Hip-Hop
Lil Nas X Pauses Atlanta Concert to Take a “Mean Shit”
When it comes to a Lil Nas X performance, you have to prepare for the unexpected. That advice can also extend to the rapper himself, who was forced to paused his Atlanta show earlier this week to take a “mean shit.” As we saw in our recap of Lil Nas X’s first night at Radio City Music Hall, the “Long Live Montero Tour” consists of three acts, giving the performers a brief break between each as the curtains close. Evidently, Lil Nas X took that as his opportunity to answer nature’s call: “I’m backstage and this is not a part of the show, but I’m taking a mean shit,” he told the audience over the venue speakers. “I’m gonna be, like, a minute or two, and I’ll be right back.” If you ask us, the music biz could always use a little more transparency, and some fans took to Twitter to ex...
California Bill Restricts Rap Lyrics from Being Used as Criminal Evidence
Creative expression has scored a major victory in California, as Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill restricting rap lyrics from being used as evidence in court. The Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act was unanimously approved by the state’s senate and assembly back in August before being signed into law. Per Variety, a virtual signing ceremony was held featuring speeches from rappers including Killer Mike, Meek Mill, Too $hort, YG, E-40, and more. CEO of the Recording Academy Harvey Mason Jr. and leaders from the Black Music Action Coalition and Songwriters of North America also joined the ceremony. “For too long, prosecutors in California have used rap lyrics as a convenient way to inject racial bias and confusion into the criminal justice process,” Dina LaPolt, entertainmen...
Coolio’s ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ Remains Evergreen on Billboard Global Charts
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts launched in September 2020, measuring the most popular songs in the world based on global streams and sales (the latter excluding United States-based consumption). For 72 of the 107 weeks since the lists premiered, Coolio‘s 1995 classic “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V., has ranked among the biggest hits on Global Excl. U.S. – the most time tallied among songs released in the ’90s. “Paradise” ranks at No. 149 on the most recent, Oct. 1-dated, Global 200 (in its 62nd frame), as well as at No. 151 on Global Excl. U.S. In the week ending Sept. 22, the track drew 14.3 million official streams worldwide, according to Luminate. As previously reported, Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died Wednesday (Sept. 28) in Los Angeles at a...
Freddie Gibbs Unleashes New Album $oul $old $eparately: Stream
After more than a decade of success as an independent artist, Freddie Gibbs has released his major label debut album, $oul $old $eparately, via ESGN/Warner Records. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. The 15-track LP features appearances from Pusha T, Rick Ross, Scarface, Offset, Raekwon, and more. Producers on the project include close collaborators Madlib and The Alchemist, as well as Boi-1da, Justice League, Kaytranada, Jake One, and DJ Dahi. James Blake, Anderson .Paak, and Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul pulled double duty by producing and contributing vocals. In anticipation of $oul $old $eparately, Gibbs shared Rap Song of the Week “Too Much” featuring Moneybagg Yo and the James Blake-produced “Dark Hearted.” The Gary, Indiana rapper’s last full-length was 2020’s Alfredo in collabor...
M.I.A. Wants Us To Live Free on New Single “BEEP”: Stream
M.I.A. has always been an outspoken, boundary-pushing artist, and she’s no different on new single “BEEP.” Listen to the track below. “You can be who you wanna be,” goes the hook in “BEEP,” a short, slinky song rife with exotic percussion. Doing what she wants has always been M.I.A.’s MO, and she remains unbothered by that fact here: “I tried to tell you all what will happen to you/ I tried to make you see I was telling the truth/ I was tryna be everything you want me to be/ I can’t please everyone/ Imma let it BEEP BEEP,” she raps. No word on if the single’s “Be free” message is about vaccines, though. “BEEP” will appear on M.I.A.’s upcoming album MATA, which has yet to receive a release date. So far, however, the musician has previewed the project with the singles “The One” and “Popular....
Coolio Recorded New Dialogue and a Song for Futurama Before His Death
Just a few weeks before he died of cardiac arrest, Coolio was in the studio recording dialogue and a new song for the upcoming revival of Futurama, producer David X. Cohen told TMZ. During Futurama’s initial run, Coolio had a recurring role on the animated satire as Kwanzaa-bot, the exasperated holiday companion to Santa Claus Robot and Chanukah Zombie. “Coolio was one of my favorite guests,” Cohen said. “He was always totally upbeat and genuinely enjoyed coming in to record as his character Kwanzaa-bot.” Cohen said that the episode will be dedicated to Coolio and feature him rapping over the credits, in order to give him “the best send-off we can.” He added that he’d had an enjoyable conversation with the “Gangsta’s Paradise” MC, and learned that Coolio had r...
