Rap
Song of the Week: St. Vincent Brings ‘70s New York Glam With “Down”
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J. Cole, Rap’s Middle Child, Comes of Age on The Off-Season
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T18:39:31+00:00“>May 14, 2021 | 2:39pm ET As with most middle children, one tends to forget about them in favor of their older or younger sibling. The Off-Season, out today (May 14th), sees J. Cole — aka hip-hop’s self-proclaimed middle child — finally accepting and embracing his place, and letting everyone know that though he may exist between generations, he still has plenty to offer. A typical middle child is constantly seeking approval from either or both of their parents, only to find themselves ignored (and therefore disappointed). Cole has garnered similar scorn from a large sector of rap fans — look no further than his shots at Kanye West on “False Prophets” or his cont...
Danny Brown and Bruiser Brigade Records Drop New Album TV62: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T21:11:43+00:00“>May 14, 2021 | 5:11pm ET Danny Brown and Bruiser Brigade Records have dropped the new compilation album TV62. Stream it below via Bandcamp. Bruiser Brigade began as the title to one of Brown’s solo EPs, then morphed into a Detroit hip-hop collective and, now, a proper record label. So far this year it’s put out J.U.S.’ GOD GOKU JAY-Z, Fat Ray’s Santa Barbara, and Bruiser Wolf’s Dope Game Stupid. You’ll want to remember the names, because all three MCs shine on TV62. Brown himself lords over four of the 16 songs, but his presence as executive producer is felt on every track in the impeccable selection of beats. Most of the production comes fr...
Paris Texas Unveil New EP BOY ANONYMOUS: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T02:10:08+00:00“>May 13, 2021 | 10:10pm ET Paris Texas have unveiled their debut EP BOY ANONYMOUS. Stream it below with Apple Music and Spotify. Contrary to their name, Paris Texas aren’t actually from Paris, Texas. Rather, the duo of Louie Pastel and Felix hail from the Mecca of West Coast rap in Compton. While many young artists are eager to make statements that might draw attention to their art, Paris Texas seem to adhere to the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. Instead of interviews or elaborate press releases, they’ve been focused on a stunning Instagram feed full of cryptic, evocative imagery. They haven’t said exactly what they’re up to, but we kno...
J. Cole Releases New Album The Off-Season: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T03:59:28+00:00“>May 13, 2021 | 11:59pm ET J. Cole’s highly anticipated new album The Off-Season is finally here. It’s the North Carolina rapper’s eighth studio LP overall, following his 2018 record KOD. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. The Off-Season spans 12 tracks in total, including his new single “i n t e r l u d e”. Mere hours before the album’s release, he teased fans by revealing the star-studded list of producers, which included Timbaland, Boi-1da, DJ Dahi, and Jake One. He also teamed up with Frank Dukes, Tae Beast, Maneesh, Wu10, Sucuki, Coleman, Tommy Parker, and others for beats. Earlier this week, J. Cole dropped Applying Pressure: ...
Nicki Minaj Releases Beam Me Up Scotty on Streaming Services with New Drake and Lil Wayne Track “Seeing Green”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T04:19:56+00:00“>May 14, 2021 | 12:19am ET Nicki Minaj has made her early mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty available on streaming services for the first time, and with it comes the addition of five new tracks. Kicking off the tracklist is a massive collaboration called “Seeing Green”, which reunites the Minaj with former Young Money label mates Drake and Lil Wayne. There’s also a track called “Fractions” as well as remixes of Skillibeng’s “Crocodile Teeth”, G Herbo’s “Chi-Raq”, and PTAF’s “Boss Ass Bitch”. Beam Me Up Scotty, Minaj’s third mixtape, was originally released in April 2009. Across nearly 20 tracks, it contained collaborations with Lil Wayne, Drake, Gucc...
