Suspect in Takeoff’s Death Says He Was in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

The suspect in the killing of rapper Takeoff, Patrick Xavier Clark, faced a judge on Thursday (Oct. 26). Clark was taken into custody in December 2022 based on the evidence from ballistics and video footage. However, the defense team of the suspect is arguing that he acted in self-defense.

“He says he is innocent. We think that he has a valid claim of self-defense. I don’t believe they can prove with any certainty that Patrick was the one who shot the bullet that ended Takeoff’s life. There was another person who initiated the shooting, it was not Patrick Clark,” defense lawyer Letitia Quinones-Hollins told the media outlet. “He was in the same situation as Takeoff, he was trying to escape alive too. He had nothing to do with the dispute that happened. He was just unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when people started firing guns.” Patrick Xavier Clark was charged with murder by a grand jury in May 2023.

The 33-year-old was arrested a month after the shooting during a traffic stop by the Harris Police Department Gang Division. He allegedly had a large amount of money, a passport, and a gun with him at that time. In a July 2023 interview, Quavo shared how he has been mourning his nephew. The “Greatness” artist talked in the Conversation For The Fans segment about how his life and creative journey have been changed since Take’s death.

“I miss him a lot and I love him. He knows I love him. That’s what we always know. So when you see me and you see me smiling or something like that, you don’t have to ever think I forgot about him or I’ll forget about him. I think about him all the time. Sometimes I cry myself to sleep. And that’s it. I just know he’s here. If I can’t feel him, I just know he’s around,” he said.

Clark’s next court date is Jan. 23, 2024.

The 45 King, Renowned Music Producer Behind Hits Like "Stan" and "Hard Knock Life", Has Passed Away. His Legacy and Contributions to the Music Industry Will be Remembered.

The 45 King, the producer behind some of rap’s most iconic songs, has passed away, according to his manager, Paul Martinez, who confirmed the news. The 45 King, whose real name was Mark Howard James, was born in the Bronx and began making beats in the mid-80s, when hip-hop was booming in New York City. He rose to fame with his work for Queen Latifah in the late '80s, and later produced hits such as Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” Eminem’s “Stan,” and more. James was 62 years old, and died a few days after his birthday on October 16. The cause of death has not been announced.

James got his name from his DJing style, where he would use obscure 45 records to create sound effects, which influenced his production technique and reflected the hip-hop culture of sampling that is still prevalent today. His breakthrough track “The 900 Number” came out in 1987, and featured a catchy saxophone sample from Marva Whitney’s 1968 song “Unwind Yourself.” The track was also part of James’ 1988 debut album Master of the Game. Since then, “The 900 Number” has been used and remixed by many artists, such as DJ Kool, Public Enemy, Breakestra, and Ced Gee.

James was part of a New York hip-hop collective called the Flavor Unit, which included emerging artists like Apache, Lakim Shabazz, Chill Rob G, and Queen Latifah. After the success of “The 900 Number,” James was hired to produce Latifah’s 1989 debut All Hail the Queen.

James continued to produce and remix songs for Latifah, Gang Starr, Salt-N-Pepa, Eric B. & Rakim, Digital Underground, Madonna, C&C Music Factory, and many others throughout the late '80s and mid-'90s. He also released his own records during that time, such as Straight Out Da Crate and The Lost Breakbeats series.

In 1998, James produced Jay-Z’s smash hit “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” which introduced him to a new generation of rap fans. The song cleverly samples and loops “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” from the original cast recording of the Broadway musical Annie. In 2000, James made another star turn on Eminem’s second album The Marshall Mathers LP, crafting the legendary beat for “Stan,” which samples Dido.

Many artists have paid tribute to James after his death, including Eminem, who wrote on social media: “Legends are never over. #RIP Mark Howard James aka the 45 King … I’m 4ever grateful!!!” The Alchemist called James “one of the original architects of production,” while DJ Premier wrote “we Salute your greatness!”

Jay-Z added: “Thank you Mark. Your instrumentals, namely ‘The 900 Number,’ were more memorable than our whole albums. You gave me a canvas to have a conversation with the world!! You changed my life. Even when the life is short, the art is long!!”

In 2014, after recovering from a heart attack, James posted a video to his YouTube channel where he talked about his legacy. “I like to be liked for my personality and my sense of humor, in honesty, instead of my beats,” he said. “But people just like you for your art sometimes when it’s hot. I never said that my music was good. I’m just so glad enough people like my art where I can pay the bills.”

Rudolph Isley, a Founding Member of The Isley Brothers, Dies at 84

Rudolph Isley, a singer and one of the original members of the legendary R&B and soul group The Isley Brothers, passed away on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at his home in Illinois. He was 84 years old. The cause of his death has not been officially confirmed, but some sources say he suffered a heart attack.

Rudolph was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1939. He began singing in his church choir as a child and formed The Isley Brothers with his brothers Ronald, O’Kelly, and Vernon in the early 1950s. The group moved to New York after Vernon died in a car accident and signed with RCA Records. They released their first hit song, “Shout”, in 1959, which became a classic anthem for generations of music fans. Rudolph sang lead vocals on some of their songs, such as “Don’t Be Jealous” and “I’m Gonna Knock on Your Door”.

The Isley Brothers were one of the most influential and successful groups in music history, with a career that spanned over six decades. They experimented with different genres, such as rock, funk, disco, and hip hop, and collaborated with artists like Jimi Hendrix, Santana, and R. Kelly. They had numerous chart-topping songs, such as “Twist & Shout”, “This Old Heart of Mine”, “It’s Your Thing”, “That Lady”, “Between the Sheets”, and “Contagious”. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.

Rudolph left the group in 1989 to pursue his calling as a Christian minister. He founded the Rudolph Isley Ministries and preached the gospel around the world. He reunited with his brothers occasionally for special events and performances. He is survived by his wife Elaine, his children, his grandchildren, and his brother Ronald. He will be remembered as a pioneer and a legend in the music industry.