Rap
24kGoldn Drops “Mood” Remix with Justin Bieber and J Balvin: Stream
J Balvin (photo by Heather Kaplan), 24kGoldn, and Justin Bieber (images via Instagram) No sooner had 24kGoldn’s “Mood” summited the Billboard Hot 100 then did Ariana Grande’s “Positions” knock it back down. But in the year of our Lord 1 ALN (that’s After Lil Nas X) we know there’s nothing like a starry remix to buoy flagging sales. In the spirit of the many incarnations of “Old Town Road”, 19-year-old 24kGoldn has shared “Mood (Remix)” featuring two of the biggest superstars in the Americas, Justin Bieber and J Balvin. In its original form, “Mood” featured Puerto Rican singer iann dior. His voice is a littler higher than 24kGoldn, but they have similar tones, and on a first listen only a fan familiar with their music would be able to tell them apart. That’s no longer a problem with Bieber ...
J Dilla’s Welcome 2 Detroit Gets 20th Anniversary 7-Inch Vinyl Box Set
Next year will mark 20 years since the release of J Dilla’s solo debut album, Welcome 2 Detroit. To celebrate, Dilla’s early label BBE Music has announced a deluxe 7-inch vinyl box set reissue set for release on February 5th, 2021. Welcome 2 Detroit — The 20th Anniversary Edition presents the original LP remastered and split amongst 10 discs. Each disc includes one or two of the 16 album tracks backed by either an instrumental or alternate take. The exception is “Rico Suave Bossa Nova”, which is paired with a previously unreleased edit by Azymuth. An additional 11th disc features newly released alternate outtakes, demos, and mixes, while disc 12 includes both the original and instrumental versions of DJ Muror’s new remix of “Think Twice”. Also packaged in the box is a book by British write...
10 Timeless Political Songs for Election Day
This feature originally ran November 2008 and has since been edited for Election Day 2020. Everyone hates politics. Election Day is among us, though. So, it doesn’t matter if you get nauseous any time you flip by C-SPAN or that you once had an asthma attack during your eighth-grade field trip to Washington, D.C. Truth be told, the country’s future is on the line, and it’s your civil duty to get out there and cast a ballot. As a source of inspiration, we scrambled together a cliché collection of the best political anthems out there. Because, really, sometimes you just need to hear the hits again to feel good about something — it’s sort of like how every sports team relies on the same three or four songs to get everyone in the mood. Editors’ Picks So, slap on those headphones, pump up ...
Lil Wayne’s Girlfriend Seemingly Denies Rumors She Dumped Him After Trump Endorsement
After rapper Lil Wayne endorsed Donald Trump for president, TMZ reported that he’d been dumped by his girlfriend, Denise Bidot. It looked like Weezy F. Baby might have to F. himself for a little while, but now Bidot seems to have quashed those rumors. In a since-deleted tweet, screenshotted for posterity, Bidot responded to the breakup story by writing, “I did NOT! This is absolutely false,” (via Complex). Bidot, a model, recently deleted her Instagram account, and one of her last posts was a meme that read, “Sometimes love just isn’t enough.” That fueled rumors of their breakup, and blogger B. Scott poured gas on the fire by publishing a confirmation from someone alleging to be Bidot’s friend. But yesterday, November 3rd, Bidot herself dumped cold water on the story. At this time, it’s no...
Lil Pump Joins Donald Trump for Election Eve Rally, Introduced as “Little Pimp”
As Lady Gaga stumped for Joe Biden in Pittsburgh, Donald Trump countered with his own “celebrity” endorser. During a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Monday night, Trump was joined on stage by Lil Pump. The Harvard Dropout rapper came out in support of Trump last week, after apparently learning of Biden’s plan to tax individuals making over $400,000 a year. “Fuck I look like payin’ an extra 33 in tax for Biden, bitch ass n*gga? Fuck Sleepy Joe, n*gga! Trump 2020, bitch,” he yelled in a clip posted to social media. Word apparently got back to the reality show president, who’s always on the lookout for a new attraction for his “COVID-19 Superspreader World Tour”. Of course, neither man bothered to do one iota of research on the other before taking the stage together. Trump introduced Lil P...
Big Boi, Sleepy Brown, and Killer Mike Perform “We the Ones (Remix)” on Fallon: Watch
It was Atlanta night in New York City on Monday as Big Boi and Sleepy Brown brought their new remix of “We the Ones” to The Tonight Show. They were joined by fellow Dungeon Family alums Killer Mike and Big Rube. In its original form, “We the Ones” appeared on the self-titled 2017 EP from production trio Organized Noize, of which Brown is a member. Bigs Boi and Rube were already present, but it took last month’s remix to add Killer Mike of Run the Jewels. The track has always been a protest song, but since it came out Killer Mike has become one of the most notable voices of the resistance. His verse added a new perspective centered around aspiration and faith. After an introduction from Jimmy Fallon, the song opened with Big Rube at a podium labelled with the official “Seal o...
