Rap
Reason Pops Off on New Song “Sauce” Featuring Vince Staples: Stream
While some people might prefer a plain life, Reason is living for the “Sauce” on his new song featuring Vince Staples. “Sauce” is a summery track, perfect for driving along the California coastline with the windows down and the volume up. It’s built over a relaxed piano refrain, stunting drums, and a subterranean bass. During the chorus, Reason raps the way a schoolkid skips, with a couple syllables to gather momentum followed by a moment of suspension. “I might slip, I don’t fall, if I slip, I might crawl,” he spits. As he’s been doing his whole career Vince Staples steals the show with an exuberant guest verse. Here, he takes aim at the police. “Hit the block, chip the bars, yuh/ Catch a pig, Randy Moss, yuh/ I don’t rock with the police none/ Don’t ditch the Glock when the police ...
Aminé Performs in Hot Air Balloon on Kimmel: Watch
Aminé soared over Los Angeles in a hot air balloon for his Thursday performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The balloon itself was a statement, festooned in Black Lives Matter messaging, flags of countries, and religious symbols from around the world. While attempting to honor the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Sandra Bland, Aminé made a broader statement about the interconnectedness of humanity. The rapper launched into the two opening tracks of his new album Limbo, but in reverse order. First, he essayed his latest single “Woodlawn”. Lines like “Came a long way from that Woodlawn Park,” hit differently at 2,200 feet. After landing, Aminé stepped inside the balloon itself, transforming a mode of transportation into a dramatic venue. He played “Burd...
Beastie Boys’ Final Concert at Bonnaroo 2009 Is Streaming on YouTube All Weekend: Watch
As the coronavirus pandemic looms on, many artists are stepping up to the plate to help fans pass the time by uploading archival footage from years past. Now, Beastie Boys are doing their part by sharing their final concert ever, their 2009 headlining performance at Bonnaroo, for free on YouTube all weekend long. The performance actually aired on Thursday night during the kickoff to Bonnaroo’s Virtual ROO-ALITY three-day streaming event, but apparently that wasn’t enough for fans. “The last gig,” the group tweeted on Friday. “We’ve heard from so many fans around the world that were unable to tune in last night, so our friends at Bonnaroo are letting the set live online through the weekend.” The rap icons never planned to make this Bonnaroo set their last. At the time, Beastie Boys had...
Tory Lanez Releases Ill-Advised Album About Megan Thee Stallion Shooting
Until today, Tory Lanez had remained largely silent about allegedly shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot back in July. Now, though, the rapper born Daystar Peterson has finally broken his silence on the matter, but not by publicly apologizing or even issuing a simple statement. No, instead the Canadian MC has released a whole damn album denying Megan’s claims and bemoaning their impact on his career. Quick recap: Tory Lanez was arrested in mid-July on concealed weapons charges. A few days later, Megan revealed she’d actually been shot in the foot prior to his arrest. About a month after that, the “WAP” rapper confirmed rumors that it was indeed Lanez behind the trigger. Which brings us to last night. After disappearing from social media following the arrest and shooting, Lanez ret...
Public Enemy Release New Album What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?: Stream
Public Enemy have released their first new album in three years, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?. Stream the star-studded LP below via Apple Music and Spotify. What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down? sees Public Enemy’s original lineup of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and DJ Lord returning to Def Jam Records for the first time in over 20 years. The label put out the trio’s first five studio albums including 1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990’s Fear of a Black Planet, both of which went on to shape the history of hip-hop as we know it. The 17-track full-length sees Public Enemy linking up with rap royalty, like Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock and Mike D alongside Run-DMC on the cut “Public Enemy Number One”. On the 2020 remix of “Fight the Power”, they team up with Na...
Travis Scott Drops New Single “Franchise” Featuring M.I.A. and Young Thug: Stream
Young Thug and Travis Scott (photos by Philip Cosores), M.I.A. (photo by Ben Kaye) Travis Scott has unleashed his latest single “Franchise”, featuring M.I.A. and Young Thug. Check it out below via its accompanying self-directed music video/short film. The song comes hot on the heels of Scott’s smash hit McDonald’s collaboration, which has been so popular that various locations are literally running out of ingredients. “Franchise” is itself something of a branding exercise, as the short film premiered ahead of select IMAX screenings of Christopher Nolan’s Tenent on Thursday night. Scott also contributed the track “The Plan” to the film’s soundtrack, leading Nolan to call the new short film “part of a Travis/Tenet/Travis sandwich” in a note he wrote the rapper. Yet despite all the cross-prom...
