Author: hhns

French Montana says that the Trayvon Martin case didn’t surprise him. “I know about 1,000 Trayvon Martins,” French Montana says in an interview with TorontoRappers.com. “He was just the first one that got public, the people standing behind. But things like that happen almost every day where I’m from, so I’m used to it. I’m used to not getting the upper hand in the court of law. That’s the system we’re dealing with.”

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George Zimmerman was found not guilty of second degree murder and manslaughter July 13. He was accused of murdering Martin February 26, 2012. Many believed that Martin was singled out and killed by Zimmerman for racial reasons. Martin, 17, was Black and Zimmerman is Hispanic.

People gathered in more than 100 cities across the United States July 20 to honor Martin. Martin’s mother, Jay-Z and Beyonce were among those who attended a rally in Manhattan, New York. “It’s a sad situation, but it’s strength in numbers,” French Montana says. “The way everybody is reacting to the whole Trayvon situation, you can’t get a better outcome.”

Several other rappers have commented on the death of Martin. Immortal Technique said that the Zimmerman verdict was a wake-up call for Blacks and for parents, while Brother Ali likened Martin’s case to that of Emmett Till’s. Till, a 14-year-old black male, was tortured and murdered in 1955 in Mississippi after being accused of flirting with a white woman.

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Tyga’s in hot water over the explicit version of his “Make It Nasty” music video.

TMZ reports that Alissa Rae Ross, Azia Davis, and Elizabeth Velasquez have filed lawsuits claiming that their nipples were exposed without their permission.

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The lawsuit claims that when they auditioned for their roles in the video, the casting ad specifically stated, “There will be no nudity involved in the video, and all the girls will be tastefully shot.”

According to the lawsuits, the women were asked to appear topless in some scenes, but were assured their nipples would be “covered” or “edited out.”

The girls are suing for breach of contract, invasion of privacy, and fraud.

(December 29, 2012)

UPDATE: HotNewHipHop.com reports that two of three models who sued Tyga late last year for the “Make It Nasty” video are seeking eight figures in damages. Elizabeth Velasquez and Azia Davies are both reportedly seeking $10 million each for the unauthorized nudity in the explicit version of the Alex Nazari-directed video. The third model mentioned in the 2012 report, Alissa Rae Ross, was not mentioned in the latest development.

Tyga, who is currently in an endorsement deal with Reebok, has yet to respond to these new developments.

“Make It Nasty” appeared on Tyga’s sophomore album, Careless World: Rise Of The Last King, released early last year.

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In a video, DJ Khaled says he loves Nicki Minaj before proposing to her with a ring from Rafaello & Co. in Manhattan, New York.

DJ Khaled has proposed to Nicki Minaj in a new video. The producer took a moment to explain his love for Minaj before showing off a ring he says he bought for her, a ring said to cost $500,000.

“I want to be honest with you,” DJ Khaled says in the MTV News video. “I love you. I like you. I want you to be mine. The only reason I’m not telling you this face to face is because I know that you’re busy.”

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Khaled continues by saying that he wants her to know how serious he is.

“You need a man like me in your life that’s gonna take care of you and respect you. You gotta take your time and think about it, I understand,” he says. “But I know I have to be here today to let you know how serious I am and about how serious this is to me. I want to let your fans know, my fans know, my family, your family, that I wanna marry you.”

Khaled then shows the ring he purchased. According to MTV News, this was a 10 karat diamond ring valued at approximately $500,000. Reports claim he purchased the ring from Rafaello & Co. in Manhattan, New York. The video can be seen below.

DJ Khaled and Nicki Minaj are label mates at YMCMB. They’ve collaborated on wax, most notably on “Take it to the Head.” There have been no rumors linking Minaj and Khaled in any romantic manner in the past. There has been no official word on why this clip was made and released other than what Khaled says in the video.

In the proposal video, Khaled makes a reference to his next album, Suffering from Success. In an interview from earlier this year, Khaled explained the new album’s sound and direction.

“When I was coming up, I didn’t know that when you win, you gotta deal with a lot of this unnecessary bullshit a lot. So my album sound is going to… You’re going to hear different types of anthems: the suffering side, and the success side.”

Nicki Minaj has not responded to the proposal as of yet.

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Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has publicly criticized National Action Network president and MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton for signing a book deal with Cash Money Content. O’Reilly called Cash Money a company that sells “entertainment that is harmful to children.”