Migos Drop New Song “Straightenin”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-14T04:29:02+00:00“>May 14, 2021 | 12:29am ET The release of Migos‘ long-delayed album, Culture III, appears to be back on track. Today, the trio shared a new song titled “Straightenin” as the latest preview from LP. Stream it below. Produced by the Atlanta group’s frequent collaborator DJ Durel, the track follows a series of 2020 singles: “Give No Fxk” with Travis Scott and Young Thug, “Taco Tuesday”, “Racks 2 Skinny”, and “Need It” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again. Migos have been teasing Culture III since October 2018, when Quavo told the Associated Press that the album would drop in early 2019. The full-length failed to materialize and was pushed back to ear...
J. Cole to Play in Basketball Africa League for Rawandan Team
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-10T17:57:44+00:00“>May 10, 2021 | 1:57pm ET J. Cole is chasing his hoop dreams by playing in Basketball Africa League during its inaugural season. As first reported by The New Times Rwanda, and subsequently confirmed by ESPN, the rapper’s signing with the Rwanda Patriots BBC is expected to become official on Thursday. According to ESPN, Cole arrived in Rwanda over the weekend and is in the midst of quarantining so he can play in the league. NBA skills coach Chris Joseph Brickley also confirmed Cole’s upcoming debut. “To see [J. Cole] dream of playing Pro Basketball come true makes me so happy,” Brickley wrote on Instagram. “He believed in me to completely reconstru...
DMX’s New Posthumous Album Exodus Coming on May 28th
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-10T18:41:49+00:00“>May 10, 2021 | 2:41pm ET 18 years after his last release on Def Jam, nine years after his most recent LP Undisputed, and seven weeks after his death, Earl “DMX” Simmons will be heard on the new posthumous album Exodus. It’s out May 28th via Def Jam and Ruff Ryders, and Swizz Beatz is serving as executive producer. The New York legend’s return to Def Jam feels like the closing of a circle. The label began to flounder in the mid 1990s as it suffered from money problems, changed owners, and searched for its voice in a shifting hip-hop landscape. Well, if you can’t find an identity yourself, then X gon’ give it to ya. His 1998 Def Jam debut,&nbs...
15-Year-Old Admits to Being Trigger Man in Pop Smoke’s Murder, According to Detective’s Testimony
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-09T21:30:55+00:00“>May 9, 2021 | 5:30pm ET A 15-year-old has allegedly admitted to being the trigger man in the murder of rising hip-hop artist Pop Smoke. The revelation came during testimony of LAPD Detective Carlos Camacho at a preliminary hearing for a different defendant in the case, 20-year-old Corey Walker. According to Camacho, the shooter, the youngest of four defendants in the case, admitted to a cellmate at a juvenile detention center that he indeed was the one who pulled the trigger on Pop Smoke. The interview from last May was recorded by police (via The Daily News). According to Detective Camacho’s testimony, the 15-year-old “admitted that they asked for the jewelry”...
L’Orange and Namir Blade Uncork New Album Imaginary Everything: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-07T16:44:03+00:00“>May 7, 2021 | 12:44pm ET Producer L’Orange and Nashville MC Namir Blade have uncorked their new collaborative album Imaginary Everything. Stream it below with Apple Music or Spotify. Blade broke out last year with Aphelion’s Traveling Circus, while L’Orange has been bubbling just below mainstream success for close to a decade. For Imaginary Everything, the Mello Music Group labelmates acquired guest verses from Quelle Chris, Fly Anakin, Jordan Webb, and Marlowe, with L’Orange producing every track. In an interview with Consequence, L’Orange explained how he achieved the soundscapes on Imaginary Everything using an Akai MPC. “T...
McKinley Dixon Deftly Navigates Grief and Healing on For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her: Review
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-05-07T15:45:52+00:00“>May 7, 2021 | 11:45am ET The Lowdown: From the first track of McKinley Dixon’s For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her, you’ll be floored by the Richmond, Virginia-based artist’s ability to marry extremely personal storytelling with dazzling, and often unpredictable, instrumentation. The final installment in a five-year trilogy, the record builds on the legacy of 2016’s Who Taught You to Hate Yourself? and 2018’s The Importance of Self Belief. Across each of these works, Dixon sounds like a highly-trained musician, with melodic arrangements that induce a visceral reaction. Coupled with his gripping delivery and impeccable lyricism, it’s hard to believe Dixon h...
