Rap
Travis Scott Goes Golfing with Michael Jordan and Mark Wahlberg in First Public Appearance Since Astroworld
Travis Scott surfaced publicly this week for the first time since the tragic events at Astroworld. As TMZ reports, on Tuesday the rapper hit a Southern California golf course with an all-star pairing that included Michael Jordan and Mark Wahlberg. Prior to this week, Scott had been laying low in his hometown of Houston, Texas, dealing with the aftermath of Astroworld. During Scott’s headlining performance at the festival, a crowd surge left 10 people dead and hundreds of others injured. While a criminal investigation is still ongoing, already there’s been a bevy of civil suits filed against Scott, the festival’s promoter Live Nation, and others. Scott has offered to cover the funeral costs for all 10 individuals killed at Astroworld, and is providing free counseling for attendees impacted ...
JAY-Z Surpasses Quincy Jones as Artist with Most Grammy Nominations
JAY-Z has set a new Grammys record, passing pioneering producer and composer Quincy Jones for most nominations in the history of the awards. He earned three nominations for the 2022 ceremony, pushing his total to 83. Previously tied with Jones at 80 nominations, the Brooklyn rapper added to his total thanks to collaborations with DMX (“Bath Salts”) and Kanye West (“Jail”), both of which are up for Best Rap Song. Thanks to the latter guest appearance, Jay earned an additional nod as part of Donda’s Album of the Year nomination. Thus far, he has collected 23 Grammys. Paul McCartney kept pace as the runner-up for most Grammy nominations, picking up a pair of nods in the Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album categories. He was previously tied for second place with Jay-Z’s arguably more famous wif...
Azealia Banks Slams Kanye West, Says Cancel Culture Doesn’t Exist: ‘Only God Can Cancel Something’
Azealia Banks took aim at Kanye West on Monday (Nov. 22), sharing her uncensored thoughts on the rapper in a new interview. Chatting with Rolling Stone, the topic of ‘Ye came up, as the “212” MC discussed how she came this close to naming her recent track “F— Him All Night” after her nemesis. The reason? “Because Kanye trolled me a lot,” she said. (Instead, the single’s cover art points all 10 fingers at West thanks to some creative nail art.) “Listen to my music. Listen to the last five years of Kanye West’s music. I’m superior,” Banks continued. “I don’t have to talk about that which is beneath me. He’s been, I guess, selling sneakers and doing outrageous shit, everything but the music. When Kanye puts some music out that is important, then I guess we can have that conversation. But righ...
Tyler, the Creator Performs “MASSA” at AMAs: Watch
Not that we expected anything less, but Tyler the Creator brought the heat during his performance at the 2021 American Music Awards tonight. The rapper ran through “MASSA” in front of a snow-covered home. Watch the replay below. While the former Odd Future member didn’t receive any nominations himself at the AMAs this year, his performance was just one more addition to his growing list of unforgettable live moments (remember when he fell into a pit of fire at the 2020 Grammys?). Watch it go down below. Next year, Tyler will hit the road on an extensive North American tour in support of his latest album, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. You can get your tickets via Ticketmaster. Tyler the Creator performs “MASSA” at the 2021 #AMAs pic.twitter.com/aH2CHT7Mo5 Advertisement Related Video — Rap Al...
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...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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...
Wyclef Jean Dropped Range Rover’s CEO on His Head During Corporate Party
In a scene straight out of Succession, Wyclef Jean was hired to play a corporate gig for Range Rover, only to then nearly paralyze the company’s CEO by dropping him on his head. TMZ has video of the incident (see below), which occurred at the Range Rover Leadership Summit on Monday night. At some point during the evening, Wyclef decided to hoist the company’s CEO and President, Joe Eberhardt, onto his shoulders. With The Outfield’s “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight” playing in the background, the two basked in the surreal moment — until it all came tumbling down. Wyclef eventually lost his balance and proceeded to drop the elder Eberhardt right on his head. Fortunately, Eberhardt escaped seriously injury, but he certainly appears dazed in the video, and ended up leaving the party early...
Wyclef Jean Dropped Range Rover’s CEO on His Head During Corporate Party
In a scene straight out of Succession, Wyclef Jean was hired to play a corporate gig for Range Rover, only to then nearly paralyze the company’s CEO by dropping him on his head. TMZ has video of the incident (see below), which occurred at the Range Rover Leadership Summit on Monday night. At some point during the evening, Wyclef decided to hoist the company’s CEO and President, Joe Eberhardt, onto his shoulders. With The Outfield’s “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love Tonight” playing in the background, the two basked in the surreal moment — until it all came tumbling down. Wyclef eventually lost his balance and proceeded to drop the elder Eberhardt right on his head. Fortunately, Eberhardt escaped seriously injury, but he certainly appears dazed in the video, and ended up leaving the party early...
