Hip-Hop
Megan Thee Stallion No Longer Performing With BTS at 2021 American Music Awards
Megan Thee Stallion has dropped out of her appearance at the 2021 American Music Awards, which included her highly anticipated performance with BTS, due to a personal matter. The rapper was scheduled to join BTS onstage to perform the Hot 100 hit “Butter” at Sunday’s (Nov. 21) event. The live collaboration was set to be the televised world premiere of their “Butter” remix. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Hotties I was so excited to go to the @AMAs and perform with @BTS_official, but due to an unexpected personal matter, I can no longer attend,” she wrote on Twitter on Saturday, the day before this year’s AMAs. “I’m so sad! I really can’t wait to hit the stage with my guys and perform #BTS_Butter real soon!” said Megan, who is nominated for thr...
Kanye West and Drake Announce Free Larry Hoover Concert
Now that they’ve buried the hatchet, Kanye West and Drake are set to share the stage next month. The two hip-hop stars will come together on December 9th for the Free Larry Hoover Concert, which advocates for the clemency of Gangster Disciples co-founder Larry Hoover. Hoover is currently serving six life sentences after being found guilty of murder, conspiracy, extortion, money laundering, and other criminal activities. He has since renounced his association with Ganger Disciples activity and has sought to reclaim the initials GD as standing for growth and development. Advertisement Related Video Kanye has been advocating for Hoover’s release from prison for the last several years, even meeting with former president Donald Trump to ask for his clemency. He also provided Hoover’s son, Larry...
Chuck D Pens Open Letter Following Astroworld Tragedy: “Stop Letting One Young Black Man Take the Blame”
In the wake of the recent tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival, Chuck D has issued an open letter to Live Nation, demanding they take accountability for the incident and accusing them of redirecting the blame onto Scott. “I’m tired of these corporations shucking their most crucial responsibility,” Chuck D wrote. “I’m not buying the Young Black Man did it. He’s being blamed for a crime while the old white men running the corps that Travis and his fans trusted with their lives stay quiet in the shadows.” The excuse of Scott’s irresponsible actions don’t wash,” the Public Enemy founding member continued. “If his act had a history of that behavior why promote him to bigger venues, why partner with him in the first place and let him headline a bigger audience? Live Nation controll...
WILLOW Enlists Kid Cudi for “transparent soul” Remix: Stream
WILLOW has teamed up with Kid Cudi for a new remix of her single “transparent soul.” Stream the remix below. Over unmistakeable drums by Travis Barker, Kid Cudi takes the reins on the second verse, crooning, “Yeah you know me, lost boy the lonely/ Fire envy burn through the night/ I will show you soon you’ll be believing/ See through my soul, baby let me burn in ya/ Now you got your wings/ They don’t know my secrets/ You always know/ Put it all behind/ Know I cannot run and hide.” The original track served as the lead single for WILLOW’s fourth solo album lately I feel EVERYTHING, which found her transitioning to a more pop-punk-influenced sonic palette with guest assists from Avril Lavigne (“Grow”), Tierra Whack (“Xtra”), Cherry Glazerr (“Breakout”), and more. Stream the “transparent...
Rap Song of the Week: Freddie Gibbs Reconnects with Jadakiss on “Black Illuminati”
Our recurring new music feature Rap Song of the Week breaks down the hip-hop tracks you need to hear at the end of every week. Check out the full playlist here. This week, Freddie Gibbs reunites with Jadakiss on “Black Illuminati.” When Freddie Gibbs and Jadakiss last collaborated on Gibbs’ star-studded Baby Face Killa mixtape nine years ago, the Gary, Indiana rapper was about to exit his ill-fated deal with Young Jeezy’s CTE label. Given all the talent he’d displayed up to that point, it’s no surprise that Gibbs went on to become one of the most successful independent artists in the game, earning enough gravitas to ink his own partnership deals with major labels. After notching a Grammy nomination for Alfredo, Gibbs is mashing the gas pedal even harder for his follow-up, which h...
Drake Becomes First Artist to Have Two Albums Spend 400 Weeks Each on the Billboard 200
Because his cap doesn’t already have enough feathers, Drake has yet another world record to add to his plumage. According to Chart Data (via Twitter), the rapper has become the first artist in history to have multiple studio albums spend at least 400 weeks each on the Billboard 200. The two albums in question are his back-to-back gems, 2011’s Take Care and 2013’s Nothing Was the Same. The achievement comes as the latter album joined the 400 Club earlier this week. Take Care, meanwhile, just spent its 454th week on the charts, sitting just 18 weeks behind the current all-time hip-hop record holder, Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. And you thought Drake squashing his beef with Kanye was the biggest thing he’d do this week. As the RIAA’s highest-certified digital ...