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Sharpton’s decision to release his upcoming memoir, The Rejected Stone, with the same parent company that is home to rapper Lil Wayne has also been a point of compliant. Sharpton played a pivotal role in connecting PepsiCo with the family of Emmett Till after the soda giant broke ties with Wayne because of his controversial lyrics about the brutally slain teenager in the song “Karate Chop (Remix)”.

Tamika D. Mallory, executive director of the National Action Network, contacted AllHipHop.com to issue a statement addressing O’Reilly’s objection to Sharpton working with Cash Money.

Read Ms. Mallory full statement below.

As National Executive Director of National Action Network (NAN) and head of the Decency Initiative, I find it a blatant contradiction that Bill O’Reilly would question our President, Rev. Al Sharpton writing a book on the evolution of his principles and ideas, detailing among other things why he is against certain lyrics in hip-hop and has stopped himself from using specific words. Being published by Simon & Schuster in a joint venture with the parent company Cash Money Content, which itself has a relationship with the parent company of Cash Money Records, I find Mr. O’Reilly’s assertions a contradiction because I sit on the Diversity Council of News Corp that owns Fox News and the New York Post in the seat designated for National Action Network. Both of these media are frequent, consistent critics of Rev. Sharpton and NAN, and have done things that many of us disagree with in terms of aspirations of the Black community.

News Corp also continues to support National Action Network functions and events financially, so if Rev. Sharpton can say we disagree with the News Corp entity, but should be open to dialogue, by what standards might he say to Simon & Schuster, that we are not open to doing business with Cash Money, especially since he can express his problems with lyrics and language in the book? Either we have one standard or not.

Secondly, I was in the meeting between Pepsi executives, the family of Emmett Till and Rev. Sharpton. There was nobody from Cash Money in that meeting because Pepsi had severed all ties with Lil’ Wayne, and Cash Money and had done so at the urging of both the Till family and Rev. Sharpton. The purpose of the meeting was for Pepsi to assure the family and Rev. Sharpton they were not going to reinstate the Lil’ Wayne deal. To insinuate that there was some deal in the meeting is a blatant lie. The fact remains that Pepsi had still withdrawn any relationship with Lil’ Wayne, so what would there be a deal around? The book deal with Simon & Schuster and Cash Money Content was signed through Massenburg Media and Rev. Sharpton last year and the book was in publication even before the Lil’ Wayne/Pepsi controversy occurred. The evidence of that is that the galleys are already out.

Finally, as Rev. Sharpton often says, “We can have different opinions, but we can not have different facts.”

-Tamika D. Mallory, National Executive Director, National Action Network

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Exclusive: Gillie Da Kid confirms that his frequent co-star Ving Rhames is starring in the biopic of the Death Row Records co-founder.

Speaking with HipHopDX yesterday, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania emcee Gillie Da Kid chronicled his new song “King Me,” and how it realized to a perceived war of words in social media with longtime collaborator Meek Mill. While on the phone, the former front-man of the Major Figgas was also asked about an acting role he confirmed earlier this month playing late emcee icon Tupac Shakur.

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Gillie was asked what era in ‘Pac’s life he’ll be portraying in the to-be-titled film. “[I am playing Tupac] after the whole [Digital Underground] period,” said Gil, referring to Tupac’s solo career, which began with the late 1991 release of 2Pacalypse Now. Prior, the would-be superstar was mentored by Digital Underground’s leader Shock G, who would work with ‘Pac throughout his career after. Gillie continued, explaining the real reason why his role is focused on a mid-1990s Tupac Shakur. “After that life. Because the story isn’t Tupac; the story is Suge Knight. The story is the Suge Knight biography, and I’m playin’ Tupac in it.” Gillie pointed out that Suge Knight, who co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre in the early 1990s, became close with Tupac following theAbove The Rim film and soundtrack. “Suge didn’t meet Tupac until he went to jail.”

Knight and Shakur would both be ambushed in a September, 1996 drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Subsequently, Tupac Shakur would die from the fatal gunshots, while Suge Knight would be imprisoned for violating probation in the highly-publicized incident. The murder remains unsolved.

