Rap
Statik Selektah Teams with Nas, Joey Bada$$, and Gary Clark Jr. on New Song “Keep It Moving”: Stream
Statik Selektah (photo courtesy of artist); Gary Clark Jr., Joey Bada$$, and Nas (photos by Ben Kaye) Statik Selektah has shared a star-studded new single called “Keep It Moving” featuring Nas, Joey Bada$$, and Gary Clark Jr. With jazzy guitar licks from Clark Jr. and throwback bars from both New York MCs, “Keep It Moving” sounds like it’s rolling through an early-’90s NYC. With their respective verses, the rappers speak on what it means for the Black community to rise up against the systems of oppression around them, from wherever they may come. “Lot of us turn out to predicate felons, not I/ My brethren’s addicted to sellin’, slipped and turned to somebody’s seller,” raps Nas. “I wish that somebody would tell us then/ Tell us chances are slim when you dancin’ with sin/ It all start from ...
50 Rappers Who Changed the World Celebrates Hip-Hop’s Rich History: Review
The Lowdown: Public Enemy’s Chuck D has long advocated that the history of Black music in America — from the blues and R&B to soul and hip-hop — is inextricably linked to the history of the Black community. To understand, for instance, the origins of hip-hop — its power to give a voice to the once voiceless and shine light on both the cultural richness and profound systemic suffering found in urban communities — is to know something vital about the Black experience in America. Candace McDuffie’s new book, 50 Rappers Who Changed the World, does a service to both the history of a genre and of a people by paying tribute to the game-changing emcees from rap’s earliest days right up through artists topping present-day charts. <img data-attachment-id="1077449" data-permalink=&qu...
Diddy Warns If Trump Gets Reelected “There Will Be a Race War”
Diddy has launched a new political action committee, the Our Black Party, with the goal to “center the needs of Black people and Black communities in the political process.” In a fiery interview with Revolt TV, the mogul repeatedly made the point that politicians have neglected the needs of Black Americans, and warned that “If Trump gets elected, I really do believe in my heart there will be a race war” (via Yahoo! Entertainment). In conversation with Charlamagne the God, Diddy suggested that Trump further exacerbated racial tensions with his recent remarks about white nationalist militias in which he said they should, “stand back and stand by.” “White men like Trump need to be banished,” Diddy said. He explained, “That way of thinking is real dangerous. This man literally t...
Benny the Butcher Reveals New Album Burden of Proof: Stream
Benny the Butcher has uncorked his new album Burden of Proof. Scroll onwards to stream it through Apple Music and Spotify. Benny and his cousins Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine have spent the last half-decade slowly building up Griselda Records into an artistic powerhouse. The trio leveled up after 2019’s WWCD, and now 2020 has been the Year of Griselda: W.G. and Con have already released three albums with a fourth on the way, while Griselda associates Armani Caesar and Boldy James have put out excellent projects of their own. Burden of Proof is the latest bid for world domination, but it is sonically separate from the rest of the Griselda universe. While Mr. Gunn and Mr. Machine have favored throwback beats and collaborations with legends like DJ Premier and the W...
The Weeknd Officially Releases Saxy New “In Your Eyes” Remix Featuring Kenny G: Stream
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” may be one of the best songs of 2020, but it’s the After Hours single “In Your Eyes” that’s extra sax-y — quite literally. Today, the R&B superstar has shared a new remix of “In Your Eyes” featuring the one and only saxophone legend Kenny G. The unlikely collaborators first debuted a version of this rework at last month’s TIME 100 event, where The Weeknd was honored as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020. While that live rendition saw Kenny G lend a silky instrumental outro, this official studio release of the remix features two additional solos from the jazz musician and Kanye West associate. We never would have guessed we’d be mentioning The Weeknd and Kenny G in the same breath — they each offer their own very different vision of “sexy mu...
Cardi B Calls Off Divorce from Offset: “It’s Really Hard to Have No Dick”
Crank up “WAP” because Cardi B and Offset are officially back together again. The hip-hop power couple has made amends just four weeks after filing for divorce. Cardi initially cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for wanting to split up from her husband of three years. However, it appears their squabbles may have just been part of a rough patch in their relationship. “I’m just a crazy bitch,” Cardi admitted in a new video, as TMZ reports. “One day I’m happy, the next day I want to beat him [Offset] the fuck up.” But at the end of the day, the pair’s tight friendship and even hotter sex life make all the drama worth it. “It’s really hard not to talk to your best friend,” the “Money” rapper continued, “and it’s really hard to have no dick.” Editors’ Picks “We’re just ...