Angel Haze Shares Track by Track Breakdown of New EP Girl with the Gun: Exclusive
Our Track by Track feature gives artists the opportunity to share the inspiration and stories behind each song on their latest release. Today, Angel Haze peels back the curtain on her new EP Girl with the Gun. Following a five-and-half year hiatus, Angel Haze is back with her new EP, Girl with the Gun. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. During the former Rookie of the Year’s break from the music scene, one of the interests Haze leaned on as a creative outlet to heal from a traumatic upbringing was painting. This newfound love for an outside discipline helped the 27-year-old artist return to a mindset in which she could once again create music for herself — free of outside expectations. Advertisement “Girl With The Gun is the start of a new life for me. It’s everything I...
Freddie Gibbs Reunites with Jadakiss on “Black Illuminati”: Stream
Freddie Gibbs and Jadakiss have shared “Black Illuminati,” their first song together in nearly a decade. The single is out now via Warner Records. “Black Illuminati” celebrates the rappers’ growing success with healthy skepticism — having money is great, but it’s become all the more clear these days that the hip-hop game comes with certain dangers. “They want to take me out this game like Sha’Carri/ Black Illuminati, touch big rabbits, streets need a body,” Gibbs spits in the minimal track. The duo rap in a lavish mansion in the song’s music video, further confirmation of their recent gains. Listen to the single below. Gibbs and Jadakiss last worked together on “Krazy,” a cut from Gibbs’ 2012 album Baby Face Killa. A lot has happened since then. Following the 2020 release of Alfredo, ...
Man Shot at Young Dolph Memorial
A shot rang out in Memphis Thursday afternoon as mourners gathered at a memorial to slain rapper Young Dolph. As ABC24 reports, one man was wounded and three people have been detained for questioning. Young Dolph, born Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., was murdered on Wednesday inside of Makeba’s Cookies. Since then, his fans have turned the bakery’s boarded-up windows into a graffitied monument. Local ABC cameras captured the sound of the shot, though not the actual assault, and witnessed as the small crowd scattered in fear. Police have not released the identities of the three persons of interest, nor have they indicated whether this latest shooting is related to the rapper’s killing. But law enforcement officials had anticipated retaliation, even temporarily closing a Memphis restau...
Saba Sets Release Date for New Album, Drops “Stop That”: Stream
Saba has dropped his new single “Stop That” along with the track’s accompanying music video. Watch it below. The self-produced song is the second single off the Chicago-based MC’s upcoming third album Few Good Things, following Daoud-assisted lead-off “Fearmonger.” The LP is set to arrive in its entirety February 4th via The Orchard. “I feel like more often than not, we let our own judgement of ourselves knock our confidence off before anyone else even offers any feedback. Our own insecurities ring really loudly in our heads, to the point where we make ourselves smaller before giving anyone else the chance to,” the rapper said of the single in a statement. “This is something that I feel like I found myself beginning to do over the years. Hiding from the uncomfortable moment. And this song ...
FKA twigs Teams with Central Cee for “Measure of a Man”: Stream
FKA twigs‘ next record is apparently done, but fans will have to wait a bit longer before hearing the true follow-up to 2019’s MAGDALENE. Instead, the British singer-songwriter has released the song “Measure of a Man,” a collaboration with the British rapper Central Cee that features on the soundtrack to the upcoming film The King’s Man. Rife with piano ballads and Biblical theatrics, MAGADLENE saw twigs bare her soul. “Measure of a Man,” meanwhile, is equally cinematic, but in the traditional movie soundtrack sense of the word. With creeping bass and twigs’ sultry voice mixed high, the track offers an ominous bravado that fits The King’s Man’s spy premise well. “Nobody feels the pain behind the love you show,” the R&B singer croons. “Nobody feels the burden that you be...
New York Bill Seeks to Limit Rap Lyrics as Criminal Evidence
Two New York state senators have put forward a bill to protect rap and hip-hop artists’ use of creative expression in their lyrics. Referred to as the “Rap Music on Trial” bill, the proposed legislation would seek to limit the admissibility of song lyrics as criminal evidence “without clear and convincing proof that there is a literal, factual nexus between the creative expression and the facts of the case.” In a Rolling Stone interview, Senators Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) and Jamaal Bailey (D-The Bronx) illustrated their point by citing classic lyrics by the likes of Johnny Cash (“But I shot a man in Reno/ Just to watch him die”) and David Byrne (“Don’t touch me, I’m a real live wire/ Psycho killer”) which are clearly understood to be artistic. Advertisement Related Video Meanwh...