Once Gillie confirmed the film was a biopic on Suge Knight, HipHopDX asked if Gillie’s frequent film collaborator Ving Rhames would be portraying the notorious Compton, California record executive. “Absolutely,” stated Gillie with a hearty laugh. With G.D.K.’s own ties to fellow Philly native and former Death Row artist and executive Kurupt, he was asked of his real-life relationship with Knight. “I’ve talked to Suge [Knight] on the phone a few times. Absolutely! He’s a cool dude,” Gil said. He started to elaborate, but then censored himself. “You know, I can’t even tell you that, bruh.”

Ving Rhames has starred in films such as Pulp Fiction, Bringing Out The Dead and Con Air.

Actor Sean Ringgold portrayed Knight in the 2009 film, Notorious.

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2 Chainz reacts to Ludacris’ public announcement that Luda still gets paid off of his former DTP artist.

Earlier this month, Ludacris revealed during an interview that he receives a percentage of the profits from 2 Chainz’s solo projects, adding that he still collaborated with Chainz and that he was proud of him.

While 2 Chainz didn’t take offense to the statements, it appears that some around him did.

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“I mean it didn’t bother me, but I think it bothered people around me,” said 2 Chainz in an interview with Power 105.1’s Breakfast Club.

2 Chainz admitted that he had to pay money to leave Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace label, where he record as Tity Boi from 2002-2010. “For the most part, people probably want me to say or do something negative, so I don’t. Truth of the matter is, I been wanting to leave the label, when I left, I guess they knew or had some type of vision that I wasn’t gonna stop there, because I was turnt up when I left and I told them, so yeah I had to pay to leave.:

2 Chainz said the deal will work in his favor. “I don’t even know who else is on the roster of DTP, but the amount of money that I paid them is not gonna balance out my trajectory.”

2 Chainz then specified that he paid $100,000 to get off the label, and that, ultimately, his experience on DTP was a learning experience. “I learned a lot from the previous situation I was in. It is what it is. I learned it a long time ago when dealing with that situation that there’s really no such thing as loyalty out here.”

In the end, Chainz holds no ill will towards Luda. “For me, I don’t have anything negative to say. …Actually, [Ludacris] was the first person to give me a bank account. I didn’t even have a bank account. I just had shoeboxes of money.”

During his time on DTP, Chainz released two albums as a member of Playaz Circle, 2007’s Supply & Demand and 2009’s Flight 360: The Takeoff.

Watch the interview below:

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Young Jeezy, Usher, and more reportedly on the growing list of artists boycotting the state of Florida.

According to The Huffington Post, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Madonna are just a few of the celebrities who will reportedly boycott the state of Florida following the announcement of the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial and the state’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” laws.

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Music icon Stevie Wonder was the first to announce that he would no longer perform in the state of Florida. Wonder made the unexpected announcement during a performance this month in Quebec City, Quebec.

“I decided today that until the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again. As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world,” said the singer.

Despite reports that Jay-Z has joined the Florida boycott, The Huffington Post also reports that both Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake will still appear at their August 16 “Legends Of The Summer” show in Miami.

Other artists who have reportedly joined the boycott include Usher, Young Jeezy, R. Kelly, and close to 30 other acts.

On July 13, Sanford, Florida resident and neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The verdict consequently sparked a number of rallies and protests with Jay-Z and Beyonce attending a rally alongside Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, over the weekend in New York City.

As of today, variations of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” laws exist in at least 23 states

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One-time home to Ice Cube, N.W.A, Eazy-E and others, Priority Records is being relaunched next month. The label’s first release will be Just Blaze and Baauer’s “Higher” single, which features Jay Z.

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Pioneering gangster rap label Priority Records is relaunching. Capitol Music Group and Insurgency Music have formed a joint venture to handle the reboot of the former home of N.W.A, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Master P andEazy-E, according to Billboard.com.

The new version of Priority Records will be much different than the old one, which also released albums by Mack 10, Westside Connection and C-Murder, among others. In its new incarnation, Priority Records will be a producer-driven label focusing on electronic and progressive urban music, as per Billboard.com

Priority Records’ first project under new president Michael Cohen will be the August 13 release of the song “Higher” by Just Blaze and Baauer featuring Jay Z. “We’re so respectful of Priority’s important role in Capitol’s history,” Capitol Music Group chairman/CEO Steve Barnett said to Billboard.com. “But it was also a street label focusing on music that thrives outside the mainstream. And that’s exactly what Michael and his team have been doing. They have a strong vision of the new generation of electronic and progressive urban music. Baauer was the first indication of that.”