Nicki Minaj Confirms Birth of Baby Boy
Congratulations to Nicki Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty! In a new Instagram post today, October 15th, Her Pinkness confirmed the birth of her first child, a baby boy. Via TMZ, the birth took place on Wednesday, September 30th. Minaj didn’t reveal the child’s name or any baby pictures. But she did share notes of congratulation from various musicians, artists, and fashion luminaries. “Thank you to Queen B, Kim & Ye, Riccardo Tisci, Winnie, Karol & everyone who sent well wishes during this time,” she wrote. “It meant the world to me. I am so grateful & in love with my son. Madly in love. My favorite liddo boy in the whole wide world.” The well wishes can be viewed below, and the differences between them might be notable for the gossip-inclined. For example, Beyoncé ...
Post Malone Forgets How to Lip-Sync During Billboard Music Awards: Watch
Post Malone led the 2020 Billboard Music Awards with 16 nominations across 15 categories. The Hollywood’s Bleeding rapper also performed during the telecast, appearing remotely from a Los Angeles refinery, where he was joined by Tyla Yaweh. Unsurprisingly given the location, the “performance” was clearly lip-synched — and not terribly well. Posty started from atop the industrial structure, barely keeping himself timed to the playback of “Circles”. As he walked down to join Yaweh, fireworks started shooting off around them… silently, because again, none of the audio was live. The pair “delivered” their collaborative single “Tommy Lee”, gamely trying to sing along but coming off more as a pantomime of a rap performance. Frankly, the entirety of the pandemic-era 2020 Billboard Music Awar...
Killer Mike Accepts First-Ever Change Maker Award at Billboard Music Awards: Watch
Killer Mike is one of the best rappers in the game — and perhaps the most socially active. His passion could be heard when he gave a speech to Atlanta protesters after the murder of George Floyd, or when he subsequently appeared on Colbert. His careful consideration and belief in Americans’ rights could be read in his op-ed supporting Black gun ownership. And he literally put his money where his mouth is earlier this week when he announced the launch of his Black-owned digital bank, Greenwood. Honestly, the Run the Jewels rapper’s credentials pretty much speak for themselves, but a little recognition never hurt anyone. At Wednesday night’s Billboard Music Awards, Killer Mike was honored with the first-ever Change Maker Award. “Killer Mike’s dedication to equality, social justice and financ...
Mysterious Woman from Black Sabbath’s Debut Album Gets Her Own Funko Pop! Figure
Funko’s popular line of collectible Pop! figures has expanded over the years to include a wide array of music, film, and television subjects. Even with the toy company’s vast roster, who would’ve thought that the mysterious woman from the cover of Black Sabbath’s debut album would get her own Funko Pop! figure? That’s the case with a new line of Funko Pop! figures based on classic albums. The first Funko “Pop! Albums” series features figures modeled after three iconic album covers. They include Sabbath’s self-titled debut, The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die, and AC/DC’s Back in Black. Upon its release in 1970, Sabbath’s debut album helped usher in what the world knows now as heavy metal. The woman on the ominous cover had remained a mystery until earlier this year, when she was locat...
Testament’s Alex Skolnick Unleashes New Rap Song “Wear a F**king Mask”: Stream
This year’s most unlikely political rap star, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, has returned with a second pandemic anthem: “Wear a F**king Mask”. The thrash guitarist surprised everyone last month when he dropped the hilarious “Trump Sucks” rap — a homemade ditty with a clear and direct political message, given the impending November elections. Consider this new track the B-side to “Trump Sucks”. Tragically, the basic safety measure of wearing a face covering during the pandemic has become a divisive political issue, with President Trump remaining defiantly apathetic toward mask regulations despite contracting COVID-19 himself. Well, Skolnick is having none of that. He might not be the most gifted rapper, but that’s part of the satirical humor, as Skolnick himself admits. “My recent home...
Killer Mike Co-Founds Black-Owned Digital Bank Greenwood
Killer Mike is one of the founding members of the new Black-owned digital bank Greenwood. As CNN reports, the venture officially launches in January of 2021 but has already received “tens of thousands” of account requests. Greenwood is the brainchild of chairman Ryan Glover, the creator of Bounce TV. He co-founded the bank along with Killer Mike and Andrew Young, a Civil Rights icon who has served as a Georgia congressman, mayor of Atlanta, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The trio first announced the business in June, when they successfully raised $3 million of seed money. The platform was then officially unveiled on Thursday, October 8th, and has already been flooded with account applications. “I will say we’re in the tens of thousands,” Glover said. “That number is increasing ...
