Hip-Hop
Kanye West Claims Universal Music Group Released ‘Donda’ Without His Approval
Billboard has reached out to Def Jam for comment. The Donda track “Jail pt 2,” featuring DaBaby, was originally unavailable when the album first appeared on streaming services Sunday morning, but became available later in the afternoon. In a now-deleted Instagram post from early Sunday, West shared screenshots of text messages saying the track was being held up because of clearance issues from DaBaby. During Ye’s third large-scale listening event for Donda at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Aug. 26, it was revealed that Jay-Z’s verse on “Jail” had been replaced by a new one from DaBaby, who has been under fire for making homophobic and misogynistic comments at Rolling Loud Miami in July. Fans were pleased to learn Sunday that Jay’s verse had been ...
Fans Choose BTS & Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Butter’ Remix as This Week’s Favorite New Music
BTS, who recently graced the cover of Billboard, and Megan Thee Stallion’s remix arrived days after the rapper filed an emergency temporary restraining order against 1501 Certified Entertainment, alleging that her label was blocking her from appearing on a remix of BTS’ Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “Butter.” On Tuesday (Aug. 24), a Texas judge ruled in favor of the Megan’s request to extend the TRO that permitted her to release the remix. The following day, both acts announced the remix. “Butter” has been sticking to the top of Billboard‘s Songs of the Summer chart, where it remains in the week dated Aug. 28. The song, which ruled the Hot 100 for nine weeks and became the longest-running No. 1 of 2021 (so far), ...
Kanye West Channels His Vulnerability on Donda, Delivering His Best Album in Years
Two of the most confounding words in music are “Kanye” and “West.” For the past few years, Kanye West has been less of an artist and more of a Rorschach test for a worldwide audience. To some, he’s a genius on par with John Lennon, Beethoven, Steve Jobs, and Leonardo Da Vinci. To others, he’s a drama king attracted to the spotlight like a moth to a flame. To a third group, he’s a fallen prophet who traded in his goodwill for a red cap and a White House hall pass. However you rate his flaws, Kanye admittedly never hid them, even all those moons ago when the world said he was hip hop’s Messiah in 2004. Seventeen years later, after dealing with the ups and downs that come from living one’s life in a fishbowl for the world to see, Ye is back with Donda, his tenth album. Named after his mother,...
Jay-Z Joined by Megan Thee Stallion, Swizz Beatz & More at 40/40 Club’s Anniversary Celebration
Swizz Beatz, fellow hip-hop staple and longtime close friend of Jay, arrived dressed for the occasion in a velvet suit. But before the red carpet photographers could fully snap their shots of his ensemble, the man of the hour Jay-Z arrived right behind Swizz with perfect timing and swiftly joined him on the carpet. Hov graciously thanked everyone for coming before smoothly walking into his club with Swizz, ready for the celebration to begin. Even if someone hasn’t been to 40/40, it is nearly impossible to not know of its allure in the music world, thanks to the surplus of references sprinkled throughout verses from Jay himself as well as plenty of other artists. For Benny the Butcher, this was exactly the case as he stepped into 40/40 physically for the first time last night but had ...
Every Song on Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Album, Ranked: Critic’s Pick
After sifting through the censored CDQ version of Donda on streaming services, check out our song rankings for the LP below. 26. “Tell the Vision” (feat. Pop Smoke) A different version of “Tell the Vision” originally landed on Pop Smoke’s posthumous Faith album. Here, Pusha T’s verse is cut out and Pop’s vocals are altered along with Kanye tweaking the beat. Yeezy gives a salute to Pop, which serves as more of an interlude or bridge than a legit track from the fallen Brooklyn drill soldier. 25. “No Child Left Behind” (feat. Vory) This is the proper album closer. Anyone that watched the stream or was on social media during the second Atlanta listening party will have to associate “No Child Left Behind” with the sight of Kanye...
Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Album Is Here: Stream It Now
Kanye West is back. The 22-time Grammy winner released his highly anticipated 10th studio album, Donda, to streaming services on Sunday morning (Aug. 29) — weeks after his original listening event in Atlanta. The album was first due on Friday, July 23, via G.O.O.D. Music and Def Jam Recordings, but then the project experienced multiple delays. Donda, named after West’s mom who died in 2007 at age 58, comes nearly two years after West’s ninth studio album, Jesus Is King, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October 2019. On Thursday night, he held a third album release event for Donda at Chicago’s Soldier’s Field, after holding his previous two events inside Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz...