Milwaukee Official Apologizes for Promoting Weatherization Assistance Program with “WAP”
From 1976 until just quite recently, there was nothing funny about the Weatherization Assistance Program. But for this year’s National Weatherization Day on October 30th, those initials “WAP” got Ryan Clancy’s juices flowing. The Milwaukee County Supervisor promoted the program on his personal Facebook page with an image of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. The image contained the words “Weatherization Assistance Program” and the parodic lyrics, “There’s some holes in this house!” That meme, along with a press release describing W.A.P.’s benefits, caused a public backlash. Now, at the bequest of the weatherization staff, Clancy has issued an apology. The news was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. With all the grace of Old Media, it described “WAP” as “a song so vivid an...
Lil Durk Drops New Song “Stay Down” Featuring Young Thug and 6LACK: Stream
Lil Durk has dropped his new song “Stay Down” featuring a hook from 6LACK and a guest verse from Young Thug. This is the second single from Durk’s forthcoming album The Voice. Produced by Metro Boomin and DY Krazy, “Stay Down” is all about priorities. Specifically, Durkio prioritizes sex and lots of money. With the aid of auto-tune, he raps “Only five star shit, ain’t no thots with us/ Chanel round shades like binoculars/ Diamond nose ring, they think Pac with us.” He’s got punchlines about The Proud Family (“I gave you every Penny like Oscar”), and shows off some non-English vocabulary to prove that women of other cultures and faiths are more than welcome in his bed. But the Chicago native’s line about going “from Harold’s Chicken to eating lobster,” is unlikely to win him many ...
Busta Rhymes Performs “YUUUU” with Anderson .Paak on Fallon: Watch
Busta Rhymes dropped his star-studded comeback album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God on Friday. The New York rapper celebrated his big release by stopping by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon later that evening to perform “YUUUU” — and he received some on-stage assistance from none other than Anderson .Paak. Backed by a live band and standing atop a proper stage, the gym rat and veteran rapper led his crew through a synchronized dance in time with the staccato rap song. He, Spliff Star, and .Paak all took turns spitting out their lines while dancing side to side, rolling their arms in the air, and staying light on their toes. Their chemistry was undeniable, and for performing to an empty room, they sure knew how to keep the mood high. Don’t miss the moment where B...
Killer Mike Links Up with WooDaReleast for New Song “Greatness”: Stream
Killer Mike (photo by Ben Kaye) and WooDaRealest (photo courtesy of his Instagram) Killer Mike has joined the up-and-coming Atlanta rapper WooDaRealest for a new single called “Greatness”. It’s part of a forthcoming compilation album that Pharrell’s creative collective i am OTHER is releasing in collaboration with SoundCloud. As to be expected with Killer Mike on the track, “Greatness” is a politically-charged banger meant to rally up listeners as Election Day grows ever closer. “Ain’t no savior coming, Black folks gotta save ourselves/ If it come to your life or a crooked copper don’t be slaughtered/ Word to Assata,” the Run the Jewels rapper spits raps in his classic, matter-of-fact flow. At the end of the track, Mike returns with a mini sermon urging people to take to the streets instea...
Common Reveals New Album A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1: Stream
Just in time for what’s sure to be a very tense Election Day, Common has dropped a new album called A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1. Stream it in full below via Apple Music and Spotify. In a statement, the ever-socially conscious and inspiring Common described his new LP as an “affirmation.” He added, “It’s recognition. It’s elevation. It’s music to go with a movement. Because the truth is, there is still so much work to do. Regardless of the outcome of the election, we need to make sure things do not return to the status quo.” The rapper isn’t out protesting by himself, though. A Beautiful Revolution Pt 1 features contributions from the Stevie Wonder and Robert Glasper, as well as Black Thought (“Say Peace”) and Lenny Kravitz and Public Enemy’s Chuck D (“A Riot in My Mind”). Karriem Rigg...
Lil Wayne Endorses Donald Trump
Lil Wayne is the latest rapper to come out in support of Donald Trump. In a tweet posted on Thursday evening, Wayne revealed that he recently met with Trump and was won over by his commitment to the “Platinum Plan” for Black America, as well as his past actions achieving criminal justice reform. “Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership,” Wayne wrote. “He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done. 🤙🏾” According to Bloomberg, the Trump Administration’s “Platinum Plan” commits to unlocking $500 billion in access to capital to Black communities in addition to creating three million new jobs. It also c...
