel.

Then on Saturday, head over to the Renaissance with the Stars on Aug. 12 at the Tobin Center starting at 5 pm. This annual fundraiser supports the San Antonio Area African American Community Fund, which is a part of the San Antonio Area Foundation. This year’s dancers are Kit Mason, Jon Coker, Jacob Valenzuela, Juan Antonio Flores, George A. Williams, and Ryan Lugalia-Hollon.

After the Renaissance with the Stars, people can head to the 14th Annual All White Martini Party on Aug. 12, sponsored by Psi Alpha Scholarship Foundation, Inc., at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center from 8 pm to 2 am.

And then, on Sunday, Aug. 13, choose between two soulful brunches or hit both starting at 9 am with Tony G’s Soul Food at its Soulful Brunch featuring Southern favorites until 4 pm. Or, check out the R&B Brunch Bash on that same day from 2 pm to 5 pm at the Upstage Comedy Lounge presented by the Brunch Boss & Young Black San Antonio.

And if you have a little energy left from Friday, bowl for a good cause. The Obadiah Jo’el McCarthy Memorial Scholarship Bowl-A-Thon starts at 2 pm at Banderal Bow. This event provides academic scholarships to high school seniors and includes awareness about organ donation.

To learn more about all these events, visit (www.Weekend.Black).