entertainment blog
Here’s How Eminem Ended Up Producing Akon’s ‘Smack That’
It’s been 16 years since Akon unveiled his R&B hit, “Smack That,” and the 49-year-old star shared how Eminem came to be a producer as well as a featured artist on the track. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news While appearing on the Bootleg Kev podcast this week, Akon discussed his past collaborations with the superstar rapper. “It’s interesting because every record I ever put out, I actually produced, except ‘Smack That,’” he explained. “Eminem produced that record. Isn’t that crazy? He always had them small little sounds, it was something minute, but it felt like Eminem.” Akon went on to admit that he didn’t expect Em to be such a good producer. “He gave me a folder with, like, 30 tracks in there. And out of 30, I picked five. And ...
Jack Harlow Will Host and Perform on ‘Saturday Night Live’
Jack Harlow is headed to Saturday Night Live at the end of this month. The Louisville rapper will serve as both the host and guest artist of SNL’s next episode on October 29. Harlow reposted SNL’s announcement of his new gig, captioning the image, “HOSTINGGGGGG SNL.” The Halloween weekend will mark the rapper’s debut as a host, and his second time performing live on the late-night comedy show. In March 2021, Harlow graced SNL for the first time alongside host Maya Rudolph. He joins a lineup of accomplished rappers who have hit SNL over the past month. Megan Thee Stallion appeared on the October 1 episode as both its host and guest artist, while Kendrick Lamar performed on the October 15 episode. Harlow is currently on a brief break from touring his sophomore studio album, Come Home the Kid...
Rihanna Reportedly Recorded 2 New Tracks for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
As the world awaits new music from Rihanna leading up to her headlining 2023 Super Bowl LVII performance, rumors have circulated that the singer has contributed to the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. According to Hits Daily Double, Rihanna is rumored to have recorded not just one, but two songs for the original soundtrack. The report alleged that the new film would follow the model of the original Black Panther by releasing both an original score and an “inspired by” concept album. Both musical projects will reportedly be released by Marvel and Disney, as well as Def Jam and Westbury Road. In 2020, Rihanna was thought to be a part of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever cast after her name appeared alongside stars such as Letitia Wright and Lupita Nyong’o when fans googled the mov...
Slice Up Drums With This Pizza-Inspired Beatmaking Plugin
Software is the lifeblood of today’s music creator economy, and the new Beat Scholar plugin is innovating drum sequencing for a new generation of producers. The plugin incorporates a unique system of pizza-like buttons, which allow users to more granularly and flexibly program their drum hits than ever before. The plugin allows users to create their own unique sequences with varied denominations between one and 42. With the simple click and hold of the mouse, users can “split pizzas” and drag sounds into their workspace. The program includes a sampler and a master effects area for good measure. At more advanced levels of the tool, the unique layering of tracks additionally allows producers to combine two different time signatures within the scope of a single ar...
Lil Baby “California Breeze,” Gucci Man & Finesse2Tyme “Gucci Flow”” & More | Daily Visuals 10.14.22
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: NBC / Getty Last night Lil Baby blessed his fans with his latest guest-star laced album, It’s Only Me, and today comes through with some new visuals to accompany the release of his third studio album. Giving the visual treatment to one of the album’s standout cuts “California Breeze,” Lil Baby takes to the open seas in a private boat alongside a beautiful young lady before blessing her with the kind of ice that can chill the hot waters of the west coast. Lil Baby ballin’ like a big boy. Back in the A, Gucci Mane shows he has some impressive ice of his own and in his and Finesse2Tyme’s clip to “Gucci Flow” the two men spit into a mic that’s hanging in a hallway while flexing the kind of iced out pieces that dwarf your favorite rapper’s jewelry. Check out t...
Ye Has Agreed To Buy Right-Wing Social Media Cesspool Parler, Twitter Says He’s Being Swindled
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty Coon in boots, aka Kanye West, aka Ye, is doubling down on his MAGA ways with his latest business move. Spotted on Bloomberg, Ye has agreed to purchase Parler, the social media platform where MAGA whites went to share their far-right (racist) political thoughts “freely.” Per Bloomberg: Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has agreed to buy Parler, a social media platform that has been embraced by conservatives who departed Twitter over allegations of political censorship. Parlement Technologies, the parent company behind Parler, announced Monday that it plans to sell the social media platform to the hip-hop icon for an undisclosed amount. The deal would include technical support from Parlement, such as...