Future Interrupts Jimmy Kimmel Live! with a “Love You Better” Dream Sequence: Watch
Life is different when you’re living in the Future, as the Atlanta MC demonstrated with a show-stopping performance — literally — of “Love You Better” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Kimmel introduced the musical guest as if he were sitting down for an interview. After Future took a spot on the couch, the host asked, “So how is the Future? Relatively speaking.” “Man, I be drifting off sometimes,” Future replied, as music began to swell and the lighting went woozy. The cameras shifted to show a young woman calling out, “Future!” as she entered his dressing room. She found a bouquet of flowers, a bucket of ice, and a note: “I NEVER LIKED U.” Advertisement Related Video That’s a reference to Future’s new album, I Never Liked You, and as she sat on the couch to process this missive, the camera...
Coolio Was Working on Song With Irish Singer Christy Dignam Before Death, Said it Was ‘Probably Going to be a Banger’
Coolio‘s death at 59 on Wednesday (Sept. 28) left many unanswered questions, including whether the beloved “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper left behind any unheard music. But as spotted by People magazine, earlier this summer the MC born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. had been working on a new song with the lead singer of Irish rock band Aslan, Christy Dignam, just a few months before his passing. “We’ve just got into it,” Coolio told the Irish Examiner in July in an interview about his return to one of his favorite cities in the world, Dublin, Ireland. “We’re working on a track. We haven’t even started writing any lyrics. The track is being built as we speak. Somewhere within the next four to six weeks we should have something tangible we could work with.” Coolio — who told the paper he loves Dublin so m...
Coolio Dead at 59
Coolio died on Wednesday (Sept. 28) in Los Angeles, California. He was 59 years old. According to TMZ, who first reported the news, the rapper, born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. was found dead on the bathroom floor at his friend’s house, and paramedics initially suspect that he suffered cardiac arrest. However, an official cause of death has yet to be determined. Billboard has reached out to his reps for more information. Coolio placed six hits on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, including the No. 1 smash “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring L.V, from the film Dangerous Minds. The single spent three weeks atop the list in 1995 and finished as the year-end No. 1 song on the Hot 100. It also ruled the Hot Rap Songs list for 11 consecutive weeks. The track would go on to win the Billboard Music Awar...
Coolio Found Dead at Age 59
Coolio, the rapper best known for his chart-topping single “Gangsta’s Paradise,” has died at the age of 59, according to TMZ. Citing the rapper’s longtime manager, TMZ reports that Coolio died from cardiac arrest on Wednesday. At the time of his death, he was at a friend’s house, his manager said. After the rapper went to the bathroom and never returned, his body was found laying on the floor. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Released in 1995, the Stevie Wonder-sampling, L.V.-featuring “Gangsta’s Paradise” was an ominous yet infectious document of gangster life, a darker offering from a man with a pretty lighthearted persona (if his iconic hair wasn’t proof enough, Coolio’s earlier output had built him a reputation for bringing a humorous perspective to his tales of violence). ...
Lizzo Kicks It Seriously Old School By Ripping Solo on James Madison’s Crystal Flute
Lizzo kicked it seriously old school on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) during her gig at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C. Like, for real old, as in the 1800s. The rapper had a very special guest for the gig: a crystal flute once owned, but never played, by Founding Father and fourth president of the United States, James Madison. Surely you have questions. Earlier this week, the Library of Congress tweeted out a humble brag about having the largest flute collection in the world, with more than 1,800 pieces, including Madison’s 1813 crystal flute. “@lizzo we would love for you to come see it and even play a couple when you are in DC next week,” they wrote. “Like your song they are ‘Good as Hell.’” Because she’s a classically trained flautist, Lizzo could not possibly pass up the offer o...
Pusha T Commits a McMurder on New McRib Diss Track “Rib Roast”: Stream
Pusha T has compiled enough gritty nicknames to populate a whole gangster movie: The L Ron Hubbard of the Cupboard, Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss, Pusha Thanos, and now, “The boss with the smoky Q sauce.” That’s because King Push has once again partnered with Arby’s to absolutely body a McDonald’s product, this time with the “Rib Roast,” a McRib diss track. The Virginia MC committed his first McMurder earlier this year with “Spicy Fish Diss,” though his feelings about McDonald’s go back much further than that. Pusha T was either the partial or full author of that famous, “Ba da ba ba ba,” in the first “I’m Lovin’ It” commercial from 2003. The actual credit is highly disputed, though marketing CEO Steve Stoute revealed in 2016 that Clipse — that’s Push and his brother No Malice — were ...
