Friday Facts

The hip hop community is mourning the death of South African activist Nelson Mandela. He was 95. Mandela began fighting the system of apartheid in South Africa as a young lawyer. He served a 27-year prison sentence and was released on February 11, 1990. He later became South Africa's first Black president. Mogul Russell Simmons and rapper Common and Busta Rhymes are among many who've posted tweets and other messages in response to the news of Mandela's passing. The Grammy Nominations Concert Live will have to go on without rapper Drake. The rapper cancelled his appearance on the show due to scheduling complications with his "Would You Like a Tour?", according to his representative. Drake was announced as a performance back in October, along with Robin Thicke, Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis and Katy Perry. His "Would You Like a Tour?" began that same month. He's been criss-crossing the country to promote his latest album, "Nothing Was The Same". He's scheduled to appear in Kansas City MO. tomorrow. Meanwhile, Katy Perry and others are set to perform on the telecast. Rapper/actor LL Cool J will host once again. Rapper Game recently organized a fundraiser to cover the funeral of a 7-year-old boy who was shot in South Central Los Angeles while sitting in a car. He raised $7,000 in one hour, some of which came from rival gang leaders within the Bloods, Crips and Latino gangs. The Los Angeles native is wholly committed to charity. He founded the Robin Hood Project to help those in need and has used his own finances and public platform to raise awareness for very causes. In 1994, two years before his death, Tupac Shakur sat down for an in depth interview with Entertainment Weekly writer Benjamin Svetkey. PBS debuted the footage on its latest episode of "Blank On Blank", adding an animated video to the recording where Shakur opens up about media and fame, along with a chilling prediction of how he would be mourned. Shakur died on September 13, 1996, after a hail of bullets pierced the car he was riding in with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight. In theaters this weekend: "Out of the Furnace". On the tube: "Bones" on Fox, "Frosty The Snowman" on CBS, "Last Man Standing" on ABC and "Dateline NBC" on NBC. Make it a weekend!