GOAT Announces Plan To Acquire Grailed
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: GOAT / GOAT Sneaker reselling app GOAT has been doing good business for the past few years (StockX have only themselves to blame) and is now looking to expand their business and have announced that they would be acquiring another resale app to do just that. According to Hypebeast, GOAT has announced that they are on the verge of acquiring clothing resale app, Grailed, and making them the go-to app for secondary market streetwear attire. With brands like Supreme, Balenciaga, and Off-White becoming a hot commodity out on these streets, it makes sense that GOAT would invest in such a venture. For those unfamiliar with either platform, Grailed works uniquely from the GOAT App. Both feature the most sought-after sneakers and streetwear, however, Grailed doesn’...
Whoopi Goldberg Wants Keke Palmer, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj And Anyone Who Wants ‘To Have Some Fun’ Join ‘Sister Act 3’ Cast
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty It has been nearly 30 years since the last Sister Act sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, came out in 1993 and exactly 30 years after the original film premiered in 1992. (I’m not old, you’re old.) Well, now, Sister Act 3 is in development, and the film’s star, Whoopi Goldberg, appears to want all the currently relevant Black women to be a part of it. OK, so all she really mentioned specifically is that she wants Keke Palmer, Lizzo, and Nicki Minaj—who she hilariously referred to as “the girl with the chest”—to be included in the cast. “I’m gonna ask Keke to come. You know, I want everybody to come in. I want Lizzo to come,” Goldberg said during an appearance on Comedy Central’s Hell of A Week with Charlamagne Tha God. “I want a...
BTS Members Will Enlist in South Korean Military for Required Service
BTS‘ members on Monday announced that they will complete their mandatory military service, ending years of discussion over whether the chart-topping K-pop stars should be exempted due to their cultural prowess and celebrity status. The group’s management company Big Hit Music said that BTS will reunite “around 2025, following their service,” in an official statement. Through their service, individual BTS members will continue to pursue independent music projects. The group’s oldest member, Kim Seok-jin, or just Jin, will begin his enlistment process later this month, following the release of his upcoming solo single. The band’s six other members will fulfill their military requirements on individual schedules. In a letter to shareholders, Park Jiwon, CEO of Big Hit’s parent company Hybe, s...
British Rapper AJ Tracey Introduces Action Plan to Support Black Students at Oxford University
British rapper AJ Tracey is launching a multi-faceted initiative to aid upcoming Oxford University students through their academic journey. In 2018, fellow musician Stormzy launched a scholarship fund to be attributed to a pairing of Black students searching for a spot at Cambridge University. Four years later, London-based Tracey introduces his own action plan supporting Black students in the country’s top establishment. The rapper will target “historic underrepresentation” at the school, working alongside St Peter’s College to deliver financial assistance and guided mentorship sessions. AJ Tracey will front £40,000 GBP a year to act as monetary aid for ethnic minority students, which will service a successful journey through Oxford University, from the application process to admissions a...
Ex-Beautiful South Singers Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott Score U.K. No. 1 With ‘N.K-Pop’
British singers Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, formerly with the Beautiful South, earn their second U.K. chart crown as a duo as N.K-Pop debuts at No. 1. N.K-Pop led at the midweek point and does enough to cross the finish line first. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news As members of the Beautiful South, the English artists earned three leaders, with Carry On Up The Charts – The Best Of (from 1994), Blue Is The Colour (1996) and Quench (1998). Heaton and Abbott also reached No. 1 as a pairing with their last album, 2021’s Manchester Calling. Coming in at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart is alt-pop outfit Easy Life, with Maybe In Another Life…, an effort that equals the Leicester band’s best chart placing, set with 2021’s Life’s a Bea...
BTS’ Members Will Serve In South Korea’s Military
BTS fans will have to wait until around 2025 to see the full seven-member band together on stage, as the world’s biggest band is headed to the South Korean military. But the silver lining for fans may be that the first member to be enlisted, Jin is releasing his solo material in the coming weeks. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news BTS label BigHit Music, a subsidiary of HYBE, announced Monday (Oct. 17) that each of the BTS members – Jin, RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V and Jungkook – is going to face mandatory national service, though timing will vary by member. “Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government. Ot...