Kanye West Releases New Album Donda: Stream
It’s finally here. Kanye West has released Donda, his 10th solo album to date. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. Spanning 27 tracks in total, the star-studded album boasts appearances from The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Pusha-T, Young Thug, Jay Electronica, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Baby Keem, and Conway the Machine, as well as with Kanye’s former Watch the Throne collaborator JAY-Z and the late rapper Pop Smoke. The album also tragically includes contributions from Marilyn Manson (an accused sexual predator), DaBaby (a homophobe), and Chris Brown (a domestic abuser). Manson is listed as a co-writer on “Jail,” Brown contributed to “New Again,” and DaBaby is featured on “Jail Pt. 2.” (Editor’s note: “Jail Pt. 2” is not currently available to stream as of press ...
Kim Kardashian Shares Backstage Wedding Dress Photo from Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ Listening Event in Chicago
In a second photo, Kardashian is seen from afar donning the gown as she dramatically recreates her nuptials in front of thousands at Soldier Field. The final image is a candid shot of West and Kardashian, both clad in black leather, hanging out in the venue’s locker room with their 5-year-old son, Saint. West’s Donda listening party in his hometown of Chicago was filled with other surprises and strange scenes, including bizarre onstage appearances by DaBaby and Marilyn Manson. The “Rockstar” rapper has been under fire for making homophobic and misogynistic comments at a Miami festival in July, while the shock-rocker has been accused of sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing multiple women. At one point in the show, West also set himself on fire. While Yeezy fan...
Rap Song of the Week: Kendrick Lamar Issues a Warning Shot on Baby Keem’s “Family Ties”
Rap Song of the Week breaks down the rap and hip-hop tracks you need to hear each week. Check out the full playlist here. For our latest installment, Kendrick Lamar makes a roaring comeback on Baby Keem’s “Family Ties.” It’s no surprise that Kendrick Lamar’s first guest appearance since announcing his final album on TDE is on Baby Keem’s new single. Not only are the two rappers cousins, but Keem is the flagship artist on Kendrick’s company, pgLang, which will logically be the Compton rapper’s focus after leaving his label of 17 years. Besides that, 2021 is shaping up to be Keem’s mainstream breakout year. After teaming up with Travis Scott on “durag activity,” the 20-year-old rapper was featured on a track played at one of Kanye West’s early DONDA listening parties. Advertisement Rela...
Flee Lord and Roc Marciano Unveil New Album Delgado: Stream
The god of hustle Flee Lord has linked up with underground king Roc Marciano for the new album Delgado. Stream it below on Apple Music or Spotify. Flee Lord lives in the damn booth. In 2020 alone he released [checks notes… counts… runs out of fingers] 12(!) separate projects, and 2021 is shaping up to be another doozy. The former protégé of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy has already teamed up with Lordmobb for Lordmobb Complilation, Vol. 1 and DJ Muggs for Rammelize. But despite the deluge, Delgado feels like an event because of who lined up behind the board. Marciano is a low-key legend: a former member of Busta Rhymes’ Flipmode Squad who remains beloved by nigh all hip-hop heads while largely skirting mainstream success. In addition to his skills as an MC, his dar...
GRIP Drops Debut Album I Died for This!? on Eminem’s Label: Stream
Atlanta rapper GRIP has just released I Died for This!?, his guest-heavy new album and official debut on Eminem’s label Shady Records. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. I Died for This!? is the third studio album GRIP has dropped over the years, following 2019’s Snubnose and 2017’s Porch. This time around, though, he’s leveling up in terms of his lyrical prowess and the guests he surrounds himself with — and clearly Slim Shady himself took notice. In fact, Eminem felt so strongly about GRIP’s future that he even hopped on “Walkthrough!,” undoubtedly the record’s biggest single. There are other big names across the LP’s 15 tracks, too, like Kenny Mason, Big Rube, and Royce da 5’9″. Plus, GRIP is also joined later on by Wiley from Atlanta, Dead Cassettes, Tate228, A...
Angel Haze Announces New EP Girl with the Gun, Drops “Never Seen”: Stream
Angel Haze has shared new single “Never Seen,” the first taste of her upcoming EP, Girl with the Gun. Stream it below on Apple Music and Spotify. On the track, the rapper unapologetically revels in her ego over a wobbling beat. “I am not the type of bitch/ To be appeased with all the average/ I got lots of codependents/ Ding ding what’s the tab/ I been known to flip the digits/ Loose change turn to racks/ Put a nigga on the bench/ If he need time to reflect,” she raps before abruptly cutting the song off just past the 90-second mark. “I explore the territories of my voice, both in and outside my mind,” she said of the track in a statement. “I wanted to play with different tones and intertwine certain phrases to create a woozy, dreamlike impression. This song is my daydream of a life bigger...