Lil Wayne Releases Deluxe Edition of Tha Carter V: Stream
To mark the two-year anniversary of its release, Lil Wayne has shared the deluxe “original” version of Tha Carter V. Stream it below via Spotify. Tha Carter V originally arrived in 2018 after a massive delay caused by Lil Wayne’s contract feud with Cash Money Records. There was also considerable bad blood between the rapper and label head Birdman. Things began to settle in June 2018 when Cash Money’s parent company, Universal Music Group, settled a lawsuit for “well over $10 million” that simultaneously freed Wayne from his former label. Birdman and Lil Wayne also were able to bury the hatchet. The new deluxe edition expands upon the double-album’s 23 tracks with an additional 10. Three of the songs — a version of “What About Me” featuring Post Malone, a Gucci Mane collaboration called “In...
ASAP Ferg Drops New Album Floor Seats II: Stream
ASAP Ferg has released Floor Seats II, his new studio album and the follow-up to his 2019 Floor Seats EP. Stream it below via Spotify. Floor Seats II spans 10 tracks in total, including the previously released singles “No Ceilings” featuring Lil Wayne and Jay Gwuapo and “Move Ya Hips” with Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO. The album also boasts collaborations with Marilyn Manson (who appears on a track called… “Marilyn Manson”), Diddy, and Fivio Foreign. Rappers Mulatto, Antha Panth, and ONEFOUR make appearances on the LP as well. Earlier this week, ASAP Ferg announced the impending release of Floor Seats II by linking up with NBA legend Dennis Rodman for a video. In it, the basketball player hypes up Ferg before he outlines the guest features on his new album and reveal...
MadeinTYO Teams with Toro y Moi for New Single “Money Up”: Stream
Los Angeles-via-Atlanta rapper Malcolm Jamaal Davis, better known by his moniker MadeinTYO, has been not-so-subtly climbing the ranks as one of hip-hop’s most exciting rising artists. While his breakout 2016 mixtape You Are Forgiven captured the attention of rap giants like Travis Scott, it was his debut studio album, 2018’s Sincerely, Tokyo, that proved he was worth keeping an eye on in the long run. Now, MadeinTYO is returning to the spotlight with “Money Up”, his new single featuring Toro y Moi. In just under three minutes, MadeinTYO makes a big splash over a weird, warped beat produced by Toro y Moi. Instead of showing off his speed or narrative abilities, MadeinTYO makes an impression here by rapping about financial security, body positivity, and knowing your worth — topics that he fl...
YG Reveals New Single “Out on Bail”: Stream
YG is set to drop his new studio album, My 4Hunnid Life, in just a little over a week. Already we’ve heard a few teasers in “Laugh Now Kry Later”, “SWAG”, and the timely ACAB anthem “FTP”. Now, another single has been unboxed: “Out on Bail”. Today’s offering is drawn from YG’s own real-life experience with the prison system. Earlier this year, he was arrested and charged for robbery. The Compton native was released shortly after — just in time for his Grammys tribute performance to Nipsey Hussle — but clearly those events have stuck with him. “I’m out on bail, them motherfuckers tryna get me/ But I won’t tell, so with some time they tryna hit me/ I’m innocent as fuck, but they tryna prove I’m guilty,” YG raps on this fresh cut. Its corresponding video, directed by Austin Simkins, follows t...
Conway the Machine Performs Tiny Desk (Home) Concert from Restaurant Booth: Watch
As Conway the Machine demonstrates on his new NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert, he’s equally comfortable posting up in the recording booth as he is in the corner booth of a friendly chicken and waffles joint. On location at Sweet Chick in Queens, New York, the Machine powered through a five-track set that drew heavily on his excellent new album From King to a God. He also received tableside service, gratefully accepting a plate of the house special and a side of mac and cheese. He kicked things off with two FKTG cuts, “Lemon” and “Front Lines”. Before this latter rendition, he explained how the killing of George Floyd impacted him, saying, “I got inspired to do this record kinda like… well, it didn’t start with the George Floyd killing, it’s been going on. But that one in particular, it k...
Polo G Makes Late Night Debut with “Martin & Gina” on Fallon: Watch
Four months after releasing his excellent sophomore full-length, The Goat, Polo G finally crossed the cable lines. The Chicago rapper made his television debut on Monday night with a performance of “Martin & Gina” on Fallon. On a stage as crisp white as his outfit, Polo G was backed by a full four-piece band. With soft lights cycling through colors around him, he demonstrated the strength of his consistent, quavering vocal style. He also showed appreciate for his rise, ending the performance by saying, “Shout out to my band for rocking out with me, and thanks Jimmy Fallon for having me.” Replay Polo G’s Fallon appearance below. [embedded content] Related You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving...
