Hip-Hop
Kanye West Hits No. 1 on Streaming Songs for First Time Since 2018
“Hurricane” reigns with 29 million U.S. streams in the Aug. 27-Sept. 2 tracking period, according to MRC Data. “Hurricane” leads a slew of West songs on the Sept. 11 chart, with seven of the top 10 coming from new album Donda. That’s the most West has sent into Streaming Songs’ top 10 in a single week, besting the four that reached that level from 2019’s Jesus Is King toward the Nov. 9, 2019, survey. West now boasts 22 top 10s on Streaming Songs, tying him with J. Cole for the fourth most in chart history. Drake leads all acts with 53. Most Top 10s, Streaming Songs53, Drake23, Justin Bieber23, The Weeknd22, J. Cole22, Kanye West20, Ariana Grande20, Post Malone19, Lil Uzi Vert18, Lil Baby18, Taylor Swift In all, 22 songs from Donda hit Streaming Songs, tying West for the second-most simulta...
Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Makes Historic Start on Billboard’s Christian & Gospel Charts
West achieves his second leader on both Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums. In November 2019, his first spiritual LP, Jesus Is King, opened with 264,000 units, then a weekly record sum on both surveys. It led Top Christian Albums for eight weeks and Top Gospel Albums for 67 (the latter an MRC Data-era record). It ranks at Nos. 7 and 2 on the latest respective lists, up 17% to 3,000 units. Donda was surprise-released, following a prominent promotional campaign, on an off-cycle Sunday (Aug. 29, instead of the usual Friday for most new albums), and, thus, launches with just five days of activity in its first chart week, instead of seven. The 27-track album was released only via streamers and digital retailers, while a release date for a physical album has not yet been a...
Cardi B and Offset Welcome Baby Boy, Their Second Child Together: ‘He Is Already Loved So Much’
“We are so overjoyed to finally meet our son,” the couple said in a statement provided by Cardi’s representatives. “He is already loved so much by family and friends and we can’t wait to introduce him to his other siblings.” Offset also celebrated the occasion by sharing a shirtless photo of himself embracing the child while lying on a hospital cot next to Cardi. “Chapter 5,” he captioned the sweet picture on Instagram, a reference to this being his fifth child. Cardi and Offset are already parents to their 3-year-old daughter Kulture, who was born on July 10, 2018. Offset is also the father to three other children from previous relationships. In late June, Cardi revealed her pregnancy at the 2021 BET Awards while onstage with Migos duri...
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Pose With Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty in New Photos
It was unclear when the photos and video were taken, or what the occasion was. But they appeared to be enjoying each other’s company, and people couldn’t stop tweeting about their hangout session. Some fans especially loved baby seeing “Papa Bear” — as Minaj has affectionately called him — and the expression on his face while seated between two superstars. “imagine having nicki minaj as your momma and rihanna as a auntie,” one person pointed out in their tweet. Check out their pictures together on Instagram, and watch their video clip below. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in t...
Baby Keem Announces Release Date for Debut Album The Melodic Blue, Shares Trailer
After years of teasing and slowly rolling out songs, Baby Keem has finally announced the release date for his debut studio LP. It’s called The Melodic Blue and it’s due out September 10th through his cousin Kendrick Lamar’s elusive production company pgLang via Columbia. Watch a teaser trailer for the new album below. The Melodic Blue is technically Baby Keem’s first-ever album, serving as the follow-up to his 2019 mixtape Die for My Bitch. So far, he’s previewed the album with the Travis Scott collaboration “Durag Activity” and his excellent single “Family Ties” featuring Kendrick. The latter track easily earned the title of Song of the Week last month. The tracklist for The Melodic Blue has not been formally unveiled, but Baby Keem did reveal in his Instagram stories that he sampled our ...
Drake Producer Noah ’40’ Shebib Addresses R. Kelly Credit on ‘TSU’
In reaction to an Independent news headline posted by Ravyn Wngz, who prompted followers to share their thoughts, 40 chimed in with a statement via his verified Instagram account. “On a song called tsu at the beginning is a sample of OG Ron c talking,” he wrote in the comments. “Behind that faintly which you can’t even hear is an r Kelly song playing in the background. It has no significance no lyrics are present, r Kelly’s voice isn’t even present but if we wanted to use Ron c talking we were forced to license it.” 40 added, “Doesn’t sit well with me let me just say that. And I’m not here to defend drakes lyrics, but I thought I would clear up that there is no actual r Kelly present and it’s a bit misleading to call him a co lyricist. It’s kinda wild cau...