Baauer released the hit single “Harlem Shake” and is managed by Insurgency Music. Cohen told Billboard that producer Harry Fraud and his Surf School label are among those who will also be releasing material through Priority. Fraud released the Saab Stories project with Action Bronson last month.

Even though Cohen says to Billboard that he does not come from the Hip Hop world, he said he appreciates what Priority Records stood for. “The genesis of that label was really about supporting the indie level,” he says to Billboard. “It broke the mold in terms of working outside the system to bring street-level music to the mainstream without any compromise. And the producer—who has always played a strong role in Hip Hop—has become the focal point coming out of the global electronic music space. It’s heralded a paradigm shift in the way music is created, discovered and spread. Our first single ‘Higher’ epitomizes everything we’re trying to do with Priority.”

One veteran Rap business executive says that Priority’s focus on urban music in general rather than Rap specifically will help the imprint be successful. “It’s more than being about a specific region or genre,” Kirdis Postelle, Capitol Music Group senior VP of marketing, says to Billboard. Postelle was the former General Manager of Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. “It’s more about the youth culture, and a lot of that stems from what people call EDM,” Postelle continues. “But this isn’t classic EDM. It’s more of an underground street thing.”

After releasing compilations and albums by The California Raisins in the mid-1980s, Priority Records became one of rap’s most prominent independent labels in the late 1980s thanks to its release ofEazy-E’s Eazy-Duz-It and N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton. The success of those albums, which were released in conjunction with Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, led to Priority’s subsequent distribution deals with such prominent Rap labels as Rap-A-Lot, Death Row, Roc-A-Fella and No Limit, among others.

EMI purchased Priority Records in 1998 and the imprint was absorbed into EMI’s Capitol Records in 2001. The label shut down in 2004, was re-launched in 2006 and added Snoop Dogg to its executive roster three years later.

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The So So Def founder and former top executive at Island and Virgin Records has a growing list of debts.

So So Def Records founder Jermaine Dupri (f/k/a JD) once rapped “Money Ain’t A Thang” on his 1999 breakthrough single. Now, the Atlanta, Georgia-based executive, producer and onetime artist will be taken to task over that statement. Dupri was sued by exotic car dealership Premier Financial Services over missed payments on a Lamborghini Murcielago.

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In 2011, Dupri was sued by the dealer for approximately $79,000 in missed car payments on the $330,000 Italian sportscar. Dupri’s Lambo was reportedly repossessed that same year. Two years later, according to TMZ.com, a judge has ruled in favor of the dealership. The mentor to Bow Wow, Kris Kross and Da’Brat now must pay the balance.

Dupri, a former top executive at both Virgin Records and Island Records, is currently facing IRS debts estimated at a reported $800,000.

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Kanye West may or may not be heading to jail after being videotaped and photographed assaulting a member of the paparazzi but what is known is that no matter what happens….Cher has his back.

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Following Kanye’s scuffle with an overzealous photographer at LAX airport, Cher took to her personal Twitter account to 1. voice her support for Kanye West and 2. spew some vitriol towards paparazzi at large (and 3. remind you she’s Cher):

 

On the surface this seems like an odd union but Cher has a documented history of being anti-paparazzi. In a recent June interview, Cher said celebrities are “screwed” when it comes to maintaining privacy during the age of the paparazzi.

Check out archival footage of Cher letting a member of the paparazzi know how much of a “slimy, low-life as*hole” he is:

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50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson, never finished high school but at one point was believed to have been the head of Business Development and Sales at Facebook back in 2005.

How? Ironically, because of Facebook.

When Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin was replaced as the head of Business Development and Sales by Kevin Colleran, Zuckerberg confused the Hopkins School graduate for mega super star 50 Cent due to Colleran’s profile picture of him meeting 5o Cent.

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The initial face-to-face encouter between Colleran and Zuckerberg was documented in David Kirkpatrick’s new book The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting The World  and reads like a Judd Apatow scene:

Zuckerberg arranged to meet Colleran in front of the Virgin Megastore on New York’s Union Square. Colleran showed up late and was walking toward Zuckerberg when he got a phone call from his new boss. ‘Where are you?’  Zuckerberg asked. ‘Zuck! I’m right in front of you!’ Colleran replied. Zuckerberg looked crestfallen. He thought Thefacebook’s ad salesman was the tough-looking Black guy in the profile photo.

President of Facebook and founder of Napster, Sean Parker informed Colleran that the meeting with Zuckerberg was weird because “we thought you were African-American.”

At the time of their meeting, 50 Cent had already sold over 8 million records with his debut Get Rich Or Die Trying, had one of the most successful radio singles of all time with “In Da Club” and was signed to Dr. Dre and Eminem.

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Kanye West may be in hot water after footage surfaced of him mixing it up with a photographer at LAX.

Days after Kanye West set forth an edict that no camermen speak to anyone, let alone Kanye, the rapper’s famous paparazzi-related temper boiled over.

TMZ has provided footage of West attempting to take a camera from a photographer that appeared to be egging Yeezy on off-camera, as Kanye was leaving LAX airport.

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The photographer appeared to be at least shaken up after West let him go, but is apparently in the hospital, with his condition unknown.

Now, West faces felony attempted robbery charges. Police reportedly interviewed the victim, who was apparently injured. The photographer reportedly wants to press charges against West.

TMZ notes that the routine is to “go after the suspect for the most serious charge.”

Watch the video of the altercation below:

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Snoop Lion stops by “Chelsea Lately” to talk about his new dog food.

Snoop Lion has had his hands in numerous endeavors over his nearly quarter century-spanning musical career.

Recently appearing on Chelsea Handler’s show Chelsea Lately, the musician formerly known as Snoop Dogg announced a new product he’s releasing called Dog For Dog. Dog For Dog is a dog food but can be eaten by both dogs and humans.

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Upon every purchase of the product, a bag of Dog For Dog is sent to an animal shelter in need.

“It’s a great cause see because what people don’t understand is that a lot of these shelters, they execute these dogs not because they don’t have a place or someone that wants to adopt them, it’s more about they don’t have food to feed them.” Snoop said.

Snoop Lion has had his hand in many charitable projects over the years. He coaches his son Cordell’s youth football team and the John A. Rowland High School team. He has also had an involvement with agun buyback program, a partnership with MTV that focuses on purchasing guns to get them off of the street.

Watch Snoop’s appearance on Chelsea Lately below:

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Jay-Z and Beyonce join Al Sharpton and Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton in protesting Stand Your Ground laws.

As thousands gathered in more than 100 cities across the United States on Saturday (July 20) to protest Stand Your Ground laws in support of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old black boy who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in 2012, one of Hip Hop’s most famous couples joined in.

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Jay-Z and Beyonce attended a rally in Manhattan, New York, alongside Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton.

“Jay-Z and Beyonce said they didn’t want to speak and they didn’t come for a photo op,” said Sharpton, relayed People.com. “Jay-Z told me, ‘I’m a father. Beyoncé is a mother.’ We all feel the pain and apprehension – the laws must protect everybody, or it doesn’t protect anybody … We do not come from hate, we come from love of children.”

Zimmerman was found not guilty of second degree murder or manslaughter after a nationally-televised trial.

Upon the Zimmerman verdict being announced, emcees such as Immortal Technique, Brother Ali,Young Jeezy, and SpaceGhostPurrp, among many others, quickly reacted to the news.

Jay-Z previously spoke on the matter as well, during his BBC Radio 1 interview with Zane Lowe.

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A Hampton University student says she can now afford to stay in college thanks to a $25,000 scholarship she won from Wale.

Wale recently helped a Hampton University student by “gifting” her with a $25,000 scholarship, according to thejasminebrand.com. Lauren Pryor, a sophomore Psychology student, won the Wale “The Gifted” Scholarship by calling into Norfolk, Virginia Hip Hop station 103 JAMZ.

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“I was on my way to a friend’s home in Hampton when I heard the radio challenge that the twenty-fifth caller would win the prize,” Pryor said to the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal, as per thejasminebrand.com. “The station said to call between 4 and 5 pm. I called four or five times. The line was always busy. On about the fourteenth call I told myself to give it a rest then, I heard a man say, ‘Hello.’ I didn’t believe it. He told me there were millions of calls and he only picked up the phone 14 times nationwide.”

Wale attended Robert Morris College and Virginia State University on football scholarships before transferring to a third school, Bowie State, prior to his rap career.

Pryor received the scholarship at the album release party and concert for Wale’s The Gifted. Debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, The Gifted is Wale’s third studio album and the second to come out while signed to Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group.

“Winning this scholarship was truly a blessing,” Pryor says. “Almost not returning to Hampton University in the fall because of expenses, I was exceedingly fortunate to receive this scholarship. It was truly a test of faith.”

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