Kanye West Lands 10th No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With ‘Donda’
Donda keeps up a hot streak for West on the Billboard 200, as he once again ties Eminem for the most No. 1 debuts in a row on the chart. Donda is West’s 10th straight charting album to bow atop the list. Eminem earned his 10th straight No. 1 debut with his last release, Music to Be Murdered By in 2020. (Overall, Jay-Z has the most debuts at No. 1, with 14, although they were not consecutive.) West also ties Eminem for the most consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, each with 10. Both West and Eminem have only missed No. 1 once in their chart careers on the Billboard 200, each with their debut chart effort. West peaked at No. 2 with The College Dropout in 2004, and Eminem peaked at No. 2 with The Slim Shady LP in 1999. Donda was surprise-released on an off-cycle Sunday, Aug. 29 (ins...
Lil Uzi Vert Has Implanted Diamond Torn from His Forehead After Diving Into Crowd
If you happen to have a $24 million diamond implanted on your forehead, it’s probably not the best idea to jump into a raging crowd. Lil Uzi Vert learned this the hard way after he jumped into the crowd at Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival only to have his custom Elliot Eliantte diamond ripped right off his forehead. After Lil Uzi Vert was spotted recently without his signature diamond, a TMZ camera man asked him of its whereabouts. “I had a show at Rolling Loud and I jumped into the crowd and they kind of ripped it out,” Uzi explained. Fortunately, he was somehow able to hold onto the diamond and still has it in his possession. After saving up for it since 2017, Lil Uzi Vert got the diamond implanted in February. He temporarily removed it in June after it caused him some bleeding, but had it ...
Chris Brown Shares His Unreleased Verse for Kanye West’s ‘Donda’
Though Brown is listed as one of the “New Again” writers, he apparently wasn’t too thrilled to learn his contribution had been dropped when Donda was surprise released on Aug. 29. He reportedly referred to West as a “whole hoe” in an Instagram Story hours after the album’s arrival. He later deleted that comment and shared another Story that simply said, “Nah he tweakin’.” CB wasn’t the only artist miffed at the “Follow God” rapper for not including their work on Donda. Soulja Boy blasted West the day Donda — named after Kanye’s late mother — arrived, after a fan asked him via Twitter what he thought about the album. “idk how to feel, Kanye sent me that song ‘remote control’ and ...
Taylor Swift Celebrates Anita Baker Getting Her Masters Back: ‘What a Beautiful Moment’
A day earlier, the R&B singer had shared with fans that the battle over her catalog was over. “All My Children Are Coming Home,” she tweeted with a photo of her first five albums: The Songstress (1983), The Rapture (1986), Giving You the Best That I Got (1988), Compositions (1990) and Rhythm of Love (1994). “Impossible Things Happen … Every. Single. Day. Gratefully.” Shortly after the announcement, she encouraged fans to “STREAM.ON.” This isn’t the first time Swift has shown support for Baker’s fight to regain control of her own masters. In March, the soul singer tweeted that “miraculously,” she had “out-lived *ALL, of my Artist Contracts.” However, she explained, “By Law… 30yr old, Mstrs are 2B R...
Andre 3000 Says Kanye West Collab ‘Life of the Party’ ‘Didn’t Have’ Drake Diss When He Wrote His Verse
“A few weeks ago Kanye reached out about me being a part of the Donda album,” said the Outkast rapper, who was in Cleveland filming a Noah Baumbach film when they made contact. “I was inspired by his idea to make a musical tribute to his mom. It felt appropriate to me to support the Donda concept by referencing my own mother, who passed away in 2013. We both share that loss. I thought it was a beautiful choice to make a clean album but, unfortunately, I didn’t know that was the plan before I wrote and recorded my verse. It was clear to me that an edited ‘clean’ format of the verse would not work without having the raw, original also available. So, sadly, I had to be omitted from the original album release.” He continued, “The track I received and wrote to didn’t hav...
Rico Nasty Brings the Heat to Her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert: Watch
Considering Rico Nasty is easily one of the most versatile voices in hip-hop today, it makes sense that her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert would fit a wide array of sonics into just 13 minutes. During her guest appearance on NPR’s coveted performance series, the DMV rapper posted up with her all-female backing band in a yard adorned with plenty of flood lights to suit her colorful persona. Rico’s set opened with her recent soulful single “Magic” before diving into the boisterous fan-favorite, “Rage.” She wrapped up the show with tracks from her debut studio album, Nightmare Vacation: “OHFR?,” “Trust Issues,” and her breakout single “Smack a Bitch.” Seamlessly weaving between R&B, hyperpop, and her unique breed of punk-rap, Rico’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert is a sight to behold — black lipstick...
